scholarly journals Modeling and treating GRIN2A developmental and epileptic encephalopathy in mice

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariadna Amador ◽  
Christopher D. Bostick ◽  
Heather Olson ◽  
Jurrian Peters ◽  
Chad R. Camp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Course ◽  
Rare Variants ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Hippocampal Slices ◽  
Combined Treatment ◽  
Missense Variant ◽  
Epileptic Encephalopathy ◽  
Mutant Mice ◽  
Adult Mice ◽  
Mutant Receptors

ABSTRACTNMDA receptors (NMDAR) play crucial roles in excitatory synaptic transmission. Rare variants of GRIN2A, which encodes the GluN2A NMDAR subunit, are associated with several intractable neurodevelopmental disorders, including developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE). A de novo missense variant, p.Ser644Gly (c.1930A>G), was identified in a child with DEE, and Grin2a knockin mice were generated to model and extend understanding of this intractable childhood disease. Homozygous and heterozygous mutant mice exhibit altered hippocampal morphology at two weeks of age, and homozygotes exhibit lethal tonic-clonic seizures in the third week. Heterozygous adult mice display a variety of distinct features, including resistance to electrically induced partial seizures, as well as hyperactivity and repetitive and reduced anxiety behaviors. Multielectrode recordings of mutant neuronal networks reveal hyperexcitability and altered bursting and synchronicity. When expressed in heterologous cells, mutant receptors exhibit enhanced NMDAR agonist potency and slow deactivation following rapid removal of glutamate, as occurs at synapses. Consistent with these observations, NMDAR-mediated synaptic currents in hippocampal slices from mutant mice show a prolonged deactivation time course. Standard antiepileptic drug monotherapy was ineffective in the patient, but combined treatment of NMDAR antagonists with antiepileptic drugs substantially reduced the seizure burden albeit without appreciable developmental improvement. Chronic treatment of homozygous mutant mouse pups with NMDAR antagonists delayed the onset of lethal seizures but did not prevent them. These studies illustrate the power of modeling severe neurodevelopmental seizure disorders using multiple experimental modalities and suggest their extended utility in identifying and evaluating new therapies.

scholarly journals Modelling and treating GRIN2A developmental and epileptic encephalopathy in mice

Brain ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 143 (7) ◽  
pp. 2039-2057 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariadna Amador ◽  
Christopher D Bostick ◽  
Heather Olson ◽  
Jurrian Peters ◽  
Chad R Camp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nmda Receptor ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Disorders ◽  
Time Course ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Hippocampal Slices ◽  
Epileptic Encephalopathy ◽  
Nmda Receptor Antagonists ◽  
Receptor Antagonists ◽  
Limbic Seizures ◽  
Clonic Seizures

Abstract NMDA receptors play crucial roles in excitatory synaptic transmission. Rare variants in GRIN2A encoding the GluN2A subunit are associated with a spectrum of disorders, ranging from mild speech and language delay to intractable neurodevelopmental disorders, including but not limited to developmental and epileptic encephalopathy. A de novo missense variant, p.Ser644Gly, was identified in a child with this disorder, and Grin2a knock-in mice were generated to model and extend understanding of this intractable childhood disease. Homozygous and heterozygous mutant mice exhibited altered hippocampal morphology at 2 weeks of age, and all homozygotes exhibited lethal tonic-clonic seizures by mid-third week. Heterozygous adults displayed susceptibility to induced generalized seizures, hyperactivity, repetitive and reduced anxiety behaviours, plus several unexpected features, including significant resistance to electrically-induced limbic seizures and to pentylenetetrazole induced tonic-clonic seizures. Multielectrode recordings of neuronal networks revealed hyperexcitability and altered bursting and synchronicity. In heterologous cells, mutant receptors had enhanced NMDA receptor agonist potency and slow deactivation following rapid removal of glutamate, as occurs at synapses. NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic currents in heterozygous hippocampal slices also showed a prolonged deactivation time course. Standard anti-epileptic drug monotherapy was ineffective in the patient. Introduction of NMDA receptor antagonists was correlated with a decrease in seizure burden. Chronic treatment of homozygous mouse pups with NMDA receptor antagonists significantly delayed the onset of lethal seizures but did not prevent them. These studies illustrate the power of using multiple experimental modalities to model and test therapies for severe neurodevelopmental disorders, while revealing significant biological complexities associated with GRIN2A developmental and epileptic encephalopathy.

