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Song Y, Seward CH, Chen CY, LeBlanc A, Leddy AM, Stubbs L. Isolated loss of the AUTS2 long isoform, brain-wide or targeted to Calbindin-lineage cells, generates a specific suite of brain, behavioral, and molecular pathologies. Genetics 2024; 226:iyad182. [PMID: 37816306 PMCID: PMC10763537 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Rearrangements within the AUTS2 region are associated with a rare syndromic disorder with intellectual disability, developmental delay, and behavioral abnormalities as core features. In addition, smaller regional variants are linked to wide range of neuropsychiatric disorders, underscoring the gene's essential role in brain development. Like many essential neurodevelopmental genes, AUTS2 is large and complex, generating distinct long (AUTS2-l) and short (AUTS2-s) protein isoforms from alternative promoters. Although evidence suggests unique isoform functions, the contributions of each isoform to specific AUTS2-linked phenotypes have not been clearly resolved. Furthermore, Auts2 is widely expressed across the developing brain, but cell populations most central to disease presentation have not been determined. In this study, we focused on the specific roles of AUTS2-l in brain development, behavior, and postnatal brain gene expression, showing that brain-wide AUTS2-l ablation leads to specific subsets of the recessive pathologies associated with mutations in 3' exons (exons 8-19) that disrupt both major isoforms. We identify downstream genes that could explain expressed phenotypes including hundreds of putative direct AUTS2-l target genes. Furthermore, in contrast to 3' Auts2 mutations which lead to dominant hypoactivity, AUTS2-l loss-of-function is associated with dominant hyperactivity and repetitive behaviors, phenotypes exhibited by many human patients. Finally, we show that AUTS2-l ablation in Calbindin 1-expressing cell lineages is sufficient to yield learning/memory deficits and hyperactivity with abnormal dentate gyrus granule cell maturation, but not other phenotypic effects. These data provide new clues to in vivo AUTS2-l functions and novel information relevant to genotype-phenotype correlations in the human AUTS2 region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunshu Song
- Pacific Northwest Research Institute, Seattle WA 98122, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | | | - Chih-Ying Chen
- Pacific Northwest Research Institute, Seattle WA 98122, USA
| | - Amber LeBlanc
- Pacific Northwest Research Institute, Seattle WA 98122, USA
| | | | - Lisa Stubbs
- Pacific Northwest Research Institute, Seattle WA 98122, USA
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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2
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Song Y, Seward CH, Chen CY, LeBlanc A, Leddy AM, Stubbs L. Isolated loss of the AUTS2 long isoform, brain-wide or targeted to Calbindin -lineage cells, generates a specific suite of brain, behavioral and molecular pathologies. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.04.539486. [PMID: 37205596 PMCID: PMC10187298 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.04.539486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Rearrangements within the AUTS2 region are associated with a rare syndromic disorder with intellectual disability, developmental delay and behavioral abnormalities as core features. In addition, smaller regional variants are linked to wide range of neuropsychiatric disorders, underscoring the gene's essential role in brain development. Like many essential neurodevelopmental genes, AUTS2 is large and complex, generating distinct long (AUTS2-l) and short (AUTS2-s) protein isoforms from alternative promoters. Although evidence suggests unique isoform functions, the contributions of each isoform to specific AUTS2- linked phenotypes have not been clearly resolved. Furthermore, Auts2 is widely expressed across the developing brain, but cell populations most central to disease presentation have not been determined. In this study, we focused on the specific roles of AUTS2-l in brain development, behavior, and postnatal brain gene expression, showing that brain-wide AUTS2-l ablation leads to specific subsets of the recessive pathologies associated with C-terminal mutations that disrupt both isoforms. We identify downstream genes that could explain expressed phenotypes including hundreds of putative direct AUTS2- l target genes. Furthermore, in contrast to C-terminal Auts2 mutations which lead to dominant hypoactivity, AUTS2-l loss-of-function is associated with dominant hyperactivity, a phenotype exhibited by many human patients. Finally, we show that AUTS2-l ablation in Calbindin 1 -expressing cell lineages is sufficient to yield learning/memory deficits and hyperactivity with abnormal dentate gyrus granule cell maturation, but not other phenotypic effects. These data provide new clues to in vivo AUTS2-l functions and novel information relevant to genotype-phenotype correlations in the human AUTS2 region.
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Liu M, Chen Y, Sun M, Du Y, Bai Y, Lei G, Zhang C, Zhang M, Zhang Y, Xi C, Ma Y, Wang G. Auts2 regulated autism-like behavior, glucose metabolism and oxidative stress in mice. Exp Neurol 2023; 361:114298. [PMID: 36525998 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2022.114298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by abnormal social behavior and communication. The autism susceptibility candidate 2 (AUTS2) gene has been associated with multiple neurological diseases, including ASD. Glucose metabolism plays an important role in social behaviors associated with ASD, but the potential role of AUTS2 in glucose metabolism has not been studied. Here, we generated Auts2flox/flox; Emx1Cre+ conditional knockout mice with Auts2 deletion specifically in Exm1-positive neurons in the brain (Auts2-cKO mice) to evaluate the effects of Auts2 knockdown on social behaviors and metabolic pathways. Auts2-cKO mice exhibited ASD-like behaviors, including impaired social interactions and repetitive grooming behaviors. At the molecular level, we found that Auts2 knockdown reduced brain glucose uptake and inhibited the pentose phosphate pathway. Auts2 knockdown also resulted in signs of oxidative stress, and we documented increased levels of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde as well as decreased levels of antioxidant molecules, including glutathione and superoxide dismutases in Auts2-cKO mouse brains compared to controls. Finally, Auts2 knockdown significantly disrupted mitochondrial homeostasis and inhibited activity of the SIRT1-SIRT3 axis. Taken together, our findings indicate that loss of AUTS2 expression in Emx1-expressing cells induces multiple changes in metabolic pathways that have been linked to the pathology of ASD. Further characterization of the role of AUTS2 in Emx1-expressing cells in regulating the metabolism of brain neurons may identify opportunities to treat ASD and AUTS2-deficiency disorders with metabolism-targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Yimeng Chen
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Miao Sun
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou 121000, China
| | - Yingjie Du
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Yafan Bai
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Guiyu Lei
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Congya Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Mingru Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Yue Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Chunhua Xi
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Yulong Ma
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
| | - Guyan Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China.
