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Brauer B, Ancatén-González C, Ahumada-Marchant C, Meza RC, Merino-Veliz N, Nardocci G, Varela-Nallar L, Arriagada G, Chávez AE, Bustos FJ. Impact of KDM6B mosaic brain knockout on synaptic function and behavior. Sci Rep 2024; 14:20416. [PMID: 39223259 PMCID: PMC11369245 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-70728-5] [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: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are complex neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by impairments in social communication, repetitive behaviors, and restricted interests. Epigenetic modifications serve as critical regulators of gene expression playing a crucial role in controlling brain function and behavior. Lysine (K)-specific demethylase 6B (KDM6B), a stress-inducible H3K27me3 demethylase, has emerged as one of the highest ASD risk genes, but the precise effects of KDM6B mutations on neuronal activity and behavioral function remain elusive. Here we show the impact of KDM6B mosaic brain knockout on the manifestation of different autistic-like phenotypes including repetitive behaviors, social interaction, and significant cognitive deficits. Moreover, KDM6B mosaic knockout display abnormalities in hippocampal excitatory synaptic transmission decreasing NMDA receptor mediated synaptic transmission and plasticity. Understanding the intricate interplay between epigenetic modifications and neuronal function may provide novel insights into the pathophysiology of ASD and potentially inform the development of targeted therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bastian Brauer
- Constantine-Paton Research Laboratory, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina y Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carlos Ancatén-González
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias, Mención Neurociencia, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, 2340000, Valparaiso, Chile
| | - Constanza Ahumada-Marchant
- Constantine-Paton Research Laboratory, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina y Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rodrigo C Meza
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, 2340000, Valparaiso, Chile
| | - Nicolas Merino-Veliz
- Constantine-Paton Research Laboratory, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina y Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Gino Nardocci
- School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de los Andes, Santiago, Chile
- Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics Lab, Program in Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, Center for Biomedical Research and Innovation (CIIB), Universidad de Los Andes, Santiago, Chile
| | - Lorena Varela-Nallar
- Constantine-Paton Research Laboratory, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina y Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Nucleus of Neuroepigenetics and Plasticity (EpiNeuro), Santiago, Chile
| | - Gloria Arriagada
- Constantine-Paton Research Laboratory, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina y Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Andrés E Chávez
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, 2340000, Valparaiso, Chile.
| | - Fernando J Bustos
- Constantine-Paton Research Laboratory, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina y Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile.
- Millennium Nucleus of Neuroepigenetics and Plasticity (EpiNeuro), Santiago, Chile.
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Ahumada-Marchant C, Ancatén-Gonzalez C, Haensgen H, Brauer B, Merino-Veliz N, Droste R, Arancibia F, Horvitz HR, Constantine-Paton M, Arriagada G, Chávez AE, Bustos FJ. Deletion of VPS50 protein in mouse brain impairs synaptic function and behavior. BMC Biol 2024; 22:142. [PMID: 38926759 PMCID: PMC11210182 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01940-y] [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: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The VPS50 protein functions in synaptic and dense core vesicle acidification, and perturbations of VPS50 function produce behavioral changes in Caenorhabditis elegans. Patients with mutations in VPS50 show severe developmental delay and intellectual disability, characteristics that have been associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The mechanisms that link VPS50 mutations to ASD are unknown. RESULTS To examine the role of VPS50 in mammalian brain function and behavior, we used the CRISPR/Cas9 system to generate knockouts of VPS50 in both cultured murine cortical neurons and living mice. In cultured neurons, KO of VPS50 did not affect the number of synaptic vesicles but did cause mislocalization of the V-ATPase V1 domain pump and impaired synaptic activity, likely as a consequence of defects in vesicle acidification and vesicle content. In mice, mosaic KO of VPS50 in the hippocampus altered synaptic transmission and plasticity and generated robust cognitive impairments. CONCLUSIONS We propose that VPS50 functions as an accessory protein to aid the recruitment of the V-ATPase V1 domain to synaptic vesicles and in that way plays a crucial role in controlling synaptic vesicle acidification. Understanding the mechanisms controlling behaviors and synaptic function in ASD-associated mutations is pivotal for the development of targeted interventions, which may open new avenues for therapeutic strategies aimed at ASD and related conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constanza Ahumada-Marchant
- Constantine-Paton Research Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB), Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carlos Ancatén-Gonzalez
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Mención Neurociencia, Valparaíso, Chile
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Henny Haensgen
- Constantine-Paton Research Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB), Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Bastian Brauer
- Constantine-Paton Research Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB), Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nicolas Merino-Veliz
- Constantine-Paton Research Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB), Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rita Droste
- Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Felipe Arancibia
- Constantine-Paton Research Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB), Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - H Robert Horvitz
- Department of Biology, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Martha Constantine-Paton
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Gloria Arriagada
- Constantine-Paton Research Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB), Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Andrés E Chávez
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso (CINV), Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Fernando J Bustos
- Constantine-Paton Research Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB), Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile.
