Author
Patrick A. Dion
Other affiliations: McGill University, Université de Montréal, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine
Bio: Patrick A. Dion is an academic researcher from Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital. The author has contributed to research in topics: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis & Genome-wide association study. The author has an hindex of 49, co-authored 205 publications receiving 10372 citations. Previous affiliations of Patrick A. Dion include McGill University & Université de Montréal.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
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TL;DR: Findings further corroborate that TDP-43 is involved in ALS pathogenesis and reports eight missense mutations in nine individuals—six from individuals with sporadic ALS and three from those with familial ALS (FALS)—and a concurring increase of a smaller T DP-43 product.
Abstract: Recently, TDP-43 was identified as a key component of ubiquitinated aggregates in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), an adult-onset neurological disorder that leads to the degeneration of motor neurons. Here we report eight missense mutations in nine individuals--six from individuals with sporadic ALS (SALS) and three from those with familial ALS (FALS)--and a concurring increase of a smaller TDP-43 product. These findings further corroborate that TDP-43 is involved in ALS pathogenesis.
1,453 citations
Duke University1, Columbia University2, University of Massachusetts Medical School3, McGill University4, Stanford University5, Biogen Idec6, Harvard University7, Washington University in St. Louis8, University of Amsterdam9, Trinity College, Dublin10, King's College London11, Utrecht University12, University of Milan13, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center14, Cornell University15, University of California, San Diego16, University of Utah17, University of Pennsylvania18, Emory University19
TL;DR: A moderate-scale sequencing study aimed at increasing the number of genes known to contribute to predisposition for ALS found several known ALS genes were found to be associated, and TBK1 (the gene encoding TANK-binding kinase 1) was identified as an ALS gene.
Abstract: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurological disease with no effective treatment. We report the results of a moderate-scale sequencing study aimed at increasing the number of genes known to contribute to predisposition for ALS. We performed whole-exome sequencing of 2869 ALS patients and 6405 controls. Several known ALS genes were found to be associated, and TBK1 (the gene encoding TANK-binding kinase 1) was identified as an ALS gene. TBK1 is known to bind to and phosphorylate a number of proteins involved in innate immunity and autophagy, including optineurin (OPTN) and p62 (SQSTM1/sequestosome), both of which have also been implicated in ALS. These observations reveal a key role of the autophagic pathway in ALS and suggest specific targets for therapeutic intervention.
813 citations
TL;DR: This study sequenced the exomes of 14 schizophrenia probands and their parents to identify 15 de novo mutations (DNMs) in eight probands, which is significantly more than expected considering the previously reported DNM rate.
Abstract: Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disorder that profoundly affects cognitive, behavioral and emotional processes. The wide spectrum of symptoms and clinical variability in schizophrenia suggest a complex genetic etiology, which is consistent with the numerous loci thus far identified by linkage, copy number variation and association studies. Although schizophrenia heritability may be as high as ∼80%, the genes responsible for much of this heritability remain to be identified. Here we sequenced the exomes of 14 schizophrenia probands and their parents. We identified 15 de novo mutations (DNMs) in eight probands, which is significantly more than expected considering the previously reported DNM rate. In addition, 4 of the 15 identified DNMs are nonsense mutations, which is more than what is expected by chance. Our study supports the notion that DNMs may account for some of the heritability reported for schizophrenia while providing a list of genes possibly involved in disease pathogenesis.
449 citations
TL;DR: Together these approaches showed that TARDBP mutations cause motor neuron defects and toxicity, suggesting that both a toxic gain of function as well as a novel loss of function may be involved in the molecular mechanism by which mutant TDP-43 contributes to disease pathogenesis.
Abstract: TDP-43 has been found in inclusion bodies of multiple neurological disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal dementia, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Mutations in the TDP-43 encoding gene, TARDBP, have been subsequently reported in sporadic and familial ALS patients. In order to investigate the pathogenic nature of these mutants, the effects of three consistently reported TARDBP mutations (A315T, G348C and A382T) were tested in cell lines, primary cultured motor neurons and living zebrafish embryos. Each of the three mutants and wild-type (WT) human TDP-43 localized to nuclei when expressed in COS1 and Neuro2A cells by transient transfection. However, when expressed in motor neurons from dissociated spinal cord cultures these mutant TARDBP alleles, but less so for WT TARDBP, were neurotoxic, concomitant with perinuclear localization and aggregation of TDP-43. Finally, overexpression of mutant, but less so of WT, human TARDBP caused a motor phenotype in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos consisting of shorter motor neuronal axons, premature and excessive branching as well as swimming deficits. Interestingly, knock-down of zebrafisfh tardbp led to a similar phenotype, which was rescued by co-expressing WT but not mutant human TARDBP. Together these approaches showed that TARDBP mutations cause motor neuron defects and toxicity, suggesting that both a toxic gain of function as well as a novel loss of function may be involved in the molecular mechanism by which mutant TDP-43 contributes to disease pathogenesis.
393 citations
TL;DR: The functional classes of MND genes identified so far are likely to aid the selection of high-priority candidate genes for future investigation, including those for so-called sporadic cases.
