Interferon-driven brain phenotype in a mouse model of RNaseT2 deficient leukoencephalopathy.

Infantile-onset RNaseT2 deficient leukoencephalopathy is characterised by cystic brain lesions, multifocal white matter alterations, cerebral atrophy, and severe psychomotor impairment. The phenotype is similar to congenital cytomegalovirus brain infection and overlaps with type I interferonopathies, suggesting a role for innate immunity in its pathophysiology. To date, pathophysiological studies have been hindered by the lack of mouse models recapitulating the neuroinflammatory encephalopathy found in patients. In this study, we generated Rnaset2-/- mice using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing. Rnaset2-/- mice demonstrate upregulation of interferon-stimulated genes and concurrent IFNAR1-dependent neuroinflammation, with infiltration of CD8+ effector memory T cells and inflammatory monocytes into the grey and white matter. Single nuclei RNA sequencing reveals homeostatic dysfunctions in glial cells and neurons and provide important insights into the mechanisms of hippocampal-accentuated brain atrophy and cognitive impairment. The Rnaset2-/- mice may allow the study of CNS damage associated with RNaseT2 deficiency and may be used for the investigation of potential therapies.

Comparative analysis of alternating hemiplegia of childhood and rapid-onset dystonia-parkinsonism ATP1A3 mutations reveals functional deficits, which do not correlate with disease severity.

Heterozygous mutations in the ATP1A3 gene, coding for an alpha subunit isoform (α3) of Na+/K+-ATPase, are the primary genetic cause for rapid-onset dystonia-parkinsonism (RDP) and alternating hemiplegia of childhood (AHC). Recently, cerebellar ataxia, areflexia, pes cavus, optic atrophy and sensorineural hearing loss (CAPOS), early infantile epileptic encephalopathy (EIEE), childhood rapid onset ataxia (CROA) and relapsing encephalopathy with rapid onset ataxia (RECA) extend the clinical spectrum of ATP1A3 related disorders. AHC and RDP demonstrate distinct clinical features, with AHC symptoms being generally more severe compared to RDP. Currently, it is largely unknown what determines the disease severity, and whether severity is linked to the degree of functional impairment of the α3 subunit. Here we compared the effect of twelve different RDP and AHC specific mutations on the expression and function of the α3 Na+/K+-ATPase in transfected HEK cells and oocytes. All studied mutations led to functional impairment of the pump, as reflected by lower survival rate and reduced pump current. No difference in the extent of impairment, nor in the expression level, was found between the two phenotypes, suggesting that these measures of pump dysfunction do not exclusively determine the disease severity.