Identification of De Novo JAK2 and MAPK7 Mutations Related to Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Whole-Exome Sequencing in a Chinese Child and Adolescent Trio-Based Sample

NEAT1 Promotes Valproic Acid-Induced Autism Spectrum Disorder by Recruiting YY1 to Regulate UBE3A Transcription

Evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a significant role in autism. Herein, we explored the functional role and possible molecular mechanisms of NEAT1 in valproic acid (VPA)-induced autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A VPA-induced ASD rat model was constructed, and a series of behavioral tests were performed to examine motor coordination and learning-memory abilities. qRT-PCR and western blot assays were used to evaluate target gene expression levels. Loss-and-gain-of-function assays were conducted to explore the functional role of NEAT1 in ASD development. Furthermore, a combination of mechanistic experiments and bioinformatic tools was used to assess the relationship and regulatory role of the NEAT1-YY1-UBE3A axis in ASD cellular processes. Results showed that VPA exposure induced autism-like developmental delays and behavioral abnormalities in the VPA-induced ASD rat model. We found that NEAT1 was elevated in rat hippocampal tissues after VPA exposure. NEAT1 promoted VPA-induced autism-like behaviors and mitigated apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammation in VPA-induced ASD rats. Notably, NEAT1 knockdown improved autism-related behaviors and ameliorated hippocampal neuronal damage. Mechanistically, it was observed that NEAT1 recruited the transcription factor YY1 to regulate UBE3A expression. Additionally, in vitro experiments further confirmed that NEAT1 knockdown mitigated hippocampal neuronal damage, oxidative stress, and inflammation through the YY1/UBE3A axis. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that NEAT1 is highly expressed in ASD, and its inhibition prominently suppresses hippocampal neuronal injury and oxidative stress through the YY1/UBE3A axis, thereby alleviating ASD development. This provides a new direction for ASD-targeted therapy.

Bone and Extracellular Signal-Related Kinase 5 (ERK5)

Bones are vital for anchoring muscles, tendons, and ligaments, serving as a fundamental element of the human skeletal structure. However, our understanding of bone development mechanisms and the maintenance of bone homeostasis is still limited. Extracellular signal-related kinase 5 (ERK5), a recently identified member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) family, plays a critical role in the pathogenesis and progression of various diseases, especially neoplasms. Recent studies have highlighted ERK5's significant role in both bone development and bone-associated pathologies. This review offers a detailed examination of the latest research on ERK5 in different tissues and diseases, with a particular focus on its implications for bone health. It also examines therapeutic strategies and future research avenues targeting ERK5.

CACNA1D-Related Channelopathies: From Hypertension to Autism

Tightly controlled Ca²⁺ influx through voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels (Cavs) is indispensable for proper physiological function. Thus, it is not surprising that Cav loss and/or gain of function have been implicated in human pathology. Deficiency of Cav1.3 L-type Ca²⁺ channels (LTCCs) causes deafness and bradycardia, whereas several genetic variants of CACNA1D, the gene encoding the pore-forming α1 subunit of Cav1.3, have been linked to various disease phenotypes, such as hypertension, congenital hypoglycemia, or autism. These variants include not only common polymorphisms associated with an increased disease risk, but also rare de novo missense variants conferring high risk. This review provides a concise summary of disease-associated CACNA1D variants, whereas the main focus lies on de novo germline variants found in individuals with a neurodevelopmental disorder of variable severity. Electrophysiological recordings revealed activity-enhancing gating changes induced by these de novo variants, and tools to predict their pathogenicity and to study the resulting pathophysiological consequences will be discussed. Despite the low number of affected patients, potential phenotype-genotype correlations and factors that could impact the severity of symptoms will be covered. Since increased channel activity is assumed as the disease-underlying mechanism, pharmacological inhibition could be a treatment option. In the absence of Cav1.3-selective blockers, dihydropyridine LTCC inhibitors clinically approved for the treatment of hypertension may be used for personalized off-label trials. Findings from in vitro studies and treatment attempts in some of the patients seem promising as outlined. Taken together, due to advances in diagnostic sequencing techniques the number of reported CACNA1D variants in human diseases is constantly rising. Evidence from in silico, in vitro, and in vivo disease models can help to predict the pathogenic potential of such variants and to guide diagnosis and treatment in the clinical practice when confronted with patients harboring CACNA1D variants.

De novo variants in genes regulating stress granule assembly associate with neurodevelopmental disorders

Stress granules (SGs) are cytoplasmic assemblies in response to a variety of stressors. We report a new neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) with common features of language problems, intellectual disability, and behavioral issues caused by de novo likely gene-disruptive variants in UBAP2L, which encodes an essential regulator of SG assembly. Ubap2l haploinsufficiency in mouse led to social and cognitive impairments accompanied by disrupted neurogenesis and reduced SG formation during early brain development. On the basis of data from 40,853 individuals with NDDs, we report a nominally significant excess of de novo variants within 29 genes that are not implicated in NDDs, including 3 essential genes (G3BP1, G3BP2, and UBAP2L) in the core SG interaction network. We validated that NDD-related de novo variants in newly implicated and known NDD genes, such as CAPRIN1, disrupt the interaction of the core SG network and interfere with SG formation. Together, our findings suggest the common SG pathology in NDDs.