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Merdrignac C, Clément AE, Montfort J, Murat F, Bobe J. auts2 Features and Expression Are Highly Conserved during Evolution Despite Different Evolutionary Fates Following Whole Genome Duplication. Cells 2022; 11:2694. [PMID: 36078102 PMCID: PMC9454499 DOI: 10.3390/cells11172694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The AUTS2 gene plays major roles during brain development and is associated with various neuropathologies including autism. Data in non-mammalian species are scarce, and the aim of our study was to provide a comprehensive analysis of auts2 evolution in teleost fish, which are widely used for in vivo functional analysis and biomedical purposes. Comparative genomics in 78 species showed that auts2a and auts2b originate from the teleost-specific whole genome duplication (TGD). auts2a, which is highly similar to human AUTS2, was almost systematically retained following TGD. In contrast, auts2b, which encodes for a shorter protein similar to a short human AUTS2 isoform, was lost more frequently and independently during evolution. RNA-seq analysis in 10 species revealed a highly conserved profile with predominant expression of both genes in the embryo, brain, and gonads. Based on protein length, conserved domains, and expression profiles, we speculate that the long human isoform functions were retained by auts2a, while the short isoform functions were retained by auts2a and/or auts2b, depending on the lineage/species. auts2a showed a burst in expression during medaka brain formation, where it was expressed in areas of the brain associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Together, our data suggest a strong conservation of auts2 functions in vertebrates despite different evolutionary scenarios in teleosts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Julien Bobe
- INRAE, LPGP UR1037, Fish Physiology and Genomics, Campus de Beaulieu, F-35000 Rennes, France
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Li J, Sun X, You Y, Li Q, Wei C, Zhao L, Sun M, Meng H, Zhang T, Yue W, Wang L, Zhang D. Auts2 deletion involves in DG hypoplasia and social recognition deficit: The developmental and neural circuit mechanisms. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabk1238. [PMID: 35235353 PMCID: PMC8890717 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abk1238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
The involvement of genetic risk and the underlying developmental and neural circuit mechanisms in autism-related social deficit are largely unclear. Here, we report that deletion of AUTS2, a high-susceptibility gene of ASDs, caused postnatal dentate gyrus (DG) hypoplasia, which was closely relevant to social recognition deficit. Furthermore, a previously unknown mechanism for neural cell migration in postnatal DG development was identified, in which Auts2-related signaling played a vital role as the transcription repressor. Moreover, the supramammillary nucleus (SuM)-DG-CA3 neural circuit was found to be involved in social recognition and affected in Auts2-deleted mice due to DG hypoplasia. Correction of DG-CA3 synaptic transmission by using a pharmacological approach or chemo/optogenetic activation of the SuM-DG circuit restored the social recognition deficit in Auts2-deleted mice. Our findings demonstrated the vital role of Auts2 in postnatal DG development, and this role was critical for SuM-DG-CA3 neural circuit-mediated social recognition behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Li
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Sun
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Yang You
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Qiongwei Li
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Chengwen Wei
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Linnan Zhao
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Mengwen Sun
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Hu Meng
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Tian Zhang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Weihua Yue
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
- PKU-IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Lifang Wang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
| | - Dai Zhang
- Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Beijing, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
- Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation (IBRR), Guangdong Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Cognitive Science, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
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AUTS2 Gene: Keys to Understanding the Pathogenesis of Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Cells 2021; 11:cells11010011. [PMID: 35011572 PMCID: PMC8750789 DOI: 10.3390/cells11010011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID), are a large group of neuropsychiatric illnesses that occur during early brain development, resulting in a broad spectrum of syndromes affecting cognition, sociability, and sensory and motor functions. Despite progress in the discovery of various genetic risk factors thanks to the development of novel genomics technologies, the precise pathological mechanisms underlying the onset of NDDs remain elusive owing to the profound genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity of these conditions. Autism susceptibility candidate 2 (AUTS2) has emerged as a crucial gene associated with a wide range of neuropsychological disorders, such as ASD, ID, schizophrenia, and epilepsy. AUTS2 has been shown to be involved in multiple neurodevelopmental processes; in cell nuclei, it acts as a key transcriptional regulator in neurodevelopment, whereas in the cytoplasm, it participates in cerebral corticogenesis, including neuronal migration and neuritogenesis, through the control of cytoskeletal rearrangements. Postnatally, AUTS2 regulates the number of excitatory synapses to maintain the balance between excitation and inhibition in neural circuits. In this review, we summarize the knowledge regarding AUTS2, including its molecular and cellular functions in neurodevelopment, its genetics, and its role in behaviors.
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Sanchez-Jimeno C, Blanco-Kelly F, López-Grondona F, Losada-Del Pozo R, Moreno B, Rodrigo-Moreno M, Martinez-Cayuelas E, Riveiro-Alvarez R, Fenollar-Cortés M, Ayuso C, Rodríguez de Alba M, Lorda-Sanchez I, Almoguera B. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity and Autism Spectrum Disorders as the Core Symptoms of AUTS2 Syndrome: Description of Five New Patients and Update of the Frequency of Manifestations and Genotype-Phenotype Correlation. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12091360. [PMID: 34573342 PMCID: PMC8471078 DOI: 10.3390/genes12091360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Haploinsufficiency of AUTS2 has been associated with a syndromic form of neurodevelopmental delay characterized by intellectual disability, autistic features, and microcephaly, also known as AUTS2 syndrome. While the phenotype associated with large deletions and duplications of AUTS2 is well established, clinical features of patients harboring AUTS2 sequence variants have not been extensively described. In this study, we describe the phenotype of five new patients with AUTS2 pathogenic variants, three of them harboring loss-of-function sequence variants. The phenotype of the patients was characterized by attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autistic features and mild global developmental delay (GDD) or intellectual disability (ID), all in 4/5 patients (80%), a frequency higher than previously reported for ADHD and autistic features. Microcephaly and short stature were found in 60% of the patients; and feeding difficulties, generalized hypotonia, and ptosis, were each found in 40%. We also provide the aggregated frequency of the 32 items included in the AUTS2 syndrome severity score (ASSS) in patients currently reported in the literature. The main characteristics of the syndrome are GDD/ID in 98% of patients, microcephaly in 65%, feeding difficulties in 62%, ADHD or hyperactivity in 54%, and autistic traits in 52%. Finally, using the location of 31 variants from the literature together with variants from the five patients, we found significantly higher ASSS values in patients with pathogenic variants affecting the 3′ end of the gene, confirming the genotype-phenotype correlation initially described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Sanchez-Jimeno
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, IIS–Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (C.S.-J.); (F.B.-K.); (F.L.-G.); (R.R.-A.); (C.A.); (M.R.d.A.); (I.L.-S.)
- Center for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Fiona Blanco-Kelly
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, IIS–Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (C.S.-J.); (F.B.-K.); (F.L.-G.); (R.R.-A.); (C.A.); (M.R.d.A.); (I.L.-S.)
- Center for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Fermina López-Grondona
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, IIS–Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (C.S.-J.); (F.B.-K.); (F.L.-G.); (R.R.-A.); (C.A.); (M.R.d.A.); (I.L.-S.)
- Center for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Rebeca Losada-Del Pozo
- Department of Pediatrics, IIS–Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (R.L.-D.P.); (B.M.); (M.R.-M.); (E.M.-C.)
| | - Beatriz Moreno
- Department of Pediatrics, IIS–Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (R.L.-D.P.); (B.M.); (M.R.-M.); (E.M.-C.)
| | - María Rodrigo-Moreno
- Department of Pediatrics, IIS–Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (R.L.-D.P.); (B.M.); (M.R.-M.); (E.M.-C.)
| | - Elena Martinez-Cayuelas
- Department of Pediatrics, IIS–Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (R.L.-D.P.); (B.M.); (M.R.-M.); (E.M.-C.)
| | - Rosa Riveiro-Alvarez
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, IIS–Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (C.S.-J.); (F.B.-K.); (F.L.-G.); (R.R.-A.); (C.A.); (M.R.d.A.); (I.L.-S.)
- Center for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - María Fenollar-Cortés
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Clinical Analysis, Clínico San Carlos University Hospital, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
- IIS-Clínico San Carlos University Hospital (IsISSC), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Ayuso
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, IIS–Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (C.S.-J.); (F.B.-K.); (F.L.-G.); (R.R.-A.); (C.A.); (M.R.d.A.); (I.L.-S.)
- Center for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Rodríguez de Alba
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, IIS–Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (C.S.-J.); (F.B.-K.); (F.L.-G.); (R.R.-A.); (C.A.); (M.R.d.A.); (I.L.-S.)
- Center for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Lorda-Sanchez
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, IIS–Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (C.S.-J.); (F.B.-K.); (F.L.-G.); (R.R.-A.); (C.A.); (M.R.d.A.); (I.L.-S.)
- Center for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Berta Almoguera
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, IIS–Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (C.S.-J.); (F.B.-K.); (F.L.-G.); (R.R.-A.); (C.A.); (M.R.d.A.); (I.L.-S.)
