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Hypomorphic variants in AK2 reveal the contribution of mitochondrial function to B-cell activation

  • Janet Chou
  • , Anas M. Alazami
  • , Faris Jaber
  • , Rodrigo Hoyos-Bachiloglu
  • , Jennifer Jones
  • , Sabrina Weeks
  • , Mohammed F. Alosaimi
  • , Wayne Bainter
  • , Brittney Cangemi
  • , Yousef R. Badran
  • , Reem Mohammed
  • , Fayhan Alroqi
  • , Abduarahman Almutairi
  • , Noufa Al-Onazi
  • , Sulaiman AlAjaji
  • , Bander Al-Saud
  • , Rand Arnaout
  • , Megan Elkins
  • , Sridevi Devana
  • , Juliet Imperial
  • Betty Li, Linnea Drexhage, Anas M. Abdel Rahman, Minnie Jacob, Hadi Haddad, Rima Hanna-Wakim, Ghassan Dbaibo, Michel J. Massaad, Majed Dasouki, Raymond Mikhael, Zeina Baz, Raif S. Geha, Hamoud Al-Mousa

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: The gene AK2 encodes the phosphotransferase adenylate kinase 2 (AK2). Human variants in AK2 cause reticular dysgenesis, a severe combined immunodeficiency with agranulocytosis, lymphopenia, and sensorineural deafness that requires hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for survival. Objective: We investigated the mechanisms underlying recurrent sinopulmonary infections and hypogammaglobulinemia in 15 patients, ranging from 3 to 34 years of age, from 9 kindreds. Only 2 patients, both of whom had mildly impaired T-cell proliferation, each had a single clinically significant opportunistic infection. Methods: Patient cells were studied with next-generation DNA sequencing, tandem mass spectrometry, and assays of lymphocyte and mitochondrial function. Results: We identified 2 different homozygous variants in AK2. AK2G100S and AK2A182D permit residual protein expression, enzymatic activity, and normal numbers of neutrophils and lymphocytes. All but 1 patient had intact hearing. The patients’ B cells had severely impaired proliferation and in vitro immunoglobulin secretion. With activation, the patients’ B cells exhibited defective mitochondrial respiration and impaired regulation of mitochondrial membrane potential and quality. Although activated T cells from the patients with opportunistic infections demonstrated impaired mitochondrial function, the mitochondrial quality in T cells was preserved. Consistent with the capacity of activated T cells to utilize nonmitochondrial metabolism, these findings revealed a less strict cellular dependence of T-cell function on AK2 activity. Chemical inhibition of ATP synthesis in control T and B cells similarly demonstrated the greater dependency of B cells on mitochondrial function. Conclusions: Our patients demonstrate the in vivo sequelae of the cell-specific requirements for the functions of AK2 and mitochondria, particularly in B-cell activation and antibody production.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)192-202
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
Volume146
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2020
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • AK2
  • B cells
  • adenylate kinase 2
  • common variable immunodeficiency
  • hypogammaglobulinemia
  • mitochondria
  • oxidative phosphorylation
  • primary immunodeficiencies

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