Systemic lupus erythematosus overlapping dermatomyositis owing to a heterozygous TREX1 Asp130Asn missense mutation

The 3 ' repair exonuclease 1 (TREX1) gene encodes a nuclear protein with 3 ' exonuclease activity, and the mutations have been associated with autoimmune diseases. Herein, we performed genetic analysis for the TREX1 gene in 55 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We identified one SLE patient with overlapping dermatomyositis having a heterozygous p.Asp130Asn mutation in the TREX1 gene. The patient had a high level of serum interferon (IFN)-alpha compared with that in healthy controls and other patients with SLE. In addition, the patient expressed elevated IFN signature genes compared with healthy controls. Our molecular dynamics simulation of the TREX1 protein in a complex with double-stranded DNA revealed that the D130N mutant causes significant changes in the active site's interaction network. One of our cases exhibited a heterozygous TREX1 p. Asp130Asn mutation that contributed to the type I IFN pathway, which may lead to the development of a severe SLE phenotype.

Automated summary

In this study, a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus carrying a heterozygous p.Asp130Asn mutation in the TREX1 gene was identified, leading to elevated serum interferon levels and abnormal expression of IFN signature genes. Molecular dynamics simulation showed that this mutation caused significant changes in the active site of the TREX1 protein.