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1.
Cell ; 186(6): 1162-1178.e20, 2023 03 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36931244

ABSTRACT

Germline histone H3.3 amino acid substitutions, including H3.3G34R/V, cause severe neurodevelopmental syndromes. To understand how these mutations impact brain development, we generated H3.3G34R/V/W knock-in mice and identified strikingly distinct developmental defects for each mutation. H3.3G34R-mutants exhibited progressive microcephaly and neurodegeneration, with abnormal accumulation of disease-associated microglia and concurrent neuronal depletion. G34R severely decreased H3K36me2 on the mutant H3.3 tail, impairing recruitment of DNA methyltransferase DNMT3A and its redistribution on chromatin. These changes were concurrent with sustained expression of complement and other innate immune genes possibly through loss of non-CG (CH) methylation and silencing of neuronal gene promoters through aberrant CG methylation. Complement expression in G34R brains may lead to neuroinflammation possibly accounting for progressive neurodegeneration. Our study reveals that H3.3G34-substitutions have differential impact on the epigenome, which underlie the diverse phenotypes observed, and uncovers potential roles for H3K36me2 and DNMT3A-dependent CH-methylation in modulating synaptic pruning and neuroinflammation in post-natal brains.


Subject(s)
DNA Methyltransferase 3A , Histones , Animals , Mice , DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases/genetics , DNA Methylation/genetics , DNA Modification Methylases/genetics , Histones/metabolism , Neuroinflammatory Diseases
2.
Am J Hum Genet ; 111(2): 364-382, 2024 02 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38272033

ABSTRACT

The calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase type 2 (CAMK2) family consists of four different isozymes, encoded by four different genes-CAMK2A, CAMK2B, CAMK2G, and CAMK2D-of which the first three have been associated recently with neurodevelopmental disorders. CAMK2D is one of the major CAMK2 proteins expressed in the heart and has been associated with cardiac anomalies. Although this CAMK2 isoform is also known to be one of the major CAMK2 subtypes expressed during early brain development, it has never been linked with neurodevelopmental disorders until now. Here we show that CAMK2D plays an important role in neurodevelopment not only in mice but also in humans. We identified eight individuals harboring heterozygous variants in CAMK2D who display symptoms of intellectual disability, delayed speech, behavioral problems, and dilated cardiomyopathy. The majority of the variants tested lead to a gain of function (GoF), which appears to cause both neurological problems and dilated cardiomyopathy. In contrast, loss-of-function (LoF) variants appear to induce only neurological symptoms. Together, we describe a cohort of individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders and cardiac anomalies, harboring pathogenic variants in CAMK2D, confirming an important role for the CAMK2D isozyme in both heart and brain function.


Subject(s)
Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2 , Cardiomyopathy, Dilated , Intellectual Disability , Neurodevelopmental Disorders , Animals , Humans , Mice , Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2/genetics , Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Type 2/metabolism , Heart , Neurodevelopmental Disorders/genetics
3.
Am J Hum Genet ; 108(4): 749-756, 2021 04 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33743206

ABSTRACT

The DNA damage-binding protein 1 (DDB1) is part of the CUL4-DDB1 ubiquitin E3 ligase complex (CRL4), which is essential for DNA repair, chromatin remodeling, DNA replication, and signal transduction. Loss-of-function variants in genes encoding the complex components CUL4 and PHIP have been reported to cause syndromic intellectual disability with hypotonia and obesity, but no phenotype has been reported in association with DDB1 variants. Here, we report eight unrelated individuals, identified through Matchmaker Exchange, with de novo monoallelic variants in DDB1, including one recurrent variant in four individuals. The affected individuals have a consistent phenotype of hypotonia, mild to moderate intellectual disability, and similar facies, including horizontal or slightly bowed eyebrows, deep-set eyes, full cheeks, a short nose, and large, fleshy and forward-facing earlobes, demonstrated in the composite face generated from the cohort. Digital anomalies, including brachydactyly and syndactyly, were common. Three older individuals have obesity. We show that cells derived from affected individuals have altered DDB1 function resulting in abnormal DNA damage signatures and histone methylation following UV-induced DNA damage. Overall, our study adds to the growing family of neurodevelopmental phenotypes mediated by disruption of the CRL4 ubiquitin ligase pathway and begins to delineate the phenotypic and molecular effects of DDB1 misregulation.


