Identification of kinesin family member (KIF22) homozygous variants in spondyloepimetaphyseal dysplasia with joint laxity, lepdodactylic type and demonstration of proteoglycan biosynthesis impairment

Heterozygous variants in KIF22, encoding a kinesin-like protein, are responsible for spondyloepimetaphyseal dysplasia with joint laxity, leptodactilic type (lepto-SEMDJL), characterized by short stature, flat face, generalized joint laxity with multiple dislocations, and progressive scoliosis and limb deformity. By targeted gene sequencing analysis, we identified a homozygous KIF22 variant (NM_007317.3: c.146G>A, p.Arg49Gln) in 3 patients from 3 unrelated families. The clinical features appeared similar to those of patients carrying heterozygous KIF22 variant (c.443C>T or c.446G>A), although the spinal involvement appeared later and was less severe in patients with a recessive variant. Relatives harboring the c.146G>A variant at the heterozygous state were asymptomatic. The homozygous KIF22 variant c.146G>A affected a conserved residue located in the active site and potentially destabilized ATP binding. RT-PCR and western blot analyses demonstrated that both dominant and recessive KIF22 variants do not affect KIF22 mRNA and protein expression in patient fibroblasts compared to controls. As lepto-SEMDJL presents phenotypic overlap with chondrodysplasias with multiple dislocations (CMD), related to defective proteoglycan biosynthesis, we analyzed proteoglycan synthesis in patient skin fibroblasts. Compared to controls, DMMB assay showed a significant decrease of total sulfated proteoglycan content in culture medium but not in the cell layer, and immunofluorescence demonstrated a strong reduction of staining for chondroitin sulfates but not for heparan sulfates, similarly in patients with recessive or dominant KIF22 variants. These data identify a new recessive KIF22 pathogenic variant and link for the first time KIF22 pathogenic variants to altered proteoglycan biosynthesis and place the lepto-SEMDJL in the CMD spectrum.