- Center for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence:
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Erotomania and phenotypic continuum in a family frameshift variant of AUTS2: a case report and review. BMC Psychiatry 2021; 21:360. [PMID: 34273950 PMCID: PMC8285776 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-021-03342-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pathogenic variants of the AUTS2 (Autism Susceptibility candidate 2) gene predispose to intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, facial dysmorphism and short stature. This phenotype is therefore associated with neurocognitive disturbances and social cognition, indicating potential functional maladjustment in the affected subjects, and a potentially significant impact on quality of life. Although many isolated cases have been reported in the literature, to date no families have been described. This case reports on a family (three generations) with a frameshift variant in the AUTS2 gene. CASE PRESENTATION The proband is 13 years old with short stature, dysmorphic features, moderate intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder. His mother is 49 years old and also has short stature and similar dysmorphic features. She does not have autism disorder but presents an erotomaniac delusion. Her cognitive performance is heterogeneous. The two aunts are also of short stature. The 50-year-old aunt has isolated social cognition disorders. The 45-year-old aunt has severe cognitive impairment and autism spectrum disorder. The molecular analysis of the three sisters and the proband shows the same AUTS2 heterozygous duplication leading to a frame shift expected to produce a premature stop codon, p.(Met593Tyrfs*85). Previously reported isolated cases revealed phenotypic and cognitive impairment variability. In this case report, these variabilities are present within the same family, presenting the same variant. CONCLUSIONS The possibility of a phenotypic spectrum within the same family highlights the need for joint psychiatry and genetics research.
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Pang W, Yi X, Li L, Liu L, Xiang W, Xiao L. Untangle the Multi-Facet Functions of Auts2 as an Entry Point to Understand Neurodevelopmental Disorders. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:580433. [PMID: 33967843 PMCID: PMC8102784 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.580433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders are psychiatric diseases that are usually first diagnosed in infancy, childhood and adolescence. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by core symptoms including impaired social communication, cognitive rigidity and repetitive behavior, accompanied by a wide range of comorbidities such as intellectual disability (ID) and dysmorphisms. While the cause remains largely unknown, genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors are believed to contribute toward the onset of the disease. Autism Susceptibility Candidate 2 (Auts2) is a gene highly associated with ID and ASD. Therefore, understanding the function of Auts2 gene can provide a unique entry point to untangle the complex neuronal phenotypes of neurodevelpmental disorders. In this review, we discuss the recent discoveries regarding the molecular and cellular functions of Auts2. Auts2 was shown to be a key-regulator of transcriptional network and a mediator of epigenetic regulation in neurodevelopment, the latter potentially providing a link for the neuronal changes of ASD upon environmental risk-factor exposure. In addition, Auts2 could synchronize the balance between excitation and inhibition through regulating the number of excitatory synapses. Cytoplasmic Auts2 could join the fine-tuning of actin dynamics during neuronal migration and neuritogenesis. Furthermore, Auts2 was expressed in developing mouse and human brain regions such as the frontal cortex, dorsal thalamus, and hippocampus, which have been implicated in the impaired cognitive and social function of ASD. Taken together, a comprehensive understanding of Auts2 functions can give deep insights into the cause of the heterogenous manifestation of neurodevelopmental disorders such as ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbin Pang
- Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research & Transformation in Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
- National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Control of Tropical Diseases, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Xinan Yi
- Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research & Transformation in Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Ling Li
- Department of Pediatric Rehabilitation, Hainan Women and Children's Medical Center, Haikou, China
| | - Liyan Liu
- Department of Pediatric Rehabilitation, Hainan Women and Children's Medical Center, Haikou, China
| | - Wei Xiang
- National Health Commission (NHC) Key Laboratory of Control of Tropical Diseases, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
| | - Le Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Brain Science Research & Transformation in Tropical Environment of Hainan Province, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, China
- Department of Pediatric Rehabilitation, Hainan Women and Children's Medical Center, Haikou, China
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10
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Gieldon L, Jauch A, Obeid K, Kaufmann L, Hinderhofer K, Haug U, Moog U. Germ cell mosaicism for AUTS2 exon 6 deletion. Am J Med Genet A 2021; 185:1261-1265. [PMID: 33577136 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 01/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Haploinsufficiency of AUTS2 has been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders and dysmorphic features (MIM # 615834). More than 50 patients have been described, mostly carrying de novo deletions of one or more exons, including eight patients with exon 6 deletions. We report on two siblings, a girl and a boy aged 11 and 13 years, in whom the same pathogenic 85 kb deletion on 7q11.22 encompassing exon 6 of AUTS2 by SNP array analysis was identified. Both children had typical symptoms of AUTS2 syndrome such as intellectual impairment and behavioral problems, but with markedly different expression. SNP array analysis excluded the deletion in blood samples of both parents and a healthy brother. Conventional karyotyping of both parents and additional FISH analyses, marking the flanking regions of the deletion, did not show any structural rearrangements involving 7q11.22. A germ cell mosaicism was suggested as the most probable explanation for occurrence of the same deletion in these two siblings. To our knowledge this is the first report of germ cell mosaicism for AUTS2 syndrome. It additionally provides further evidence of intrafamilial phenotypic variability in AUTS2 syndrome and adds clinical information to the phenotypic spectrum of patients with AUTS2 exon 6 deletions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Gieldon
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anna Jauch
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Katharina Obeid
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lilian Kaufmann
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Ulrich Haug
- Center for Child Neurology and Social Pediatrics Maulbronn, Maulbronn, Germany
| | - Ute Moog
- Institute of Human Genetics, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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11
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Whole Exome Sequencing Reveals a Novel AUTS2 In-Frame Deletion in a Boy with Global Developmental Delay, Absent Speech, Dysmorphic Features, and Cerebral Anomalies. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12020229. [PMID: 33562463 PMCID: PMC7915150 DOI: 10.3390/genes12020229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are a group of highly prevalent, clinically and genetically heterogeneous pediatric disorders comprising, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition (DSM-V), intellectual disability, developmental delay, autism spectrum disorders, and other neurological and cognitive disorders manifesting in the developmental age. To date, more than 1000 genes have been implicated in the etiopathogenesis of NNDs. Among them, AUTS2 (OMIM # 607270) encodes a protein involved in neural migration and neuritogenesis, and causes NNDs with different molecular mechanisms including copy number variations, single or multiple exonic deletion and single nucleotide variants. We describes a 9-year-old boy with global developmental delay, absent speech, minor craniofacial anomalies, hypoplasia of the cerebellar vermis and thinning of the corpus callosum, resulted carrier of the de novo AUTS2 c.1603_1626del deletion at whole exome sequencing (WES) predicted to cause the loss of eight amino acids [p.(His535_Thr542del)]. Notably, our patient is the first reported so far in medical literature carrying an in-frame deletion and the first in which absent language, hypoplasia of the cerebellar vermis and thinning of the corpus callosum has been observed thus useful to expand the molecular spectrum of AUTS2 pathogenic variants and to broaden our knowledge on the clinical phenotype associated.
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12
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AUTS2 isoforms control neuronal differentiation. Mol Psychiatry 2021; 26:666-681. [PMID: 30953002 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-019-0409-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2015] [Revised: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in AUTS2 are associated with autism, intellectual disability, and microcephaly. AUTS2 is expressed in the brain and interacts with polycomb proteins, yet it is still unclear how mutations in AUTS2 lead to neurodevelopmental phenotypes. Here we report that when neuronal differentiation is initiated, there is a shift in expression from a long isoform to a short AUTS2 isoform. Yeast two-hybrid screen identified the splicing factor SF3B1 as an interactor of both isoforms, whereas the polycomb group proteins, PCGF3 and PCGF5, were found to interact exclusively with the long AUTS2 isoform. Reporter assays showed that the first exons of the long AUTS2 isoform function as a transcription repressor, but the part that consist of the short isoform acts as a transcriptional activator, both influenced by the cellular context. The expression levels of PCGF3 influenced the ability of the long AUTS2 isoform to activate or repress transcription. Mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) with heterozygote mutations in Auts2 had an increase in cell death during in vitro corticogenesis, which was significantly rescued by overexpressing the human AUTS2 transcripts. mESCs with a truncated AUTS2 protein (missing exons 12-20) showed premature neuronal differentiation, whereas cells overexpressing AUTS2, especially the long transcript, showed increase in expression of pluripotency markers and delayed differentiation. Taken together, our data suggest that the precise expression of AUTS2 isoforms is essential for regulating transcription and the timing of neuronal differentiation.
