Early neurological symptoms and epilepsy outcomes in individuals with the recurrent GABRG2 p.(Ala106Thr) gain-of-function variant: Structural and phenotypic insights

OBJECTIVE: Variants in GABRG2, encoding the γ2 subunit of the γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor, are linked to epilepsy phenotypes of varying severity, with gain-of-function (GoF) variants associated with the more severe phenotypes than loss-of-function variants. Here, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the early clinical features, motor, language, and eating abilities, and structural consequences of the recurrent GABRG2 p.(Ala106Thr) GoF variant, aiming to refine genotype-phenotype correlations and deepen the understanding of GoF-associated GABRG2 disorders.

METHODS: Individuals were recruited through international collaborations, literature review, and patient advocacy groups. Clinical data were collected via standardized interviews and physician reports. Functional effects were assessed using electrophysiological recordings. Structural modeling was performed using homology-based approaches to evaluate conformational changes.

RESULTS: We collected 23 unrelated individuals harboring the GABRG2 p.(Ala106Thr) variant. Symptoms began with early dysphagia (median onset age = 1 month), hypotonia, seizures (median onset age = 2 months), and hyperkinetic movement disorders (median onset age = 3 months). Epilepsy was present in 91% of the individuals, 71% featuring a developmental and epileptic encephalopathy; 33% of the individuals with epilepsy achieved seizure freedom during the follow-up. All individuals exhibited moderate to severe cognitive/neurodevelopmental impairment, with profound deficits in motor, language, and other domains. Functional analysis confirmed a GoF effect of the p.(Ala106Thr) variant. By contrast, another variant affecting the same residue, p.(Ala106Pro), which is observed in population databases, was functionally characterized as neutral. Structural modeling indicated that the p.(Ala106Thr) variant may enhance receptor gating by facilitating a hydrogen bond between the extracellular and transmembrane domains, a mechanism not observed with the p.(Ala106Pro) variant.

SIGNIFICANCE: Although some individuals exhibited severe developmental impairment without epilepsy, our findings demonstrate that the recurrent GABRG2 p.(Ala106Thr) GoF variant is consistently associated with a severe neurodevelopmental phenotype. Despite its profound clinical impact, in silico tools consistently predict this variant as benign, highlighting a critical gap in current predictive models.