Functional studies of human variants in C. elegans link iron metabolism to DPD deficiency and 5-FU sensitivity

Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD), encoded by DPYD, is a key enzyme in pyrimidine catabolism, and its deficiency leads to severe toxicity in patients treated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). While pathogenic DPYD variants account for many cases of DPD deficiency, they do not fully explain all instances of 5-FU sensitivity, suggesting additional genetic factors are involved. Recent studies have implicated variants in CIAO1, a gene encoding a subunit of the cytosolic iron-sulfur (Fe-S) cluster assembly targeting complex, in reducing DPD stability and function. In this study, we established a C. elegans model to assess DPD deficiency and 5-FU sensitivity. Using a dpyd-1 knockout and CRISPR-generated ciao-1 variants that mirror patient-derived variants (p.Trp184Cys, p.His193Tyr, and p.Arg65Trp), we provide the first in vivo evidence that pathogenic variants in CIA complex components can lead to DPD deficiency and, consequently, heightened 5-FU toxicity. Our findings highlight the critical role of CIAO1 in DPD function and 5-FU tolerance, expanding the genetic landscape of DPD deficiency and offering a robust platform for functional evaluation of pathogenic variants.