Novel STAT1 Variants in Japanese Patients with Isolated Mendelian Susceptibility to Mycobacterial Diseases

Abstract

Purpose: Heterozygous dominant-negative (DN) STAT1 variants are responsible for autosomal dominant (AD) Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial disease (MSMD). In this paper, we describe eight MSMD cases from four kindreds in Japan.

Methods: An inborn error of immunity-related gene panel sequencing was performed using genomic DNA extracted from whole blood samples. The identified variants were validated using Sanger sequencing. Functional analysis was evaluated with a luciferase reporter assay and co-transfection assay in STAT1-deficient cells.

Results: Patient 1.1 was a 20-month-old boy with multifocal osteomyelitis and paravertebral abscesses caused by Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). Although the paravertebral abscess was refractory to antimycobacterial drugs, the addition of IFN-γ and drainage of the abscess were effective. Intriguingly, his mother (patient 1.2) showed an uneventful clinical course except for treatment-responsive tuberculous spondylitis during adulthood. Patient 2.1 was an 8-month-old boy with lymphadenopathy and lung nodules caused by BCG. He responded well to antimycobacterial drugs. His mother (patient 2.2) was healthy. Patient 3.1 was a 11-year-old girl with suspected skin tuberculosis. Her brother (patient 3.2) had BCG-osis, but their mother (patient 3.3) was healthy. Patient 4 was an 8-month-old girl with left axillary and supraclavicular lymphadenopathy associated with BCG vaccination. Kindreds 1, 2, and 3 were shown to have novel heterozygous variants (V642F, R588C, and R649G) in STAT1, respectively. Kindred 4 had previously reported heterozygous variants (Q463H). A luciferase reporter assay in STAT1-deficient cells followed by IFN-γ stimulation confirmed that these variants are loss-of-function. In addition, with co-transfection assay, we confirmed all of these variants had DN effect on WT STAT1.

Conclusion: Four kindred MSMD subjects with 3 novel variants and 1 known variant in STAT1 were identified in this study. AD STAT1 deficiency might be prevalent in Japanese patients with BCG-associated MSMD.

Keywords: Bacille de Calmette et Guérin (BCG); Inborn error of immunity (IEI); Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial disease (MSMD); STAT1.