MCM3AP in recessive Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy and mild intellectual disability

Emil Ylikallio, Rosa Woldegebriel, Manuela Tumiati, Pirjo Isohanni, Monique M. Ryan, Zornitza Stark, Maie Walsh, Sarah L. Sawyer, Katrina M. Bell, Alicia Oshlack, Paul J. Lockhart, Mariia Shcherbii, Alejandro Estrada-Cuzcano, Derek Atkinson, Taila Hartley, Martine Tetreault, Inge Cuppen, W. Ludo Van Der Pol, Ayse Candayan, Esra BattalogluYesim Parman, Koen L.I. Van Gassen, Marie José H. Van Den Boogaard, Kym M. Boycott, Liisa Kauppi, Albena Jordanova, Tuula Lönnqvist, Henna Tyynismaa*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Defects in mRNA export from the nucleus have been linked to various neurodegenerative disorders. We report mutations in the gene MCM3AP, encoding the germinal center associated nuclear protein (GANP), in nine affected individuals from five unrelated families. The variants were associated with severe childhood onset primarily axonal (four families) or demyelinating (one family) Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy. Mild to moderate intellectual disability was present in seven of nine affected individuals. The affected individuals were either compound heterozygous or homozygous for different MCM3AP variants, which were predicted to cause depletion of GANP or affect conserved amino acids with likely importance for its function. Accordingly, fibroblasts of affected individuals from one family demonstrated severe depletion of GANP. GANP has been described to function as an mRNA export factor, and to suppress TDP-43-mediated motor neuron degeneration in flies. Thus our results suggest defective mRNA export from nucleus as a potential pathogenic mechanism of axonal degeneration in these patients. The identification of MCM3AP variants in affected individuals from multiple centres establishes it as a disease gene for childhood-onset recessively inherited Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy with intellectual disability.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2093-2103
Number of pages11
JournalBrain
Volume140
Issue number8
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Aug 2017

Keywords

  • Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy
  • GANP
  • intellectual disability
  • MCM3AP
  • mRNA export

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