Aggregate formation analysis of GFAPR416W found in one case of Alexander disease

Abstract

Alexander disease (AxD) is a neurodegenerative disease in astrocytes caused by a mutation in the gene encoding glial fibrillary acidic protein, GFAP. We herein present the case of a 12-year-old girl who showed intermittent exotropia at 3 years of age and central precocious puberty at 7 years of age. The periventricular and medulla oblongata showed high signal intensity on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. The patient was diagnosed with AxD after direct sequencing revealing a de novo recurrent mutation, c.1246C>T (p.R416W) in GFAP. The transient expression of GFAP^R416W in cells resulted in the significant formation of aggregates, which recapitulated the hallmark of AxD. We firstly utilized In Cell analyzer to prove the tendency of aggregate formation by mutants of GFAP.

Keywords: Aggregation; Alexander disease (AxD); Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP); Precocious puberty.