scholarly journals A Novel Heterozygous Missense Variant in YWHAG Gene Cause Early-Onset Epilepsy in a Chinese Family

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhi Yi ◽  
Zhenfeng Song ◽  
Jiao Xue ◽  
Chengqing Yang ◽  
Fei Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Onset ◽  
Seizure Control ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Missense Variant ◽  
Epileptic Encephalopathy ◽  
Chinese Family ◽  
Gene Variants ◽  
Case Presentation ◽  
Epileptic Encephalopathies ◽  
Refractory Seizures

Abstract Background: Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEE) are a heterogeneous group of severe disorders which are characterized by early-onset, refractory seizures and developmental slowing or regression. Genetic variations are significant causes for them. De novo variants in an increasing number of candidate genes have been found to be causal. YWHAG gene variants have been reported to cause developmental and epileptic encephalopathy 56 (DEE56). Case presentation: Here, we report a novel heterozygous missense variant c.170G>A (p.R57H) in YWHAG gene cause early-onset epilepsy in a Chinese family. Both the proband and his mother exhibit early onset seizures, intellectual disability, developmental delay. While the proband achieve seizure control with sodium valproate, his mother's seizures were not well controlled. Conclusions: Our report further confirming the haploinsufficiency of YWHAG results in developmental and epileptic encephalopathies.

scholarly journals KCNQ2 mutations: genotype-phenotype association beyond epilepsy

2015 ◽  
Vol 42 (S1) ◽  
pp. S8-S8
Author(s):  
SE Buerki ◽  
GA Horwath ◽  
MI Van Allen ◽  
A Datta ◽  
C Boelman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Delay ◽  
Autonomic Dysfunction ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Focal Epilepsy ◽  
Missense Variant ◽  
Epileptic Encephalopathy ◽  
Global Developmental Delay ◽  
High Signal ◽  
Brain Volume Loss ◽  
Hyperkinetic Movement Disorder

Background: KCNQ2 abnormalities were described in infants with benign familial neonatal seizures (BFNS) and epileptic encephalopathy (EE). Associated features possibly include abnormal neuroimaging findings such as hypomyelination and/or T2 high signal of basal ganglia. Methods: This report describes 4 infants carrying different heterozygous KCNQ2 variants and 2 infants with 20q13.33 deletions encompassing KCNQ2 gene. Results: The different KCNQ2 mutations led to EE in 3 patients and included a novel de novo missense variant, p.Arg201Cys/c.601C>T, in an infant with severe EE and global developmental delay, hyperkinetic movement disorder, autonomic dysfunction with chronic hypoventilation, apnea, low GABA levels in CSF, and hypomyelination. She died at age 3 years of respiratory failure. One patient with BFNS and normal MRI has a previously reported c.508delG frame shift mutation in KCNQ2. Of the two de novo 22q13.33 deletions (1.2Mb versus 254.1 Kb) the larger caused a more severe phenotype, including focal epilepsy from infancy until 4 years, moderate developmental delay and diffuse brain volume loss. Conclusions: Along with varied epilepsy phenotypes and neuroimaging findings KCNQ abnormalities were associated with severe autonomic dysfunction and reduced CSF GABA levels. This might have further treatment implications, besides that the altered potassium channel function itself presents a therapeutic target.

scholarly journals X-linked neonatal-onset epileptic encephalopathy associated with a gain-of-function variant p.R660T in GRIA3

PLoS Genetics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. e1009608
Author(s):  
Jia-Hui Sun ◽  
Jiang Chen ◽  
Fernando Eduardo Ayala Valenzuela ◽  
Carolyn Brown ◽  
Diane Masser-Frye ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Delay ◽  
Prolonged Exposure ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Missense Variant ◽  
Epileptic Encephalopathy ◽  
Global Developmental Delay ◽  
Decay Kinetics ◽  
Gain Of Function ◽  
Ca1 Neurons ◽  
Pathogenic Variants