Subject(s)
Alleles , DNA Repair/genetics , DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics , Mutation , Neurodevelopmental Disorders/genetics , Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , Phenotype , Syndrome
4.
Am J Hum Genet ; 108(12): 2368-2384, 2021 12 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34800363

ABSTRACT

The 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase-like (OGDHL) protein is a rate-limiting enzyme in the Krebs cycle that plays a pivotal role in mitochondrial metabolism. OGDHL expression is restricted mainly to the brain in humans. Here, we report nine individuals from eight unrelated families carrying bi-allelic variants in OGDHL with a range of neurological and neurodevelopmental phenotypes including epilepsy, hearing loss, visual impairment, gait ataxia, microcephaly, and hypoplastic corpus callosum. The variants include three homozygous missense variants (p.Pro852Ala, p.Arg244Trp, and p.Arg299Gly), three compound heterozygous single-nucleotide variants (p.Arg673Gln/p.Val488Val, p.Phe734Ser/p.Ala327Val, and p.Trp220Cys/p.Asp491Val), one homozygous frameshift variant (p.Cys553Leufs∗16), and one homozygous stop-gain variant (p.Arg440Ter). To support the pathogenicity of the variants, we developed a novel CRISPR-Cas9-mediated tissue-specific knockout with cDNA rescue system for dOgdh, the Drosophila ortholog of human OGDHL. Pan-neuronal knockout of dOgdh led to developmental lethality as well as defects in Krebs cycle metabolism, which was fully rescued by expression of wild-type dOgdh. Studies using the Drosophila system indicate that p.Arg673Gln, p.Phe734Ser, and p.Arg299Gly are severe loss-of-function alleles, leading to developmental lethality, whereas p.Pro852Ala, p.Ala327Val, p.Trp220Cys, p.Asp491Val, and p.Arg244Trp are hypomorphic alleles, causing behavioral defects. Transcript analysis from fibroblasts obtained from the individual carrying the synonymous variant (c.1464T>C [p.Val488Val]) in family 2 showed that the synonymous variant affects splicing of exon 11 in OGDHL. Human neuronal cells with OGDHL knockout exhibited defects in mitochondrial respiration, indicating the essential role of OGDHL in mitochondrial metabolism in humans. Together, our data establish that the bi-allelic variants in OGDHL are pathogenic, leading to a Mendelian neurodevelopmental disease in humans.


Subject(s)
Ataxia/genetics , Epilepsy/genetics , Hearing Loss/genetics , Ketoglutarate Dehydrogenase Complex/genetics , Mutation , Neurodevelopmental Disorders/genetics , Vision Disorders/genetics , Alleles , Animals , Cells, Cultured , Child , Cohort Studies , DNA Mutational Analysis , Drosophila melanogaster/genetics , Family Health , Female , Fibroblasts , Humans , Male , RNA Splicing
5.
Genet Med ; : 101222, 2024 Jul 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39045790

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Hardikar syndrome (HS, MIM #301068) is a female-specific multiple congenital anomaly syndrome characterized by retinopathy, orofacial clefting, aortic coarctation, biliary dysgenesis, genitourinary malformations, and intestinal malrotation. We previously showed that heterozygous nonsense and frameshift variants in MED12 cause HS. The phenotypic spectrum of disease and the mechanism by which MED12 variants cause disease is unknown. We aim to expand the phenotypic and molecular landscape of HS and elucidate the mechanism by which MED12 variants cause disease. METHODS: We assembled and clinically and molecularly characterized a cohort of 11 previously-unreported individuals with HS. We additionally studied the effect of MED12 deficiency on ciliary biology and hedgehog and YAP signaling, pathways implicated in diseases with phenotypic overlap with HS. RESULTS: We report novel phenotypes associated with HS, including cardiomyopathy, arrhythmia, and vascular anomalies and expand the molecular landscape of HS to include splice site variants. We additionally demonstrate that MED12 deficiency causes decreased cell ciliation and impairs hedgehog and YAP signaling. CONCLUSION: Our data support updating HS standard-of-care to include regular cardiac imaging, arrhythmia screening, and vascular imaging. We further propose that dysregulation of ciliogenesis and YAP and hedgehog signaling contributes to the pathogenesis of HS.

