Project description:CASK-related disorders are a growing group of genetic neurodevelopmental syndromes. There is limited information about the effects of CASK mutations in human neurons. Therefore, we sought to delineate CASK mutation consequences and neuronal level effects using induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons from two mutation carriers; one male diagnosed with ASD and a female with MICPCH. We show a reduction of the CASK protein in maturing neurons from the mutation carriers, which leads to significant downregulation of gene sets involved in presynaptic development and CASK protein interactors. Furthermore, CASK-deficient neurons showed decreased inhibitory presynapse size as indicated by VGAT stainings, which may alter E/I balance in developing neural circuitries. Using in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy quantification of GABA in the male mutation carrier, we further highlight the possibility to validate in vitro cellular data in brain. Our data shows that future pharmacological and clinical studies on targeting presynapses and E/I imbalance could lead to specific treatments for CASK-related disorders.
Project description:This analysis includes the whole-genome screening of unbalanced chromosomal rearrangements (copy-number variants; CNV) in a boy with neurodevelopmental disorders and epilepsy.
Project description:TBLR1, a subunit of the NCoR corepressor complex, is mutated in a range of neurodevelopmental disorders that only partially align symptomatically with those caused by mutations in its binding partner, MeCP2. In a search for novel TBLR1-binding partners, we identified ANKRD11 and SETD5 – mutations in which are amongst the most frequent genetic causes of neurodevelopmental disorders. Here we report that TBLR1 provides a molecular bridge between ANKRD11, SETD5 and NCoR in a complex with a strikingly resembles the SET3C complex of yeast. Pathogenic missense mutations in TBLR1, ANKRD11 and SETD5 disrupt this mammalian SET3C-like assembly. Mutations of this kind in Ankrd11 and Setd5 genes cause highly correlated changes in gene expression and severe developmental impairments. We present evidence that this complex restrains the expression of highly transcribed genes. Our results demonstrate that failure of transcriptional regulation by SET3C provides a convergent molecular basis for a family of neurodevelopmental disorders.