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13
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Martinez-Delgado B, Lopez-Martin E, Lara-Herguedas J, Monzon S, Cuesta I, Juliá M, Aquino V, Rodriguez-Martin C, Damian A, Gonzalo I, Gomez-Mariano G, Baladron B, Cazorla R, Iglesias G, Roman E, Ros P, Tutor P, Mellor S, Jimenez C, Cabrejas MJ, Gonzalez-Vioque E, Alonso J, Bermejo-Sánchez E, Posada M. De novo small deletion affecting transcription start site of short isoform of AUTS2 gene in a patient with syndromic neurodevelopmental defects. Am J Med Genet A 2020; 185:877-883. [PMID: 33346930 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Disruption of the autism susceptibility candidate 2 (AUTS2) gene through genomic rearrangements, copy number variations (CNVs), and intragenic deletions and mutations, has been recurrently involved in syndromic forms of developmental delay and intellectual disability, known as AUTS2 syndrome. The AUTS2 gene plays an important role in regulation of neuronal migration, and when altered, associates with a variable phenotype from severely to mildly affected patients. The more severe phenotypes significantly correlate with the presence of defects affecting the C-terminus part of the gene. This article reports a new patient with a syndromic neurodevelopmental disorder, who presents a deletion of 30 nucleotides in the exon 9 of the AUTS2 gene. Importantly, this deletion includes the transcription start site for the AUTS2 short transcript isoform, which has an important role in brain development. Gene expression analysis of AUTS2 full-length and short isoforms revealed that the deletion found in this patient causes a remarkable reduction in the expression level, not only of the short isoform, but also of the full AUTS2 transcripts. This report adds more evidence for the role of mutated AUTS2 short transcripts in the development of a severe phenotype in the AUTS2 syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Martinez-Delgado
- Institute of Rare Diseases Research (Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras/IIER), Carlos III Institute of Health (Instituto de Salud Carlos III/ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Consortium for Biomedical Research in Rare Diseases (CIBER de Enfermedades Raras/CIBERER) (CB06/07/1009), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.,Undiagnosed Diseases Network International, Madrid, Spain
| | - Estrella Lopez-Martin
- Institute of Rare Diseases Research (Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras/IIER), Carlos III Institute of Health (Instituto de Salud Carlos III/ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Consortium for Biomedical Research in Rare Diseases (CIBER de Enfermedades Raras/CIBERER) (CB06/07/1009), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.,Undiagnosed Diseases Network International, Madrid, Spain
| | - Julián Lara-Herguedas
- Department of Neuropediatrics, Puerta de Hierro University Teaching Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sara Monzon
- Undiagnosed Diseases Network International, Madrid, Spain.,Bioinformatics Unit, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Cuesta
- Undiagnosed Diseases Network International, Madrid, Spain.,Bioinformatics Unit, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Juliá
- Undiagnosed Diseases Network International, Madrid, Spain.,Bioinformatics Unit, ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Virginia Aquino
- Institute of Rare Diseases Research (Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras/IIER), Carlos III Institute of Health (Instituto de Salud Carlos III/ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Rodriguez-Martin
- Institute of Rare Diseases Research (Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras/IIER), Carlos III Institute of Health (Instituto de Salud Carlos III/ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Alejandra Damian
- Institute of Rare Diseases Research (Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras/IIER), Carlos III Institute of Health (Instituto de Salud Carlos III/ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene Gonzalo
- Institute of Rare Diseases Research (Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras/IIER), Carlos III Institute of Health (Instituto de Salud Carlos III/ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Gema Gomez-Mariano
- Institute of Rare Diseases Research (Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras/IIER), Carlos III Institute of Health (Instituto de Salud Carlos III/ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Undiagnosed Diseases Network International, Madrid, Spain
| | - Beatriz Baladron
- Institute of Rare Diseases Research (Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras/IIER), Carlos III Institute of Health (Instituto de Salud Carlos III/ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Undiagnosed Diseases Network International, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosario Cazorla
- Department of Neuropediatrics, Puerta de Hierro University Teaching Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gema Iglesias
- Department of Neuropediatrics, Puerta de Hierro University Teaching Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Enriqueta Roman
- Department of Neuropediatrics, Puerta de Hierro University Teaching Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Pablo Tutor
- Department of Internal Medicine, Puerta de Hierro University Teaching Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Susana Mellor
- Department of Internal Medicine, Puerta de Hierro University Teaching Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Jimenez
- Department of Neurology, Puerta de Hierro University Teaching Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Jose Cabrejas
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Puerta de Hierro University Teaching Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Emiliano Gonzalez-Vioque
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Puerta de Hierro University Teaching Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Alonso
- Institute of Rare Diseases Research (Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras/IIER), Carlos III Institute of Health (Instituto de Salud Carlos III/ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Consortium for Biomedical Research in Rare Diseases (CIBER de Enfermedades Raras/CIBERER) (CB06/07/1009), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.,Undiagnosed Diseases Network International, Madrid, Spain
| | - Eva Bermejo-Sánchez
- Institute of Rare Diseases Research (Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras/IIER), Carlos III Institute of Health (Instituto de Salud Carlos III/ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Undiagnosed Diseases Network International, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Posada
- Institute of Rare Diseases Research (Instituto de Investigación de Enfermedades Raras/IIER), Carlos III Institute of Health (Instituto de Salud Carlos III/ISCIII), Madrid, Spain.,Consortium for Biomedical Research in Rare Diseases (CIBER de Enfermedades Raras/CIBERER) (CB06/07/1009), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain.,Undiagnosed Diseases Network International, Madrid, Spain
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14
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Yamashiro K, Hori K, Lai ESK, Aoki R, Shimaoka K, Arimura N, Egusa SF, Sakamoto A, Abe M, Sakimura K, Watanabe T, Uesaka N, Kano M, Hoshino M. AUTS2 Governs Cerebellar Development, Purkinje Cell Maturation, Motor Function and Social Communication. iScience 2020; 23:101820. [PMID: 33305180 PMCID: PMC7708818 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism susceptibility candidate 2 (AUTS2), a risk gene for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), is implicated in telencephalon development. Because AUTS2 is also expressed in the cerebellum where defects have been linked to ASDs, we investigated AUTS2 functions in the cerebellum. AUTS2 is specifically localized in Purkinje cells (PCs) and Golgi cells during postnatal development. Auts2 conditional knockout (cKO) mice exhibited smaller and deformed cerebella containing immature-shaped PCs with reduced expression of Cacna1a. Auts2 cKO and knock-down experiments implicated AUTS2 participation in elimination and translocation of climbing fiber synapses and restriction of parallel fiber synapse numbers. Auts2 cKO mice exhibited behavioral impairments in motor learning and vocal communications. Because Cacna1a is known to regulate synapse development in PCs, it suggests that AUTS2 is required for PC maturation to elicit normal development of PC synapses and thus the impairment of AUTS2 may cause cerebellar dysfunction related to psychiatric illnesses such as ASDs. Loss of Auts2 leads to the reduction of cerebellar size AUTS2 promotes the dendritic maturation of Purkinje cells AUTS2 participates in PF and CF synapse development of Purkinje cells Auts2 cKO mice exhibit the impaired motor learning and vocal communications
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunihiko Yamashiro
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), Tokyo 187-8502, Japan.,Department of NCNP Brain Physiology and Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
| | - Kei Hori
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), Tokyo 187-8502, Japan
| | - Esther S K Lai
- Brain Mechanism for Behavior Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan.,Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Ryo Aoki
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), Tokyo 187-8502, Japan.,Department of NCNP Brain Physiology and Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
| | - Kazumi Shimaoka
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), Tokyo 187-8502, Japan
| | - Nariko Arimura
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), Tokyo 187-8502, Japan
| | - Saki F Egusa
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), Tokyo 187-8502, Japan
| | - Asami Sakamoto
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), Tokyo 187-8502, Japan
| | - Manabu Abe
- Department of Animal Model Development, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan
| | - Kenji Sakimura
- Department of Animal Model Development, Brain Research Institute, Niigata University, Niigata 951-8585, Japan
