Abstract
Objectives: The majority of people with suspected genetic dystonia remain undiagnosed after maximal investigation, implying that a number of causative genes have not yet been recognized. We aimed to investigate this paucity of diagnoses. Methods We undertook weighted burden analysis of whole-exome sequencing (WES) data from 138 individuals with unresolved generalized dystonia of suspected genetic etiology, followed by additional case-finding from international databases, first for the gene implicated by the burden analysis (VPS16), and then for other functionally related genes. Electron microscopy was performed on patient-derived cells. Results Analysis revealed a significant burden forVPS16(Fisher's exact testpvalue, 6.9 x 10(9)).VPS16encodes a subunit of the homotypic fusion and vacuole protein sorting (HOPS) complex, which plays a key role in autophagosome-lysosome fusion. A total of 18 individuals harboring heterozygous loss-of-functionVPS16variants, and one with a microdeletion, were identified. These individuals experienced early onset progressive dystonia with predominant cervical, bulbar, orofacial, and upper limb involvement. Some patients had a more complex phenotype with additional neuropsychiatric and/or developmental comorbidities. We also identified biallelic loss-of-function variants inVPS41, another HOPS-complex encoding gene, in an individual with infantile-onset generalized dystonia. Electron microscopy of patient-derived lymphocytes and fibroblasts from both patients withVPS16andVPS41showed vacuolar abnormalities suggestive of impaired lysosomal function. Interpretation Our study strongly supports a role for HOPS complex dysfunction in the pathogenesis of dystonia, although variants in different subunits display different phenotypic and inheritance characteristics. ANN NEUROL 2020
Dokumententyp: | Zeitschriftenartikel |
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Fakultät: | Medizin > Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy) |
Themengebiete: | 600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften > 610 Medizin und Gesundheit |
URN: | urn:nbn:de:bvb:19-epub-84873-8 |
ISSN: | 0364-5134 |
Sprache: | Englisch |
Dokumenten ID: | 84873 |
Datum der Veröffentlichung auf Open Access LMU: | 25. Jan. 2022, 09:12 |
Letzte Änderungen: | 13. Jun. 2024, 13:30 |
DFG: | Gefördert durch die Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - 390857198 |