Biallelic NDC1 variants that interfere with ALADIN binding are associated with neuropathy and triple A-like syndrome

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Daphne J Smits - , Erasmus University Medical Center (Author)
  • Jordy Dekker - , Erasmus University Medical Center (Author)
  • Hannie Douben - , Erasmus University Medical Center (Author)
  • Rachel Schot - , Erasmus University Medical Center (Author)
  • Helen Magee - , Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix Children's Hospital, University of Arizona (Author)
  • Somayeh Bakhtiari - , Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix Children's Hospital, University of Arizona (Author)
  • Katrin Koehler - , Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (Author)
  • Angela Huebner - , Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (Author)
  • Markus Schuelke - , Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Author)
  • Hossein Darvish - , Golestan University of Medical Sciences (Author)
  • Shohreh Vosoogh - , Golestan University of Medical Sciences (Author)
  • Abbas Tafakhori - , Tehran University of Medical Sciences (Author)
  • Melika Jameie - , Tehran University of Medical Sciences (Author)
  • Ehsan Taghiabadi - , Tehran University of Medical Sciences (Author)
  • Yana Wilson - , University of Sydney (Author)
  • Margit Shah - , The Children's Hospital at Westmead, University of Sydney (Author)
  • Marjon A van Slegtenhorst - , Erasmus University Medical Center (Author)
  • Evita G Medici-van den Herik - , Erasmus University Medical Center (Author)
  • Tjakko J van Ham - , Erasmus University Medical Center (Author)
  • Michael C Kruer - , Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix Children's Hospital, University of Arizona (Author)
  • Grazia M S Mancini - , Erasmus University Medical Center (Author)

Abstract

Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) regulate nucleocytoplasmic transport and are anchored in the nuclear envelope by the transmembrane nucleoporin NDC1. NDC1 is essential for post-mitotic NPC assembly and the recruitment of ALADIN to the nuclear envelope. While no human disorder has been associated to one of the three transmembrane nucleoporins, biallelic variants in AAAS, encoding ALADIN, cause triple A syndrome (Allgrove syndrome). Triple A syndrome, characterized by alacrima, achalasia, and adrenal insufficiency, often includes progressive demyelinating polyneuropathy and other neurological complaints. In this report, diagnostic exome and/or RNA sequencing was performed in seven individuals from four unrelated consanguineous families with AAAS-negative triple A syndrome. Molecular and clinical studies followed to elucidate the pathogenic mechanism. The affected individuals presented with intellectual disability, motor impairment, severe demyelinating with secondary axonal polyneuropathy, alacrima, and achalasia. None of the affected individuals has adrenal insufficiency. All individuals presented with biallelic NDC1 in-frame deletions or missense variants that affect amino acids and protein domains required for ALADIN binding. No other significant variants associated with the phenotypic features were reported. Skin fibroblasts derived from affected individuals show decreased recruitment of ALADIN to the NE and decreased post-mitotic NPC insertion, confirming pathogenicity of the variants. Taken together, our results implicate biallelic NDC1 variants in the pathogenesis of polyneuropathy and a triple A-like disorder without adrenal insufficiency, by interfering with physiological NDC1 functions, including the recruitment of ALADIN to the NPC.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number100327
Number of pages12
JournalHuman genetics and genomics advances : HGG advances
Volume5 (2024)
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - 10 Oct 2024
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMedCentral PMC11375137
Scopus 85201270399

Keywords

Keywords

  • Adolescent, Adrenal Insufficiency/genetics, Alleles, Child, Child, Preschool, Esophageal Achalasia/genetics, Female, Humans, Intellectual Disability/genetics, Male, Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins/genetics, Pedigree, Protein Binding