| | - Takaki Watanabe
- Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Naofumi Uesaka
- Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.,Department of Cognitive Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
| | - Masanobu Kano
- Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Mikio Hoshino
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (NCNP), Tokyo 187-8502, Japan.,Department of NCNP Brain Physiology and Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo 113-8510, Japan
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15
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AUTS2 Regulation of Synapses for Proper Synaptic Inputs and Social Communication. iScience 2020; 23:101183. [PMID: 32498016 PMCID: PMC7267731 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 05/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Impairments in synapse development are thought to cause numerous psychiatric disorders. Autism susceptibility candidate 2 (AUTS2) gene has been associated with various psychiatric disorders, such as autism and intellectual disabilities. Although roles for AUTS2 in neuronal migration and neuritogenesis have been reported, its involvement in synapse regulation remains unclear. In this study, we found that excitatory synapses were specifically increased in the Auts2-deficient primary cultured neurons as well as Auts2 mutant forebrains. Electrophysiological recordings and immunostaining showed increases in excitatory synaptic inputs as well as c-fos expression in Auts2 mutant brains, suggesting that an altered balance of excitatory and inhibitory inputs enhances brain excitability. Auts2 mutant mice exhibited autistic-like behaviors including impairments in social interaction and altered vocal communication. Together, these findings suggest that AUTS2 regulates excitatory synapse number to coordinate E/I balance in the brain, whose impairment may underlie the pathology of psychiatric disorders in individuals with AUTS2 mutations. AUTS2 regulates excitatory synapse number in forebrain pyramidal neurons Loss of Auts2 leads to increased spine formation in development and adulthood Loss of Auts2 alters the balance of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs Auts2 mutant mice exhibit cognitive and sociobehavioral deficits
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16
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW To better understand the shared basis of language and mental health, this review examines the behavioral and neurobiological features of aberrant language in five major neuropsychiatric conditions. Special attention is paid to genes implicated in both language and neuropsychiatric disorders, as they reveal biological domains likely to underpin the processes controlling both. RECENT FINDINGS Abnormal language and communication are common manifestations of neuropsychiatric conditions, and children with impaired language are more likely to develop psychiatric disorders than their peers. Major themes in the genetics of both language and psychiatry include master transcriptional regulators, like FOXP2; key developmental regulators, like AUTS2; and mediators of neurotransmission, like GRIN2A and CACNA1C.
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17
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Weisner PA, Chen CY, Sun Y, Yoo J, Kao WC, Zhang H, Baltz ET, Troy JM, Stubbs L. A Mouse Mutation That Dysregulates Neighboring Galnt17 and Auts2 Genes Is Associated with Phenotypes Related to the Human AUTS2 Syndrome. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2019; 9:3891-3906. [PMID: 31554716 PMCID: PMC6829118 DOI: 10.1534/g3.119.400723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
AUTS2 was originally discovered as the gene disrupted by a translocation in human twins with Autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, and epilepsy. Since that initial finding, AUTS2-linked mutations and variants have been associated with a very broad array of neuropsychiatric disorders, sugg esting that AUTS2 is required for fundamental steps of neurodevelopment. However, genotype-phenotype correlations in this region are complicated, because most mutations could also involve neighboring genes. Of particular interest is the nearest downstream neighbor of AUTS2, GALNT17, which encodes a brain-expressed N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase of unknown brain function. Here we describe a mouse (Mus musculus) mutation, T(5G2;8A1)GSO (abbreviated 16Gso), a reciprocal translocation that breaks between Auts2 and Galnt17 and dysregulates both genes. Despite this complex regulatory effect, 16Gso homozygotes model certain human AUTS2-linked phenotypes very well. In addition to abnormalities in growth, craniofacial structure, learning and memory, and behavior, 16Gso homozygotes display distinct pathologies of the cerebellum and hippocampus that are similar to those associated with autism and other types of AUTS2-linked neurological disease. Analyzing mutant cerebellar and hippocampal transcriptomes to explain this pathology, we identified disturbances in pathways related to neuron and synapse maturation, neurotransmitter signaling, and cellular stress, suggesting possible cellular mechanisms. These pathways, coupled with the translocation's selective effects on Auts2 isoforms and coordinated dysregulation of Galnt17, suggest novel hypotheses regarding the etiology of the human "AUTS2 syndrome" and the wide array of neurodevelopmental disorders linked to variance in this genomic region.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Anne Weisner
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
- Neuroscience Program
| | - Chih-Ying Chen
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, and
| | - Younguk Sun
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, and
| | | | | | | | | | - Joseph M Troy
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
- Illinois Informatics Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL 61802
| | - Lisa Stubbs
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology,
- Neuroscience Program
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, and
- Illinois Informatics Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL 61802
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18
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Osipova E, Hecker N, Hiller M. RepeatFiller newly identifies megabases of aligning repetitive sequences and improves annotations of conserved non-exonic elements. Gigascience 2019; 8:giz132. [PMID: 31742600 PMCID: PMC6862929 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giz132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Transposons and other repetitive sequences make up a large part of complex genomes. Repetitive sequences can be co-opted into a variety of functions and thus provide a source for evolutionary novelty. However, comprehensively detecting ancestral repeats that align between species is difficult because considering all repeat-overlapping seeds in alignment methods that rely on the seed-and-extend heuristic results in prohibitively high runtimes. RESULTS Here, we show that ignoring repeat-overlapping alignment seeds when aligning entire genomes misses numerous alignments between repetitive elements. We present a tool, RepeatFiller, that improves genome alignments by incorporating previously undetected local alignments between repetitive sequences. By applying RepeatFiller to genome alignments between human and 20 other representative mammals, we uncover between 22 and 84 Mb of previously undetected alignments that mostly overlap transposable elements. We further show that the increased alignment coverage improves the annotation of conserved non-exonic elements, both by discovering numerous novel transposon-derived elements that evolve under constraint and by removing thousands of elements that are not under constraint in placental mammals. CONCLUSIONS RepeatFiller contributes to comprehensively aligning repetitive genomic regions, which facilitates studying transposon co-option and genome evolution. Source code: https://github.com/hillerlab/GenomeAlignmentTools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Osipova
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Noethnitzer Str. 38, 01187 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Nikolai Hecker
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Noethnitzer Str. 38, 01187 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Michael Hiller
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Noethnitzer Str. 38, 01187 Dresden, Germany
- Center for Systems Biology, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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19
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20
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21
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Whole genome sequencing of 91 multiplex schizophrenia families reveals increased burden of rare, exonic copy number variation in schizophrenia probands and genetic heterogeneity. Schizophr Res 2018; 197:337-345. [PMID: 29486958 DOI: 10.1016/j.schres.2018.02.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 02/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The importance of genomic copy number variants (CNVs) has long been recognized in the etiology of neurodevelopmental diseases. We report here the results from the CNV analysis of whole-genome sequences from 91 multiplex schizophrenia families. Employing four algorithms (CNVnator, Cn.mops, DELLY and LUMPY) to identify CNVs, we find 1231 rare deletions and 287 rare duplications in 300 individuals (77 with schizophrenia (SZ), 32 with schizoaffective disorder (SAD), 82 with another neuropsychiatric diagnosis and 109 unaffected). The size of the CNVs ranges from a few hundred base-pairs to about 1.3Mb. The total burden of CNVs does not differ significantly between affected (SZ and SAD) and unaffected individuals. Parent-to-child transmission rate for rare CNVs affecting exonic regions is significantly higher for affected (SZ and SAD) probands as compared to their siblings, but rates for all CNVs is not. We observe heterogeneity between families in terms of genes involved in CNVs, and find several CNVs involving genes previously implicated in either schizophrenia or other neuropsychiatric disorders.