The X-linked GRIA3 gene encodes the GLUA3 subunit of AMPA-type glutamate receptors. Pathogenic variants in this gene were previously reported in neurodevelopmental diseases, mostly in male patients but rarely in females. Here we report a de novo pathogenic missense variant in GRIA3 (c.1979G>C; p. R660T) identified in a 1-year-old female patient with severe epilepsy and global developmental delay. When exogenously expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells, GLUA3_R660T showed slower desensitization and deactivation kinetics compared to wildtype (wt) GLUA3 receptors. Substantial non-desensitized currents were observed with the mutant but not for wt GLUA3 with prolonged exposure to glutamate. When co-expressed with GLUA2, the decay kinetics were similarly slowed in GLUA2/A3_R660T with non-desensitized steady state currents. In cultured cerebellar granule neurons, miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) were significantly slower in R660T transfected cells than those expressing wt GLUA3. When overexpressed in hippocampal CA1 neurons by in utero electroporation, the evoked EPSCs and mEPSCs were slower in neurons expressing R660T mutant compared to those expressing wt GLUA3. Therefore our study provides functional evidence that a gain of function (GoF) variant in GRIA3 may cause epileptic encephalopathy and global developmental delay in a female subject by enhancing synaptic transmission.

scholarly journals A Recurrent De Novo PACS2 Heterozygous Missense Variant Causes Neonatal-Onset Developmental Epileptic Encephalopathy, Facial Dysmorphism, and Cerebellar Dysgenesis

2018 ◽  
Vol 103 (4) ◽  
pp. 631 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather E. Olson ◽  
Nolwenn Jean-Marçais ◽  
Edward Yang ◽  
Delphine Heron ◽  
Katrina Tatton-Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
De Novo ◽  
Missense Variant ◽  
Epileptic Encephalopathy ◽  
Facial Dysmorphism ◽  
Neonatal Onset

scholarly journals Novel GRHL3 Variants in a South African Cohort With Cleft Lip and Palate

2021 ◽  
pp. 105566562110384
Author(s):  
Thirona Naicker ◽  
Chinyere C. Adeleke ◽  
Azeez Alade ◽  
Peter A. Mossey ◽  
Waheed A. Awotoye ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Genetic Variants ◽  
Cleft Lip ◽  
Cleft Lip And Palate ◽  
Rare Variants ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Missense Variant ◽  
African Population ◽  
South African Population ◽  
African Populations

Objective The etiology of cleft palate (CP) is poorly understood compared with that of cleft lip with or without palate (CL ± P). Recently, variants in Grainyhead like transcription factor 3 ( GRHL3) were reported to be associated with a risk for CP in European and some African populations including Nigeria, Ghana, and Ethiopia. In order to identify genetic variants that may further explain the etiology of CP, we sequenced GRHL3 in a South African population to determine if rare variants in GRHL3 are associated with the presence of syndromic or nonsyndromic CP. Design We sequenced the exons of GRHL3 in 100 cases and where possible, we sequenced the parents of the individuals to determine the segregation pattern and presence of de novo variants. Setting The cleft clinics from 2 public, tertiary hospitals in Durban, South Africa (SA), namely Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital and KwaZulu-Natal Children's Hospital. Patients, participants One hundred patients with CL ± P and their parents. Interventions Saliva samples were collected. Main outcome measures To ascertain the genetic variants in the GRHL3 gene in patients with CL ± P in SA. Results Five variants in GRHL3 were observed; 3 were novel and 2 were known variants. The novel variants were intronic variants (c.1062 + 77A>G and c.627 + 1G>A) and missense variant (p.Asp169Gly). Conclusions This study provides further evidence that variants in GRHL3 contribute to the risk of nonsyndromic CP in African populations, specifically, in the South African population.

scholarly journals Stringent structural plasticity of dendritic spines revealed by two-photon glutamate uncaging in adult mouse neocortex in vivo

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Noguchi ◽  
Akira Nagaoka ◽  
Tatsuya Hayama ◽  
Hasan Ucar ◽  
Sho Yagishita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Course ◽  
Hippocampal Slices ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Structural Plasticity ◽  
Two Photon ◽  
Low Magnesium ◽  
Adult Mice ◽  
First Time

AbstractTwo-photon uncaging of glutamate is widely utilized to characterize structural plasticity in brain slice preparations in vitro. In this study, we investigated spine plasticity by using, for the first time, glutamate uncaging in the neocortex of adult mice in vivo. Spine enlargement was successfully induced in a smaller fraction of spines in the neocortex (22%) than in young hippocampal slices (95%), even under a low magnesium condition. Once induced, the time course and mean amplitudes of long-term enlargement were the same (81%) as those in vitro. However, low-frequency (1–2 Hz) glutamate uncaging caused spine shrinkage in a similar fraction (34%) of spines as in vitro, but spread to the neighboring spines less frequently than in vitro. Thus, we found that structural plasticity can occur similarly in the adult neocortex in vivo as in the hippocampus in vitro, although it happens stringently in a smaller subset of spines.

