The overarching aims of this Center are to help advance the clinical, research, and educational goals of the ChiLDREN grant with a particular emphasis on engaging cutting-edge genome studies as a basis for discovery, innovation, and improvements in outcomes and care. As such, the aims of this application are not only to provide comprehensive research opportunities for all children who fit enrollment criteria for ChiLDREN throughout the Southeastern US. We are also planning to embark upon 3 genomically-centered Research Aims:
Aim 1 : Explore the genetic determinants of outcomes in biliary atresia (BA). We hypothesize that by detailed, broad-based, unbiased exploration of individual patient genomic determinants (e.g., whole exome sequencing), we will be able to assign genetic categorization of children into those able to adapt well post-Hepatoportoenterostomy (HPE), and those who do not. Intial findings have identified variants in a pathophysiologically-relevant gene that associate with poor outcome after HPE.
Aim 2 : Determine causes of BA with Laterality Defects. This will proceed by identifying carefully-phenotyped individuals with biliary atresia with laterality defects. To date, 20 trios have been exome sequenced, and analyses are ongoing, with expectations to validate such findings in the larger, BA cohort in ChiLDREN.
Aim 3 : Explore GGT as a marker for development and progression of portal hypertension in BA subjects with native livers over the age of 2. Preliminary data support the concept that an elevated GGT at age 2 predicts the development of portal hypertension indices and we will utilize the ChiLDREN database to validate and fine- tune these findings, with the goal being to develop GGT as a biomarker of disease progression in BA. The latter will have relevance for a planned study of a novel FXR agonist in these older BA patients in this consortium. The final proposal is to make a single-site exome sequencing and bioinformatics locale within the Emory Genetics Lab under the guidance of Dr. Madhuri Hegde, with close interweaving of longitudinal information from the DCC to develop models, stratify patients, and predict outcomes. Taken together, the focus upon exome sequencing in this population of diseases that manifest early in life and can be stratified into readily-identifible outcome groups, are arguably the ideal group of patients ever collected to deliver etiologic and therapeutic discoveries in cholestasis. For these serious pediatric liver diseases, none with effective medical therapies, studies like these will not only benefit this population, but are likey to provide a deep understanding of the mechanisms underlying liver disease progression in patients of all ages.

Public Health Relevance

With ongoing involvement of this Center, we hope to be able to contribute to the achievement of all the goals of ChiLDREN, arguably the most robust and feasible means to make a difference for children with cholestatic liver diseases ever developed. This CC's participation expects to provide continued high enrollment, embark upon novel studies on genetic determinants of the causes and progression of pediatric liver diseases, and finally, help develop investigations of a new anti-cholestatic and anti-fibrotic therapeutic, to hep fill the current therapeutic void.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
Type
Research Project--Cooperative Agreements (U01)
Project #
2U01DK062470-11
Application #
8774352
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZDK1-GRB-7 (M1))
Program Officer
Sherker, Averell H
Project Start
2005-03-07
Project End
2019-05-31
Budget Start
2014-08-10
Budget End
2015-05-31
Support Year
11
Fiscal Year
2014
Total Cost
$231,552
Indirect Cost
$76,936
Name
Emory University
Department
Pediatrics
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
066469933
City
Atlanta
State
GA
Country
United States
Zip Code
30322
Loomes, Kathleen M; Spino, Cathie; Goodrich, Nathan P et al. (2018) Bone Density in Children With Chronic Liver Disease Correlates With Growth and Cholestasis. Hepatology :
Ng, Vicky L; Sorensen, Lisa G; Alonso, Estella M et al. (2018) Neurodevelopmental Outcome of Young Children with Biliary Atresia and Native Liver: Results from the ChiLDReN Study. J Pediatr 196:139-147.e3
Alonso, Estella M; Ye, Wen; Hawthorne, Kieran et al. (2018) Impact of Steroid Therapy on Early Growth in Infants with Biliary Atresia: The Multicenter Steroids in Biliary Atresia Randomized Trial. J Pediatr 202:179-185.e4
Bezerra, Jorge A; Wells, Rebecca G; Mack, Cara L et al. (2018) BILIARY ATRESIA: Clinical and Research Challenges for the 21st Century. Hepatology :
Shneider, Benjamin L; Magee, John C; Karpen, Saul J et al. (2016) Total Serum Bilirubin within 3 Months of Hepatoportoenterostomy Predicts Short-Term Outcomes in Biliary Atresia. J Pediatr 170:211-7.e1-2
Russo, Pierre; Magee, John C; Anders, Robert A et al. (2016) Key Histopathologic Features of Liver Biopsies That Distinguish Biliary Atresia From Other Causes of Infantile Cholestasis and Their Correlation With Outcome: A Multicenter Study. Am J Surg Pathol 40:1601-1615
Ye, Wen; Rosenthal, Philip; Magee, John C et al. (2015) Factors Determining ?-Bilirubin Levels in Infants With Biliary Atresia. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 60:659-63
Teckman, Jeffrey H; Rosenthal, Philip; Abel, Robert et al. (2015) Baseline Analysis of a Young ?-1-Antitrypsin Deficiency Liver Disease Cohort Reveals Frequent Portal Hypertension. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 61:94-101
Kamath, Binita M; Chen, Zhen; Romero, Rene et al. (2015) Quality of Life and Its Determinants in a Multicenter Cohort of Children with Alagille Syndrome. J Pediatr 167:390-6.e3
Bezerra, Jorge A; Spino, Cathie; Magee, John C et al. (2014) Use of corticosteroids after hepatoportoenterostomy for bile drainage in infants with biliary atresia: the START randomized clinical trial. JAMA 311:1750-9

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