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22
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Gambin T, Akdemir ZC, Yuan B, Gu S, Chiang T, Carvalho CMB, Shaw C, Jhangiani S, Boone PM, Eldomery MK, Karaca E, Bayram Y, Stray-Pedersen A, Muzny D, Charng WL, Bahrambeigi V, Belmont JW, Boerwinkle E, Beaudet AL, Gibbs RA, Lupski JR. Homozygous and hemizygous CNV detection from exome sequencing data in a Mendelian disease cohort. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:1633-1648. [PMID: 27980096 PMCID: PMC5389578 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw1237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
We developed an algorithm, HMZDelFinder, that uses whole exome sequencing (WES) data to identify rare and intragenic homozygous and hemizygous (HMZ) deletions that may represent complete loss-of-function of the indicated gene. HMZDelFinder was applied to 4866 samples in the Baylor–Hopkins Center for Mendelian Genomics (BHCMG) cohort and detected 773 HMZ deletion calls (567 homozygous or 206 hemizygous) with an estimated sensitivity of 86.5% (82% for single-exonic and 88% for multi-exonic calls) and precision of 78% (53% single-exonic and 96% for multi-exonic calls). Out of 773 HMZDelFinder-detected deletion calls, 82 were subjected to array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) and/or breakpoint PCR and 64 were confirmed. These include 18 single-exon deletions out of which 8 were exclusively detected by HMZDelFinder and not by any of seven other CNV detection tools examined. Further investigation of the 64 validated deletion calls revealed at least 15 pathogenic HMZ deletions. Of those, 7 accounted for 17–50% of pathogenic CNVs in different disease cohorts where 7.1–11% of the molecular diagnosis solved rate was attributed to CNVs. In summary, we present an algorithm to detect rare, intragenic, single-exon deletion CNVs using WES data; this tool can be useful for disease gene discovery efforts and clinical WES analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Gambin
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Institute of Computer Science, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, 00-665 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Zeynep C Akdemir
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Bo Yuan
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Shen Gu
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Theodore Chiang
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Claudia M B Carvalho
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Chad Shaw
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Shalini Jhangiani
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Philip M Boone
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Mohammad K Eldomery
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ender Karaca
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yavuz Bayram
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Asbjørg Stray-Pedersen
- Norwegian National Unit for Newborn Screening, Division for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, N-0424 Oslo, Norway
| | - Donna Muzny
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Wu-Lin Charng
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Vahid Bahrambeigi
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Graduate Program in Diagnostic Genetics, School of Health Professions, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - John W Belmont
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Eric Boerwinkle
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Human Genetics Center, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Arthur L Beaudet
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Richard A Gibbs
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - James R Lupski
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.,Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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23
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Hori K, Hoshino M. Neuronal Migration and AUTS2 Syndrome. Brain Sci 2017; 7:brainsci7050054. [PMID: 28505103 PMCID: PMC5447936 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci7050054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Revised: 05/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal migration is one of the pivotal steps to form a functional brain, and disorganization of this process is believed to underlie the pathology of psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and epilepsy. However, it is not clear how abnormal neuronal migration causes mental dysfunction. Recently, a key gene for various psychiatric diseases, the Autism susceptibility candidate 2 (AUTS2), has been shown to regulate neuronal migration, which gives new insight into understanding this question. Interestingly, the AUTS2 protein has dual functions: Cytoplasmic AUTS2 regulates actin cytoskeleton to control neuronal migration and neurite extension, while nuclear AUTS2 controls transcription of various genes as a component of the polycomb complex 1 (PRC1). In this review, we discuss AUTS2 from the viewpoint of human genetics, molecular function, brain development, and behavior in animal models, focusing on its role in neuronal migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kei Hori
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Neuroscience, NCNP, Tokyo 187-8502, Japan.
| | - Mikio Hoshino
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Neuroscience, NCNP, Tokyo 187-8502, Japan.
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24
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Chen XS, Reader RH, Hoischen A, Veltman JA, Simpson NH, Francks C, Newbury DF, Fisher SE. Next-generation DNA sequencing identifies novel gene variants and pathways involved in specific language impairment. Sci Rep 2017; 7:46105. [PMID: 28440294 PMCID: PMC5404330 DOI: 10.1038/srep46105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
A significant proportion of children have unexplained problems acquiring proficient linguistic skills despite adequate intelligence and opportunity. Developmental language disorders are highly heritable with substantial societal impact. Molecular studies have begun to identify candidate loci, but much of the underlying genetic architecture remains undetermined. We performed whole-exome sequencing of 43 unrelated probands affected by severe specific language impairment, followed by independent validations with Sanger sequencing, and analyses of segregation patterns in parents and siblings, to shed new light on aetiology. By first focusing on a pre-defined set of known candidates from the literature, we identified potentially pathogenic variants in genes already implicated in diverse language-related syndromes, including ERC1, GRIN2A, and SRPX2. Complementary analyses suggested novel putative candidates carrying validated variants which were predicted to have functional effects, such as OXR1, SCN9A and KMT2D. We also searched for potential “multiple-hit” cases; one proband carried a rare AUTS2 variant in combination with a rare inherited haplotype affecting STARD9, while another carried a novel nonsynonymous variant in SEMA6D together with a rare stop-gain in SYNPR. On broadening scope to all rare and novel variants throughout the exomes, we identified biological themes that were enriched for such variants, including microtubule transport and cytoskeletal regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowei Sylvia Chen
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Rose H Reader
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Alexander Hoischen
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Joris A Veltman
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Genetics, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nuala H Simpson
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Clyde Francks
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Dianne F Newbury
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK.,Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | - Simon E Fisher
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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25
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The Correlation-Base-Selection Algorithm for Diagnostic Schizophrenia Based on Blood-Based Gene Expression Signatures. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 2017:7860506. [PMID: 28280741 PMCID: PMC5322573 DOI: 10.1155/2017/7860506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Microarray analysis of gene expression is often used to diagnose different types of disease. Many studies report remarkable achievements in nervous system disease. Clinical diagnosis of schizophrenia (SCZ) still depends on doctors' experience, which is unreliable and needs to be more objective and quantified. To solve this problem, we collected whole blood gene expression data from four studies, including 152 individuals with schizophrenia (SCZ) and 138 normal controls in different regions. The correlation-based feature selection (CFS, one of the machine learning methods) algorithm was applied in this study, and 103 significantly differentially expressed genes between patients and controls, called “feature genes,” were selected; then, a model for SCZ diagnosis was built. The samples were subdivided into 10 groups, and cross-validation showed that the model we constructed achieved nearly 100% classification accuracy. Mathematical evaluation of the datasets before and after data processing proved the effectiveness of our algorithm. Feature genes were enriched in Parkinson's disease, oxidative phosphorylation, and TGF-beta signaling pathways, which were previously reported to be associated with SCZ. These results suggest that the analysis of gene expression in whole blood by our model could be a useful tool for diagnosing SCZ.
