A new neurodevelopmental disorder linked to heterozygous variants in UNC79

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Bayat, Allan
  • Zhenjiang Liu
  • Sheng Luo
  • Christina D. Fenger
  • Anne F. Højte
  • Bertrand Isidor
  • Benjamin Cogne
  • Austin Larson
  • Caterina Zanus
  • Flavio Faletra
  • Boris Keren
  • Luciana Musante
  • Isabelle Gourfinkel-An
  • Charles Perrine
  • Caroline Demily
  • Gaeton Lesca
  • Weiping Liao
  • Dejian Ren

Purpose: The “NALCN channelosome” is an ion channel complex that consists of multiple proteins, including NALCN, UNC79, UNC80, and FAM155A. Only a small number of individuals with a neurodevelopmental syndrome have been reported with disease causing variants in NALCN and UNC80. However, no pathogenic UNC79 variants have been reported, and in vivo function of UNC79 in humans is largely unknown. Methods: We used international gene-matching efforts to identify patients harboring ultrarare heterozygous loss-of-function UNC79 variants and no other putative responsible genes. We used genetic manipulations in Drosophila and mice to test potential causal relationships between UNC79 variants and the pathology. Results: We found 6 unrelated and affected patients with UNC79 variants. Five patients presented with overlapping neurodevelopmental features, including mild to moderate intellectual disability and a mild developmental delay, whereas a single patient reportedly had normal cognitive and motor development but was diagnosed with epilepsy and autistic features. All displayed behavioral issues and 4 patients had epilepsy. Drosophila with UNC79 knocked down displayed induced seizure-like phenotype. Mice with a heterozygous loss-of-function variant have a developmental delay in body weight compared with wild type. In addition, they have impaired ability in learning and memory. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that heterozygous loss-of-function UNC79 variants are associated with neurologic pathologies.

Original languageEnglish
Article number100894
JournalGenetics in Medicine
Volume25
Issue number9
ISSN1098-3600
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics

    Research areas

  • Developmental delay, Epilepsy, Genetics, Intellectual disability, Neurology

ID: 389675118