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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Installation of Dominant-Negative Mutations in FAS and TGFβR2 via Base Editing in Primary T Cells.

Adoptive cell transfer (ACT) of engineered T cells is effective against B-cell malignancies but has faltered against solid tumors due to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). FASL and TGFβ are key mediators of T cell dysfunction in the TME and overexpressing dominant negative (dn) forms of their receptors in T cells increases anti-tumor efficacy in solid tumor models. However, an approach which directly targets the endogenous genes would be more amenable to multiplex editing and reduce competition with WT alleles. Here, we employ base editing (BE) in primary human T cells to install naturally occurring dominant negative FAS and TGFβR2 mutations. In vitro survival and proliferation assays demonstrate that BE T cells are resistant to pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative effects of FAS and TGFβ signaling. CAR-T cells with BE-installed dn TGFβR2 or dn FAS exhibit improvements in cytotoxicity, while dn TGFβR2 CAR T demonstrate increased persistence and reduced expression of phenotypic markers of exhaustion compared to controls. Moreover, BE-engineered dn CAR T outperform lentiviral-engineered cDNA over expression counterparts in several functional assays. Considering the efficiency of BE and its amenability for multiplex editing, our novel approach lends itself to engineering strategies necessary to overcome T cell dysfunction in solid tumors.

CAR T

Seventeen-year follow-up of hypophosphatasia diagnosed in middle-aged siblings harboring a novel intronic and a rare missense ALPL gene mutation.

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is the rare inborn-error-of-metabolism that features impaired mineralization of the skeleton and teeth due to a deactivating mutation or mutations of the gene ALPL which encodes the tissue-nonspecific isoenzyme of alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP). We report 17-year follow-up of twin sisters and a brother referred in middle-age for painful proximal femoral "stress fractures" and then diagnosed with HPP. They reported generalized muscle and bone pain, metatarsal fractures, arthropathy and, since childhood, tooth loss. Their concordant findings were explained by compound heterozygosity in ALPL for a rare maternal missense mutation (c.1403C > T, p.Ala468Val) in exon 12, together with a novel presumably paternal change (c.863-14G > A) predicting a cryptic mRNA splice site in intron 8. Fractures continued during follow-up until one sister received a three-and-one-half-year course of hydroxyapatite-targeted TNSALP supplementation therapy (asfotase alfa) during which substantial improvement occurred in her clinical, biochemical, and functional parameters as well as quality of life. Following subsequent unplanned treatment cessation she suffered significant clinical deterioration, including new fractures and loss of mobility. Her bone histopathology documented osteomalacia. Treatment resumption restored its benefits. Among ten asymptomatic family members evaluated in this four-generation kindred, eight were carriers heterozygous for either ALPL mutation. Those harboring the maternal missense defect manifested mild hypophosphatasemia, suggesting a dominant-negative mutation effect. This experience underscores the importance of in-depth phenotyping and then clinical follow-up to characterize ALPL variant combinations, and for maintaining effective asfotase alfa treatment.

Humans

Genetic study of the loss and restoration of Mutator transposon activity in maize: evidence against dominant-negative regulator associated with loss of activity.

The Mutator system of transposable elements is characterized by a family of transposons called Mu transposons that share common termini and are actively transposing in Robertson's Mutator (Mu) lines of maize. Mu lines lose transposition activity during propagation by either outcrossing or inbreeding. This loss of transposition activity, which can occur at non-Mendelian frequencies, is in the form of loss of forward transposition activity resulting in a decrease in the generation of new mutations, as well as the loss of mutability of Mu transposon induced mutations, and it has been correlated with hypermethylation of the Mu elements. Previous studies have concluded that restoration of Mutator transposon activity by crossing inactive lines back to active lines is incomplete or transient, and depends upon the sex of the inactive parent. Further, it has been proposed that the inactive system is dominant to the active system, with the dominance possibly mediated through a negative regulatory factor that is preferentially transmitted through the female. In this study, we have examined the frequencies of loss and restoration of Mu transposon activity using a Mu line carrying an insertion in the bronze 1 locus. We find that transmission of Mu transposon activity to non-Mu plants can occur at high rates through males and females, but individual cases of decreased transmission through the male were observed. We also find that in crosses between inactive-Mu and active-Mu plants, reactivation was efficient as well as heritable, regardless of the sex of the inactive parent. Similar results were obtained whether the inactivation occurred in an outcross or a self. In all cases examined, loss of Mu transposon activity was correlated with hypermethylation of Mu elements, and reactivation was correlated with their demethylation. Our results indicate that an inactive Mu system does not exhibit dominance over an active Mu system. We conclude that contrary to current models, inactivation and its maintenance is not obligatorily associated with a dominant negative regulatory factor whether nuclear or cytoplasmic, and we propose a revised model to account for these and other observations.