6.
Genet Med ; : 101225, 2024 Jul 30.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39096151

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Clinical next-generation sequencing is an effective approach for identifying pathogenic sequence variants that are medically actionable for participants and families but are not associated with the participant's primary diagnosis. These variants are called secondary findings (SFs). According to the literature, there is no report of the types and frequencies of SFs in a large pediatric cohort which includes substantial African-American participants. We sought to investigate the types (including American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics [ACMG] and non-ACMG recommended gene lists), frequencies, and rates of SFs, as well as the effects of SF disclosure on the participants and families of a large pediatric cohort at the Center for Applied Genomics at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). METHODS: We systematically identified pathogenic (P) and likely pathogenic (LP) variants in established disease-causing genes, adhering to ACMG v3.2 secondary finding guidelines and beyond. For non-ACMG secondary findings, akin to incidental findings in clinical settings, we utilized a set of criteria focusing on pediatric onset, high penetrance, moderate to severe phenotypes, and the clinical actionability of the variants. This criteria-based approach was applied rather than using a fixed gene list to ensure that the variants identified are likely to impact participant health significantly. To identify and categorize these variants, we employed a clinical-grade variant classification standard per ACMG/AMP recommendations; additionally, we conducted a detailed literature search to ensure a comprehensive exploration of potential secondary findings relevant to pediatric participants. RESULTS: We report a distinctive distribution of 1,464 P/LP SF variants in 16,713 participants. There were 427 unique variants in ACMG genes and 265 in non-ACMG genes. The most frequently mutated genes among the ACMG and non-ACMG gene lists were TTR (41.6%) and CHEK2 (7.16%), respectively. Overall, variants of possible medical importance were found in 8.76% of participants in both ACMG (5.81%) and non-ACMG (2.95%) genes.

7.
Am J Med Genet A ; : e63816, 2024 Jul 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39007708

ABSTRACT

RFX7 encodes a transcription factor that is ubiquitously expressed and important for neural development. Haploinsufficiency of RFX7 is associated with intellectual disability, developmental delay, and diverse malformations of brain structures. Currently, there are only 16 clinically described individuals who have variants in RFX7. A recognizable pattern of malformation associated with mutation in RFX7 has not yet been uncovered. Here we describe the phenotypic presentation of two additional individuals who have novel de novo variants in RFX7. One of the individuals we describe is from an under-represented Afro-Caribbean population.

8.
Am J Med Genet A ; : e63817, 2024 Jul 19.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39031459

ABSTRACT

Exome sequencing (ES) has emerged as an essential tool in the evaluation of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) of unknown etiology. Genome sequencing (GS) offers advantages over ES due to improved detection of structural, copy number, repeat number and non-coding variants. However, GS is less commonly utilized due to higher cost and more intense analysis. Here, we present nine cases of pediatric NDD that were molecularly diagnosed with GS between 2017 and 2022, following non-diagnostic ES. All individuals presented with global developmental delay or regression. Other features present in our cohort included epilepsy, white matter abnormalities, brain malformation and dysmorphic features. Two cases were diagnosed on GS due to newly described gene-disease relationship or variant reclassification (MAPK8IP3, CHD3). Additional features missed on ES that were later detected on GS were: intermediate-size deletions in three cases who underwent ES that were not validated for CNV detection, pathogenic variants within the non-protein coding genes SNORD118 and RNU7-1, pathogenic variant within the promoter region of GJB1, and a coding pathogenic variant within BCAP31 which was not sufficiently covered on ES. GS following non-diagnostic ES led to the identification of pathogenic variants in this cohort of nine cases, four of which would not have been identified by reanalysis alone.

9.
Hum Genet ; 2023 Mar 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36867246

ABSTRACT

There has been considerable recent interest in the role that germline variants in histone genes play in Mendelian syndromes. Specifically, missense variants in H3-3A and H3-3B, which both encode Histone 3.3, were discovered to cause a novel neurodevelopmental disorder, Bryant-Li-Bhoj syndrome. Most of the causative variants are private and scattered throughout the protein, but all seem to have either a gain-of-function or dominant negative effect on protein function. This is highly unusual and not well understood. However, there is extensive literature about the effects of Histone 3.3 mutations in model organisms. Here, we collate the previous data to provide insight into the elusive pathogenesis of missense variants in Histone 3.3.

