Ocular Phenotype Associated with DYRK1A Variants

RNA-Seq data analysis reveals novel nonsense mutations in the NPR3 gene leading to the progression of intellectual disability disorder

Intellectual disability (ID) is a progressive disorder that affects around 1-3% of the world's population. The heterogeneity of intellectual disability makes it difficult to diagnose as a complete disease. Genetic factors and major mutations play a noticeable role in the development and progression of ID. There is a high need to explore novel variants that may lead to new insights into the progressive aspects of ID. In the current course of study, 31 samples of ID from different studies available on GEO (GSE77742, GSE74263, GSE90682, GSE98476, GSE108887, GSE145710, and PRJEB21964) datasets were taken for the study. These datasets were analyzed for differential gene expression and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs). The SNPs of high impact were compared with the differentially expressed genes. Comparison leads to the identification of the priority gene ie NPR3 gene. The identified priority gene further was evaluated for the effect of the mutation using a Mutation Taster. Structure comparison analysis of the wild and mutated proteins of the NPR3 gene was further carried out by UCSF Chimera. Structural analysis reveals the anomalies in protein expression affecting the regulations of the NPR3 gene. These findings identified a novel nonsense mutation (E222*) in the downregulated NPR3 gene that leads to anomalies in the regulation of its protein expression. This missense mutation reveals a major role in causing ID. Our study concludes that the decrease in the expression of the NPR3 gene causes delayed sensory, motor, and physiological functions of the human brain leading to neurodevelopmental delay that causes ID.

High-throughput functional analysis of autism genes in zebrafish identifies convergence in dopaminergic and neuroimmune pathways

Advancing from gene discovery in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) to the identification of biologically relevant mechanisms remains a central challenge. Here, we perform parallel in vivo functional analysis of 10 ASD genes at the behavioral, structural, and circuit levels in zebrafish mutants, revealing both unique and overlapping effects of gene loss of function. Whole-brain mapping identifies the forebrain and cerebellum as the most significant contributors to brain size differences, while regions involved in sensory-motor control, particularly dopaminergic regions, are associated with altered baseline brain activity. Finally, we show a global increase in microglia resulting from ASD gene loss of function in select mutants, implicating neuroimmune dysfunction as a key pathway relevant to ASD biology.

DYRK1A retinopathy

We present a case of retinopathy in a 4-year-old girl with DYRK1A syndrome. On external examination, she had short stature, cognitive delay, microcephaly, and iris coloboma of the right eye. On fundus examination of both eyes, she was found to have lattice degeneration and areas of avascularity in the retinal periphery, with overlying hyaloidal organization. Widefield fluorescein angiography showed vascular pruning and vascular arborization with leakage. Given the risk for progression to retinal detachment, laser photocoagulation was applied to areas of peripheral avascular retina. To our knowledge, this is the first detailed phenotypic analysis of anomalous retinal vasculature in this syndrome.

Case Report: Gut and spleen anomalies associated with DYRK1A syndrome

DYRK1A syndrome has been extensively studied primarily with regard to neurologic and other phenotypic features such as skeleton and craniofacial alterations. In the present paper, we aim to highlight unusual anomalies associated with a DYRK1A mutation: a 17-year-old female patient with language and cognitive delay, microcephaly, and an autistic disorder, who was operated upon for spleen torsion with anomalous gut fixation.

Complex Diagnostics of Non-Specific Intellectual Developmental Disorder

Intellectual development disorder (IDD) is characterized by a general deficit in intellectual and adaptive functioning. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in studying the genetic structure of IDD. Of particular difficulty are patients with non-specific IDD, for whom it is impossible to establish a clinical diagnosis without complex genetic diagnostics. We examined 198 patients with non-specific IDD from 171 families using whole-exome sequencing and chromosome microarray analysis. Hereditary forms of IDD account for at least 35.7% of non-specific IDD, of which 26.9% are monogenic forms. Variants in the genes associated with the BAF (SWI/SNF) complex were the most frequently identified. We were unable to identify phenotypic features that would allow differential diagnosis of monogenic and microstructural chromosomal rearrangements in non-specific IDD at the stage of clinical examination, but due to its higher efficiency, exome sequencing should be the diagnostic method of the highest priority study after the standard examination of patients with NIDD in Russia.