Homozygous deletion of Tenascin-R in a patient with intellectual disability

BACKGROUND: TNR encodes Tenascin-R, an extracellular matrix glycoprotein that is primarily expressed in the central nervous system. Loss of TNR impairs cognition, synaptic plasticity and motor abilities in mice, however its role in human neurodevelopment and cognition is less clear. METHODS AND RESULTS: The authors present the case of a child with intellectual disability and transient choreoathetosis. Array genomic hybridisation revealed a homozygous deletion involving only two genes, including TNR. Sequencing TNR in a cohort of 219 patients with intellectual disability did not identify any potential pathogenic mutations. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of a complete loss of TNR associated with intellectual disability. This study provides evidence of the important role of TNR in brain development and cognition in humans.