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Pascale Le Roy

Publications and source records attributed to Pascale Le Roy.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Detection of novel quantitative trait loci for cutaneous melanoma by genome-wide scan in the MeLiM swine model.

Human cutaneous melanoma is a complex trait inherited in about 10% of cases. Although 2 high-risk genes, CDKN2A and CDK4, and 1 low risk gene, MC1R, have been identified, susceptibility genes remain to be discovered. Here, we attempted to determine new genomic regions linked to melanoma using the pig MeLiM strain, which develops hereditary cutaneous melanomas. We applied quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping method to a significant genome-wide scan performed on 331 backcross pigs derived from this strain. QTLs were detected at chromosome-wide level for a melanoma synthetic trait corresponding to the development of melanoma. The peak positions on Sus scrofa chromosomes (SSC) were at 49.4 and 88.0 cM (SSC1), 56.0 cM (SSC13), 86.5 cM (SSC15) and 39.8 cM (SSC17), and, on SSC2, at 16.9 cM, in families derived from F1 males only (p < 0.05, except for SSC13, p < 0.01). Analysis of 7 precise specific traits revealed highly significant QTLs on SSC10 (ulceration), on SSC12 (presence of melanoma at birth), on SSC13 (lesion type), and on SSC16 and SSC17 (number of aggressive melanomas) at the respective positions 42.0, 95.6, 81.0, 45.3 and 44.8 cM (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05 respectively at the chromosome- and genome-wide levels). We also showed that MeLiM MC1R*2 allele, which determines black coat colour in pigs, predisposes significantly to melanoma. Interactions were observed between MC1R and markers located on SSC1 (p < 0.05). Taken together, these results indicate that MeLiM swine is a model for human multigenic diseases. Comparative mapping revealed human regions of interest to search for new melanoma susceptibility candidates.

Alleles↗

Fatness QTL on chicken chromosome 5 and interaction with sex.

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting fatness in male chickens were previously identified on chromosome 5 (GGA5) in a three-generation design derived from two experimental chicken lines divergently selected for abdominal fat weight. A new design, established from the same pure lines, produced 407 F2 progenies (males and females) from 4 F1-sire families. Body weight and abdominal fat were measured on the F2 at 9 wk of age. In each sire family, selective genotyping was carried out for 48 extreme individuals for abdominal fat using seven microsatellite markers from GGA5. QTL analyses confirmed the presence of QTL for fatness on GGA5 and identified a QTL by sex interaction. By crossing one F1 sire heterozygous at the QTL with lean line dams, three recombinant backcross 1 (BC1) males were produced and their QTL genotypes were assessed in backcross 2 (BC2) progenies. These results confirmed the QTL by sex interaction identified in the F2 generation and they allow mapping of the female QTL to less than 8 Mb at the distal part of the GGA5. They also indicate that fat QTL alleles were segregating in both fat and lean lines.

Abdominal Fat↗

Proteome analysis of the sarcoplasmic fraction of pig semimembranosus muscle: implications on meat color development.

Two-dimensional electrophoresis was used to investigate sarcoplasmic protein expression in pig Semimembranosus muscles sampled 20 min after slaughter. Two groups (light and dark) of 12 animals were selected from 1000 pigs, based on meat L values measured 36 h postmortem. Twenty-two proteins or fragments (p < 0.05) were differentially expressed. Muscles leading to darker meat had a more oxidative metabolism, indicated by more abundant mitochondrial enzymes of the respiratory chain, hemoglobin, and chaperone or regulator proteins (HSP27, alphaB-crystallin, and glucose-regulated protein 58 kDa). Conversely, enzymes of glycolysis were overexpressed in the lighter group. Such samples were also characterized by higher levels of glutathione S-transferase omega, which can activate the RyR calcium channels, and higher levels of cyclophilin D. This protein pattern is likely to have severe implications on postmortem metabolism, namely, acceleration of ATP depletion and pH fall and subsequent enhanced protein denaturation, well-known to induce discoloration.

Animals↗

Identification of five chromosomal regions involved in predisposition to melanoma by genome-wide scan in the MeLiM swine model.

In human familial melanoma, 3 risk susceptibility genes are already known, CDKN2A, CDK4 and MC1R. However, various observations suggest that other melanoma susceptibility genes have not yet been identified. To search for new susceptibility loci, we used the MeLiM swine as an animal model of hereditary melanoma to perform a genome scan for linkage to melanoma. Founders of the affected MeLiM stock were crossed with each other and with healthy Duroc pigs, generating MeLiM, F1 and backcross families. As we had previously excluded the MeLiM CDKN2A gene, we paid special attention to CDK4 and MC1R, as well as to other candidates such as BRAF and the SLA complex, mapping them on the swine radiation hybrid map and/or isolating close microsatellite markers to introduce them into the genome scan. The results revealed, first, that swine melanoma was inherited as an autosomal dominant trait with incomplete penetrance, preferably in black animals. Second, 4 chromosomal regions potentially involved in melanoma susceptibility were identified on Sus Scrofa chromosomes (SSC) 1, 2, 7 and 8, respectively, in intervals 44-103, 1.9-18, 59-73 and 47-62 cM. A fifth region close to MC1R was revealed on SSC 6 by analyzing an individual marker located at position 7.5 cM. Lastly, CDK4 and BRAF were unlikely to be melanoma susceptibility genes in the MeLiM swine model. The 3 regions on SSC 1, 6 and 7, respectively, have counterparts on human chromosomes (HSA) 9p, 16q and 6p, harboring melanoma candidate loci. The 2 others, on SSC 2 and 8, have counterparts on HSA 11 and 4, which might therefore be of interest for human studies.

Animals↗

CDKN2A region polymorphism and genetic susceptibility to melanoma in the melim swine model of familial melanoma.

Some herds of miniature swine are genetically predisposed to cutaneous melanoma. To test if swine melanoma susceptibility could be linked to the CDKN2A gene, which is involved in a proportion of 9p21-linked human familial melanoma, we performed a genetic analysis of miniature pigs of the MeLiM strain. F(1) and backcross animals were generated by crossing 1 MeLiM boar with healthy Duroc sows. We isolated the swine CDKN2A gene and characterized a linked informative microsatellite marker, the S0644 marker. Using this marker and 2 flanking markers, we analyzed the segregation of the CDKN2A gene in a 3-generation pedigree. Allelic association, linkage analysis and haplotype analysis of these data led to exclusion of the CDKN2A gene as a candidate for melanoma susceptibility. Nonetheless, this analysis suggests an association with the swine 1q25 chromosomal region, which is homologous to the human 9p21 region.

Alleles↗

Detection of quantitative trait loci for carcass composition traits in pigs.

A quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis of carcass composition data from a three-generation experimental cross between Meishan (MS) and Large White (LW) pig breeds is presented. A total of 488 F2 males issued from six F1 boars and 23 F1 sows, the progeny of six LW boars and six MS sows, were slaughtered at approximately 80 kg live weight and were submitted to a standardised cutting of the carcass. Fifteen traits, i.e. dressing percentage, loin, ham, shoulder, belly, backfat, leaf fat, feet and head weights, two backfat thickness and one muscle depth measurements, ham + loin and back + leaf fat percentages and estimated carcass lean content were analysed. Animals were typed for a total of 137 markers covering the entire porcine genome. Analyses were performed using a line-cross (LC) regression method where founder lines were assumed to be fixed for different QTL alleles and a half/full sib (HFS) maximum likelihood method where allele substitution effects were estimated within each half-/full-sib family. Additional analyses were performed to search for multiple linked QTL and imprinting effects. Significant gene effects were evidenced for both leanness and fatness traits in the telomeric regions of SSC 1q and SSC 2p, on SSC 4, SSC 7 and SSC X. Additional significant QTL were identified for ham weight on SSC 5, for head weight on SSC 1 and SSC 7, for feet weight on SSC 7 and for dressing percentage on SSC X. LW alleles were associated with a higher lean content and a lower fat content of the carcass, except for the fatness trait on SSC 7. Suggestive evidence of linked QTL on SSC 7 and of imprinting effects on SSC 6, SSC 7, SSC 9 and SSC 17 were also obtained.

Animals↗

Comparison of three multitrait methods for QTL detection.

A comparison of power and accuracy of estimation of position and QTL effects of three multitrait methods and one single trait method for QTL detection was carried out on simulated data, taking into account the mixture of full and half-sib families. One multitrait method was based on a multivariate function as the penetrance function (MV). The two other multitrait methods were based on univariate analysis of linear combination(s) (LC) of the traits. One was obtained by a principal component analysis (PCA) performed on the phenotypic data. The second was based on a discriminate analysis (DA). It calculates a LC of the traits at each position, maximising the ratio between the genetic and the residual variabilities due to the putative QTL. Due to its number of parameters, MV was less powerful and accurate than the other methods. In general, DA better detected QTL, but it had lower accuracy for the QTL effect estimation when the detection power was low, due to higher bias than the other methods. In this case, PCA was better. Otherwise, PCA was slightly less powerful and accurate than DA. Compared to the single trait method, power can be improved by 30% to 100% with multitrait methods.

Computer Simulation↗

Likelihood and Bayesian analyses reveal major genes affecting body composition, carcass, meat quality and the number of false teats in a Chinese European pig line.

Segregation analyses were performed using both maximum likelihood--via a Quasi Newton algorithm--(ML-QN) and Bayesian--via Gibbs sampling--(Bayesian-GS) approaches in the Chinese European Tiameslan pig line. Major genes were searched for average ultrasonic backfat thickness (ABT), carcass fat (X2 and X4) and lean (X5) depths, days from 20 to 100 kg (D20100), Napole technological yield (NTY), number of false (FTN) and good (GTN) teats, as well as total teat number (TTN). The discrete nature of FTN was additionally considered using a threshold model under ML methodology. The results obtained with both methods consistently suggested the presence of major genes affecting ABT, X2, NTY, GTN and FTN. Major genes were also suggested for X4 and X5 using ML-QN, but not the Bayesian-GS, approach. The major gene affecting FTN was confirmed using the threshold model. Genetic correlations as well as gene effect and genotype frequency estimates suggested the presence of four different major genes. The first gene would affect fatness traits (ABT, X2 and X4), the second one a leanness trait (X5), the third one NTY and the last one GTN and FTN. Genotype frequencies of breeding animals and their evolution over time were consistent with the selection performed in the Tiameslan line.

Animals↗

Power of three multitrait methods for QTL detection in crossbred populations.

The multitrait detections of QTL applied to a mixture of full- and half-sib families require specific strategies. Indeed, the number of parameters estimated by the multivariate methods is excessive compared with the size of the population. Thus, only multitrait methods based on a univariate analysis of a linear combination (LC) of the traits can be extensively performed. We compared three strategies to obtain the LC of the traits. Two linear transformations were performed on the overall population. The last one was performed within each half-sib family. Their powers were compared on simulated data depending on the frequency of the two QTL alleles in each of the grand parental populations of an intercross design. The transformations from the whole population did not lead to a large loss of power even though the frequency of the QTL alleles was similar in the two grand parental populations. In these cases, applying the within-sire family transformation improved the detection when the number of progeny per sire was greater than 100.

Animals↗

Mapping quantitative trait loci affecting fatness and breast muscle weight in meat-type chicken lines divergently selected on abdominal fatness.

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) for abdominal fatness and breast muscle weight were investigated in a three-generation design performed by inter-crossing two experimental meat-type chicken lines that were divergently selected on abdominal fatness. A total of 585 F2 male offspring from 5 F1 sires and 38 F1 dams were recorded at 8 weeks of age for live body, abdominal fat and breast muscle weights. One hundred-twenty nine microsatellite markers, evenly located throughout the genome and heterozygous for most of the F1 sires, were used for genotyping the F2 birds. In each sire family, those offspring exhibiting the most extreme values for each trait were genotyped. Multipoint QTL analyses using maximum likelihood methods were performed for abdominal fat and breast muscle weights, which were corrected for the effects of 8-week body weight, dam and hatching group. Isolated markers were assessed by analyses of variance. Two significant QTL were identified on chromosomes 1 and 5 with effects of about one within-family residual standard deviation. One breast muscle QTL was identified on GGA1 with an effect of 2.0 within-family residual standard deviation.

Abdominal Fat↗