Loss of function of the zinc finger homeobox 4 gene, ZFHX4, underlies a neurodevelopmental disorder
- Author
- Maria del Rocio Pérez Baca (UGent) , María Palomares-Bralo, Michiel Vanhooydonck (UGent) , Lisa Hamerlinck (UGent) , Eva D'haene (UGent) , Sebastian Leimbacher (UGent) , Eva Jacobs, Laurenz De Cock, Erika D'haenens (UGent) , Annelies Dheedene (UGent) , Zoë Malfait (UGent) , Lies Vantomme (UGent) , Ananilia Silva, Kathleen Rooney, Xiaonan Zhao, Amir Hossein Saeidian, Nichole Marie Owen, Fernando Santos-Simarro, Roser Lleuger-Pujol, Sixto García-Miñaúr, Itsaso Losantos-García, Björn Menten (UGent) , Gaia Gestri, Nicola Ragge, Abbey Scott, Alejandro Iglesias, Allyn McConkie-Rosell, Amy Kritzer, Ana Boto, Andi M. Lewis, Andreas Tzschach, Annarita Nicosia, Anne O’Donnell-Luria, Angela Peron, Ann-Charlotte Thuresson, Anneke Vulto-van-Silfhout, Antonio Novelli, Astrid S. Plomp, Balram Gangaram, Belén Gil-Fournier, Boris Keren, Casie Genetti, Chiara De Luca, Christian P. Schaaf, Claire Beneteau, Daniela Graziani, Daryl A. Scott, David A. Koolen, David Geneviéve, Dorine Bax, Elizabeth J. Leslie, Elizabeth Mizerik, Elizabeth Roeder, Emily Magness, Esther Nibbeling, Gaetan Lesca, Göran Annerén, Gregory M. Enns, Hilde Van Esch, Himanshu Goel, Inés Quintela, Jan Cobben, Jennifer L. Morrison, Jesus Eiris, Joan Stoler, Josephine Gao, Katharina Steindl, Katrina Dipple, Konstantinos Kolokotronis, Laurie H. Seaver, Lynda Pollack, Mahdi Motazacker, Manuela Gasparri, Margje Sinnema, Maria Cristina Digilio, Marie T. McDonald, Marisol Ibarra Ramírez, Martine Doco-Fenzy, Marzena Kucharczyk, Mathilde Nizon, Megan Boothe, Melanie C. O'Leary, Melissa T. Carter, Meredith Ross, Meredith Wilson, Merel Klaassens, Monia Ginevrino, Monica Hsiung Wojcik, Nathaniel Robin, Nicolas Chatron, Odile Boute, Pankaj Agrawal, Paolo Fontana, Paolo Zanoni, Pascal Joset, Pernille M. Torring, Ping Yee Billie Au, Servi Stevens, Soraya Ramiro León, Stephanie Baskin, Stephanie Parker DiTroia, Sue-Faye Siow, Tanguy Demaret, Vasilica Plaiasu, Virginia Clowes, Xi Luo, Yvonne Hilhorst-Hofstee, Bekim Sadikovic, Elke Bogaert (UGent) , Kris Vleminckx (UGent) , Thomas Naert (UGent) , Delfien Syx (UGent) , Bert Callewaert (UGent) , Sarah Vergult (UGent) and [missing] ZFHX4 consortium
- Organization
- Project
-
- Functional validation of cis-regulatory elements of respectively MEF2C and FOXG1
- A multi-omics approach to address the role of ZFHX3 in neuronal development
- Addressing the missing heritability in rare disorders
- Steunfonds Marguerite-Marie Delacroix: A multi-omics approach to address neuronal development upon ZFHX4 deficiency
- Regulatory landscaping: towards improved genetic diagnosis and therapy for SATB2-associated syndrome
- Steunfonds Marguerite-Marie Delacroix: Regulatory landscaping: towards improved genetic diagnosis and therapy for SATB2-associated syndrome (Lisa Hamerlinck)
- 3D-RET: unlocking 3D genome architecture in human retina using C-technologies
- Elucidating the dark matter of the genome in central nervous system disorders.
