A Novel Loss-of-Function MKRN3 Variant in a Chinese Patient With Familial Precocious Puberty: A Case Report and Functional Study

Background: Central precocious puberty (CPP) is one of the most common and complex problems in clinical pediatric endocrinology practice. Mutation of the MKRN3 gene can cause familial CPP. Methods and Results: Here we reported a Chinese patient bearing a novel MKRN3 mutation (c.G277A/p.Gly93Ser) and showing the CPP phenotype. Functional studies found that this mutation of MKRN3 attenuated its autoubiquitination, degradation, and inhibition on the transcriptional activity of GNRH1, KISS1, and TAC3 promoters. Conclusion: MKRN3 (Gly93Ser) is a loss-of-function mutation, which attenuates the inhibition on GnRH1-related signaling, suggesting that this mutant can lead to central precocious puberty.