PUBLICATION

Intrahepatic Biliary Anomalies in a Patient With Mowat-Wilson Syndrome Uncover a Role for the Zinc Finger Homeobox Gene zfhx1b in Vertebrate Biliary Development

Authors
Cui, S., Erlichman, J., Russo, P., Haber, B.A., and Matthews, R.P.
ID
ZDB-PUB-110316-9
Date
2011
Source
Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition   52(3): 339-344 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Cui, Shuang Alice, Matthews, Randy
Keywords
biliary atresia, cholestatic liver disease, Hirschsprung disease, liver development, zebrafish, zfhx1b
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Biliary Atresia/etiology
  • Biliary Atresia/genetics
  • Biliary Atresia/metabolism
  • Biliary Tract/abnormalities
  • Biliary Tract/growth & development*
  • Facies
  • Genes, Homeobox*
  • Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 1-beta/metabolism
  • Hirschsprung Disease/complications
  • Hirschsprung Disease/genetics*
  • Hirschsprung Disease/metabolism
  • Homeodomain Proteins/genetics*
  • Homeodomain Proteins/metabolism
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Intellectual Disability/complications
  • Intellectual Disability/genetics*
  • Intellectual Disability/metabolism
  • Liver/metabolism
  • Male
  • Microcephaly/complications
  • Microcephaly/genetics*
  • Microcephaly/metabolism
  • Mutation*
  • Oligoribonucleotides, Antisense/pharmacology
  • Repressor Proteins/genetics*
  • Repressor Proteins/metabolism
  • Zebrafish
  • Zinc Fingers*
PubMed
21336163 Full text @ J. Pediatr. Gastroenterol. Nutr.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: : zfhz1b is the causative gene for Mowat-Wilson syndrome, in which patients demonstrate developmental delay and Hirschsprung disease, as well as other anomalies.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: : We identified a patient with Mowat-Wilson syndrome who also developed cholestasis and histopathologic features consistent with biliary atresia, suggesting that mutations involving zfhz1b may lead to biliary developmental anomalies or injury to the biliary tract. We used the zebrafish model system to determine whether zfhx1b has a role in vertebrate biliary development.
RESULTS: : Using zebrafish we determined that zfhx1b was expressed in the developing liver during biliary growth and remodeling, and that morpholino antisense oligonucleotide-mediated knockdown of zfhx1b led to defects in biliary development. These findings were associated with decreased expression of vhnf1, a transcription factor known to be important in biliary development in zebrafish and in mammals.
CONCLUSIONS: : Our studies underscore the importance of genetic contributions in the etiology of infantile hepatobiliary disorders, including biliary atresia.
Genes / Markers
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping