Publications by authors named "Saskia Maas"

Neurodevelopmental disorder with or without autism or seizures (NEDAUS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by global developmental delay, speech delay, seizures, autistic features, and/or behavior abnormalities. It is caused by CUL3 (Cullin-3 ubiquitin ligase) haploinsufficiency. We collected clinical and molecular data from 26 individuals carrying pathogenic variants and variants of uncertain significance (VUS) in the CUL3 gene, including 20 previously unreported cases.

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Article Synopsis
  • - This study examines the link between rare variants in the cullin-3 ubiquitin ligase (CUL3) gene and neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), gathering data from multiple centers to explore genetic mutations and their clinical impacts.
  • - Researchers identified 37 individuals with CUL3 variants, most of which result in loss-of-function (LoF), leading to intellectual disabilities and possibly autistic traits; specific mechanisms affecting protein stability were also investigated.
  • - The findings enhance the understanding of NDDs associated with CUL3 mutations, suggesting that LoF variants are the main cause, which could help inform future diagnostics and treatment strategies.
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Background: Imprinting disorders are rare diseases resulting from altered expression of imprinted genes, which exhibit parent-of-origin-specific expression patterns regulated through differential DNA methylation. A subgroup of patients with imprinting disorders have DNA methylation changes at multiple imprinted loci, a condition referred to as multi-locus imprinting disturbance (MLID). MLID is recognised in most but not all imprinting disorders and is also found in individuals with atypical clinical features; the presence of MLID often alters the management or prognosis of the affected person.

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Chung-Jansen syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by intellectual disability, behavioral problems, obesity and dysmorphic features. It is caused by pathogenic variants in the PHIP gene that encodes for the Pleckstrin homology domain-interacting protein, which is part of an epigenetic modifier protein complex. Therefore, we hypothesized that PHIP haploinsufficiency may impact genome-wide DNA methylation (DNAm).

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Bronchiectasis is a pathological dilatation of the bronchi in the respiratory airways associated with environmental or genetic causes (e.g., cystic fibrosis, primary ciliary dyskinesia, and primary immunodeficiency disorders), but most cases remain idiopathic.

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The 16p11.2 deletion syndrome is a clinically heterogeneous disorder, characterized by developmental delay, intellectual disability, hyperphagia, obesity, macrocephaly and psychiatric problems. Cases with 16p11.

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Most patients with GNB1 encephalopathy have developmental delay and/or intellectual disability, brain anomalies and seizures. Recently, two cases with GNB1 encephalopathy caused by haploinsufficiency have been reported that also show a Prader-Willi-like phenotype of childhood hypotonia and severe obesity. Here we present three new cases from our expert centre for genetic obesity in which GNB1 truncating and splice variants, probably leading to haploinsufficiency, were identified.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study explores pre-mRNA splicing, its critical role in neurodevelopment, and how mutations in spliceosome-related genes U2AF2 and PRPF19 contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs).
  • - Researchers found multiple pathogenic variants in U2AF2 and PRPF19 across unrelated individuals, with functional analysis showing that specific U2AF2 variants disrupted normal splicing and neuritogenesis in human neurons.
  • - Additionally, investigations in Drosophila models revealed that the loss of function in U2AF2 and PRPF19 caused severe developmental defects and social issues, pointing to a genetic network wherein splicing factors like Rbfox1 play a significant role in brain development and function. *
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(Jumonji, AT-rich interactive domain 2) haploinsufficiency is associated with a clinically distinct neurodevelopmental syndrome. It is characterized by intellectual disability, developmental delay, autistic features, behavior abnormalities, cognitive impairment, hypotonia, and dysmorphic features. acts as a transcriptional repressor protein that is involved in the regulation of histone methyltransferase complexes.

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Objectives: Clefts of the lip, alveolus and/or palate (CLA/P) are the most common craniofacial congenital malformations in humans. These oral clefts can be divided into non-syndromic (isolated) and syndromic forms. Many cleft-related syndromes are clinically variable and genetically heterogeneous, making it challenging to distinguish syndromic from non-syndromic cases.

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  • - A patient with Kallmann syndrome (KS) and intellectual disability (ID) was found to have a significant deletion in a specific region of chromosome 12, suggesting that this deletion may be responsible for their conditions rather than the patient's translocation.
  • - The research team screened 48 KS patients for mutations at the translocation breakpoints but found none, further supporting the idea that the 12p11.21-12p11.23 deletion is key to the patient's symptoms.
  • - Through an analysis of various candidate genes and their expression in relevant tissues, several potential genes linked to KS and ID were identified, including TSPAN11 for KS and others like TM7SF3 and STK38L for neurodevelopment
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Purpose: variants in (Cullin-3 ubiquitin ligase) have been strongly associated with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), but no large case series have been reported so far. Here we aimed to collect sporadic cases carrying rare variants in describe the genotype-phenotype correlation, and investigate the underlying pathogenic mechanism.

Methods: Genetic data and detailed clinical records were collected via multi-center collaboration.