- Millennium Nucleus of Neuroepigenetics and Plasticity (EpiNeuro), Santiago, Chile.
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Yang Q, Zhang Q, Yi S, Zhang S, Yi S, Zhou X, Qin Z, Chen B, Luo J. Novel germline variants in KMT2C in Chinese patients with Kleefstra syndrome-2. Front Neurol 2024; 15:1340458. [PMID: 38356881 PMCID: PMC10864639 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2024.1340458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Kleefstra syndrome (KLEFS) refers to a rare inherited neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by intellectual disability (ID), language and motor delays, behavioral abnormalities, abnormal facial appearance, and other variable clinical features. KLEFS is subdivided into two subtypes: Kleefstra syndrome-1 (KLEFS1, OMIM: 610253), caused by a heterozygous microdeletion encompassing the Euchromatic Histone Lysine Methyltransferase 1 (EHMT1) gene on chromosome 9q34.3 or pathogenic variants in the EHMT1 gene, and Kleefstra syndrome-2 (KLEFS2, OMIM: 617768), caused by pathogenic variants in the KMT2C gene. More than 100 cases of KLEFS1 have been reported with pathogenic variants in the EHMT1 gene. However, only 13 patients with KLEFS2 have been reported to date. In the present study, five unrelated Chinese patients were diagnosed with KLEFS2 caused by KMT2C variants through whole-exome sequencing (WES). We identified five different variants of the KMT2C gene in these patients: c.9166C>T (p.Gln3056*), c.9232_9247delCAGCGATCAGAACCGT (p.Gln3078fs*13), c.5068dupA (p.Arg1690fs*10), c.10815_10819delAAGAA (p.Lys3605fs*7), and c.6911_6912insA (p.Met2304fs*8). All five patients had a clinical profile similar to that of patients with KLEFS2. To analyze the correlation between the genotype and phenotype of KLEFS2, we examined 18 variants and their associated phenotypes in 18 patients with KLEFS2. Patients carrying KMT2C variants presented with a wide range of phenotypic defects and an extremely variable phenotype. We concluded that the core phenotypes associated with KMT2C variants were intellectual disability, facial dysmorphisms, language and motor delays, behavioral abnormalities, hypotonia, short stature, and weight loss. Additionally, sex may be one factor influencing the outcome. Our findings expand the phenotypic and genetic spectrum of KLEFS2 and help to clarify the genotype-phenotype correlation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Yang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defects Prevention, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Department of Genetic and Metabolic Central Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defects Prevention, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Department of Genetic and Metabolic Central Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Sheng Yi
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defects Prevention, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Department of Genetic and Metabolic Central Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Shujie Zhang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defects Prevention, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Department of Genetic and Metabolic Central Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Shang Yi
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defects Prevention, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Department of Genetic and Metabolic Central Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Xunzhao Zhou
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defects Prevention, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Department of Genetic and Metabolic Central Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Zailong Qin
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defects Prevention, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Department of Genetic and Metabolic Central Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Biyan Chen
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defects Prevention, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Department of Genetic and Metabolic Central Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
| | - Jingsi Luo
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Birth Defects Research and Prevention, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health and Birth Defects Prevention, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Department of Genetic and Metabolic Central Laboratory, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Guangxi Clinical Research Center for Pediatric Diseases, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
