Novel Compound Heterozygote Mutation in IL10RA in a Patient With Very Early-Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Very early-onset inflammatory bowel disease (VEO-IBD) is often associated with monogenetic disorders. IL-10RA deficiency is one of the major causal mutations in VEO-IBD. Here, we aimed to identify the causal mutation associated with severe IBD in a 1-year-old patient, validate the pathogenicity of the mutation, and characterize the mutant protein.

To identify the causal mutation, targeted exome sequencing (ES) was performed using the genomic DNA from the patient. To validate the pathogenicity, IL-10RA functional tests were performed using the patient's peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Additionally, flow cytometry analysis, confocal microscopy on overexpressed green fluorescent protein-fused mutants, and computational analysis on the structures of IL-10RA proteins were performed.

We identified a novel compound heterozygote mutation p.[Tyr91Cys];[Pro146Alafs*40] in the IL10RA gene of the patient. The missense variant p.Tyr91Cys was previously identified but not functionally tested, and a frameshift variant, p.Pro146Alafs*40, is novel and nonfunctional. PBMCs from the patient showed defective signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 activation. The p.Tyr91Cys mutant protein failed to properly localize on the plasma membrane. The p.Tyr91Cys mutation seems to disrupt the hydrophobic core structure surrounding the tyrosine 91 residue, causing structural instability.

Targeted ES and linkage analysis identified novel compound heterozygous mutations p.[Tyr91Cys];[Pro146Alafs*40] in the IL10RA gene of a child with severe VEO-IBD. p.Tyr91Cys proteins were functionally defective in IL-10RA signaling and failed to properly localize on the plasma membrane, probably due to its structural instability.