Recently, genetic links have been reported between mutations in the KIRREL3 gene and increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability.
Copy number variants and point mutations of <i>NEPH2</i> (also called <i>KIRREL3</i>) gene encoding an immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily adhesion molecule have been linked to autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disability and neurocognitive delay associated with Jacobsen syndrome, but the physiological roles of Neph2 in the mammalian brain remain largely unknown.
In this review, we selected NRXNs/NLGNs, CNTNAP2/CNTNAP4, CNTN4, ITGB3, and KIRREL3 as strong ASD risk genes based on SFARI score and summarize the protein structures, functions at synapses, representative discoveries in human genetic studies, and phenotypes of the mutant model mice in light of the pathophysiology of ASDs.
This deletion includes the KIRREL3 gene, and given our patient's history of neurocognitive delay and autism spectrum disorder, it raises the possibility that this gene is a candidate for the social and expressive language delay observed in our patient.