Homozygous mutation in NUP107 leads to microcephaly with steroid-resistant nephrotic condition similar to Galloway-Mowat syndrome

Abstract

Background: Microcephaly with nephrotic syndrome is a rare co-occurrence, constituting the Galloway-Mowat syndrome (GAMOS), caused by mutations in WDR73 (OMIM: 616144). However, not all patients harbour demonstrable WDR73 deleterious variants, suggesting that there are other yet unidentified factors contributing to GAMOS aetiology.

Methods: Autozygosity mapping and candidate analysis was used to identify deleterious variants in consanguineous families. Analysis of patient fibroblasts was used to study splicing and alterations in cellular function.

Results: In two consanguineous families with five affected individuals from Turkey with a GAMOS-like presentation, we identified a shared homozygous variant leading to partial exon 4 skipping in nucleoporin, 107-KD (NUP107). The founder mutation was associated with concomitant reduction in NUP107 protein and in the obligate binding partner NUP133 protein, as well as density of nuclear pores in patient cells.

Conclusion: Recently, NUP107 was suggested as a candidate in a family with nephrotic syndrome and developmental delay. Other NUP107-reported cases had isolated renal phenotypes. With the addition of these individuals, we implicate an allele-specific critical role for NUP107 in the regulation of brain growth and a GAMOS-like presentation.

Keywords: FSGS; Galloway-Mowat syndrome; NUP107; microcephaly; steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome.