Reversible synaptic deficits in early-stage batten disease

Juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (JNCL, Batten Disease) is a childhood-onset, neurodegenerative, lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations in the lysosomal gene CLN3. Progressive cognitive decline is characteristic clinical feature, and no definitive treatment is currently available. The neuronal function of CLN3 is unknown, and the pathomechanisms leading to cognitive impairment are poorly understood hindering the development of targeted therapies.

Whole-cell patch clamp and high-density microelectrode array recordings were performed in acute brain slices from Cln3^Δex7/8 mice to assess synaptic properties, intrinsic excitability, and network activity. High-resolution confocal imaging was used to quantify dendritic spine density. To explore pre- and postsynaptic roles of CLN3, adeno-associated viral (AAV) re-expression of CLN3 was combined with optogenetics, allowing assessment of CLN3 function in each compartment selectively.

Loss of CLN3 caused defective synaptic vesicle release and reduced synaptic strength, reflecting impairments in both pre- and postsynaptic function in Cln3^Δex7/8 mice. We also observed reduced network bursting and deficits in intrinsic neuronal excitability, indicating early functional disturbances independent of storage burden and neuronal loss. Further, we report non-redundant requirements for CLN3 at both pre- and postsynaptic sites to sustain function. Importantly, AAV9-mediated gene rescue at early disease stages corrected preexisting synaptic defects and restored function.

Our findings demonstrate a critical requirement for CLN3 in maintaining synaptic function and show that targeted gene therapy can restore established functional deficits in Cln3-deficient mice. This suggests that the therapeutic window may extend to stages already characterized by functional impairments, raising hope that targeted interventions could not only slow disease progress but to also potentially restore neuronal function and thereby improve clinical outcome. Moreover, these early synaptic deficits provide sensitive and robust functional readouts that can support preclinical research.