10.
Am J Hum Genet ; 106(5): 623-631, 2020 05 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32275884

ABSTRACT

Nucleoporins (NUPs) are an essential component of the nuclear-pore complex, which regulates nucleocytoplasmic transport of macromolecules. Pathogenic variants in NUP genes have been linked to several inherited human diseases, including a number with progressive neurological degeneration. We present six affected individuals with bi-allelic truncating variants in NUP188 and strikingly similar phenotypes and clinical courses, representing a recognizable genetic syndrome; the individuals are from four unrelated families. Key clinical features include congenital cataracts, hypotonia, prenatal-onset ventriculomegaly, white-matter abnormalities, hypoplastic corpus callosum, congenital heart defects, and central hypoventilation. Characteristic dysmorphic features include small palpebral fissures, a wide nasal bridge and nose, micrognathia, and digital anomalies. All affected individuals died as a result of respiratory failure, and five of them died within the first year of life. Nuclear import of proteins was decreased in affected individuals' fibroblasts, supporting a possible disease mechanism. CRISPR-mediated knockout of NUP188 in Drosophila revealed motor deficits and seizure susceptibility, partially recapitulating the neurological phenotype seen in affected individuals. Removal of NUP188 also resulted in aberrant dendrite tiling, suggesting a potential role of NUP188 in dendritic development. Two of the NUP188 pathogenic variants are enriched in the Ashkenazi Jewish population in gnomAD, a finding we confirmed with a separate targeted population screen of an international sampling of 3,225 healthy Ashkenazi Jewish individuals. Taken together, our results implicate bi-allelic loss-of-function NUP188 variants in a recessive syndrome characterized by a distinct neurologic, ophthalmologic, and facial phenotype.


Subject(s)
Alleles , Brain/abnormalities , Drosophila Proteins/genetics , Eye Abnormalities/genetics , Heart Defects, Congenital/genetics , Loss of Function Mutation/genetics , Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins/genetics , Active Transport, Cell Nucleus , Animals , Cell Nucleus/metabolism , Child, Preschool , Dendrites/metabolism , Dendrites/pathology , Drosophila melanogaster , Eye Abnormalities/mortality , Female , Fibroblasts , Genes, Recessive , Heart Defects, Congenital/mortality , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Jews/genetics , Male , Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins/deficiency , Seizures/metabolism , Syndrome , beta Karyopherins/metabolism
11.
Am J Hum Genet ; 107(1): 164-172, 2020 07 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32553196

ABSTRACT

CNOT1 is a member of the CCR4-NOT complex, which is a master regulator, orchestrating gene expression, RNA deadenylation, and protein ubiquitination. We report on 39 individuals with heterozygous de novo CNOT1 variants, including missense, splice site, and nonsense variants, who present with a clinical spectrum of intellectual disability, motor delay, speech delay, seizures, hypotonia, and behavioral problems. To link CNOT1 dysfunction to the neurodevelopmental phenotype observed, we generated variant-specific Drosophila models, which showed learning and memory defects upon CNOT1 knockdown. Introduction of human wild-type CNOT1 was able to rescue this phenotype, whereas mutants could not or only partially, supporting our hypothesis that CNOT1 impairment results in neurodevelopmental delay. Furthermore, the genetic interaction with autism-spectrum genes, such as ASH1L, DYRK1A, MED13, and SHANK3, was impaired in our Drosophila models. Molecular characterization of CNOT1 variants revealed normal CNOT1 expression levels, with both mutant and wild-type alleles expressed at similar levels. Analysis of protein-protein interactions with other members indicated that the CCR4-NOT complex remained intact. An integrated omics approach of patient-derived genomics and transcriptomics data suggested only minimal effects on endonucleolytic nonsense-mediated mRNA decay components, suggesting that de novo CNOT1 variants are likely haploinsufficient hypomorph or neomorph, rather than dominant negative. In summary, we provide strong evidence that de novo CNOT1 variants cause neurodevelopmental delay with a wide range of additional co-morbidities. Whereas the underlying pathophysiological mechanism warrants further analysis, our data demonstrate an essential and central role of the CCR4-NOT complex in human brain development.


