Cited by 88Down syndrome and intellectual disability researchinterferon and immune responsesImmunodeficiency and Autoimmune Disorders

Multidimensional definition of the interferonopathy of Down syndrome and its response to JAK inhibition

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Galbraith, Matthew D., Rachubinski, Angela L., Smith, Keith P., Araya, Paula, Waugh, Katherine A., Enriquez-Estrada, Belinda, Worek, Kayleigh, Granrath, Ross E. +6 more·2023·Science Advances

Abstract

Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) display chronic hyperactivation of interferon signaling. However, the clinical impacts of interferon hyperactivity in DS are ill-defined. Here, we describe a multiomics investigation of interferon signaling in hundreds of individuals with DS. Using interferon scores derived from the whole blood transcriptome, we defined the proteomic, immune, metabolic, and clinical features associated with interferon hyperactivity in DS. Interferon hyperactivity associates with a distinct proinflammatory phenotype and dysregulation of major growth signaling and morphogenic pathways. Individuals with the highest interferon activity display the strongest remodeling of the peripheral immune system, including increased cytotoxic T cells, B cell depletion, and monocyte activation. Interferon hyperactivity accompanies key metabolic changes, most prominently dysregulated tryptophan catabolism. High interferon signaling stratifies a subpopulation with elevated rates of congenital heart disease and autoimmunity. Last, a longitudinal case study demonstrated that JAK inhibition normalizes interferon signatures with therapeutic benefit in DS. Together, these results justify the testing of immune-modulatory therapies in DS.

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  • Dysregulated interferon signaling is observed across multiple Ts21 organ systems.

    “Given the dysregulated interferon signaling observed across multiple Ts21 organ systems (62, 63), we characterized the expression of interferon receptors, along with downstream interferon response genes.”

    From Molecular and cellular processes disrupted in the early postnatal Down syndrome prefrontal cortex (2026) · cites this paper as [63]

    The Results section, “JAK inhibition attenuates hyperactive IFN signaling across multiple organs” (page unavailable), reports elevated IFN-response signatures in heart, lung, liver, and brain tissues. Those organ-level findings come from Dp16 mice, a segmental-duplication model of Down syndrome, rather than direct observations across multiple human Ts21 organs; the human analyses used blood samples. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • Both individuals with DS and mouse models of DS experience constitutive hyperactivation of interferon (IFN) signaling with signs of chronic inflammation and immune dysregulation, which could exacerbate the neuroinflammatory response.

    “Notably, both individuals with DS and mouse models of DS experience constitutive hyperactivation of interferon (IFN) signaling with signs of chronic inflammation and immune dysregulation,30,31,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40 that could exacerbate the neuroinflammatory response.”
  • Accumulating evidence supports the classification of DS as a multisystem interferonopathy.

    “Accumulating evidence supports the classification of DS as a multisystem interferonopathy (62, 63, 75).”

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1 of the 79 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

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  1. [60]Y. Oppenheim, Y. Ban, Y. Tomer, Interferon induced autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD): A model for human autoimmunity. Autoimmun. Rev. 3, 388– 393 (2004). 15288006

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Authors
Galbraith, M. D., Rachubinski, A. L., Smith, K. P., Araya, P., Waugh, K. A., Enriquez-Estrada, B., Worek, K., Granrath, R. E., Kinning, K. T., Paul Eduthan, N., Ludwig, M. P., Hsieh, E. W. Y., Sullivan, K. D., & Espinosa, J. M.
Affiliations
  • University of Colorado Anschutz (US)
  • Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
Corresponding author
  • Galbraith, Matthew D.
  • Rachubinski, Angela L.
  • Smith, Keith P.
  • Espinosa, Joaquin M.
Venue
Science Advances
Published
2023-06-30
Volume
9
Issue
26
Pages
eadg6218-eadg6218
ISSN
2375-2548 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4382361750
Cited by
88
References
79
Citations by year
2026: 33 · 2025: 29 · 2024: 26
FWCI
22.78
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Science Advances (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Eli Lilly and Company
  • Boettcher Foundation
  • Gilead Sciences
  • Global Down Syndrome Foundation
  • National Institutes of Health (UL1TR002535, P 30CA046934)
  • National Cancer Institute (P30CA046934, T32CA190216)
  • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (R01AI145988, R01AI150305)
  • National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences
  • University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus (P30CA046934)
  • Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus
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 › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immunodeficiency and Autoimmune Disorders
Keywords
Down syndrome, interferon signaling, interferonopathies, JAK inhibition, interferon score, whole blood transcriptome, tryptophan catabolism, congenital heart disease, autoimmunity, pro-inflammatory phenotype, immunomodulatory therapy, cytotoxic T lymphocytes, B-cell depletion, monocyte activation
MeSH terms
Down Syndrome, Humans, Interferons, Signal Transduction, Autoimmunity, Proteomics

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