From Blood to Tooth FairiesDr Sue Ring

ResearchFest 9th September 2012

Sue Ring

Head of Laboratorie

s

From blood to tooth fairies

• ALSPAC Samples • The Laboratory• Blood Processing• Blood Related Research Findings • Tooth Research

ALSPAC Samples

• Helen Pearson (2012), Nature 484, 155-158

ALSPAC Samples

15,000 urine samples

16,000 saliva samples

20,000 toe nails

25,000 hair samples

6,000 slices umbilical cord

100,000 Blood tubes

6,000 milk teeth

8,000 Placentas

Background to Laboratory

14 in total : Researchers, technicians, students, Bioinformatics and IT support

Sample Processing

DNA Cell lines

Analysis

LAB TEAM

Storage Facilities

1.2 Million individual tubes 20,000 cell lines30,000 DNA samples

Blood Processing

White cells

Cell lines

DNARNA

Spin blood sample at 3500rpm to separate

Cell line production

Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes (white blood cells) isolated from blood

Add Epstein Barr Virus and put in solution containing sugars, protein and growth factors.

37oC for 6 to 8 weeks

“feed” every 3 to 4 days “Transformed” cell line

which will grow indefinitely and provide infinite supply of cells and DNA

White cells

Cell lines

DNARNA

Spin blood sample at 3500rpm to separate

PLASMACellular assays

Biomarkers

A measurable substance in an organism whose presence is indicative of some phenomenon such as disease, infection, or environmental exposure.

Blood Related Research Findings

Coeliac Disease (Bingley et al (2004) BMJ 328;322-323)

• < 1 in 2,500 children diagnosed• Subclinical disease common in adults, is it in children?• Measured antibody (IgA-EMA) in blood samples taken at 7yr clinic

– 5470 children tested 1% had IgA-EMA– Shorter and weighed less (equivalent to 9 months growth)– Higher incidence of diarrhoea and overall intestinal symptoms but not vomiting,

stomach pain or constipation

• Ie – similar frequency of undetected in children and adults• Consequences of undiagnosed condition not yet established but indicate

that if screening is ever considered should start in childhood• Long term follow up can be looked at in CO90’s in adulthood to see if long

term effects

Long-chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (LC-PUFA)Lattka et al (2012) british Journal of Nutrition -in press• Important in maintenance of metabolism and health• In pregnancy important for brain growth, visual and cognitive

development• Obtain LC-PUFA from

– Diet – fish, eggs– Synthesised by body from essential fatty acids from

vegetable oils• Controlled by enzymes – desaturases• Fatty Acid desaturase (FADS) genes code for the

enzymes– Minor variants in FADS genes alter efficiency of

enzymes and decrease the amount of LC-PUFA people with the variants can make.

What happens during pregnancy?• Looked at mother and child genes and at levels of LC-PUFA in cord blood

at birth.• Does foetus obtain all LC-PUFA from mother or can it synthesis itself?

– BOTH – Some types of LC-PUFA are present at levels predicted by Mum’s genotypes and others by child’s» Newborn metabolism greater capacity to synthesise more

highly unsaturated omega-6 fatty acids and some evidence to show DHA but not all processes appear to be active

– Also looked at blood taken at 7yrs of age when all influence of mother’s genotype had disappeared and levels of all LC-PUFA reflect child’s genotype – ie by 7yrs child’s metabolism fully functioning.

(Steer et al 2012 Human Molecular Genetics 21;1504-1512

• Work to date has measured a small number of biomarkers in samples.• Samples from early time points are especially valuable.• High throughput methodology which uses very small volumes of

sample to measure many different markers is now becoming affordable.

Anticipate large increase in number of projects and publications utilising biological samples in next few years.

Metabolomics – Professor Mika Ala-Korpela

• "systematic study of the unique chemical fingerprints that specific cellular processes leave behind“

• 216 serum metabolic markers from each sample in one experiment

Tooth Related Research

Tooth ResearchDr Louise Humphrey - Natural History MuseumProfessor Christopher Dean - University College London

• Teeth represent an archive of infancy – still learning what it means• Project is exploring how structure and chemistry of deciduous teeth relates to health and diet in first year of life

• Teeth form during pregnancy and in first year of life – growth process recorded in marks in enamel - The Straie of Retzius which occur every 8-10 days, similar to tree rings

• Accentuated lines - Permanent record of growth disruptions experienced while the tooth is forming, eg caused by flu or chicken pox. We are hoping to find out more about the causes of these accentuated lines.

• Laser ablation – chemical composition

Polished section

Dentine

Enamel cusp

(Image courtesy of Christopher

Dean

Striae of Retzius: regular growth lines

Accentuated Line: growth disruption

Growth markers in enamel

(image courtesy of Christopher Dean)

Tooth ResearchDr Louise Humphrey - Natural History MuseumProfessor Christopher Dean - University College London

• Teeth represent an archive of infancy – still learning what it means• Project is exploring how structure and chemistry of deciduous teeth relates to health and diet in first year of life

• Teeth form during pregnancy and in first year of life – growth process recorded in marks in enamel - The Straie of Retzius which occur every 8-10 days, similar to tree rings

• Accentuated lines - Permanent record of growth disruptions experienced while the tooth is forming, eg caused by flu or chicken pox. We are hoping to find out more about the causes of these accentuated lines.

• Laser ablation – chemical composition

• Neonatal Line – Expression may relate to the type of birth and other factors such as birth weight or gestation length.

Neonatal line in a deciduous tooth

(image courtesy of Christopher Dean)