Integrative analysis prioritised oxytocin-related biomarkers associated with the aetiology of autism spectrum disorder

Background

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with high phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity. The common variants of specific oxytocin-related genes (OTRGs), particularly OXTR, are associated with the aetiology of ASD. The contribution of rare genetic variations in OTRGs to ASD aetiology remains unclear.

Methods

We catalogued publicly available de novo mutations (DNMs) [from 6,511 patients with ASD and 3,391 controls], rare inherited variants (RIVs) [from 1,786 patients with ASD and 1,786 controls], and both de novo copy number variations (dnCNVs) and inherited CNVs (ihCNVs) [from 15,581 patients with ASD and 6,017 controls] in 963 curated OTRGs to explore their contribution to ASD pathology, respectively. Finally, a combined model was designed to prioritise the contribution of each gene to ASD aetiology by integrating DNMs and CNVs.

Findings

The rare genetic variations of OTRGs were significantly associated with ASD aetiology, in the order of dnCNVs > ihCNVs > DNMs. Furthermore, 172 OTRGs and their connected 286 ASD core genes were prioritised to positively contribute to ASD aetiology, including top-ranked MAPK3. Probands carrying rare disruptive variations in these genes were estimated to account for 10∼11% of all ASD probands.

Interpretation

Our findings suggest that rare disruptive variations in 172 OTRGs and their connected 286 ASD core genes are associated with ASD aetiology and may be potential biomarkers predicting the effects of oxytocin treatment.

Funding

Guangdong Key Project, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis and Translational Research of Zhejiang Province.

Ying Yang 1 engagement in brain pathology

Herein, we discuss data concerning the involvement of transcription factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1) in the development of brain diseases, highlighting mechanisms of its pathological actions. YY1 plays an important role in the developmental and adult pathology of the nervous system. YY1 is essential for neurulation as well as maintenance and differentiation of neuronal progenitor cells and oligodendrocytes regulating both neural and glial tissues of the brain. Lack of a YY1 gene causes many developmental abnormalities and anatomical malformations of the central nervous system (CNS). Once dysregulated, YY1 exerts multiple neuropathological actions being involved in the induction of many brain disorders like stroke, epilepsy, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, autism spectrum disorder, dystonia, and brain tumors. Better understanding of YY1's dysfunction in the nervous system may lead to the development of novel therapeutic strategies related to YY1's actions.

CELSR3 variants are associated with febrile seizures and epilepsy with antecedent febrile seizures

Aims

To identify novel pathogenic gene of febrile seizures (FS)/epilepsy with antecedent FS (EFS+).

Methods

The trio‐based whole‐exome sequencing was performed in a cohort of 462 cases with FS/EFS+. Silico programs, sequence alignment, and protein modeling were used to predict the damaging of variants. Statistical testing was performed to analyze gene‐based burden of variants.

Results

Five heterozygous missense variants in CELSR3 were detected in five cases (families) with eight individuals (five females, three males) affected. Two variants were de novo, and three were identified in families with more than one individual affected. All the variants were predicted to be damaging in silico tools. Protein modeling showed that the variants resulted in disappearance of multiple hydrogen bonds and one disulfide bond, which potentially caused functional impairments of protein. The frequency of CELSR3 variants identified in this study was significantly higher than that in controls. All affected individuals were diagnosed with FS/EFS+, including six patients with FS and two patients with EFS+. All cases presented favorable outcomes without neurodevelopmental disorders.

Conclusions

CELSR3 variants are potentially associated with FS/EFS+.

De novo CACNA1D Ca2+ channelopathies: clinical phenotypes and molecular mechanism

The identification of rare disease-causing variants in humans by large-scale next-generation sequencing (NGS) studies has also provided us with new insights into the pathophysiological role of de novo missense variants in the CACNA1D gene that encodes the pore-forming α1-subunit of voltage-gated Cav1.3 L-type Ca2+ channels. These CACNA1D variants have been identified somatically in aldosterone-producing adenomas as well as germline in patients with neurodevelopmental and in some cases endocrine symptoms. In vitro studies in heterologous expression systems have revealed typical gating changes that indicate enhanced Ca2+ influx through Cav1.3 channels as the underlying disease-causing mechanism. Here we summarize the clinical findings of 12 well-characterized individuals with a total of 9 high-risk pathogenic CACNA1D variants. Moreover, we propose how information from somatic mutations in aldosterone-producing adenomas could be used to predict the potential pathogenicity of novel germline variants. Since these pathogenic de novo variants can cause a channel-gain-of function, we also discuss the use of L-type Ca2+ channel blockers as a potential therapeutic option.