Subject(s)
Developmental Disabilities/genetics , Gene Expression/genetics , Neurodevelopmental Disorders/genetics , Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 4, Group A, Member 2/genetics , RNA/genetics , Receptors, CCR4/genetics , Transcription Factors/genetics , Alleles , Female , Genetic Variation/genetics , Haploinsufficiency/genetics , Heterozygote , Humans , Male , Nervous System Malformations/genetics , Phenotype , Protein Stability
12.
Br J Haematol ; 200(2): 222-228, 2023 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36207145

ABSTRACT

Germline mutations in tubulin beta class I (TUBB), which encodes one of the ß-tubulin isoforms, were previously associated with neurological and cutaneous abnormalities. Here, we describe the first case of inherited bone marrow (BM) failure, including marked thrombocytopenia, morphological abnormalities, and cortical dysplasia, associated with a de novo p.D249V variant in TUBB. Mutant TUBB had abnormal cellular localisation in transfected cells. Following interferon/ribavirin therapy administered for transfusion-acquired hepatitis C, severe pancytopenia and BM aplasia ensued, which was unresponsive to immunosuppression. Acquired chromosome arm 6p loss of heterozygosity was identified, leading to somatic loss of the mutant TUBB allele.


Subject(s)
Pancytopenia , Thrombocytopenia , Humans , Tubulin/genetics , Pancytopenia/genetics , Chromosome Deletion , Thrombocytopenia/genetics , Bone Marrow Failure Disorders/genetics , Germ Cells
13.
Genet Med ; 25(8): 100863, 2023 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37125634

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs) regulate gene expression that is related to many critical developmental processes, including osteogenesis for which they are named. In addition, BMP2 is widely expressed in cells of mesenchymal origin, including bone, cartilage, skeletal and cardiac muscle, and adipose tissue. It also participates in neurodevelopment by inducing differentiation of neural stem cells. In humans, BMP2 variants result in a multiple congenital anomaly syndrome through a haploinsufficiency mechanism. We sought to expand the phenotypic spectrum and highlight phenotypes of patients harboring monoallelic missense variants in BMP2. METHODS: We used retrospective chart review to examine phenotypes from an international cohort of 18 individuals and compared these with published cases. Patient-derived missense variants were modeled in zebrafish to examine their effect on the ability of bmp2b to promote embryonic ventralization. RESULTS: The presented cases recapitulated existing descriptions of BMP2-related disorders, including craniofacial, cardiac, and skeletal anomalies and exhibit a wide phenotypic spectrum. We also identified patients with neural tube defects, structural brain anomalies, and endocrinopathies. Missense variants modeled in zebrafish resulted in loss of protein function. CONCLUSION: We use this expansion of reported phenotypes to suggest multidisciplinary medical monitoring and management of patients with BMP2-related skeletal dysplasia spectrum.


Subject(s)
Osteochondrodysplasias , Zebrafish , Animals , Humans , Zebrafish/genetics , Retrospective Studies , Cell Differentiation , Osteogenesis/genetics , Bone Morphogenetic Proteins , Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2/genetics
14.
Am J Med Genet A ; 191(4): 977-982, 2023 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36610046

ABSTRACT

Fibular aplasia, tibial campomelia, and oligosyndactyly (FATCO) syndrome (MIM 246570) is a rare disorder characterized by specific skeletal findings (fibular aplasia, shortened or bowed tibia, and oligosyndactyly of the foot and/or hand). Typically, no other anomalies, craniofacial dysmorphism, or developmental delays are associated. Here we report three unrelated individuals with limb anomalies consistent with FATCO syndrome who have been followed clinically for 5 years. Genetic testing of previously reported individuals with FATCO syndrome has not revealed a genetic diagnosis. However, no broader sequencing approaches have been reported. We describe the results of the three individuals with FATCO syndrome from exome and genome sequencing, all of which was nondiagnostic. Our study suggests that FATCO syndrome is not the result of a simple monogenic etiology.


Subject(s)
Foot Deformities, Congenital , Syndactyly , Humans , Tibia/abnormalities , Syndactyly/genetics , Foot Deformities, Congenital/diagnosis , Syndrome , Genomics
15.
Am J Med Genet A ; 191(10): 2508-2517, 2023 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37353954

ABSTRACT

TBCK-related encephalopathy is a rare pediatric neurodegenerative disorder caused by biallelic loss-of-function variants in the TBCK gene. After receiving anecdotal reports of neurologic phenotypes in both human and mouse TBCK heterozygotes, we quantified if TBCK haploinsufficiency causes a phenotype in mice and humans. Using the tbck+/- mouse model, we performed a battery of behavioral assays and mTOR pathway analysis to investigate potential alterations in neurophysiology. We conducted as well a phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) analysis in a large adult biobank to determine the presence of potential phenotypes associated to this variant. The tbck+/- mouse model demonstrates a reduction of exploratory behavior in animals with significant sex and genotype interactions. The concurrent PheWAS analysis of 10,900 unrelated individuals showed that patients with one copy of a TBCK loss-of-function allele had a significantly higher rate of acquired toe and foot deformities, likely indicative of a mild peripheral neuropathy phenotype. This study presents an example of what may be the underappreciated occurrence of mild neurogenic symptoms in heterozygote individuals of recessive neurogenetic syndromes.