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26
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Sengun E, Yararbas K, Kasakyan S, Alanay Y. AUTS2 Syndrome in a 68-year-old female: Natural history and further delineation of the phenotype. Am J Med Genet A 2016; 170:3231-3236. [DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.37882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ece Sengun
- Department of Pediatrics; Acibadem University School of Medicine; Istanbul Turkey
| | - Kanay Yararbas
- Duzen Laboratories Group; Istanbul Turkey
- Maltepe University School of Medicine; Istanbul Turkey
| | | | - Yasemin Alanay
- Pediatric Genetics Unit; Department of Pediatrics; Acibadem University School of Medicine; Istanbul Turkey
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27
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Beunders G, van de Kamp J, Vasudevan P, Morton J, Smets K, Kleefstra T, de Munnik SA, Schuurs-Hoeijmakers J, Ceulemans B, Zollino M, Hoffjan S, Wieczorek S, So J, Mercer L, Walker T, Velsher L, Parker MJ, Magee AC, Elffers B, Kooy RF, Yntema HG, Meijers-Heijboer EJ, Sistermans EA. A detailed clinical analysis of 13 patients with AUTS2 syndrome further delineates the phenotypic spectrum and underscores the behavioural phenotype. J Med Genet 2016; 53:523-32. [DOI: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2015-103601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2015] [Accepted: 03/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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28
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Lu L, Pandey AK, Houseal MT, Mulligan MK. The Genetic Architecture of Murine Glutathione Transferases. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0148230. [PMID: 26829228 PMCID: PMC4734686 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0148230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2014] [Accepted: 01/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes play a protective role against oxidative stress and may influence disease risk and drug pharmacokinetics. In this study, massive multiscalar trait profiling across a large population of mice derived from a cross between C57BL/6J (B6) and DBA2/J (D2)—the BXD family—was combined with linkage and bioinformatic analyses to characterize mechanisms controlling GST expression and to identify downstream consequences of this variation. Similar to humans, mice show a wide range in expression of GST family members. Variation in the expression of Gsta4, Gstt2, Gstz1, Gsto1, and Mgst3 is modulated by local expression QTLs (eQTLs) in several tissues. Higher expression of Gsto1 in brain and liver of BXD strains is strongly associated (P < 0.01) with inheritance of the B6 parental allele whereas higher expression of Gsta4 and Mgst3 in brain and liver, and Gstt2 and Gstz1 in brain is strongly associated with inheritance of the D2 parental allele. Allele-specific assays confirmed that expression of Gsto1, Gsta4, and Mgst3 are modulated by sequence variants within or near each gene locus. We exploited this endogenous variation to identify coexpression networks and downstream targets in mouse and human. Through a combined systems genetics approach, we provide new insight into the biological role of naturally occurring variants in GST genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Lu
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, 38106, United States of America
- Co-innovation Center of Neuroregeneration, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province, 226001, China
| | - Ashutosh K. Pandey
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, 38106, United States of America
| | - M. Trevor Houseal
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, 38106, United States of America
| | - Megan K. Mulligan
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, 38106, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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29
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Reiner O, Karzbrun E, Kshirsagar A, Kaibuchi K. Regulation of neuronal migration, an emerging topic in autism spectrum disorders. J Neurochem 2015; 136:440-56. [PMID: 26485324 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.13403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2015] [Revised: 09/04/2015] [Accepted: 10/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) encompass a group of neurodevelopmental diseases that demonstrate strong heritability, however, the inheritance is not simple and many genes have been associated with these disorders. ASD is regarded as a neurodevelopmental disorder, and abnormalities at different developmental stages are part of the disease etiology. This review provides a general background on neuronal migration during brain development and discusses recent advancements in the field connecting ASD and aberrant neuronal migration. We propose that neuronal migration impairment may be an important common pathophysiology in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This review provides a general background on neuronal migration during brain development and discusses recent advancements in the field connecting ASD and aberrant neuronal migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Orly Reiner
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Eyal Karzbrun
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Aditya Kshirsagar
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Kozo Kaibuchi
- Department of Cell Pharmacology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Showa, Nagoya, Japan
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30
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Fan Y, Qiu W, Wang L, Gu X, Yu Y. Exonic deletions ofAUTS2in Chinese patients with developmental delay and intellectual disability. Am J Med Genet A 2015; 170A:515-522. [PMID: 26545289 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.37454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yanjie Fan
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology/Genetics, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research; Shanghai China
| | - Wenjuan Qiu
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology/Genetics, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research; Shanghai China
| | - Lili Wang
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology/Genetics, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research; Shanghai China
| | - Xuefan Gu
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology/Genetics, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research; Shanghai China
| | - Yongguo Yu
- Department of Pediatric Endocrinology/Genetics, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine; Shanghai Institute for Pediatric Research; Shanghai China
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31
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Abstract
Language is a defining characteristic of the human species, but its foundations remain mysterious. Heritable disorders offer a gateway into biological underpinnings, as illustrated by the discovery that FOXP2 disruptions cause a rare form of speech and language impairment. The genetic architecture underlying language-related disorders is complex, and although some progress has been made, it has proved challenging to pinpoint additional relevant genes with confidence. Next-generation sequencing and genome-wide association studies are revolutionizing understanding of the genetic bases of other neurodevelopmental disorders, like autism and schizophrenia, and providing fundamental insights into the molecular networks crucial for typical brain development. We discuss how a similar genomic perspective, brought to the investigation of language-related phenotypes, promises to yield equally informative discoveries. Moreover, we outline how follow-up studies of genetic findings using cellular systems and animal models can help to elucidate the biological mechanisms involved in the development of brain circuits supporting language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Graham
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, 6525 XD Nijmegen, The Netherlands;
| | - Simon E Fisher
- Language and Genetics Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, 6525 XD Nijmegen, The Netherlands; .,Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands;
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32
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Schneider A, Puechberty J, Ng BL, Coubes C, Gatinois V, Tournaire M, Girard M, Dumont B, Bouret P, Magnetto J, Baghdadli A, Pellestor F, Geneviève D. Identification of disrupted AUTS2 and EPHA6 genes by array painting in a patient carrying a de novo balanced translocation t(3;7) with intellectual disability and neurodevelopment disorder. Am J Med Genet A 2015; 167A:3031-7. [PMID: 26333717 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.37350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2015] [Accepted: 08/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Intellectual disability (ID) is a frequent feature but is highly clinically and genetically heterogeneous. The establishment of the precise diagnosis in patients with ID is challenging due to this heterogeneity but crucial for genetic counseling and appropriate care for the patients. Among the etiologies of patients with ID, apparently balanced de novo rearrangements represent 0.6%. Several mechanisms explain the ID in patients with apparently balanced de novo rearrangement. Among them, disruption of a disease gene at the breakpoint, is frequently evoked. In this context, technologies recently developed are used to characterize precisely such chromosomal rearrangements. Here, we report the case of a boy with ID, facial features and autistic behavior who is carrying a de novo balanced reciprocal translocation t(3;7)(q11.2;q11.22)dn. Using microarray analysis, array painting (AP) technology combined with molecular study, we have identified the interruption of the autism susceptibility candidate 2 gene (AUTS2) and EPH receptor A6 gene (EPHA6). We consider that the disruption of AUTS2 explains the phenotype of the patient; the exact role of EPHA6 in human pathology is not well defined. Based on the observation of recurrent germinal and somatic translocations involving AUTS2 and the molecular environment content, we put forward the hypothesis that the likely chromosomal mechanism responsible for the translocation could be due either to replicative stress or to recombination-based mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anouck Schneider