scholarly journals ATP6V0A1 encoding the a1-subunit of the V0 domain of vacuolar H+-ATPases is essential for brain development in humans and mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazushi Aoto ◽  
Mitsuhiro Kato ◽  
Tenpei Akita ◽  
Mitsuko Nakashima ◽  
Hiroki Mutoh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brain Development ◽  
Synaptic Vesicles ◽  
Neuronal Development ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Missense Variant ◽  
Epileptic Encephalopathy ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Postnatal Mortality ◽  
Mtorc1 Signaling ◽  
Lysosomal Acidification

AbstractVacuolar H+-ATPases (V-ATPases) transport protons across cellular membranes to acidify various organelles. ATP6V0A1 encodes the a1-subunit of the V0 domain of V-ATPases, which is strongly expressed in neurons. However, its role in brain development is unknown. Here we report four individuals with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy with ATP6V0A1 variants: two individuals with a de novo missense variant (R741Q) and the other two individuals with biallelic variants comprising one almost complete loss-of-function variant and one missense variant (A512P and N534D). Lysosomal acidification is significantly impaired in cell lines expressing three missense ATP6V0A1 mutants. Homozygous mutant mice harboring human R741Q (Atp6v0a1R741Q) and A512P (Atp6v0a1A512P) variants show embryonic lethality and early postnatal mortality, respectively, suggesting that R741Q affects V-ATPase function more severely. Lysosomal dysfunction resulting in cell death, accumulated autophagosomes and lysosomes, reduced mTORC1 signaling and synaptic connectivity, and lowered neurotransmitter contents of synaptic vesicles are observed in the brains of Atp6v0a1A512P/A512P mice. These findings demonstrate the essential roles of ATP6V0A1/Atp6v0a1 in neuronal development in terms of integrity and connectivity of neurons in both humans and mice.

scholarly journals A Recurrent De Novo PACS2 Heterozygous Missense Variant Causes Neonatal-Onset Developmental Epileptic Encephalopathy, Facial Dysmorphism, and Cerebellar Dysgenesis

2018 ◽  
Vol 102 (5) ◽  
pp. 995-1007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather E. Olson ◽  
Nolwenn Jean-Marçais ◽  
Edward Yang ◽  
Delphine Heron ◽  
Katrina Tatton-Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
De Novo ◽  
Missense Variant ◽  
Epileptic Encephalopathy ◽  
Facial Dysmorphism ◽  
Neonatal Onset

scholarly journals Structural analysis of pathogenic missense mutations in GABRA2 and identification of a novel de novo variant in the desensitization gate

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alba Sanchis-Juan ◽  
Marcia A Hasenahuer ◽  
James A Baker ◽  
Amy McTague ◽  
Katy Barwick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Structural Analysis ◽  
Neuronal Excitability ◽  
Transmembrane Domain ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Structural Information ◽  
Missense Variant ◽  
Epileptic Encephalopathy ◽  
Missense Mutations ◽  
Pathogenic Variants ◽  
Activation Gate

AbstractCys-loop receptors are vital for controlling neuronal excitability in the brain and their dysfunction results in numerous neurological disorders. Recently, six de novo missense variants in GABRA2 gene, a member of this family, have been associated with early infantile epileptic encephalopathy (EIEE) and intellectual disability with seizures. Here, using whole-genome sequencing we identified a de novo missense variant in GABRA2 gene in a patient with EIEE and developmental delay. We perform protein structural analysis of the seven variants and show that all the mutations are in the transmembrane domain, either close to the desensitization gate, the activation gate or in inter-subunit interfaces. Further investigations demonstrated that the majority of pathogenic variants reported are at equivalent positions in other Cys-loop receptors, emphasizing the importance of these residues for the adequate function of the receptor. Also, a comparison of the distribution of the mutations in all the Cys-loop receptors showed that pathogenic variants are more common in the transmembrane helices, more specifically in the M2 helix, highlighting the importance of this segment. Our study expands the clinical spectrum of individuals with pathogenic missense mutations in GABRA2, defines the regions where pathogenic mutations are in the protein structure, and highlights the value of considering sequence, evolutionary, and structural information from other Cys-loop receptors as a strategy for variant interpretation of novel missense mutations in GABRA2.

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