Association of a functional deficit of the BKCa channel, a synaptic regulator of neuronal excitability, with autism and mental retardation.
OBJECTIVE
Autism is a complex, largely genetic psychiatric disorder. In the majority of cases, the cause of autism is not known, but there is strong evidence for a genetic etiology. To identify candidate genes, the physical mapping of balanced chromosomal aberrations is a powerful strategy, since several genes have been characterized in numerous disorders. In this study, the authors analyzed a balanced reciprocal translocation arising de novo in a subject with autism and mental retardation.


METHODS
The authors performed the physical mapping of the balanced 9q23/10q22 translocation by fluorescent in situ hybridization experiments using bacterial artificial chromosome clones covering the areas of interest.


RESULTS
Findings revealed that the KCNMA1 gene, which encodes the alpha-subunit of the large conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (BK(Ca)) channel, a synaptic regulator of neuronal excitability, is physically disrupted. Further molecular and functional analyses showed the haploinsufficiency of this gene as well as decreased activity of the coded BK(Ca )channel. This activity can be enhanced in vitro by addition of a BK(Ca )channel opener (BMS-204352). Further mutational analyses on 116 autistic subjects led to the identification of an amino acid substitution located in a highly conserved domain of the protein not found in comparison subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest a possible association between a functional defect of the BK(Ca) channel and autistic disorder and raise the hypothesis that deficits in synaptic transmission may contribute to the physiopathology of autism and mental deficiency.
Laumonnier
Frédéric
F
INSERM U619 Génétique de l'autisme et des déficiences mentales, Laboratoire de Génétique chromosomique, CHR La Source-BP86709-45067 Orléans cedex 2, France.
Roger
Sébastien
S
Guérin
Pascaline
P
Molinari
Florence
F
M'rad
Ridha
R
Cahard
Dominique
D
Belhadj
Ahlem
A
Halayem
Mohamed
M
Persico
Antonio M
AM
Elia
Maurizio
M
Romano
Valentino
V
Holbert
Sébastien
S
Andres
Christian
C
Chaabouni
Habiba
H
Colleaux
Laurence
L
Constant
Jacques
J
Le Guennec
Jean-Yves
JY
Briault
Sylvain
S
D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D022202:Chromosomes, Artificial, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D002879:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 10 / Q000235:genetics; D002899:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 9 / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular / Q000379:methods; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051037:Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel alpha Subunits / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014178:Translocation, Genetic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology
C424388:BMS204352; D007211:Indoles; C494841:KCNMA1 protein, human; D051037:Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channel alpha Subunits