Abstract: The past few years have seen the identification of dozens of genes with causal roles in motor neuron diseases (MNDs), particularly for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and hereditary spastic paraplegia. Although many additional MND genes remain to be identified, the accumulated genetic evidence has already provided new insights into MND pathogenesis, which adds to the well-established involvement of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) mutations. The pathways that have been recently implicated include those that affect RNA processing, axonal transport and mitochondrial function. The functional classes of MND genes identified so far are likely to aid the selection of high-priority candidate genes for future investigation, including those for so-called sporadic cases.
312 citations
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TL;DR: It is found that repeat expansion in C9ORF72 is a major cause of both FTD and ALS, suggesting multiple disease mechanisms.
4,153 citations
TL;DR: The remarkable range of discoveriesGWASs has facilitated in population and complex-trait genetics, the biology of diseases, and translation toward new therapeutics are reviewed.
Abstract: Application of the experimental design of genome-wide association studies (GWASs) is now 10 years old (young), and here we review the remarkable range of discoveries it has facilitated in population and complex-trait genetics, the biology of diseases, and translation toward new therapeutics. We predict the likely discoveries in the next 10 years, when GWASs will be based on millions of samples with array data imputed to a large fully sequenced reference panel and on hundreds of thousands of samples with whole-genome sequencing data.
2,669 citations
Harvard University1, University of Massachusetts Medical School2, Massachusetts Institute of Technology3, Rhode Island Hospital4, University of Kentucky5, Tufts University6, Université de Montréal7, University of Bologna8, Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute9, Vanderbilt University10, Northwestern University11, University of Milan12
TL;DR: Neuronal cytoplasmic protein aggregation and defective RNA metabolism thus appear to be common pathogenic mechanisms involved in ALS and possibly in other neurodegenerative disorders.
Abstract: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal degenerative motor neuron disorder Ten percent of cases are inherited; most involve unidentified genes We report here 13 mutations in the fused in sarcoma/translated in liposarcoma (FUS/TLS) gene on chromosome 16 that were specific for familial ALS The FUS/TLS protein binds to RNA, functions in diverse processes, and is normally located predominantly in the nucleus In contrast, the mutant forms of FUS/TLS accumulated in the cytoplasm of neurons, a pathology that is similar to that of the gene TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP43), whose mutations also cause ALS Neuronal cytoplasmic protein aggregation and defective RNA metabolism thus appear to be common pathogenic mechanisms involved in ALS and possibly in other neurodegenerative disorders
2,387 citations
TL;DR: A missense mutation in the gene encoding fused in sarcoma (FUS) in a British kindred, linked to ALS6, is identified, which suggests that a common mechanism may underlie motor neuron degeneration.
Abstract: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that is familial in 10% of cases. We have identified a missense mutation in the gene encoding fused in sarcoma (FUS) in a British kindred, linked to ALS6. In a survey of 197 familial ALS index cases, we identified two further missense mutations in eight families. Postmortem analysis of three cases with FUS mutations showed FUS-immunoreactive cytoplasmic inclusions and predominantly lower motor neuron degeneration. Cellular expression studies revealed aberrant localization of mutant FUS protein. FUS is involved in the regulation of transcription and RNA splicing and transport, and it has functional homology to another ALS gene, TARDBP, which suggests that a common mechanism may underlie motor neuron degeneration.
2,373 citations
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai1, Carnegie Mellon University2, Harvard University3, University of Toronto4, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute5, University of Pittsburgh6, Nagoya University7, University of Freiburg8, King's College London9, Vanderbilt University10, University of Santiago de Compostela11, King Abdulaziz University12, University of Utah13, Duke University14, Memorial University of Newfoundland15, Trinity College, Dublin16, University of Pennsylvania17, University of Illinois at Chicago18, Boston Children's Hospital19, Columbia University20, German Cancer Research Center21, University College London22, Kaiser Permanente23, Broad Institute24, Cardiff University25, Complutense University of Madrid26, Newcastle University27, Baylor College of Medicine28, University of California, San Francisco29, RWTH Aachen University30, National Health Service31, McMaster University32, Saarland University33, Karolinska Institutet34, National Institutes of Health35, University of Helsinki36, Emory University37
TL;DR: Using exome sequencing, it is shown that analysis of rare coding variation in 3,871 autism cases and 9,937 ancestry-matched or parental controls implicates 22 autosomal genes at a false discovery rate of < 0.05, plus a set of 107 genes strongly enriched for those likely to affect risk (FDR < 0.30).
Abstract: The genetic architecture of autism spectrum disorder involves the interplay of common and rare variants and their impact on hundreds of genes. Using exome sequencing, here we show that analysis of rare coding variation in 3,871 autism cases and 9,937 ancestry-matched or parental controls implicates 22 autosomal genes at a false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.05, plus a set of 107 autosomal genes strongly enriched for those likely to affect risk (FDR < 0.30). These 107 genes, which show unusual evolutionary constraint against mutations, incur de novo loss-of-function mutations in over 5% of autistic subjects. Many of the genes implicated encode proteins for synaptic formation, transcriptional regulation and chromatin-remodelling pathways. These include voltage-gated ion channels regulating the propagation of action potentials, pacemaking and excitability-transcription coupling, as well as histone-modifying enzymes and chromatin remodellers-most prominently those that mediate post-translational lysine methylation/demethylation modifications of histones.
2,228 citations