Go to JCI Insight
  • About
  • Editors
  • Consulting Editors
  • For authors
  • Publication ethics
  • Publication alerts by email
  • Advertising
  • Job board
  • Contact
  • Clinical Research and Public Health
  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • By specialty
    • COVID-19
    • Cardiology
    • Gastroenterology
    • Immunology
    • Metabolism
    • Nephrology
    • Neuroscience
    • Oncology
    • Pulmonology
    • Vascular biology
    • All ...
  • Videos
    • Conversations with Giants in Medicine
    • Video Abstracts
  • Reviews
    • View all reviews ...
    • Complement Biology and Therapeutics (May 2025)
    • Evolving insights into MASLD and MASH pathogenesis and treatment (Apr 2025)
    • Microbiome in Health and Disease (Feb 2025)
    • Substance Use Disorders (Oct 2024)
    • Clonal Hematopoiesis (Oct 2024)
    • Sex Differences in Medicine (Sep 2024)
    • Vascular Malformations (Apr 2024)
    • View all review series ...
  • Viewpoint
  • Collections
    • In-Press Preview
    • Clinical Research and Public Health
    • Research Letters
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Editorials
    • Commentaries
    • Editor's notes
    • Reviews
    • Viewpoints
    • 100th anniversary
    • Top read articles

  • Current issue
  • Past issues
  • Specialties
  • Reviews
  • Review series
  • Conversations with Giants in Medicine
  • Video Abstracts
  • In-Press Preview
  • Clinical Research and Public Health
  • Research Letters
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Editorials
  • Commentaries
  • Editor's notes
  • Reviews
  • Viewpoints
  • 100th anniversary
  • Top read articles
  • About
  • Editors
  • Consulting Editors
  • For authors
  • Publication ethics
  • Publication alerts by email
  • Advertising
  • Job board
  • Contact
The genetic and neurobiologic compass points toward common signaling dysfunctions in autism spectrum disorders
Pat Levitt, Daniel B. Campbell
Pat Levitt, Daniel B. Campbell
Published April 1, 2009
Citation Information: J Clin Invest. 2009;119(4):747-754. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI37934.
View: Text | PDF
Review Series

The genetic and neurobiologic compass points toward common signaling dysfunctions in autism spectrum disorders

  • Text
  • PDF
Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder with high heritability. Here, we discuss data supporting the view that there are at least two distinct genetic etiologies for ASD: rare, private (de novo) single gene mutations that may have a large effect in causing ASD; and inherited, common functional variants of a combination of genes, each having a small to moderate effect in increasing ASD risk. It also is possible that a combination of the two mechanisms may occur in some individuals with ASD. We further discuss evidence from individuals with a number of different neurodevelopmental syndromes, in which there is a high prevalence of ASD, that some private mutations and common variants converge on dysfunctional ERK and PI3K signaling, which negatively impacts neurodevelopmental events regulated by some receptor tyrosine kinases.

Authors

Pat Levitt, Daniel B. Campbell

×

Figure 2

The MET RTK signaling pathway and genes implicated in ASD risk.

Options: View larger image (or click on image) Download as PowerPoint
The MET RTK signaling pathway and genes implicated in ASD risk.
Intracel...
Intracellular signaling of MET and other RTKs occurs via the PI3K or ERK1/2 pathways. Rare mutations and CNVs (which are both designated by ‡) or associated common alleles (which are designated by *) have been identified in individuals with ASD in seven genes encoding proteins involved in these signaling pathways. Of note, an association between common MET variants and ASD has been reported for five independent family cohorts. PLAUR and SERPINE1 associations with ASD have been determined in single, large family cohorts (>600 families). Ras disruption in Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome is due to alterations in cholesterol biosynthesis (which is designated by †). Also depicted are other proteins that interact with the MET signaling pathway, such as semaphorins, plexins, and other RTKs. MET can signal via the PI3K and the ERK pathway. RTKs, including MET, are involved in key neurodevelopmental processes, including axon guidance, synapse formation, and plasticity. Convergence of many different genetic etiologies suggests that risk via ERK/PI3K signaling may be common in ASD. Risk, severity of the pathophysiology (i.e., intellectual disability), and disorder heterogeneity may relate to differences in genetic and epigenetic points of entry to the pathways. Thus, the impact due to genetic risk, via regulators of ligand availability or RTKs such as MET, may be less severe than the more severe clinical impact (i.e., intellectual disability) from disruption downstream along the intracellular signaling pathways. c-cbl, E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase c-Cbl; rheb, Ras homolog enriched in brain; RSK, ribosomal S6 kinase; uPA, urokinase plasminogen activator.

Copyright © 2025 American Society for Clinical Investigation
ISSN: 0021-9738 (print), 1558-8238 (online)

Sign up for email alerts