Alleles

A mutated retinoic acid receptor-alpha exhibiting dominant-negative activity alters the lineage development of a multipotent hematopoietic cell line.

The retinoic acid receptor (RAR alpha) is expressed in virtually all hematopoietic lineages, but the role of this transcription factor in regulating the growth and differentiation of hematopoietic progenitors is unknown. We have constructed a mutant RAR alpha that both exhibits dominant-negative activity against the normal RAR alpha in transient expression assays in mouse fibroblasts and inhibits retinoic acid-induced neutrophilic differentiation of the HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cell line. When this dominant-negative RAR alpha construct is introduced into the multipotent interleukin-3-dependent FDCP mix A4 murine hematopoietic cell line, there is a rapid switch from spontaneous neutrophil/monocyte differentiation to basophil/mast cell development. Thus, in this multipotent hemopoietic cell line the normal RAR alpha transcription factor and/or related molecules appear to promote the differentiation of neutrophils and monocytes but suppress the development of basophils/mast cells.

3T3 Cells

Proteome-scale prediction of molecular mechanisms underlying dominant genetic diseases.

Many dominant genetic disorders result from protein-altering mutations, acting primarily through dominant-negative (DN), gain-of-function (GOF), and loss-of-function (LOF) mechanisms. Deciphering the mechanisms by which dominant diseases exert their effects is often experimentally challenging and resource intensive, but is essential for developing appropriate therapeutic approaches. Diseases that arise via a LOF mechanism are more amenable to be treated by conventional gene therapy, whereas DN and GOF mechanisms may require gene editing or targeting by small molecules. Moreover, pathogenic missense mutations that act via DN and GOF mechanisms are more difficult to identify than those that act via LOF using nearly all currently available variant effect predictors. Here, we introduce a tripartite statistical model made up of support vector machine binary classifiers trained to predict whether human protein coding genes are likely to be associated with DN, GOF, or LOF molecular disease mechanisms. We test the utility of the predictions by examining biologically and clinically meaningful properties known to be associated with the mechanisms. Our results strongly support that the models are able to generalise on unseen data and offer insight into the functional attributes of proteins associated with different mechanisms. We hope that our predictions will serve as a springboard for researchers studying novel variants and those of uncertain clinical significance, guiding variant interpretation strategies and experimental characterisation. Predictions for the human UniProt reference proteome are available at https://osf.io/z4dcp/.

Humans

In vitro resolution of adeno-associated virus DNA hairpin termini by wild-type Rep protein is inhibited by a dominant-negative mutant of rep.

An adeno-associated virus (AAV) genome with a Lys-to-His (K340H) mutation in the consensus nucleotide triphosphate binding site of the rep gene has a dominant-negative DNA replication phenotype in vivo. We expressed both wild-type (Rep78) and mutant (Rep78NTP) proteins in two helper-free expression systems consisting of either recombinant baculoviruses in insect cells or the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 long terminal repeat promoter in human 293 cell transient transfections. We analyzed nuclear extracts from both expression systems for the ability to complement uninfected HeLa cell cytoplasmic extracts in an in vitro terminal resolution assay in which a covalently closed AAV terminal hairpin structure is converted to an extended linear duplex. Although both Rep78 and Rep78NTP bound to AAV terminal hairpin DNA in vitro, Rep78 but not Rep78NTP complemented the terminal resolution assay. Furthermore, Rep78NTP was trans dominant for AAV terminal resolution in vitro. We propose that the dominant-negative replication phenotype of AAV genomes carrying the K340H mutation is mediated by mutant Rep proteins binding to the terminal repeat hairpin.