- Dissecting the regulatory landscape of MEF2C and FOXG1 in Rett-like manifestations
- Unraveling the role of the KEOPS complex in Galloway-Mowat syndrome
- Study of the molecular background and pathophysiology of monogenic disorders with structural cardiovasuclar anomalies
- Morphological, molecular and functional insights into the cardiovascular complications of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease
- Precision medicine in inherited blindness using integrated omics in human and animal models
- Morphological, molecular and functional insights into the cardiovascular complications of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease
- Abstract
- 8q21.11 microdeletions involving ZFHX4 have previously been associated with a syndromic form of intellectual disability, hypotonia, unstable gait, and hearing loss. We report on 63 individuals—57 probands and 6 affected family members—with protein-truncating variants (n = 41), (micro)deletions (n = 21), or an inversion (n = 1) affecting ZFHX4. Probands display variable developmental delay and intellectual disability, distinctive facial characteristics, morphological abnormalities of the central nervous system, behavioral alterations, short stature, hypotonia, and occasionally cleft palate and anterior segment dysgenesis. The phenotypes associated with 8q21.11 microdeletions and ZFHX4 intragenic loss-of-function (LoF) variants largely overlap, although leukocyte-derived DNA shows a mild common methylation profile for (micro)deletions. ZFHX4 shows increased expression during human brain development and neuronal differentiation. Furthermore, ZFHX4-interacting factors identified via immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry (IP-MS) suggest an important role for ZFHX4 in cellular pathways, especially during histone modifications, protein trafficking, signal transduction, cytosolic transport, and development. Additionally, using CUT&RUN, we observed that ZFHX4 binds the promoter of genes with crucial roles in embryonic, neuronal, and axonal development. Moreover, we investigated whether the disruption of zfhx4 causes craniofacial abnormalities in zebrafish. First-generation (F0) zfhx4 crispant zebrafish, a (mosaic) mutant for zfhx4 LoF variants, have significantly shorter Meckel’s cartilage and smaller ethmoid plates compared to control zebrafish. Behavioral assays showed a decreased movement frequency in the zfhx4 crispant zebrafish in comparison with controls. Furthermore, structural abnormalities were found in the zebrafish hindbrain. In conclusion, our findings delineate a ZFHX4-associated neurodevelopmental disorder and suggest a role for zfhx4 in facial skeleton patterning, palatal development, and behavior.
- Keywords
- ZFHX4, transcription factor, neurodevelopmental disorder, 8q21.11 microdeletion, methylation profile, transcription regulation, neurogenesis, orofacial cleft, craniofacial development, ocular anomalies, DE-NOVO, CRANIOFACIAL DEVELOPMENT, 8Q21.11 MICRODELETION, MASS-SPECTROMETRY, READ ALIGNMENT, GENE, PROTEIN, MUTATIONS, IDENTIFICATION, MECHANISMS
Downloads
-
ZFHX4 manuscript AJHG rebuttal 2025 publication.docx
- full text (Accepted manuscript)
- |
- open access
- |
- Word
- |
- 358.60 KB
-
(...).pdf
- full text (Published version)
- |
- UGent only
- |
- |
- 38.54 MB
Citation
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication: http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-01JVS3RKJS16EEP2M7Y8M2MFVM
- MLA
- Pérez Baca, Maria del Rocio, et al. “Loss of Function of the Zinc Finger Homeobox 4 Gene, ZFHX4, Underlies a Neurodevelopmental Disorder.” AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS, vol. 112, no. 6, 2025, pp. 1388–414, doi:10.1016/j.ajhg.2025.04.008.
- APA
- Pérez Baca, M. del R., Palomares-Bralo, M., Vanhooydonck, M., Hamerlinck, L., D’haene, E., Leimbacher, S., … ZFHX4 consortium, [missing]. (2025). Loss of function of the zinc finger homeobox 4 gene, ZFHX4, underlies a neurodevelopmental disorder. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS, 112(6), 1388–1414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajhg.2025.04.008
- Chicago author-date
- Pérez Baca, Maria del Rocio, María Palomares-Bralo, Michiel Vanhooydonck, Lisa Hamerlinck, Eva D’haene, Sebastian Leimbacher, Eva Jacobs, et al. 2025. “Loss of Function of the Zinc Finger Homeobox 4 Gene, ZFHX4, Underlies a Neurodevelopmental Disorder.” AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS 112 (6): 1388–1414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajhg.2025.04.008.
