Dominant Mutations in the Autoimmune Regulator AIRE Are Associated with Common Organ-Specific Autoimmune Diseases

BE Oftedal, A Hellesen, MM Erichsen, E Bratland, Ayelet Vardi, J Perheentupa, EH Kemp, T Fiskerstrand, MK Viken, AP Weetman, SJ Fleishman, S Banka, WG Newman, WAC Sewell, LS Sozaeva, T Zayats, K Haugarvoll, EM Orlova, J Haavik, S JohanssonPM Knappskog, K Lovas, ASB Wolff, Jakub Abramson, ES Husebye

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene is crucial forestablishing central immunological tolerance and preventing autoimmunity. Mutations in AIRE cause a rare autosomal-recessive disease, autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS-1), distinguished by multi-organ autoimmunity. We have identified multiple cases and families with mono-allelic mutations in the first plant homeodomain (PHD1) zinc finger of AIRE that followed dominant inheritance, typically characterized by later onset, milder phenotypes, and reduced penetrance compared to classical APS-1. These missense PHD1 mutations suppressed gene expression driven by wild-type AIRE in a dominant-negative manner, unlike CARD or truncated AIRE mutants that lacked such dominant capacity. Exome array analysis revealed that the PHD1 dominant mutants were found with relatively high frequency (>0.0008) in mixed populations. Our results provide insight into the molecular action of AIRE and demonstrate that disease-causing mutations in the AIRE locus are more common than previously appreciated and cause more variable autoimmune phenotypes.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1185-1196
Number of pages12
JournalImmunity
Volume42
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 16 Jun 2015

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Dominant Mutations in the Autoimmune Regulator AIRE Are Associated with Common Organ-Specific Autoimmune Diseases'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this