Binding Sites

Targeted insertion of an optimized donor DNA is effective in a humanized mouse model of dominant retinitis pigmentosa.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) affects 1 in 3,000 individuals worldwide, with 30%-40% of cases inherited as autosomal dominant (AD). Mutations in RHO (RP4) are the most common cause of ADRP. Because most RHO mutations exert gain-of-function or dominant-negative effects, conventional gene supplementation is insufficient, requiring mutant allele inactivation. Allele-specific editing is impractical, as each mutation requires a unique therapeutic strategy. We present a mutation-agnostic, RHO-specific approach using adeno-associated viral vector-mediated homology-independent targeted integration (AAV-HITI). Optimized donor DNA design enables targeted integration and efficient transgene expression from the endogenous RHO locus. In a humanized RP4 mouse model harboring the RHO P23H mutant allele alongside an endogenous wild-type mouse Rho allele, AAV-HITI significantly improves retinal structure, function, and visual acuity up to 1 year post-treatment. Comprehensive molecular analyses characterize on-target editing in mouse retina and off-target editing in a human cell line. These findings establish an effective, human-centric AAV-HITI platform for RP4 and support its evaluation in this and other dominant genetic conditions.

AAV

Multidomain interaction governs the filamentous assembly of the dominant-negative DNMT3A R882H mutant.

DNA methyltransferase DNMT3A-mediated de novo DNA methylation is important for proper regulation of gene expression and genomic stability in development. The DNMT3A R882H (DNMT3AR882H) mutation, a hot-spot mutation in acute myeloid leukemia and developmental disorders, exerts a dominant-negative effect in DNMT3A-mediated DNA methylation through promoting high-order protein assembly. However, due to the lack of structural knowledge on DNMT3A homo-oligomers, the mechanism behind wild-type DNMT3A (DNMT3AWT) and DNMT3AR882H polymerization remains unclear. Here, we report the single-particle cryo-EM structures of homo-oligomeric DNMT3AWT and filamentous DNMT3AR882H, revealing the role of the regulatory Pro-Trp-Trp-Pro (PWWP) and ATRX-DNMT3-DNMT3L (ADD) domains of DNMT3A in their dynamic assembly. While the oligomeric assembly of DNMT3A is mainly driven by the well-characterized oligomer interfaces in the methyltransferase domain, the autoinhibitory interaction of the PWWP and ADD domains in DNMT3A places them in a position for intermolecular contact, thereby contributing to the filamentous assembly of DNMT3AR882H. Disrupting the autoinhibitory interaction facilitates the transition of DNMT3AR882H polymer toward the low-order oligomeric assembly, reinforcing the aggregation-attenuation effect of the previously characterized oligomer-interface mutation R676K. Together, this study uncovers a multidomain cooperated assembly mechanism for DNMT3A, with important implication in development of effective therapeutic strategies against DNMT3AR882H-associated diseases.

DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases

Colorectal cancer-associated PCBP1 mutations disrupt protein stability in a dominant negative manner.

Mutations in RNA-binding proteins are increasingly identified in cancers through tumor sequencing and are correlated with disease progression, therapy response, and overall patient outcomes, underscoring the need to study them. Here, we focus on the RNA-binding protein Poly-C binding protein 1 (PCBP1), which binds target RNAs through K-homology (KH) domains to regulate RNA fate. PCBP1 is a tumor suppressor gene and hotspot missense mutations at leucine residues 100 and 102 are observed in colorectal cancer (CRC). PCBP1 mutations have been recurrently reported in CRC genome-wide mutation studies and are associated with poor clinical outcomes; however, their effects on PCBP1 expression and function remain largely unexplored. We show that cancer-associated mutations substituting leucine 100 and 102 with glutamine, proline, or arginine destabilize PCBP1, leading to increased protein turnover. The L100/L102 residues occur at the interface of the RNA-binding KH1 and KH2 domains, and our molecular dynamics simulations show that mutations at these residues disrupt the secondary structure of PCBP1. Additionally, these mutants display increased cytoplasmic localization. Importantly, mutant PCBP1 physically interacts with wild type PCBP1 and suppresses its expression through a dominant-negative mechanism. Together, our data demonstrate that CRC-associated PCBP1 mutations destabilize the protein and act as dominant-negative variants, revealing a novel mechanism of tumor suppressor inactivation in colorectal cancer.

Journal Article

Transcriptional profiling of Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria patients identifies primary target pathways of progerin.

