Gain-of-function variants in SYK cause immune dysregulation and systemic inflammation in humans and mice

L Wang, D Aschenbrenner, Z Zeng, X Cao, D Mayr… - Nature …, 2021 - nature.com
L Wang, D Aschenbrenner, Z Zeng, X Cao, D Mayr, M Mehta, M Capitani, N Warner, J Pan…
Nature genetics, 2021nature.com
Spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) is a critical immune signaling molecule and therapeutic target.
We identified damaging monoallelic SYK variants in six patients with immune deficiency,
multi-organ inflammatory disease such as colitis, arthritis and dermatitis, and diffuse large B
cell lymphomas. The SYK variants increased phosphorylation and enhanced downstream
signaling, indicating gain of function. A knock-in (SYK-Ser544Tyr) mouse model of a patient
variant (p. Ser550Tyr) recapitulated aspects of the human disease that could be partially …
Abstract
Spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) is a critical immune signaling molecule and therapeutic target. We identified damaging monoallelic SYK variants in six patients with immune deficiency, multi-organ inflammatory disease such as colitis, arthritis and dermatitis, and diffuse large B cell lymphomas. The SYK variants increased phosphorylation and enhanced downstream signaling, indicating gain of function. A knock-in (SYK-Ser544Tyr) mouse model of a patient variant (p.Ser550Tyr) recapitulated aspects of the human disease that could be partially treated with a SYK inhibitor or transplantation of bone marrow from wild-type mice. Our studies demonstrate that SYK gain-of-function variants result in a potentially treatable form of inflammatory disease.
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