Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40382551›Full record

ArticleMolecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.)2025

Clinically relevant pseudoexons of the GALNS gene and their antisense-based correction.

Igor Bychkov, Elza Shchukina, Ekaterina Zakharova

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Article in Molecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Recent advances in mucopolysaccharidosis IVA treatment.Orphanet journal of rare diseases · 2025
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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Igor BychkovDepartment of Molecular Mechanisms of Inherited Metabolic Disorders, Laboratory of Experimental Gene Therapy for Inherited Metabolic Disorders, Research Centre for Medical Genetics, Moscow, Russia. bychkov@med-gen.ru.
Elza ShchukinaDepartment of Molecular Mechanisms of Inherited Metabolic Disorders, Laboratory of Experimental Gene Therapy for Inherited Metabolic Disorders, Research Centre for Medical Genetics, Moscow, Russia.
Ekaterina ZakharovaDepartment of Molecular Mechanisms of Inherited Metabolic Disorders, Laboratory of Experimental Gene Therapy for Inherited Metabolic Disorders, Research Centre for Medical Genetics, Moscow, Russia.

Funding

The research was carried out within the state assignment of Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation for Research Centre for Medical Genetics № 075-00477-24-03
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBiallelic pathogenic variants in the GALNS gene lead to Mucopolysaccharidosis Type IVA (MPS IVA), a rare lysosomal storage disorder. GALNS encodes the enzyme N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfatase, whose deficiency causes accumulation of glycosaminoglycans and leads to a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations primarily affecting the osteoarticular system. Several studies have shown that, in 10%-15% of patients with the biochemical phenotype of MPS IVA, standard molecular genetic testing fails to identify one or both causative variants in the GALNS gene.

methodsWe performed an in-depth investigation of GALNS' splicing, with a special focus on deep-intronic mutations that lead to activation of pseudoexons (PEs). Using bioinformatic tools, we analyzed all deep-intronic variants in GALNS available in public databases and subjected the most relevant ones to in vitro analyses using minigenes.

resultsWe characterized eight PE-activating variants, one of which (c.121-210C > T) represents a recurrent pathogenic variant which has long been hidden behind the mask of a polymorphic variant. In addition, we demonstrate that GALNS' splicing can produce a diverse range of mRNA isoforms containing so-called wild-type PEs, which are present at low levels as part of non-productive splicing, and weak canonical exons which are prone to skipping. We show that PE-activating variants cluster within wild-type PEs, highlighting the need for closer scrutiny of these regions during genetic testing. Finally, we applied modified U7 small nuclear RNAs and circular RNAs to efficiently block the identified PEs and pave the way for personalized antisense-based therapy for MPS IVA patients.

conclusionThe results of this study expand the understanding of GALNS gene splicing, indicating hotspots for splicing mutations. The presented data not only help to increase the diagnostic yield for MPS IVA but also unveil new therapeutic approaches for a number of MPS IVA patients.

Indexed as

ChondroitinsulfatasesExonsMucopolysaccharidosis IVComputational BiologyHumansIntronsMutationRNA SplicingChondroitinsulfatasesGALNS protein, humanAberrant splicingAntisense oligonucleotidesAntisense therapyCircular RNACryptic exonsGene therapyModified U7 small nuclear RNAMorquio A syndromemU7snRNAPoison exons

Identifiers

PMID40382551
PMCPMC12085818

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