Recessive variants in the intergenic NOS1AP-C1orf226 locus cause monogenic kidney disease responsive to anti-proteinuric treatment.

Nature communications
Authors
Abstract

In genetic disease, an accurate expression landscape of disease genes and faithful animal models can facilitate genetic diagnoses and therapeutic advances respectively. Previously, we found that variants in NOS1AP, the gene that encodes nitric oxide synthase 1 adaptor protein, cause monogenic nephrotic syndrome. Here, we determine that an intergenic splice product of NOS1AP/Nos1ap and neighboring C1orf226/Gm7694, which prevents NOS1AP from binding to nitric oxide synthase 1, is the predominant isoform in mammalian kidney transcriptional and proteomic data. Gm7694 mice, whose allele exclusively disrupts the intergenic product, develop nephrotic syndrome phenotypes. In two male human subjects with nephrotic syndrome, we identify causative NOS1AP splice variants, including one predicted to abrogate intergenic splicing but initially misclassified as benign based on the canonical transcript. Finally, by modifying genetic background, we generate a faithful mouse model of NOS1AP-associated monogenic nephrotic syndrome that responds to anti-proteinuric treatment.

Year of Publication
2025
Journal
Nature communications
Volume
16
Issue
1
Pages
10654
Date Published
11/2025
ISSN
2041-1723
DOI
10.1038/s41467-025-65663-6
PubMed ID
41309577
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