Biomedical subjects

Mohammad Faraz Zafeer

Publications and source records attributed to Mohammad Faraz Zafeer.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2026

Establishment and characterization of three human pluripotent stem cell lines from patients with spinocerebellar ataxia 27B (SCA27B).

Spinocerebellar ataxia 27B (SCA27B) is a common autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia caused by an intronic GAA•TTC repeat expansion in the FGF14 gene. Here, we report the generation and validation of three human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines derived from unrelated individuals with SCA27B, including two lines carrying a monoallelic pathogenic GAA•TTC repeat expansion in FGF14 and one line with biallelic expansions. These iPSC lines constitute a valuable resource, particularly given the predominantly neuronal expression of FGF14, and enable the investigation of disease mechanisms in relevant cell types following neuronal differentiation.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Establishment and characterization of two human pluripotent stem cell lines from patients with ATX-FGF14/spinocerebellar ataxia 27A (SCA27A).

Spinocerebellar ataxia 27A (SCA27A) is a rare inherited ataxia arising from heterozygous pathogenic loss-of-function variants in FGF14. Autosomal recessive FGF14-related cerebellar ataxia has also been reported in a single individual to date. Here, we describe the generation and characterization of human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines derived from two individuals with FGF14-related ataxia (ATX-FGF14): one with SCA27A and one with autosomal recessive disease. Given the predominantly neuronal expression of FGF14, these iPSC lines represent a valuable resource for investigating the cellular and molecular consequences of FGF14 deficiency in disease-relevant neuronal populations following directed differentiation.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Distal enhancer-insulator module of GDF6 is essential for cochlear formation.

Several genes guide inner ear development, and mutations in these genes can cause malformations that result in congenital hearing loss. However, the contribution of noncoding regulatory elements remains largely unclear. This study investigates the function of distal enhancer elements in the transcriptional regulation of GDF6, a gene implicated in cochlear development. Using mouse models with targeted deletions, human inner ear organoids, and CRISPR interference (CRISPRi), we identified a downstream regulatory interval harboring a developmental enhancer required to maintain GDF6 expression during otic epithelial maturation and cochlear morphogenesis. Deletion of this regulatory region or targeting of CRISPRi-based repressors to these regions resulted in decreased GDF6 expression, failure of otic-epithelium development, and prevention of hair cell-like differentiation, reflecting cochlear aplasia observed in patients with corresponding genomic deletions. These findings highlight the contribution of long-range regulatory elements to auditory development and illustrate how their disruption contributes to human deafness.

Animals↗