[HTML][HTML] Human RHOH deficiency causes T cell defects and susceptibility to EV-HPV infections

A Crequer, A Troeger, E Patin, CS Ma… - The Journal of …, 2012 - Am Soc Clin Investig
A Crequer, A Troeger, E Patin, CS Ma, C Picard, V Pedergnana, C Fieschi, A Lim…
The Journal of clinical investigation, 2012Am Soc Clin Investig
Epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by increased
susceptibility to specific human papillomaviruses, the betapapillomaviruses. These EV-
HPVs cause warts and increase the risk of skin carcinomas in otherwise healthy individuals.
Inactivating mutations in epidermodysplasia verruciformis 1 (EVER1) or EVER2 have been
identified in most, but not all, patients with autosomal recessive EV. We found that 2 young
adult siblings presenting with T cell deficiency and various infectious diseases, including …
Epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by increased susceptibility to specific human papillomaviruses, the betapapillomaviruses. These EV-HPVs cause warts and increase the risk of skin carcinomas in otherwise healthy individuals. Inactivating mutations in epidermodysplasia verruciformis 1 (EVER1) or EVER2 have been identified in most, but not all, patients with autosomal recessive EV. We found that 2 young adult siblings presenting with T cell deficiency and various infectious diseases, including persistent EV-HPV infections, were homozygous for a mutation creating a stop codon in the ras homolog gene family member H (RHOH) gene. RHOH encodes an atypical Rho GTPase expressed predominantly in hematopoietic cells. Patients’ circulating T cells contained predominantly effector memory T cells, which displayed impaired TCR signaling. Additionally, very few circulating T cells expressed the β7 integrin subunit, which homes T cells to specific tissues. Similarly, Rhoh-null mice exhibited a severe overall T cell defect and abnormally small numbers of circulating β7-positive cells. Expression of the WT, but not of the mutated RHOH, allele in Rhoh–/– hematopoietic stem cells corrected the T cell lymphopenia in mice after bone marrow transplantation. We conclude that RHOH deficiency leads to T cell defects and persistent EV-HPV infections, suggesting that T cells play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic EV-HPV infections.
The Journal of Clinical Investigation