Hutchinson Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS) is an ultra-rare pediatric premature aging disorder. The disease is caused by a point mutation in the LMNA gene leading to the production of the dominant-negative progerin isoform of the nuclear envelope protein lamin A. Disease severity and progression amongst the population of ~140 known patients is variable. Most of the mechanistic insights into the disease have come from studies using cellular or mouse models of HGPS. To probe the clinical relevance of previously implicated cellular pathways and to address the extent of gene expression heterogeneity between patients, we have performed transcriptomic analysis of a comprehensive set of HGPS patients. We find misexpression of several cellular pathways across the patient population, particularly of multiple signaling pathways as well as the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) and mesodermal cell fate specification. Variability amongst individual patients was limited, with misregulation of the major pathways observed in most patients. Comparing the transcriptome of patients with an inducible HGPS cell model, we distinguished immediate-early cellular response pathways from secondary adaptive pathways and identified mTORC1, the UPR, UV response, apoptosis and TNFα signaling via NF-κB as primary targets of the disease-causing progerin protein.

Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome

Inhibition of the mammalian transcription factor LSF induces S-phase-dependent apoptosis by downregulating thymidylate synthase expression.

The thymidylate synthase (TS) gene, which is induced at the G(1)-S transition in growth-stimulated cells, encodes an enzyme that is essential for DNA replication and cell survival. Here we demonstrate that LSF (LBP-1c, CP2) binds to sites within the TS promoter and intronic regions that are required for this induction. Mutation of the LSF binding sites inhibits G(1)-S induction of mRNA derived from a TS minigene. Furthermore, expression of dominant-negative LSF (LSFdn) prevents the increase in TS enzyme levels during G(1)-S, and induces apoptosis in growth- stimulated mouse and human cell lines. Such apoptosis can be prevented either by circumventing the TS requirement through addition of low concentrations of thymidine, or by coexpression of the TS gene driven by a heterologous promoter. Induction of apoptosis by LSFdn parallels the process known as thymineless death, which is induced by the TS inhibitor and chemotherapeutic drug 5-fluorodeoxyuridine. Thus, LSF is a novel regulatory factor that supports progression through S-phase by targeting a single gene that is critical for cell survival.

Amino Acid Sequence

Identification of dominant-negative mutants of the herpes simplex virus type 1 immediate-early protein ICP0.

ICP0 is a 110,000-molecular-weight immediate-early protein of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) which is encoded by three exons. It has been shown to function as a promiscuous transactivator of a variety of different HSV-1 and non-HSV-1 promoters in transient expression assays. Analysis of mutations which truncated the carboxy-terminal end of this 775-amino-acid (aa) protein demonstrated that a polypeptide which contained only aa 1 to 553 still possessed significant transactivation potential. Additional carboxy-terminal truncations which sequentially removed aa 245 to 553 and thus the remainder of the third exon resulted in the eventual loss of transactivation capability in these mutants. However, further analysis of these truncated derivatives demonstrated that they behaved as dominant-negative mutants to the wild-type polypeptide. Moreover, one of the mutants was found to act as a promiscuous repressor, in that it could dramatically inhibit a variety of HSV-1 promoters, non-HSV-1 promoters, and heterologous transactivator proteins in transient expression assays, despite having lost almost the entire third exon. These results indicate that a domain encoded by the first two exons probably interacts with, and can effectively titrate, the unknown cellular factor(s) through which ICP0 mediates transactivation.

Animals

Zea mays Drought-Overly Sensitive1/TUBA4 Is Wilty3, and Transcriptome Co-Expression Analysis of Shoot Meristem Mutant Tissues Reveals Wilty2/TUB6:Wi3 Interactions Associated With Stem Vascular Bundle Development.

