A pathogenic variant of AMOT leads to isolated X-linked congenital hydrocephalus due to N-terminal truncation

Congenital hydrocephalus is a life-threatening condition that might affect brain development by increasing the pressure on the brain parenchyma. Here, we describe 6 male patients from 1 family, all presenting with an isolated X-linked congenital hydrocephalus. Exome sequencing identified a likely pathogenic variant of angiomotin (AMOT) that segregated with the phenotype in the extended family. We show that the variant, affecting the first methionine, translated into a shorter AMOT protein lacking 91 amino acids from the N-terminus. Mechanistically, we unraveled that the absence of the N-terminus leads to abnormally increased AMOT protein levels due to the loss of both the N-degron degradation signal and the tankyrase-binding domain. Altered degradation of AMOT disrupted the barrier integrity of the cells. Thus, the identified AMOT variant likely underlies the clinical presentation of isolated X-linked hydrocephalus in this family, and our data underscore the importance of tight regulation of AMOT protein level in the brain. AMOT now joins the list of genes involved in congenital hydrocephalus in humans. These findings are instrumental for the genetic counseling of affected families.