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Mutations of Jak-3 gene in patients with autosomal severe combined immune deficiency (SCID)

Abstract

SEVERE combined immune deficiency (SCID) represents a hetero-genous group of hereditary diseases. Mutations in the common γ-chain (γc), which is part of several cytokine receptors including those for interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9 and FL-15, are responsible for X-linked SCID1,2, which is usually associated with a lack of circulating T cells and the presence of B lymphocytes (T- B+ SCID). The gene(s) responsible for autosomal recessive T- B+ SCID is still unknown. The Jak-3 protein kinase3,4 has been found to associate with the γc-chain-containing cytokine receptors4–9. Therefore Jak-3 or other STAT proteins with which it interacts10,11 are candidate genes for autosomal recessive T- B+SCID7. Here we investigate two unrelated T- B+SCID patients (both from consanguineous parents) who have homozygous mutations in the gene for Jak-3. One patient carries a mutation (TyrlOO→Cys) in a conserved tyrosine residue in the JH7 domain of Jak-3 which is absent in more than 150 investigated chromosomes. The other patient carries a homozygous 151-base-pair deletion in the kinase-like domain, leading to a frameshift and premature termination. Both mutations resulted in markedly reduced levels of Jak-3. These findings show that abnormalities in the Jak/STAT signalling pathway can account for SCID in humans.

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Macchi, P., Villa, A., Giliani, S. et al. Mutations of Jak-3 gene in patients with autosomal severe combined immune deficiency (SCID). Nature 377, 65–68 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1038/377065a0

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