Plant vasculature is essential for the transport of water, nutrients, and signaling molecules across organs, while also providing critical mechanical support for growth and development. Disruptions in vascular bundle formation can therefore lead to severe physiological and developmental defects. In maize, ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS)-induced dominant nonallelic Wilty mutants exhibit a pronounced wilting phenotype even under well-watered conditions, indicating underlying defects in vascular function. In this study, we characterized the Wi3 mutant, identified as ZmDrought-Overly-Sensitive1/DOS1, and compared it with the previously described Wi2 mutant to uncover shared mechanisms underlying their phenotypes. We provide evidence, by bulk segregant resequencing linkage disequilibrium of SNPs adjacent to the causal Wilty SNPs in respective ß- and α-tubulin genes, for the personal communication from Gerry Neuffer that Wi2/ß-tub6 provenance is from ACR-related stock, whereas Wi3/α-tub4 allele is from Mo17, not B73 as claimed by the authors who cloned Dos1. Histochemical staining and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy of vascular bundles in Wi3 indicated apparent alterations in cellulose and lignin content consistent with those observed in Wi2. Transcriptome analysis of shoot meristems further indicated that similar sets of genes and pathways are differentially expressed in both mutants, suggesting convergence on common biological pathways. Using bulk-segregant whole-genome resequencing, we identified alpha-tubulin4 (TUA4) as the causal gene in Wi3 (ZmDOS1), harboring a C-to-T substitution within the N-terminal GTPase-binding domain. This mutation results in a glutamic acid196-to-lysine substitution. Given that α- and β-tubulin subunits heterodimerize, and in many plants and animal mutant alleles are dominant-negative gains-of-function, we infer Wi2, Wi3, and likely Wi4, based on very similar FTIR biophysical difference spectra, may act as effectors of vascular bundle cell wall deposition, potentially involving vesicle trafficking as recently shown for asymmetric cell divisions in maize stomatal development. Together, these findings highlight the functional interdependence of tubulin subunits and provide a plausible mechanistic framework for the striking biophysical, transcriptomic, and phenotypic similarities observed between Wi2, Wi3/ZmDOS1, and Wi4 mutants.

bulk segregant analysis

The mouse neurological mutant flailer expresses a novel hybrid gene derived by exon shuffling between Gnb5 and Myo5a.

Exon shuffling is thought to be an important mechanism for evolution of new genes. Here we show that the mouse neurological mutation flailer (flr) expresses a novel gene that combines the promoter and first two exons of guanine nucleotide binding protein beta 5 (Gnb5) with the C-terminal exons of the closely linked Myosin 5A (MyoVA) gene (Myo5a). The flailer protein, which is expressed predominantly in brain, contains the N-terminal 83 amino acids of Gnb5 fused in-frame with the C-terminal 711 amino acids of MyoVA, including the globular tail domain that binds organelles for intracellular transport. Biochemical and genetic studies indicate that the flailer protein competes with wild-type MyoVA in vivo, preventing the localization of smooth endoplasmic reticulum vesicles in the dendritic spines of cerebellar Purkinje cells. The flailer protein thus has a dominant-negative mechanism of action with a recessive mode of inheritance due to the dependence of competitive binding on the ratio between mutant and wild-type proteins. The chromosomal arrangement of Myo5a upstream of Gnb5 is consistent with non-homologous recombination as the mutational mechanism. To our knowledge, flailer is the first example of a mammalian mutation caused by germ line exon shuffling between unrelated genes.

Amino Acid Sequence

The v-rel oncogene: insights into the mechanism of transcriptional activation, repression, and transformation.

The v-rel oncogene product from the avian reticuloendotheliosis virus strain T corresponds to a member of the Rel-related family of enhancer-binding proteins that includes both the mammalian 50- and 65-kDa subunits of the NF-kappa B transcription factor complex. However, in contrast to NF-kappa B, v-Rel has been shown to function as a dominant-negative repressor of kappa B-dependent transcription in many mature cell types. We now demonstrate that a highly conserved motif within the Rel homology domain of v-Rel containing a consensus protein kinase A phosphorylation site is required for DNA binding, transcriptional repression, and cellular transformation mediated by this oncoprotein. However, replacement of the serine phosphate acceptor within the protein kinase A site with an alanine did not alter any of these functions of v-Rel, suggesting that phosphorylation at this site is not central to the regulation of this oncogene product. Rather, the inactive mutations appear to identify a functional domain within v-Rel required for these various biological activities. It is notable that these same mutations do not impair the ability of v-Rel to heterodimerize with the 50-kDa subunit of NF-kappa B, suggesting that v-Rel-mediated transcriptional repression likely involves direct nuclear blockade of the kappa B enhancer rather than indirect alterations in the composition of preformed cytoplasmic NF-kappa B complexes. Paradoxically, when introduced into undifferentiated F9 cells, v-Rel functions as a kappa B-specific transcriptional activator rather than as a dominant-negative repressor. These stimulatory effects of v-Rel require both the conserved protein kinase A phosphorylation site and additional unique C-terminal sequences not needed for v-Rel-mediated repression in mature cells. Retinoic acid-induced differentiation of these F9 cells restores the repressor function of v-Rel. These opposing biological actions of v-Rel occurring in cells at distinct stages of differentiation may have important implications for the mechanism of v-Rel-mediated transformation occurring in avian splenocytes.

Amino Acid Sequence

Serum-, TPA-, and Ras-induced expression from Ap-1/Ets-driven promoters requires Raf-1 kinase.

