Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42118412›Full record

ArticleJournal of assisted reproduction and genetics2026

From PGT-M discovery to mechanism: functional validation of novel compound heterozygous RAG1 mutations in severe combined immunodeficiency.

Yongxiang Liu, Xiongwei Shan, Guilan Huang, Yuwei Duan, Yunshi Li, Wenhui Hou, Zishuo Li, Shuting Zhang, Zhiwei Weng, Shaohu Zhou and 1 more

Abstract read
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Article in Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Yongxiang LiuDepartment of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
Xiongwei ShanThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine/Guangdong Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
Guilan HuangThe First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Yuwei DuanThe First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Yunshi LiDepartment of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
Wenhui HouThe First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.
Zishuo LiDepartment of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
Shuting ZhangDepartment of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
Zhiwei WengDepartment of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China.
Shaohu ZhouDepartment of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China. zhoushaohu@vip.163.com.
Xuekun HuangDepartment of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China. hxkun88@163.com.

Funding

the Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Guangdong Province 20241103the Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Guangdong Province 20242036the Medical Scientific Research Foundation of Guangdong Province A2023401the National Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance and Innovation Center, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine 2023QN02
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeSevere combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is a life-threatening primary immunodeficiency disorder. This study aimed to identify novel recombination activating gene 1 (RAG1) variants in a Chinese pedigree and characterize their impact on protein structure and function, providing a genetic basis for preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic (PGT-M) cycle.

methodsPotential RAG1 mutations of the probands were screened by whole-exome sequencing (WES) and confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Configuration predictions of the variants were achieved using SWISS-MODEL. PROVEAN, PolyPhen-2, and MutationTaster were used to predict their pathogenicity. Isogenic pre-B cell lines carrying the mutations were established via CRISPR-Cas9 RNP editing. Functional impacts were assessed through western blotting, proliferation ability, and apoptosis analysis.

resultsWe identified novel compound heterozygous RAG1 variants c.946T > G (p.C316G) and c.1197_1199del (p.L400del) in two affected siblings with typical SCID. Familial genotyping confirmed autosomal recessive inheritance, with each parent as an asymptomatic carrier of one variant. Both mutations were highly conserved and predicted to be pathogenic. Structural modeling revealed disruption of RAG1 secondary and tertiary structure, affecting zinc-binding (p.C316G) and hydrogen-bonding (p.L400del) interactions. Functional studies demonstrated markedly reduced RAG1 protein expression, synergistic impairment of RAG2 expression, and significantly elevated apoptosis in double-mutant pre‑B cells. Further investigation indicated dysregulation of the PI3K/AKT1/FOXO1 pathway, evidenced by increased phosphorylation of AKT1 and FOXO1.

conclusionsOur study provides genetic and functional evidence that biallelic RAG1 p.C316G and p.L400del mutations act synergistically to cause SCID through protein destabilization, disruption of RAG1/RAG2 complex integrity, and induction of pre‑B cell apoptosis likely mediated by PI3K/AKT1/FOXO1 signaling dysregulation. These findings expand the mutational spectrum of RAG1 and support the clinical application of PGT-M for affected families.

Indexed as

Homeodomain ProteinsMutationSevere Combined ImmunodeficiencyApoptosisExome SequencingFemaleForkhead Box Protein O1Genetic TestingHeterozygoteHumansMalePedigreeProto-Oncogene Proteins c-aktForkhead Box Protein O1FOXO1 protein, humanHomeodomain ProteinsProto-Oncogene Proteins c-aktRAG-1 proteinApoptosisCompound heterozygous mutationsFunctional analysisRAG1Severe combined immunodeficiency

Identifiers

PMID42118412
PMCPMC13319842

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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.