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Article Synopsis
  • Scientists found a genetic change in a person with Kallmann syndrome (KS) and intellectual disability (ID) that might be causing these issues.
  • They discovered a missing part of the DNA on chromosome 12, which could be linked to KS and ID instead of the original genetic changes they were studying.
  • Researchers identified several genes that might be responsible for KS and ID and suggest that more testing is needed to confirm how these genes affect patients.
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CHD8, a major autism gene, functions in chromatin remodelling and has various roles involving several biological pathways. Therefore, unsurprisingly, previous studies have shown that intellectual developmental disorder with autism and macrocephaly (IDDAM), the syndrome caused by pathogenic variants in CHD8, consists of a broad range of phenotypic abnormalities. We collected and reviewed 106 individuals with IDDAM, including 36 individuals not previously published, thus enabling thorough genotype-phenotype analyses, involving the CHD8 mutation spectrum, characterization of the CHD8 DNA methylation episignature, and the systematic analysis of phenotypes collected in Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO).

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Article Synopsis
  • - This research focuses on a neurodevelopmental syndrome linked to pathogenic variants in the Jumonji gene, which results in developmental delays, cognitive impairment, and various other symptoms, highlighting a lack of understanding of its molecular causes.
  • - The study analyzes DNA methylation profiles from 56 controls and 11 patients, revealing a clear differentiation in methylation patterns between patients with pathogenic variants and healthy individuals.
  • - A new DNA methylation signature has been identified as a potential biomarker for the syndrome, which may aid in diagnosis and improve care by distinguishing affected patients from those with variants of uncertain significance.
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To (1) appraise current international classification and clinical management strategies for craniofacial microsomia (CFM) and microtia, and (2) to assess agreement with the European Reference Network "European Guideline Craniofacial Microsomia" recommendations on screening and monitoring. This was a cross-sectional online survey study. The survey consisted of 44 questions on demographics, diagnostics and classification, obstructive sleep apnea, feeding difficulties, speech and language development, hearing, ocular abnormalities, visual development, orthodontic screening, genetic counselling, psychological wellbeing, and extracraniofacial anomalies.

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In Gaucher disease (GD), the deficiency of glucocerebrosidase causes lysosomal accumulation of glucosylceramide (GlcCer), which is partly converted by acid ceramidase to glucosylsphingosine (GlcSph) in the lysosome. Chronically elevated blood and tissue GlcSph is thought to contribute to symptoms in GD patients as well as to increased risk for Parkinson's disease. On the other hand, formation of GlcSph may be beneficial since the water soluble sphingoid base is excreted via urine and bile.

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Objective: Mycophenolate embryopathy (ME) is a congenital malformation induced by mycophenolic acid (MA). Microtia is the most common ME phenotype. This study aimed to identify the key genes in the pathological process of microtia caused by mycophenolate mofetil (MM) through bioinformatics methods, to explore the potential pathogenesis, and to provide a direction for future genetic research on aetiology.

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Background: Proteasome-associated autoinflammatory syndromes (PRAASs) form a family of recently described rare autosomal recessive disorders of disturbed proteasome assembly and proteolytic activity caused by mutations in genes coding for proteasome subunits. The treatment options for these proteasome disorders consist of lifelong immunosuppressive drugs or Janus kinase inhibitors, which may have partial efficacy and noticeable side effects. Because proteasomes are ubiquitously expressed, it is unknown whether hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) may be a sufficient treatment option.

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Terminal osseous dysplasia with pigmentary defects (TODPD), also known as digitocutaneous dysplasia, is one of the X-linked filaminopathies caused by a variety of FLNA-variants. TODPD is characterized by skeletal defects, skin fibromata and dysmorphic facial features. So far, only a single recurrent variant (c.

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  • The CRMP family proteins, particularly CRMP5/DPYSL5, are crucial for neuronal development, influencing dendrite structure and axonal pathfinding, and their function is linked to neurotrophic factors.
  • Recent research identified mutations in the DPYSL5 gene in nine individuals with brain malformations and varying degrees of intellectual disability, with two specific mutations being the focus.
  • The identified mutations disrupt the protein's ability to interact with key neuronal proteins, leading to impaired dendritic growth and contributing to abnormal brain development, highlighting DPYSL5's role in neurodevelopmental disorders.
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KDM4B is a lysine-specific demethylase with a preferential activity on H3K9 tri/di-methylation (H3K9me3/2)-modified histones. H3K9 tri/di-demethylation is an important epigenetic mechanism responsible for silencing of gene expression in animal development and cancer. However, the role of KDM4B on human development is still poorly characterized.

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  • JARID2 is located on chromosome 6p22.3 and is linked to intellectual disability (ID) through deletions and variants that affect its expression in human neurons.
  • Previous studies had identified 13 individuals with de novo deletions involving JARID2 but could not definitively attribute their clinical features solely to this gene due to other neighboring gene deletions.
  • This study expands the findings to 16 individuals who show developmental delay and overlapping clinical characteristics, confirming that haploinsufficiency of JARID2 is responsible for a distinct neurodevelopmental syndrome.
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RAD21 encodes a key component of the cohesin complex, and variants in RAD21 have been associated with Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS). Limited information on phenotypes attributable to RAD21 variants and genotype-phenotype relationships is currently published. We gathered a series of 49 individuals from 33 families with RAD21 alterations [24 different intragenic sequence variants (2 recurrent), 7 unique microdeletions], including 24 hitherto unpublished cases.

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