Loss-of-function of activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (ADNP) by a splice-acceptor site mutation causes Helsmoortel–Van der Aa syndrome

Claudio Peter D’Incal, Dale John Annear, Ellen Elinck, Jasper J. van der Smagt, Mariëlle Alders, Alexander J. M. Dingemans, Ligia Mateiu, Bert B. A. de Vries, Wim Vanden Berghe, R. Frank Kooy

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Abstract

Mutations in ADNP result in Helsmoortel–Van der Aa syndrome. Here, we describe the first de novo intronic deletion, affecting the splice-acceptor site of the first coding ADNP exon in a five-year-old girl with developmental delay and autism. Whereas exome sequencing failed to detect the non-coding deletion, genome-wide CpG methylation analysis revealed an episignature suggestive of a Helsmoortel–Van der Aa syndrome diagnosis. This diagnosis was further supported by PhenoScore, a novel facial recognition software package. Subsequent whole-genome sequencing resolved the three-base pair ADNP deletion c.[-5-1_-4del] with transcriptome sequencing showing this deletion leads to skipping of exon 4. An N-terminal truncated protein could not be detected in transfection experiments with a mutant expression vector in HEK293T cells, strongly suggesting this is a first confirmed diagnosis exclusively due to haploinsufficiency of the ADNP gene. Pathway analysis of the methylome indicated differentially methylated genes involved in brain development, the cytoskeleton, locomotion, behavior, and muscle development. Along the same line, transcriptome analysis identified most of the differentially expressed genes as upregulated, in line with the hypomethylated CpG episignature and confirmed the involvement of the cytoskeleton and muscle development pathways that are also affected in patient cell lines and animal models. In conclusion, this novel mutation for the first time demonstrates that Helsmoortel–Van der Aa syndrome can be caused by a loss-of-function mutation. Moreover, our study elegantly illustrates the use of EpiSignatures, WGS and Phenoscore as novel complementary diagnostic tools in case a of negative WES result.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)630-638
Number of pages9
JournalEuropean journal of human genetics
Volume32
Issue number6
Early online date2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2024

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