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Intellectual disability - microarray and sequencing v3.1720 PTPA Konstantinos Varvagiannis gene: PTPA was added
gene: PTPA was added to Intellectual disability. Sources: Literature
Mode of inheritance for gene: PTPA was set to BIALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal
Publications for gene: PTPA were set to 36073231
Phenotypes for gene: PTPA were set to Intellectual disability; Parkinsonism
Penetrance for gene: PTPA were set to Complete
Review for gene: PTPA was set to AMBER
Added comment: Biallelic PTPA pathogenic variants lead to a form of ID with later-onset parkinsonism based on 4 individuals from 2 families in the literature. Affected individuals were homozygous for missense variants demonstrated to result to reduced mRNA and protein levels as well as PP2A complex activation. Drosophila studies support an age-dependent locomotor dysfunction. Variants in other PP2A-complex-related genes also lead to NDDs. Summary provided below.

There is currently no associated phenotype in OMIM, G2P, PanelApp Australia or SysNDD.

Consider inclusion in relevant panels (ID, Parkinsonism/movement disorders, etc) with amber rating pending further reports.

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Fevga, Tesson et al (2022 - PMID: 36073231) describe the features of 4 individuals, from 2 unrelated families, with biallelic pathogenic PTPA variants.

These presented with normal or delayed early milestones, learning disability and ID (mild to moderate) followed by progressive signs of parkinsonism (at the age of 11 yrs in 2 sibs, 15 yrs in another individual). Motor symptoms were responsive to levodopa and later to deep brain stimulation.

Linkage analysis in one consanguineous family followed by exome revealed homozygosity for a missense PTPA variant (NM_178001:c.893T>G/p.Met298Arg). Exome sequencing in affected subjects from the 2nd family revealed homozygosity for a further missense variant (c.512C>A/p.Ala171Asp). There were no other candidate variants for the phenotype following parental / segregation studies.

Role of the gene:
As the authors discuss, PTPA (or PPP2R4) is ubiquitously expressed in all tissues incl. brain and encodes a phosphotyrosyl phosphatase activator of the dimeric form of protein phosphatase-2A (PP2A). PP2A in turn, is the major Ser/Thr phosphatase in brain targeting a large number of proteins involved in diverse functions. Activation of PP2A is dependent on its methylation, which is negatively regulated by the PP2A-specific methylesterase (PME-1). By binding to PME-1, PTPA counteracts the negative influence of the former on PP2A. Pathogenic variants in genes encoding subunits/regulators of the PP2A complex (e.g. PPP2R1A or PPP2CA) are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Variant studies:
Upon overexpression of wt and both variants in a HEK-293 cell line the authors demonstrated that both variants resulted in significantly reduced mRNA and protein levels (which for Ala171Asp were attributed to increased proteasomal degradation). Both variants were shown to result in impaired PP2A complex activation compared to wt.

Drosophila / animal models:
Pan-neuronal RNAi-mediated knockdown of ptpa in Drosophila resulted in an age-dependent locomotor dysfunction, reversible with L-DOPA treatment.
Previous studies in mice suggest cognitive/electrophysiological impairments upon downregulation of PP2A activity in transgenic mice.
Sources: Literature
Intellectual disability - microarray and sequencing v2.978 PPP2CA Catherine Snow Source Expert Review Green was added to PPP2CA.
Source Expert Review was added to PPP2CA.
Added phenotypes Neurodevelopmental disorder and language delay with or without structural brain abnormalities, 618354 for gene: PPP2CA
Publications for gene PPP2CA were changed from 29274472; 30030003 to 29274472; 30030003; 30595372
Rating Changed from No List (delete) to Green List (high evidence)
Intellectual disability - microarray and sequencing v2.588 PPP2CA Konstantinos Varvagiannis gene: PPP2CA was added
gene: PPP2CA was added to Intellectual disability. Sources: Literature
Mode of inheritance for gene: PPP2CA was set to MONOALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal, imprinted status unknown
Publications for gene: PPP2CA were set to 29274472; 30030003
Phenotypes for gene: PPP2CA were set to Feeding difficulties; Muscular hypotonia; Global developmental delay; Intellectual disability; Language impairment; Seizures; Abnormality of nervous system morphology
Penetrance for gene: PPP2CA were set to unknown
Review for gene: PPP2CA was set to GREEN
Added comment: Reynhout et al. (doi.org/10.1016/j.ajhg.2018.12.002 - PMID not available) report on 16 individuals with heterozygous pathogenic PPP2CA variants.

Frequent features included feeding difficulties, hypotonia, developmental delay (16/16) with intellectual disability (probably 15/16 - a single individual developped cognitive dysfunction following a psychotic episode), language impairment, behavioral problems, seizures (10/16), brain abnormalities and variable other features.

The variants reported included 3 nonsense mutations, 1 frameshift, 1 duplication of one amino acid, 9 missense variants (of which one was observed twice and 2 affected Asp223) as well as a partial gene deletion (spanning also CDKL3).

Various mechanisms seemed to explain the effect of the different variants - among others - haploinsufficiency for some or a dominant negative effect for others, etc.

Type 2A protein phosphatases (PP2As) comprise 3 subunits, a catalytic C-type subunit (PPP2CA encodes the Cα subunit), a scaffolding A-type subunit as well as a regulatory B-type subunit important for their function. Impairment of PP2A-B56δ (encoded by PPP2R5D) binding/functionality was suggested for most of the variants. Similar dysfunction has been observed - among others - upon loss of one functional allele of PPP2R1A.

The effect of 2 variants affecting Asp223 (Asp223Val and Asp233His) was unclear as they largely behaved similar to wild-type in various functional assays. The authors argue that contribution of mutations in other genes could not be ruled out for the individuals harboring these variants, as could also be the case for the subject with disruption of (also) CDKL3.

The authors note overlapping phenotype with PPP2R1A and PPP2R5D-related ID (MIM 616362 and 616355 respectively - genes rated green in this panel).

Brain-specific Ppp2ca knockout in mice (PMID: 29274472) resulted in morphological and behavioral abnormalities partly overlapping with features observed in individuals with PPP2CA mutations. However mice heterozygous for null mutations have not been phenotypically examined (PMID: 30030003).
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PPP2CA is not associated with any phenotype in OMIM, nor in G2P.
This gene is not commonly included in gene panels for ID offered by diagnostic laboratories.
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As a result, PPP2CA can be considered for inclusion in this panel as green.
Sources: Literature