- Chicago author-date (all authors)
- Pérez Baca, Maria del Rocio, María Palomares-Bralo, Michiel Vanhooydonck, Lisa Hamerlinck, Eva D’haene, Sebastian Leimbacher, Eva Jacobs, Laurenz De Cock, Erika D’haenens, Annelies Dheedene, Zoë Malfait, Lies Vantomme, Ananilia Silva, Kathleen Rooney, Xiaonan Zhao, Amir Hossein Saeidian, Nichole Marie Owen, Fernando Santos-Simarro, Roser Lleuger-Pujol, Sixto García-Miñaúr, Itsaso Losantos-García, Björn Menten, Gaia Gestri, Nicola Ragge, Abbey Scott, Alejandro Iglesias, Allyn McConkie-Rosell, Amy Kritzer, Ana Boto, Andi M. Lewis, Andreas Tzschach, Annarita Nicosia, Anne O’Donnell-Luria, Angela Peron, Ann-Charlotte Thuresson, Anneke Vulto-van-Silfhout, Antonio Novelli, Astrid S. Plomp, Balram Gangaram, Belén Gil-Fournier, Boris Keren, Casie Genetti, Chiara De Luca, Christian P. Schaaf, Claire Beneteau, Daniela Graziani, Daryl A. Scott, David A. Koolen, David Geneviéve, Dorine Bax, Elizabeth J. Leslie, Elizabeth Mizerik, Elizabeth Roeder, Emily Magness, Esther Nibbeling, Gaetan Lesca, Göran Annerén, Gregory M. Enns, Hilde Van Esch, Himanshu Goel, Inés Quintela, Jan Cobben, Jennifer L. Morrison, Jesus Eiris, Joan Stoler, Josephine Gao, Katharina Steindl, Katrina Dipple, Konstantinos Kolokotronis, Laurie H. Seaver, Lynda Pollack, Mahdi Motazacker, Manuela Gasparri, Margje Sinnema, Maria Cristina Digilio, Marie T. McDonald, Marisol Ibarra Ramírez, Martine Doco-Fenzy, Marzena Kucharczyk, Mathilde Nizon, Megan Boothe, Melanie C. O’Leary, Melissa T. Carter, Meredith Ross, Meredith Wilson, Merel Klaassens, Monia Ginevrino, Monica Hsiung Wojcik, Nathaniel Robin, Nicolas Chatron, Odile Boute, Pankaj Agrawal, Paolo Fontana, Paolo Zanoni, Pascal Joset, Pernille M. Torring, Ping Yee Billie Au, Servi Stevens, Soraya Ramiro León, Stephanie Baskin, Stephanie Parker DiTroia, Sue-Faye Siow, Tanguy Demaret, Vasilica Plaiasu, Virginia Clowes, Xi Luo, Yvonne Hilhorst-Hofstee, Bekim Sadikovic, Elke Bogaert, Kris Vleminckx, Thomas Naert, Delfien Syx, Bert Callewaert, Sarah Vergult, and [missing] ZFHX4 consortium. 2025. “Loss of Function of the Zinc Finger Homeobox 4 Gene, ZFHX4, Underlies a Neurodevelopmental Disorder.” AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS 112 (6): 1388–1414. doi:10.1016/j.ajhg.2025.04.008.
- Vancouver
- 1.Pérez Baca M del R, Palomares-Bralo M, Vanhooydonck M, Hamerlinck L, D’haene E, Leimbacher S, et al. Loss of function of the zinc finger homeobox 4 gene, ZFHX4, underlies a neurodevelopmental disorder. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS. 2025;112(6):1388–414.
- IEEE
- [1]M. del R. Pérez Baca et al., “Loss of function of the zinc finger homeobox 4 gene, ZFHX4, underlies a neurodevelopmental disorder,” AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS, vol. 112, no. 6, pp. 1388–1414, 2025.
@article{01JVS3RKJS16EEP2M7Y8M2MFVM,
abstract = {{8q21.11 microdeletions involving ZFHX4 have previously been associated with a syndromic form of intellectual disability, hypotonia, unstable gait, and hearing loss. We report on 63 individuals—57 probands and 6 affected family members—with protein-truncating variants (n = 41), (micro)deletions (n = 21), or an inversion (n = 1) affecting ZFHX4. Probands display variable developmental delay and intellectual disability, distinctive facial characteristics, morphological abnormalities of the central nervous system, behavioral alterations, short stature, hypotonia, and occasionally cleft palate and anterior segment dysgenesis. The phenotypes associated with 8q21.11 microdeletions and ZFHX4 intragenic loss-of-function (LoF) variants largely overlap, although leukocyte-derived DNA shows a mild common methylation profile for (micro)deletions. ZFHX4 shows increased expression during human brain development and neuronal differentiation. Furthermore, ZFHX4-interacting factors identified via immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry (IP-MS) suggest an important role for ZFHX4 in cellular pathways, especially during histone modifications, protein trafficking, signal transduction, cytosolic transport, and development. Additionally, using