Cited by 117Down syndrome and intellectual disability researchinterferon and immune responsesWilliams Syndrome Research

Triplication of the interferon receptor locus contributes to hallmarks of Down syndrome in a mouse model

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Waugh, Katherine A., Minter, Ross, Baxter, Jessica, Chi, Congwu, Galbraith, Matthew D., Tuttle, Kathryn D., Eduthan, Neetha P., Kinning, Kohl T. +24 more·2023·Nature Genetics

Abstract

Down syndrome (DS), the genetic condition caused by trisomy 21, is characterized by variable cognitive impairment, immune dysregulation, dysmorphogenesis and increased prevalence of diverse co-occurring conditions. The mechanisms by which trisomy 21 causes these effects remain largely unknown. We demonstrate that triplication of the interferon receptor (IFNR) gene cluster on chromosome 21 is necessary for multiple phenotypes in a mouse model of DS. Whole-blood transcriptome analysis demonstrated that IFNR overexpression associates with chronic interferon hyperactivity and inflammation in people with DS. To define the contribution of this locus to DS phenotypes, we used genome editing to correct its copy number in a mouse model of DS, which normalized antiviral responses, prevented heart malformations, ameliorated developmental delays, improved cognition and attenuated craniofacial anomalies. Triplication of the Ifnr locus modulates hallmarks of DS in mice, suggesting that trisomy 21 elicits an interferonopathy potentially amenable to therapeutic intervention.

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Crossref · 10.1038/s41588-023-01399-7

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  • The partial rescue of 5xFAD behavioral phenotypes in 5xFAD-Dp16 mice could be explained in part by Dp16 mice having impairment in motor coordination and associative learning and memory, ameliorating the cognitive profile observed in AD mice.

    “this could be explained in part by the fact that Dp16 mice present an impairment in motor coordination, and associative learning and memory ameliorating the cognitive profile observed in AD mice.”

    From Interferon signaling modulates Down syndrome-associated Alzheimer’s disease pathology in a mouse model (2025) · cites this paper as [38]

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  • The raised levels of APOE are consistent with a growing body of data indicating that the neuroimmune system differs in people with DS.

    “The raised levels of APOE are consistent with a growing body of data indicating that the neuroimmune system differs in people with DS [15, 34, 46, 51, 53, 66, 67].”

    From Apolipoprotein E abundance is elevated in the brains of individuals with Down syndrome–Alzheimer’s disease (2025) · cites this paper as [66]

    The Results section (‘Inflammatory markers correlate with IFNR expression’; page unavailable) reports altered inflammatory and interferon signatures in blood from people with Down syndrome. The Discussion also describes microglial activation and cognitive effects in a Down syndrome mouse model, but these passages do not establish a neuroimmune difference in people with Down syndrome specifically. The raised APOE levels are the citing authors’ observation, not a finding attributed to this source. (LLM, conf=0.81)

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  • Dp16 mice exhibit impaired motor coordination at 3 and 5 months of age relative to WT littermates, with a trend toward poorer performance at 7 and 9 months of age.

    “We next tested motor coordination using the accelerating rotarod test DS-AD mice (Data S4), and consistent with previous reports,38,40 we found that Dp16 mice exhibit impaired motor coordination at 3 and 5 months of age relative to WT littermates, with a trend toward poorer performance at 7 and 9 months of age (Figure 2A).”
  • Dp16 mice exhibit hyperactive IFN signaling and recapitulate many phenotypes of DS including developmental delays, cranial malformations, and cognitive deficits.

    “Notably, Dp16 mice exhibit hyperactive IFN signaling and recapitulate many phenotypes of DS including developmental delays, cranial malformations, and cognitive deficits.38,40,42,43,44,45”
  • Dp16 mice showed less freezing behavior compared to WT mice after the second shock on day 1 in contextual fear conditioning.

    “As previously reported,38,40 Dp16 mice showed less freezing behavior compared to WT mice after the second shock on day 1 (Figure 2B).”

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  1. [25]Buccafusco J. J. (ed.). Methods of Behavior Analysis in Neuroscience Frontiers in Neuroscience (CR Press, 2009). 21204335
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Authors
Waugh, K. A., Minter, R., Baxter, J., Chi, C., Galbraith, M. D., Tuttle, K. D., Eduthan, N. P., Kinning, K. T., Andrysik, Z., Araya, P., Dougherty, H., Dunn, L. N., Ludwig, M., Schade, K. A., Tracy, D., Smith, K. P., Granrath, R. E., Busquet, N., Khanal, S., Anderson, R. D., Cox, L. L., Estrada, B. E., Rachubinski, A. L., Lyford, H. R., Britton, E. C., Fantauzzo, K. A., Orlicky, D. J., Matsuda, J. L., Song, K., Cox, T. C., Sullivan, K. D., & Espinosa, J. M.
Affiliations
  • University of Colorado Anschutz (US)
  • University of Missouri–Kansas City (US)
  • National Jewish Health (US)
Corresponding author
  • Sullivan, Kelly D.
  • Espinosa, Joaquin M.
Venue
Nature Genetics
Published
2023-06
Volume
55
Issue
6
Pages
1034-1047
ISSN
  • 1061-4036 (ISSN-L)
  • 1546-1718
OpenAlex
W4379471068
Cited by
117
References
113
Citations by year
2026: 40 · 2025: 38 · 2024: 32 · 2023: 7
FWCI
30.46
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Genetics (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (R01AI150305, R01AI145988)
  • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Cancer Institute (P30CA046934, T32CA190216)
  • Global Down Syndrome Foundation (N/A)
  • Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Initiative, GI & Liver Innate Immune Program
  • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (2T32AR007411)
  • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R01HL133230)
  • University of Colorado Department of Medicine Outstanding Early Career Scholar Program; The Gates Frontiers Fund.
  • Stowers Family Endowed Chair in Dental and Mineralized Tissue Research
  • Boettcher Foundation (N/A)
  • U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (K02DE028572, R01DE030864)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Down syndrome and intellectual disability research
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › interferon and immune responses
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Developmental Neuroscience › Williams Syndrome Research
Keywords
Down syndrome, interferon receptor, triplication, interferonopathies, inflammation, antiviral response, cardiac anomalies, developmental delay, cognitive impairment, craniofacial anomalies, mouse model
MeSH terms
Animals, Disease Models, Animal, Down Syndrome, Heart Defects, Congenital, Interferons, Phenotype, Receptors, Interferon, Mice

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