Development of hypomelanotic macules is associated with constitutive activated mTORC1 in tuberous sclerosis complex

Lisbeth Birk Møller, Bitten Schönewolf-Greulich, Thomas Rosengren, Lasse Jonsgaard Larsen, John R. Østergaard, Mette Sommerlund, Caroline Ostenfeldt, Brian Stausbøl-Grøn, Karen Markussen Linnet, Pernille Axél Gregersen, Uffe Birk Jensen

    Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningpeer review

    Abstract

    TSC1 and TSC2 are genes mutated in the syndrome TSC (tuberous sclerosis complex). We describe a 3-generation family with 17 affected members, all presenting classic TSC features except renal manifestations. The disease segregates with a silent substitution in TSC2, c.4149C>T, p.(Ser1838Ser), which leads to the formation of an active donor splice site, resulting in three shorter alternatively spliced transcripts with premature stop codons. However a small amount of normal spliced transcript is apparently produced from the mutated allele, which might explain the milder phenotype. The gene products of TSC1/2 form a complex which at energy limiting states, down-regulates the activity of the regulator of protein synthesis, the mammalian target of rapamycin complex1 (mTORC1). As expected, in contrast to cultured control fibroblasts, starvation of cultured patient fibroblasts obtained from a hypomelanotic macule did not lead to repression of mTORC1, whereas partial repression was observed in patient fibroblasts obtained from non-lesional skin. The findings indicate that the development of hypomelanotic macules is associated with constitutive activated mTORC1, whereas mild deregulation of mTORC1 allows the maintenance of normal skin. Furthermore, the finding establishes the pathogenic effect of the “silent” c.4149C>T substitution and emphasizes the need for awareness when interpreting silent substitutions in general.
    OriginalsprogEngelsk
    TidsskriftMolecular Genetics and Metabolism
    Vol/bind120
    Udgave nummer4
    Sider (fra-til)384-391
    Antal sider8
    ISSN1096-7192
    DOI
    StatusUdgivet - 2017

    Emneord

    • Hypomelanotic macules
    • Silent substitution
    • TSC
    • TSC2
    • mTOR

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