1
|
Cavalli A, Caraffi SG, Rizzi S, Trimarchi G, Napoli M, Frattini D, Spagnoli C, Garavelli L, Fusco C. Heterozygous truncating variant of TAOK1 in a boy with periventricular nodular heterotopia: a case report and literature review of TAOK1-related neurodevelopmental disorders. BMC Med Genomics 2024; 17:68. [PMID: 38443934 PMCID: PMC10916022 DOI: 10.1186/s12920-024-01840-8] [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: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Thousand and one amino-acid kinase 1 (TAOK1) encodes the MAP3K protein kinase TAO1, which has recently been displayed to be essential for neuronal maturation and cortical differentiation during early brain development. Heterozygous variants in TAOK1 have been reported in children with neurodevelopmental disorders, with or without macrocephaly, hypotonia and mild dysmorphic traits. Literature reports lack evidence of neuronal migration disorders in TAOK1 patients, although studies in animal models suggest this possibility. CASE PRESENTATION We provide a clinical description of a child with a neurodevelopmental disorder due to a novel TAOK1 truncating variant, whose brain magnetic resonance imaging displays periventricular nodular heterotopia. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first report of a neuronal migration disorder in a patient with a TAOK1-related neurodevelopmental disorder, thus supporting the hypothesized pathogenic mechanisms of TAOK1 defects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Cavalli
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Dipartimento Materno-Infantile, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123, Reggio Emilia, Italy.
| | - Stefano Giuseppe Caraffi
- Medical Genetics Unit, Dipartimento Materno-Infantile, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Susanna Rizzi
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Dipartimento Materno-Infantile, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Gabriele Trimarchi
- Medical Genetics Unit, Dipartimento Materno-Infantile, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Manuela Napoli
- Neuroradiology Unit, Arcispedale santa Maria Nuova, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Daniele Frattini
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Dipartimento Materno-Infantile, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Carlotta Spagnoli
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Dipartimento Materno-Infantile, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Livia Garavelli
- Medical Genetics Unit, Dipartimento Materno-Infantile, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - Carlo Fusco
- Child Neurology and Psychiatry Unit, Dipartimento Materno-Infantile, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Azienda USL-IRCCS di Reggio Emilia, 42123, Reggio Emilia, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Byeon S, Yadav S. Pleiotropic functions of TAO kinases and their dysregulation in neurological disorders. Sci Signal 2024; 17:eadg0876. [PMID: 38166033 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.adg0876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024]
Abstract
Thousand and one amino acid kinases (TAOKs) are relatively understudied and functionally pleiotropic protein kinases that have emerged as important regulators of neurodevelopment. Through their conserved amino-terminal catalytic domain, TAOKs mediate phosphorylation at serine/threonine residues in their substrates, but it is their divergent regulatory carboxyl-terminal domains that confer both exquisite functional specification and cellular localization. In this Review, we discuss the physiological roles of TAOKs and the intricate signaling pathways, molecular interactions, and cellular behaviors they modulate-from cell stress responses, division, and motility to tissue homeostasis, immunity, and neurodevelopment. These insights are then integrated into an analysis of the known and potential impacts of disease-associated variants of TAOKs, with a focus on neurodevelopmental disorders, pain and addiction, and neurodegenerative diseases. Translating this foundation into clinical benefits for patients will require greater structural and functional differentiation of the TAOKs afforded by their individually specialized domains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sujin Byeon
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Smita Yadav
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| |
Collapse
|