CUT&RUN, we observed that ZFHX4 binds the promoter of genes with crucial roles in embryonic, neuronal, and axonal development. Moreover, we investigated whether the disruption of zfhx4 causes craniofacial abnormalities in zebrafish. First-generation (F0) zfhx4 crispant zebrafish, a (mosaic) mutant for zfhx4 LoF variants, have significantly shorter Meckel’s cartilage and smaller ethmoid plates compared to control zebrafish. Behavioral assays showed a decreased movement frequency in the zfhx4 crispant zebrafish in comparison with controls. Furthermore, structural abnormalities were found in the zebrafish hindbrain. In conclusion, our findings delineate a ZFHX4-associated neurodevelopmental disorder and suggest a role for zfhx4 in facial skeleton patterning, palatal development, and behavior.}},
author = {{Pérez Baca, Maria del Rocio and Palomares-Bralo, María and Vanhooydonck, Michiel and Hamerlinck, Lisa and D'haene, Eva and Leimbacher, Sebastian and Jacobs, Eva and De Cock, Laurenz and D'haenens, Erika and Dheedene, Annelies and Malfait, Zoë and Vantomme, Lies and Silva, Ananilia and Rooney, Kathleen and Zhao, Xiaonan and Saeidian, Amir Hossein and Owen, Nichole Marie and Santos-Simarro, Fernando and Lleuger-Pujol, Roser and García-Miñaúr, Sixto and Losantos-García, Itsaso and Menten, Björn and Gestri, Gaia and Ragge, Nicola and Scott, Abbey and Iglesias, Alejandro and McConkie-Rosell, Allyn and Kritzer, Amy and Boto, Ana and Lewis, Andi M. and Tzschach, Andreas and Nicosia, Annarita and O’Donnell-Luria, Anne and Peron, Angela and Thuresson, Ann-Charlotte and Vulto-van-Silfhout, Anneke and Novelli, Antonio and Plomp, Astrid S. and Gangaram, Balram and Gil-Fournier, Belén and Keren, Boris and Genetti, Casie and De Luca, Chiara and Schaaf, Christian P. and Beneteau, Claire and Graziani, Daniela and Scott, Daryl A. and Koolen, David A. and Geneviéve, David and Bax, Dorine and Leslie, Elizabeth J. and Mizerik, Elizabeth and Roeder, Elizabeth and Magness, Emily and Nibbeling, Esther and Lesca, Gaetan and Annerén, Göran and Enns, Gregory M. and Van Esch, Hilde and Goel, Himanshu and Quintela, Inés and Cobben, Jan and Morrison, Jennifer L. and Eiris, Jesus and Stoler, Joan and Gao, Josephine and Steindl, Katharina and Dipple, Katrina and Kolokotronis, Konstantinos and Seaver, Laurie H. and Pollack, Lynda and Motazacker, Mahdi and Gasparri, Manuela and Sinnema, Margje and Digilio, Maria Cristina and McDonald, Marie T. and Ramírez, Marisol Ibarra and Doco-Fenzy, Martine and Kucharczyk, Marzena and Nizon, Mathilde and Boothe, Megan and O'Leary, Melanie C. and Carter, Melissa T. and Ross, Meredith and Wilson, Meredith and Klaassens, Merel and Ginevrino, Monia and Wojcik, Monica Hsiung and Robin, Nathaniel and Chatron, Nicolas and Boute, Odile and Agrawal, Pankaj and Fontana, Paolo and Zanoni, Paolo and Joset, Pascal and Torring, Pernille M. and Billie Au, Ping Yee and Stevens, Servi and León, Soraya Ramiro and Baskin, Stephanie and DiTroia, Stephanie Parker and Siow, Sue-Faye and Demaret, Tanguy and Plaiasu, Vasilica and Clowes, Virginia and Luo, Xi and Hilhorst-Hofstee, Yvonne and Sadikovic, Bekim and Bogaert, Elke and Vleminckx, Kris and Naert, Thomas and Syx, Delfien and Callewaert, Bert and Vergult, Sarah and ZFHX4 consortium, [missing]}},
issn = {{0002-9297}},
journal = {{AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HUMAN GENETICS}},
keywords = {{ZFHX4,transcription factor,neurodevelopmental disorder,8q21.11 microdeletion,methylation profile,transcription regulation,neurogenesis,orofacial cleft,craniofacial development,ocular anomalies,DE-NOVO,CRANIOFACIAL DEVELOPMENT,8Q21.11 MICRODELETION,MASS-SPECTROMETRY,READ ALIGNMENT,GENE,PROTEIN,MUTATIONS,IDENTIFICATION,MECHANISMS}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{6}},
pages = {{1388--1414}},
title = {{Loss of function of the zinc finger homeobox 4 gene, ZFHX4, underlies a neurodevelopmental disorder}},
url = {{http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajhg.2025.04.008}},
volume = {{112}},
year = {{2025}},
}
- Altmetric
- View in Altmetric
- Web of Science
- Times cited: