An R83W mutation in Rab3A causes autosomal-dominant cerebellar ataxia

Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are a group of progressive neurodegenerative disorders caused by pathogenic variants in more than 40 genes with diverse cellular functions. In this study, we identified the c.247C > T p.(Arg83Trp) variant in RAB3A, encoding a small GTPase involved in membrane-associated regulated exocytosis, in two families with cerebellar ataxia. Affected individuals presented with adult-onset, gradually progressive cerebellar symptoms, often accompanied by mild gait spasticity and tremors. Variable features of neurodevelopmental disorders were also observed. Brain MRI consistently revealed cerebellar atrophy, often accentuated in the vermis, and neuropathological examinations demonstrated diffuse cerebellar cortical degeneration. Functionally, the R83W mutation lies within the conserved switch II region of Rab3A, a domain critical for effector interaction. Although the mutant Rab3A R83W retained GTP-binding affinity, it failed to bind the key effector proteins RIM1 and Rabphilin-3A, highlighting the functional importance of R83 in effector complex formation, as supported by structural analysis. In PC12 cells, the R83W mutant exhibited diffuse cytoplasmic localization, in contrast to the vesicle- and neurite-tip localization of the wild-type and GTP-bound Rab3A mutant. The concordant localization pattern of R83W and GDP-bound Rab3A mutants suggests that R83W-induced mislocalization results from a failure to engage downstream effector proteins. In the cerebellum, Rab3A was predominantly localized to parallel fiber terminals and was absent from postsynaptic Purkinje cells. These findings suggest that disruption of the interaction between Rab3A and its effector proteins may underlie disease pathogenesis, possibly involving presynaptic dysfunction at parallel fiber-Purkinje cell synapses mediated by the Rab3A-RIM1 complex.