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Whitford W, Taylor J, Hayes I, Smith W, Snell RG, Lehnert K, Jacobsen JC. A novel 11 base pair deletion in KMT2C resulting in Kleefstra syndrome 2. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2024; 12:e2350. [PMID: 38146907 PMCID: PMC10767577 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.2350] [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: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Haploinsufficiency of the Lysine Methyltransferase 2C (KMT2C) gene results in the autosomal dominant disorder, Kleefstra syndrome 2. It is an extremely rare neurodevelopmental condition, with 14 previous reports describing varied clinical manifestations including dysmorphic features, delayed psychomotor development and delayed growth. METHODS Here, we describe a female with global developmental delay, attention deficit disorder, dyspraxia, short stature and subtle non-specific dysmorphic features. To identify causative mutations, whole exome sequencing was performed on the proband and her younger brother with discrete clinical presentation. RESULTS Whole exome sequencing identified a novel de novo heterozygous 11 bp deletion in KMT2C (c.1759_1769del), resulting in a frameshift mutation and early termination of the protein (p.Gln587SerfsTer7). This variant is the second-most N-terminal reported mutation, located 4171 amino acids upstream of the critical enzymatically active SET domain (required for chromatin modification and histone methylation). CONCLUSION The majority of the other reported mutations are frameshift mutations upstream of the SET domain and are predicted to result in protein truncation. It is thought that truncation of the SET domain, results functionally in an inability to modify chromatin through histone methylation. This report expands the clinical and genetic characterisation of Kleefstra syndrome 2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Whitney Whitford
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of AucklandAucklandNew Zealand
- Centre for Brain ResearchThe University of AucklandAucklandNew Zealand
| | - Juliet Taylor
- Genetic Health Service NZTe Whatu OraAucklandNew Zealand
| | - Ian Hayes
- Genetic Health Service NZTe Whatu OraAucklandNew Zealand
| | - Warwick Smith
- Kidz First Child Development ServiceTe Whatu OraAucklandNew Zealand
| | - Russell G. Snell
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of AucklandAucklandNew Zealand
- Centre for Brain ResearchThe University of AucklandAucklandNew Zealand
| | - Klaus Lehnert
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of AucklandAucklandNew Zealand
- Centre for Brain ResearchThe University of AucklandAucklandNew Zealand
| | - Jessie C. Jacobsen
- School of Biological SciencesThe University of AucklandAucklandNew Zealand
- Centre for Brain ResearchThe University of AucklandAucklandNew Zealand
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Bustos FJ, Pandian S, Haensgen H, Zhao JP, Strouf H, Heidenreich M, Swiech L, Deverman BE, Gradinaru V, Zhang F, Constantine-Paton M. Removal of a partial genomic duplication restores synaptic transmission and behavior in the MyosinVA mutant mouse Flailer. BMC Biol 2023; 21:232. [PMID: 37957716 PMCID: PMC10644554 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-023-01714-y] [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: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Copy number variations, and particularly duplications of genomic regions, have been strongly associated with various neurodegenerative conditions including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These genetic variations have been found to have a significant impact on brain development and function, which can lead to the emergence of neurological and behavioral symptoms. Developing strategies to target these genomic duplications has been challenging, as the presence of endogenous copies of the duplicate genes often complicates the editing strategies. RESULTS Using the ASD and anxiety mouse model Flailer, which contains a partial genomic duplication working as a dominant negative for MyoVa, we demonstrate the use of DN-CRISPRs to remove a 700 bp genomic region in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, DN-CRISPRs have not been used to remove genomic regions using sgRNA with an offset greater than 300 bp. We found that editing the flailer gene in primary cortical neurons reverts synaptic transport and transmission defects. Moreover, long-term depression (LTD), disrupted in Flailer animals, is recovered after gene editing. Delivery of DN-CRISPRs in vivo shows that local delivery to the ventral hippocampus can rescue some of the mutant behaviors, while intracerebroventricular delivery, completely recovers the Flailer animal phenotype associated to anxiety and ASD. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate the potential of DN-CRISPR to efficiently remove larger genomic duplications, working as a new gene therapy approach for treating neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando J Bustos
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Facultad de Medicina y Facultad de Ciencias de La Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Swarna Pandian
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Henny Haensgen
- Instituto de Ciencias Biomedicas, Facultad de Medicina y Facultad de Ciencias de La Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jian-Ping Zhao
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Haley Strouf
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Lukasz Swiech
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Benjamin E Deverman
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Viviana Gradinaru
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Feng Zhang
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Martha Constantine-Paton
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
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