0000000000471736
AUTHOR
Stefano Sotgiu
Exploring by whole exome sequencing patients with initial diagnosis of Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome: the interconnections of epigenetic machinery disorders.
Rubinstein–Taybi syndrome (RSTS) is an autosomal-dominant neurodevelopmental disease affecting 1:125,000 newborns characterized by intellectual disability, growth retardation, facial dysmorphisms and skeletal abnormalities. RSTS is caused by mutations in genes encoding for writers of the epigenetic machinery: CREBBP (~ 60%) or its homologous EP300 (~ 10%). No causative mutation is identified in up to 30% of patients. We performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) on eight RSTS-like individuals who had normal high-resolution array CGH testing and were CREBBP- and EP300-mutation -negative, to identify the molecular cause. In four cases, we identified putatively causal variants in three genes (ASXL…
1H-NMR-Based Metabolomics in Autism Spectrum Disorder and Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome
We recently described a unique plasma metabolite profile in subjects with pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS), suggesting pathogenic models involving specific patterns of neurotransmission, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress. Here, we extend the analysis to a group of patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as a consensus has recently emerged around its immune-mediated pathophysiology with a widespread involvement of brain networks. This observational case-control study enrolled patients referred for PANS and ASD from June 2019 to May 2020, as well as neurotypical age and gender-matched control subjects. Thirty-four PANS outpatients, fifteen ASD outpatients, an…