Subject(s)
Brain Diseases , Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases , Humans , Child , Animals , Mice , Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics , Heterozygote , Syndrome , Brain Diseases/genetics , Phenotype
16.
Am J Med Genet A ; 191(5): 1227-1239, 2023 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36751037

ABSTRACT

AMOTL1 encodes angiomotin-like protein 1, an actin-binding protein that regulates cell polarity, adhesion, and migration. The role of AMOTL1 in human disease is equivocal. We report a large cohort of individuals harboring heterozygous AMOTL1 variants and define a core phenotype of orofacial clefting, congenital heart disease, tall stature, auricular anomalies, and gastrointestinal manifestations in individuals with variants in AMOTL1 affecting amino acids 157-161, a functionally undefined but highly conserved region. Three individuals with AMOTL1 variants outside this region are also described who had variable presentations with orofacial clefting and multi-organ disease. Our case cohort suggests that heterozygous missense variants in AMOTL1, most commonly affecting amino acid residues 157-161, define a new orofacial clefting syndrome, and indicates an important functional role for this undefined region.


Subject(s)
Cleft Lip , Cleft Palate , Heart Defects, Congenital , Humans , Cleft Palate/diagnosis , Cleft Palate/genetics , Cleft Lip/diagnosis , Cleft Lip/genetics , Mutation , Mutation, Missense/genetics , Heart Defects, Congenital/diagnosis , Heart Defects, Congenital/genetics , Angiomotins
17.
Hum Mol Genet ; 29(11): 1900-1921, 2020 07 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32196547

ABSTRACT

CTNND1 encodes the p120-catenin (p120) protein, which has a wide range of functions, including the maintenance of cell-cell junctions, regulation of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and transcriptional signalling. Due to advances in next-generation sequencing, CTNND1 has been implicated in human diseases including cleft palate and blepharocheilodontic (BCD) syndrome albeit only recently. In this study, we identify eight novel protein-truncating variants, six de novo, in 13 participants from nine families presenting with craniofacial dysmorphisms including cleft palate and hypodontia, as well as congenital cardiac anomalies, limb dysmorphologies and neurodevelopmental disorders. Using conditional deletions in mice as well as CRISPR/Cas9 approaches to target CTNND1 in Xenopus, we identified a subset of phenotypes that can be linked to p120-catenin in epithelial integrity and turnover, and additional phenotypes that suggest mesenchymal roles of CTNND1. We propose that CTNND1 variants have a wider developmental role than previously described and that variations in this gene underlie not only cleft palate and BCD but may be expanded to a broader velocardiofacial-like syndrome.


Subject(s)
Catenins/genetics , Cleft Lip/genetics , Cleft Palate/genetics , Craniofacial Abnormalities/genetics , Ectropion/genetics , Heart Defects, Congenital/genetics , Tooth Abnormalities/genetics , Adolescent , Adult , Animals , Anodontia/diagnostic imaging , Anodontia/genetics , Anodontia/physiopathology , Child , Child, Preschool , Cleft Lip/diagnostic imaging , Cleft Lip/physiopathology , Cleft Palate/diagnostic imaging , Cleft Palate/physiopathology , Craniofacial Abnormalities/diagnostic imaging , Craniofacial Abnormalities/physiopathology , Disease Models, Animal , Ectropion/diagnostic imaging , Ectropion/physiopathology , Female , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Heart Defects, Congenital/diagnostic imaging , Heart Defects, Congenital/physiopathology , Humans , Male , Mice , Tooth Abnormalities/diagnostic imaging , Tooth Abnormalities/physiopathology , Xenopus , Young Adult , Delta Catenin
18.
Hum Genet ; 141(8): 1409-1421, 2022 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35072799

ABSTRACT

While germline variants in histone protein-encoding genes are emerging as the pathogenic mutations underlying rare, Mendelian disorders characterized by a conserved phenotype of neurodevelopmental syndrome coupled with craniofacial abnormalities, a systematic assessment of all human genes encoding histone proteins has not been performed to predict novel disease-candidate genes. We first defined a comprehensive list of 89 histone-encoding genes. We then analyzed which are most likely to underlay this conserved phenotype when mutated based on their intolerance to either missense or loss-of-function variation and based on their tissue expression profile. Strikingly few genes were found to be both ubiquitously expressed and significantly constrained against missense (7.9%, n = 7) or loss-of-function (6.7%, n = 6) variation. Notably, most of those significantly constrained genes encode replication-independent, variant histone proteins (7/7 in the missense analysis, 5/6 in the loss-of-function analysis). Of the seven genes predicted to be disease-causing when germline missense variation is present, three (H2AFV, H2AFY, H2AFY2) are novel disease-candidate genes. Five of the six genes predicted to be disease-causing with an underlying germline loss-of-function variant are novel disease-candidate genes (H2AFY2, H2AFZ, H2AFY, H2AFV, H1F0). These findings may serve as a focused reference for future sequencing of patients with the conserved phenotype.


Subject(s)
Craniofacial Abnormalities , Histones , Craniofacial Abnormalities/genetics , Histones/genetics , Humans , Mutation , Phenotype , Syndrome
19.
Am J Hum Genet ; 105(5): 987-995, 2019 11 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31587868

ABSTRACT

NKAP is a ubiquitously expressed nucleoplasmic protein that is currently known as a transcriptional regulatory molecule via its interaction with HDAC3 and spliceosomal proteins. Here, we report a disorder of transcriptional regulation due to missense mutations in the X chromosome gene, NKAP. These mutations are clustered in the C-terminal region of NKAP where NKAP interacts with HDAC3 and post-catalytic spliceosomal complex proteins. Consistent with a role for the C-terminal region of NKAP in embryogenesis, nkap mutant zebrafish with a C-terminally truncated NKAP demonstrate severe developmental defects. The clinical features of affected individuals are highly conserved and include developmental delay, hypotonia, joint contractures, behavioral abnormalities, Marfanoid habitus, and scoliosis. In affected cases, transcriptome analysis revealed the presence of a unique transcriptome signature, which is characterized by the downregulation of long genes with higher exon numbers. These observations indicate the critical role of NKAP in transcriptional regulation and demonstrate that perturbations of the C-terminal region lead to developmental defects in both humans and zebrafish.


Subject(s)
Cognitive Dysfunction/genetics , Mutation, Missense/genetics , Repressor Proteins/genetics , Transcription, Genetic/genetics , Amino Acid Sequence , Animals , Down-Regulation/genetics , Exons/genetics , Gene Expression Regulation/genetics , Genes, X-Linked/genetics , Histone Deacetylases/genetics , Humans , Sequence Alignment , Transcriptome/genetics , Zebrafish/genetics
20.
Genet Med ; 24(2): 319-331, 2022 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34906466

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Adducins interconnect spectrin and actin filaments to form polygonal scaffolds beneath the cell membranes and form ring-like structures in neuronal axons. Adducins regulate mouse neural development, but their function in the human brain is unknown. METHODS: We used exome sequencing to uncover ADD1 variants associated with intellectual disability (ID) and brain malformations. We studied ADD1 splice isoforms in mouse and human neocortex development with RNA sequencing, super resolution imaging, and immunoblotting. We investigated 4 variant ADD1 proteins and heterozygous ADD1 cells for protein expression and ADD1-ADD2 dimerization. We studied Add1 functions in vivo using Add1 knockout mice. RESULTS: We uncovered loss-of-function ADD1 variants in 4 unrelated individuals affected by ID and/or structural brain defects. Three additional de novo copy number variations covering the ADD1 locus were associated with ID and brain malformations. ADD1 is highly expressed in the neocortex and the corpus callosum, whereas ADD1 splice isoforms are dynamically expressed between cortical progenitors and postmitotic neurons. Human variants impair ADD1 protein expression and/or dimerization with ADD2. Add1 knockout mice recapitulate corpus callosum dysgenesis and ventriculomegaly phenotypes. CONCLUSION: Our human and mouse genetics results indicate that pathogenic ADD1 variants cause corpus callosum dysgenesis, ventriculomegaly, and/or ID.


Subject(s)
Hydrocephalus , Intellectual Disability , Agenesis of Corpus Callosum/genetics , Agenesis of Corpus Callosum/pathology , Animals , DNA Copy Number Variations , Humans , Hydrocephalus/genetics , Intellectual Disability/genetics , Mice , Phenotype
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