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@ARTICLE{Hengel:280232,
author = {Hengel, Holger and Hannan, Shabab-Bin and Reich, Selina and
Beijer, Danique and Roller, Johanna Rosa and Gilsbach, Bernd
K and Gloeckner, Christian Johannes and Greene, Daniel and
Timmann, Dagmar and Depienne, Christel and Mumford, Andrew
and O'Driscoll, Mary and Nemeth, Andrea H and Lundberg,
Julie and Rodan, Lance H and Bruel, Ange-Line and Delanne,
Julian and Deconinck, Tine and Baets, Jonathan and Gan-Or,
Ziv and Rouleau, Guy and Suchowersky, Oksana and Estiar,
Mehrdad A and Reich, Stephen and Toro, Camilo and Züchner,
Stephan and Hazan, Jamilé and Pétursson, Hjörvar and
Harmuth, Florian and Bauer, Claudia and Bauer, Peter and
Turro, Ernest and Lambright, David and Schöls, Ludger and
Synofzik, Matthis},
title = {{H}eterozygous {RAB}3{A} variants cause cerebellar ataxia
by a partial loss-of-function mechanism.},
journal = {Brain},
volume = {148},
number = {8},
issn = {0006-8950},
address = {Oxford},
publisher = {Oxford Univ. Press},
reportid = {DZNE-2025-00910},
pages = {2812 - 2826},
year = {2025},
abstract = {RAB3A encodes a small GTP-binding protein that is abundant
in brain synaptic vesicles and crucial for the release of
neurotransmitters and synaptic plasticity. Here, we
identified RAB3A as a candidate gene for autosomal dominant
cerebellar ataxia by two independent approaches: linkage in
a large dominant ataxia family and, in parallel, an
untargeted computational genetic association approach,
analysing the 100 000 Genomes Project datasets. To validate
the role of RAB3A in ataxia, we next screened large rare
disease databases for rare heterozygous RAB3A variants in
probands with ataxia features. In total, we identified 18
individuals from 10 unrelated families all sharing a
cerebellar ataxia phenotype. Notably, 9 of the 10 families
carried a recurrent variant in RAB3A, p.Arg83Trp, including
one de novo occurrence. In addition, our screening revealed
three families with a neurodevelopmental phenotype and three
unique RAB3A variants, which were either de novo or
loss-of-function variants. In line with the different RAB3A
variant types, protein domains and predicted functional
consequences, a comprehensive set of complementary methods
was used to characterize the identified variants
functionally. As expected, GTPase-activating protein
(GAP)-dependent GTP hydrolysis was reduced for those two
missense variants located in the GAP-binding domain of RAB3A
(Arg83Trp and Tyr91Cys). In a Drosophila Rab3
loss-of-function model, these two missense variants also
failed to rescue a synaptic phenotype. Overexpression of
Rab3 variants in Drosophila wild-type background did not
cause an obvious phenotype, making a dominant negative
effect of these variants unlikely. Lastly, exploring
interactors of RAB3A variants by using
co-immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry showed
differential changes in variant-specific interactions with
known RAB3A key regulatory and effector proteins. In sum,
our results establish RAB3A as a neurological disease gene.
It represents an autosomal dominant gene for cerebellar
ataxia with different variants associated with disease,
including the frequent reoccurring variant p.Arg83Trp. Our
study sheds light on the variant-specific interactome of
RAB3A. Finally, we suggest an association of RAB3A with a
neurodevelopmental phenotype, as reported for variants in
several RAB3A interaction partners and as seen in
Rab3A-deficent mice, although this possible association
warrants further investigation by future studies.},
keywords = {Humans / rab3A GTP-Binding Protein: genetics / rab3A
GTP-Binding Protein: metabolism / Cerebellar Ataxia:
genetics / Animals / Male / Female / Pedigree / Middle Aged
/ Heterozygote / Adult / Loss of Function Mutation: genetics
/ Phenotype / Bayesian statistical genetic association
(Other) / GTPase (Other) / Rareservoir (Other) / genome
sequencing (Other) / neurodevelopmental disorder (Other) /
neurogenetic disease (Other) / rab3A GTP-Binding Protein
(NLM Chemicals)},
cin = {AG Gasser / AG Schöls / AG Gloeckner},
ddc = {610},
cid = {I:(DE-2719)1210000 / I:(DE-2719)5000005 /
I:(DE-2719)1210007},
pnm = {353 - Clinical and Health Care Research (POF4-353) / 352 -
Disease Mechanisms (POF4-352)},
pid = {G:(DE-HGF)POF4-353 / G:(DE-HGF)POF4-352},
typ = {PUB:(DE-HGF)16},
pubmed = {pmid:40166812},
pmc = {pmc:PMC12316009},
doi = {10.1093/brain/awaf111},
url = {https://pub.dzne.de/record/280232},
}