Disruptive mutations in TANC2 define a neurodevelopmental syndrome associated with psychiatric disorders

Nat Commun. 2019 Oct 15;10(1):4679. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-12435-8.

Abstract

Postsynaptic density (PSD) proteins have been implicated in the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Here, we present detailed clinical and genetic data for 20 patients with likely gene-disrupting mutations in TANC2-whose protein product interacts with multiple PSD proteins. Pediatric patients with disruptive mutations present with autism, intellectual disability, and delayed language and motor development. In addition to a variable degree of epilepsy and facial dysmorphism, we observe a pattern of more complex psychiatric dysfunction or behavioral problems in adult probands or carrier parents. Although this observation requires replication to establish statistical significance, it also suggests that mutations in this gene are associated with a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders consistent with its postsynaptic function. We find that TANC2 is expressed broadly in the human developing brain, especially in excitatory neurons and glial cells, but shows a more restricted pattern in Drosophila glial cells where its disruption affects behavioral outcomes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Autistic Disorder / genetics
  • Autistic Disorder / psychology
  • Behavior, Animal
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Craniofacial Abnormalities / genetics
  • Developmental Disabilities / genetics
  • Developmental Disabilities / psychology
  • Drosophila Proteins / genetics
  • Drosophila Proteins / metabolism
  • Drosophila melanogaster
  • Epilepsy / genetics
  • Exome Sequencing
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intellectual Disability / genetics
  • Intellectual Disability / psychology
  • Language Development Disorders / genetics
  • Language Development Disorders / psychology
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Mental Disorders / genetics*
  • Mental Disorders / psychology
  • Muscle Proteins / genetics
  • Muscle Proteins / metabolism
  • Mutation
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders / genetics*
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders / psychology
  • Neuroglia / metabolism
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Proteins / genetics*
  • Proteins / metabolism
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Muscle Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Proteins
  • TANC2 protein, human
  • postsynaptic density proteins
  • rols protein, Drosophila