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Iruzubieta P, Damborenea A, Ioghen M, Bajew S, Fernandez-Torrón R, Töpf A, Herrero-Reiriz Á, Epure D, Vill K, Hernández-Laín A, Manterola M, Azkargorta M, Pikatza-Menoio O, Pérez-Fernandez L, García-Puga M, Gaina G, Bastian A, Streata I, Walter MC, Müller-Felber W, Thiele S, Moragón S, Bastida-Lertxundi N, López-Cortajarena A, Elortza F, Gereñu G, Alonso-Martin S, Straub V, de Sancho D, Teleanu R, López de Munain A, Blázquez L. Biallelic variants in SNUPN cause a limb girdle muscular dystrophy with myofibrillar-like features. Brain 2024:awae046. [PMID: 38366623 DOI: 10.1093/brain/awae046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Alterations in RNA-splicing are a molecular hallmark of several neurological diseases, including muscular dystrophies where mutations in genes involved in RNA metabolism or characterised by alterations in RNA splicing have been described. Here, we present five patients from two unrelated families with a limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) phenotype carrying a biallelic variant in SNUPN gene. Snurportin-1, the protein encoded by SNUPN, plays an important role in the nuclear transport of small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs), essential components of the spliceosome. We combine deep phenotyping, including clinical features, histopathology and muscle magnetic resonance image (MRI), with functional studies in patient-derived cells and muscle biopsies to demonstrate that variants in SNUPN are the cause of a new type of LGMD according to current definition. Moreover, an in vivo model in Drosophila melanogaster further supports the relevance of Snurportin-1 in muscle. SNUPN patients show a similar phenotype characterised by proximal weakness starting in childhood, restrictive respiratory dysfunction and prominent contractures, although interindividual variability in terms of severity even in individuals from the same family was found. Muscle biopsy showed myofibrillar-like features consisting of myotilin deposits and Z-disc disorganisation. MRI showed predominant impairment of paravertebral, vasti, sartorius, gracilis, peroneal and medial gastrocnemius muscles. Conservation and structural analyses of Snurportin-1 p.Ile309Ser variant suggest an effect in nuclear-cytosol snRNP trafficking. In patient-derived fibroblasts and muscle, cytoplasmic accumulation of snRNP components is observed, while total expression of Snurportin-1 and snRNPs remains unchanged, which demonstrates a functional impact of SNUPN variant in snRNP metabolism. Furthermore, RNA-splicing analysis in patients' muscle showed widespread splicing deregulation, in particular in genes relevant for muscle development and splicing factors that participate in the early steps of spliceosome assembly. In conclusion, we report that SNUPN variants are a new cause of limb girdle muscular dystrophy with specific clinical, histopathological and imaging features, supporting SNUPN as a new gene to be included in genetic testing of myopathies. These results further support the relevance of splicing-related proteins in muscle disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Iruzubieta
- Department of Neurosciences, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
- Department of Neurology, Donostia University Hospital, Osakidetza Basque Health Service, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
- CIBERNED, ISCIII (CIBER, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Sciences and Innovation), 28031, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Damborenea
- Department of Neurosciences, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Mihaela Ioghen
- Clinical Neurosciences Department, Faculty of Medicine, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Paediatric Neurology, 020021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Simon Bajew
- Department of Neurosciences, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Roberto Fernandez-Torrón
- Department of Neurosciences, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
- Department of Neurology, Donostia University Hospital, Osakidetza Basque Health Service, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Ana Töpf
- John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Newcastle University and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, NE4 5NR Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - Álvaro Herrero-Reiriz
- Department of Neurosciences, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Diana Epure
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Doctor Victor Gomoiu Children's Hospital, 022102 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Katharina Vill
- Department of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Medicine and LMU Center for Children with Medical Complexity, Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Aurelio Hernández-Laín
- Neuropathology Unit, Department of Pathology, 12 de Octubre University Hospital, 28041 Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria imas12, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, 28041 Madrid, Spain
- Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Medicina, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - María Manterola
- Department of Neurosciences, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Mikel Azkargorta
- Proteomics Platform, CIC bioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 48160 Derio, Spain
- Centre for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Oihane Pikatza-Menoio
- Department of Neurosciences, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
- CIBERNED, ISCIII (CIBER, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Sciences and Innovation), 28031, Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Pérez-Fernandez
- Department of Neurosciences, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Mikel García-Puga
- Department of Neurosciences, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
- CIBERNED, ISCIII (CIBER, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Sciences and Innovation), 28031, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gisela Gaina
- Victor Babes National Institute of Pathology, 050096 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Alexandra Bastian
- Department of Pathology, Colentina Clinical Hospital, 020125 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Ioana Streata
- Human Genomics Laboratory, Regional Centre of Medical Genetics, Craiova University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 200349 Dolj, Romania
| | - Maggie C Walter
- Friedrich Baur Institute at the Department of Neurology, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Müller-Felber
- Institute of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Simone Thiele
- Friedrich Baur Institute at the Department of Neurology, LMU University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, 80539 Munich, Germany
| | - Saioa Moragón
- Department of Neurosciences, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Nerea Bastida-Lertxundi
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Donostia University Hospital, Osakidetza Basque Health Service, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Aitziber López-Cortajarena
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48009 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Felix Elortza
- Proteomics Platform, CIC bioGUNE, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 48160 Derio, Spain
- Centre for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Gorka Gereñu
- Department of Neurosciences, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
- CIBERNED, ISCIII (CIBER, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Sciences and Innovation), 28031, Madrid, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48009 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Sonia Alonso-Martin
- Department of Neurosciences, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
- CIBERNED, ISCIII (CIBER, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Sciences and Innovation), 28031, Madrid, Spain
| | - Volker Straub
- John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Newcastle University and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, NE4 5NR Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
| | - David de Sancho
- Donostia International Physics Center, 20018 San Sebastián, Spain
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of the Basque Country, 20018 San Sebastián, Spain
| | - Raluca Teleanu
- Clinical Neurosciences Department, Faculty of Medicine, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Paediatric Neurology, 020021 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Adolfo López de Munain
- Department of Neurosciences, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
- Department of Neurology, Donostia University Hospital, Osakidetza Basque Health Service, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
- CIBERNED, ISCIII (CIBER, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Sciences and Innovation), 28031, Madrid, Spain
- Faculty of Medicine, University of the Basque Country, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Deusto, 48007 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Lorea Blázquez
- Department of Neurosciences, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain
- CIBERNED, ISCIII (CIBER, Carlos III Institute, Spanish Ministry of Sciences and Innovation), 28031, Madrid, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48009 Bilbao, Spain
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