Raf-1 serine-threonine protein kinase has the hallmarks of a critical switch that connects growth factor receptor activation at the cell membrane with transcriptional events in the nucleus. We show by use of Raf-1 dominant-negative mutants that Raf-1 is required for serum-, TPA-, and Ras-induced expression from the oncogene-responsive element in the polyomavirus enhancer. The minimal region of Raf-1 that displays this dominant-negative phenotype (Raf-C4) contains a cysteine finger motif. Raf-C4 appears to function by titrating out a Raf-1-activating factor that is induced by Ras following serum or TPA treatment of NIH-3T3 cells. In addition, we show that Raf-1 and Ras cooperate in trans-activation through the oncogene-responsive element and that the cysteine-rich region is necessary for this effect.

3T3 Cells

Insulin/IGF-1 hybrid receptors: implications for the dominant-negative phenotype in syndromes of insulin resistance.

Classical insulin and IGF-1 receptors are alpha 2 beta 2 heterotetrameric complexes synthesized from two identical alpha beta half-receptor precursors. Recent data strongly suggests, however, that nonidentical alpha beta half-receptor precursors can assemble to generate hybrid holoreceptor species both in vivo and in vitro. This review focuses primarily on two types of hybrid receptors. The first type is an insulin/IGF-1 hybrid receptor generated by the association of an alpha beta insulin half-receptor with an alpha beta IGF-1 half-receptor. The second type is one formed from a wildtype (kinase-active) insulin or IGF-1 alpha beta half-receptor and a mutant (kinase-inactive) insulin alpha beta half-receptor. Although the functional properties of insulin/IGF-1 hybrid receptors have not yet been completely defined, wildtype/mutant hybrid receptors are essentially substrate kinase inactive. These data indicate that the mutant alpha beta half-receptor exerts a transdominant inhibition upon the wildtype alpha beta half-receptor within the alpha 2 beta 2 holoreceptor complex. This defect in substrate kinase activity may contribute to the molecular defect underlying some syndromes of severe insulin resistance and diabetes. Heterozygous individuals expressing both wildtype and mutant tyrosine kinase-defective insulin receptor precursors demonstrate varying degrees of insulin resistance and diabetes. In addition, cell lines which express both endogenous wildtype and transfected kinase-defective insulin receptors display markedly decreased insulin and IGF-1 sensitivity and responsiveness. Formation of hybrid receptors which results in premature termination of insulin signal transduction may be one mechanism underlying the observation that kinase-inactive receptors inhibit the function of native receptors.

Animals

Diagnostic Implications and Correlates of Plasma Adenosine Deaminase 2 Activity and ADA2 Variants.

OBJECTIVE: Deficiency of adenosine deaminase 2 (DADA2) is a monogenic autoinflammatory disease manifested as polyarteritis nodosa, stroke, and bone marrow failure. Leveraging an international cohort of 200 DADA2 cases, we aimed to characterize the diagnostic utility of a plasma ADA2 enzyme activity assay and understand the implications of residual ADA2 activity. METHODS: Data were collected from individuals who underwent ADA2 testing from 2018 to 2025. Plasma ADA2 activity was determined using an established spectrophotometric assay. ADA2 variants were analyzed in transfected cells by enzyme assay and western blotting. RESULTS: We determined that plasma ADA2 activity is 99.0% and 96.0% sensitive and 99.7% and 98.8% specific in distinguishing genetically confirmed DADA2 cases from controls and carriers, respectively. Eighteen individuals with DADA2 (9%) possessed detectable ADA2 activity, including several cases with levels seen in carriers. Residual ADA2 activity was associated with the vasculitis/inflammatory phenotype but not with disease severity. Genotype analysis revealed that 14 of 18 cases with residual plasma activity possessed at least one hypomorphic missense variant with greater than 20% residual ADA2 function when overexpressed in 293T cells, often occurring in trans with a more deleterious variant. In vitro analysis revealed that missense ADA2 variants exert variable dominant-negative effects by forming large intracellular protein aggregates via disulfide bond formation at a cysteine residue (Cys408). CONCLUSION: We confirmed the utility of plasma ADA2 activity as a diagnostic assay and showed that the inflammatory phenotype of DADA2 occurred in cases with residual activity. In vitro findings illustrate potential interactions of ADA2 variants to synergistically disrupt protein function.

Humans