Biallelic LGI1 and ADAM23 variants cause hippocampal epileptic encephalopathy via the LGI1–ADAM22/23 pathway

Abstract

Monoallelic pathogenic variants in LGI1 cause autosomal dominant epilepsy with auditory features with onset in childhood/adolescence. LGI1 is a secreted neuronal protein, functions as a ligand for ADAM22/23, and regulates excitatory synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability in the brain. While biallelic ADAM22 variants cause developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE), the whole picture of LGI1–ADAM22/23 pathway-related diseases remains incompletely understood. Through international genetic data sharing, we identified the first ultra-rare biallelic LGI1 variants in six individuals from four consanguineous families. Affected individuals presented DEE with neonatal/infantile-onset epilepsy (6/6), global developmental delay/intellectual disability (6/6), and infant/premature death (5/6). Brain MRI showed mild cerebral atrophy in a subset of patients (3/6). Functional analyses revealed that all LGI1 variants result in reduced secretion and ADAM22-binding. Residual LGI1 function levels correlated with clinical severity, ranging from infantile lethality to intermediate phenotypes. Further, we observed epileptic discharges from the isolated whole hippocampus of Lgi1–/– knockout mice, experimentally modelling the hippocampal origin of LGI1-related epilepsy. Automated behavioural analysis of a mouse model for ADAM22-related DEE revealed its impaired cognitive function. Furthermore, we report the first ADAM23 variant associated with lethal neonatal-onset epilepsy and myopathy. Collectively, this study defines the LGI1–ADAM22/23 pathway-related disease spectrum.