- Laboratoire de Génétique Chromosomique, Plateforme de puces à ADN, CHRU de Montpellier, France
| | | | - Bee Ling Ng
- Cytometry Core Facility, The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | | | - Vincent Gatinois
- Laboratoire de Génétique Chromosomique, Plateforme de puces à ADN, CHRU de Montpellier, France
| | - Magali Tournaire
- Laboratoire de Génétique Chromosomique, Plateforme de puces à ADN, CHRU de Montpellier, France
| | - Manon Girard
- Laboratoire de Génétique Chromosomique, Plateforme de puces à ADN, CHRU de Montpellier, France
| | - Bruno Dumont
- Laboratoire de Génétique Chromosomique, Plateforme de puces à ADN, CHRU de Montpellier, France
| | - Pauline Bouret
- Laboratoire de Génétique Chromosomique, Plateforme de puces à ADN, CHRU de Montpellier, France
| | - Julia Magnetto
- CRA, Département de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Centre de Ressources Autisme, CHRU de Montpellier, France
| | - Amaria Baghdadli
- CRA, Département de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Centre de Ressources Autisme, CHRU de Montpellier, France
| | - Franck Pellestor
- Laboratoire de Génétique Chromosomique, Plateforme de puces à ADN, CHRU de Montpellier, France
| | - David Geneviève
- Laboratoire de Génétique Chromosomique, Plateforme de puces à ADN, CHRU de Montpellier, France.,Département de Génétique Médicale, CHRU de Montpellier, France
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33
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Benítez-Burraco A, Boeckx C. Possible functional links among brain- and skull-related genes selected in modern humans. Front Psychol 2015; 6:794. [PMID: 26136701 PMCID: PMC4468360 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The sequencing of the genomes from extinct hominins has revealed that changes in some brain-related genes have been selected after the split between anatomically-modern humans and Neanderthals/Denisovans. To date, no coherent view of these changes has been provided. Following a line of research we initiated in Boeckx and Benítez-Burraco (2014a), we hypothesize functional links among most of these genes and their products, based on the existing literature for each of the gene discussed. The genes we focus on are found mutated in different cognitive disorders affecting modern populations and their products are involved in skull and brain morphology, and neural connectivity. If our hypothesis turns out to be on the right track, it means that the changes affecting most of these proteins resulted in a more globular brain and ultimately brought about modern cognition, with its characteristic generativity and capacity to form and exploit cross-modular concepts, properties most clearly manifested in language.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cedric Boeckx
- Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies , Barcelona, Spain ; Department of Linguistics, Universitat de Barcelona , Barcelona, Spain
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34
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Liu Y, Zhao D, Dong R, Yang X, Zhang Y, Tammimies K, Uddin M, Scherer SW, Gai Z. De novo exon 1 deletion ofAUTS2gene in a patient with autism spectrum disorder and developmental delay: A case report and a brief literature review. Am J Med Genet A 2015; 167:1381-5. [PMID: 25851617 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.a.37050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2014] [Accepted: 02/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yi Liu
- Pediatric Research Institute; Qilu Children's Hospital of Shandong University; Ji'nan China
| | - Dongmei Zhao
- Pediatric Health Institute; Qilu Children's Hospital of Shandong University; Ji'nan China
| | - Rui Dong
- Pediatric Research Institute; Qilu Children's Hospital of Shandong University; Ji'nan China
| | - Xiaomeng Yang
- Pediatric Research Institute; Qilu Children's Hospital of Shandong University; Ji'nan China
| | - Yanqing Zhang
- Pediatric Health Institute; Qilu Children's Hospital of Shandong University; Ji'nan China
| | - Kristiina Tammimies
- The Centre for Applied Genomics; The Hospital for Sick Children; Toronto Canada
| | - Mohammed Uddin
- The Centre for Applied Genomics; The Hospital for Sick Children; Toronto Canada
| | - Stephen W Scherer
- The Centre for Applied Genomics; The Hospital for Sick Children; Toronto Canada
- McLaughlin Centre and Department of Molecular Genetics; University of Toronto; Toronto Canada
| | - Zhongtao Gai
- Pediatric Research Institute; Qilu Children's Hospital of Shandong University; Ji'nan China
- Pediatric Health Institute; Qilu Children's Hospital of Shandong University; Ji'nan China
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35
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Zhang B, Xu YH, Wei SG, Zhang HB, Fu DK, Feng ZF, Guan FL, Zhu YS, Li SB. Association study identifying a new susceptibility gene (AUTS2) for schizophrenia. Int J Mol Sci 2014; 15:19406-16. [PMID: 25347278 PMCID: PMC4264119 DOI: 10.3390/ijms151119406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2014] [Revised: 09/23/2014] [Accepted: 10/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a severe and debilitating mental disorder, and the specific genetic factors that underlie the risk for SCZ remain elusive. The autism susceptibility candidate 2 (AUTS2) gene has been reported to be associated with autism, suicide, alcohol consumption, and heroin dependence. We hypothesized that AUTS2 might be associated with SCZ. In the present study, three polymorphisms (rs6943555, rs7459368, and rs9886351) in the AUTS2 gene were genotyped in 410 patients with SCZ and 435 controls using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and forced PCR-RFLP methods. We detected an association between SCZ and the rs6943555 genotype distribution (odds ratio (OR)=1.363, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.848-2.191, p=0.001). The association remained significant after adjusting for gender, and a significant effect (p=0.001) was observed among the females. In the present study, rs6943555 was determined to be associated with female SCZ. Our results confirm previous reports which have suggested that rs6943555 might elucidate the pathogenesis of schizophrenia and play an important role in its etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao Zhang
- College of Forensic Science, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
| | - Yue-Hong Xu
- College of Forensic Science, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
| | - Shu-Guang Wei
- College of Forensic Science, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
| | - Hong-Bo Zhang
- College of Forensic Science, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
| | - Dong-Ke Fu
- College of Forensic Science, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
| | - Zu-Fei Feng
- College of Forensic Science, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
| | - Fang-Lin Guan
- College of Forensic Science, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
| | - Yong-Sheng Zhu
- College of Forensic Science, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
| | - Sheng-Bin Li
- College of Forensic Science, Health Science Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
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36
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Beunders G, de Munnik SA, Van der Aa N, Ceulemans B, Voorhoeve E, Groffen AJ, Nillesen WM, Meijers-Heijboer EJ, Frank Kooy R, Yntema HG, Sistermans EA. Two male adults with pathogenic AUTS2 variants, including a two-base pair deletion, further delineate the AUTS2 syndrome. Eur J Hum Genet 2014; 23:803-7. [PMID: 25205402 DOI: 10.1038/ejhg.2014.173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2013] [Revised: 07/04/2014] [Accepted: 07/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
AUTS2 syndrome is characterized by low birth weight, feeding difficulties, intellectual disability, microcephaly and mild dysmorphic features. All affected individuals thus far were caused by chromosomal rearrangements, variants at the base pair level disrupting AUTS2 have not yet been described. Here we present the full clinical description of two affected men with intragenic AUTS2 variants (one two-base pair deletion in exon 7 and one deletion of exon 6). Both variants are de novo and are predicted to cause a frameshift of the full-length transcript but are unlikely to affect the shorter 3' transcript starting in exon 9. The similarities between the phenotypes of both men are striking and further support that AUTS2 syndrome is a single gene disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gea Beunders
- Department of Clinical Genetics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sonja A de Munnik
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Nathalie Van der Aa
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Berten Ceulemans
- Department of Neurology-Paediatric Neurology, University Hospital Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Els Voorhoeve
- Department of Clinical Genetics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Alexander J Groffen
- Department of Clinical Genetics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Willy M Nillesen
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - R Frank Kooy
- Department of Medical Genetics, University Hospital Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Helger G Yntema
- Department of Human Genetics, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Erik A Sistermans
- Department of Clinical Genetics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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