Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40259070›Full record

ArticleNature neuroscience2025

Autism-related traits in myotonic dystrophy type 1 model mice are due to MBNL sequestration and RNA mis-splicing of autism-risk genes.

Łukasz J Sznajder, Mahreen Khan, Adam Ciesiołka, Mariam Tadross, Curtis A Nutter, Katarzyna Taylor, Christopher E Pearson, Mark H Lewis, Rochelle M Hines, Maurice S Swanson and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature neuroscience, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Tail-rattling in rodents: more than a threat display.Journal of comparative physiology. A, Neuroethology, sensory, neural, and behavioral physiology · 2026
    Review
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Łukasz J SznajderDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA. lukasz.sznajder@unlv.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6822-6485
Mahreen Khan *Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9900-978X
Adam Ciesiołka *Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3165-9791
Mariam TadrossDepartment of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics and the Genetics Institute, University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Curtis A NutterDepartment of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics and the Genetics Institute, University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Katarzyna TaylorDepartment of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3219-6872
Christopher E PearsonDepartment of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9545-4205
Mark H LewisDepartment of Psychiatry, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Rochelle M HinesDepartment of Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0459-7911
Maurice S SwansonDepartment of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Center for NeuroGenetics and the Genetics Institute, University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6245-5367
Krzysztof SobczakDepartment of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland.
Ryan K C YuenDepartment of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7273-4968

Funding

Outreach/Diversity/Pipeline ProjectP20GM103440 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA RENO · PI Eduardo A Robleto · 2012 to 2026
$58.0M
The Genome Analysis and Sequencing Pipeline (GASP)P20GM121325 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA LAS VEGAS · PI CHEN, JINGCHUN · 2018 to 2022
$11.5M
Training and Educational CoreP50NS132955 · NINDS · UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA · PI MAURICE SCOTT SWANSON · 2024 to 2026
$5.8M
Therapeutic strategies for microsatellite expansion diseases using RNA-targeting CRISPR/CasR01NS103172 · NINDS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI MAURICE SCOTT SWANSON, Eugene Wei-Ming Yeo · 2017 to 2026
$5.6M
ChimeraX -- Next Generation Visualization and Analysis Software for Multiscale ModelingR01GM129325 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI FERRIN, THOMAS E · 2018 to 2025
$5.2M
Epigenetic and Transcriptional Dysregulation in Autism Spectrum DisorderR01MH094714 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · PI GESCHWIND, DANIEL H · 2011 to 2015
$2.8M
Early mechanisms mediating the organization of the axon initial segment impact the formation of axo-axonic synapsesR15NS124008 · NINDS · UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA LAS VEGAS · PI HINES, ROCHELLE MARIE · 2021 to 2024
$865k
Identifying tandem repeat expansion-mediated mechanisms of autism-risk genesR16GM154702 · NIGMS · UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA LAS VEGAS · PI Lukasz Jakub Sznajder · 2024 to 2026
$566k
Gouvernement du Canada | Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Instituts de Recherche en Santé du Canada) FRN-148910Gouvernement du Canada | Canadian Institutes of Health Research (Instituts de Recherche en Santé du Canada) FRN-173282Muscular Dystrophy Association (Muscular Dystrophy Association Inc.) MDA546770Narodowe Centrum Nauki (National Science Centre) 2020/38/A/NZ3/00498Narodowe Centrum Nauki (National Science Centre) 2020/39/D/NZ3/01658NIGMS NIH HHS P20 GM103440NIGMS NIH HHS P20 GM121325NIGMS NIH HHS R01 GM129325NIGMS NIH HHS R16 GM154702NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH094714NINDS NIH HHS P50 NS132955NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS103172NINDS NIH HHS R15 NS124008U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) R16GM154702U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) P50NS132955U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) R01NS103172U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) R15NS124008
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Genome-wide enrichment of gene-specific tandem repeat expansions has been linked to autism spectrum disorder. One such mutation is the CTG tandem repeat expansion in the 3' untranslated region of the DMPK gene, which is known to cause myotonic muscular dystrophy type 1. Although there is a clear clinical association between autism and myotonic dystrophy, the molecular basis for this connection remains unknown. Here, we report that sequestration of MBNL splicing factors by mutant DMPK RNAs with expanded CUG repeats alters the RNA splicing patterns of autism-risk genes during brain development, particularly a class of autism-relevant microexons. We demonstrate that both DMPK-CTG expansion and Mbnl null mouse models recapitulate autism-relevant mis-splicing profiles, along with social behavioral deficits and altered responses to novelty. These findings support our model that myotonic dystrophy-associated autism arises from developmental mis-splicing of autism-risk genes.

Indexed as

Autistic DisorderMyotonic DystrophyRNA-Binding ProteinsRNA SplicingAnimalsDisease Models, AnimalDNA-Binding ProteinsMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLMice, KnockoutMyotonin-Protein KinaseTrinucleotide Repeat ExpansionDMPK protein, mouseDNA-Binding ProteinsMbnl1 protein, mouseMyotonin-Protein KinaseRNA-Binding Proteins

Identifiers

PMID40259070
PMCPMC12148930

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.