Combined omic analyses reveal autism-linked NLGN3 gene as a key developmental regulator of GnRH neuron biology and disease.

Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) deficiency is a disorder characterized by absent or delayed puberty, with largely unknown genetic causes. The purpose of this study was to obtain and exploit gene expression profiles of GnRH neurons during development to unveil novel biological mechanisms and genetic determinants underlying GnRH deficiency (GD). Here, we combined bioinformatic analyses of immortalized and primary embryonic GnRH neuron transcriptomes with exome sequencing from GD patients to identify candidate genes implicated in the pathogenesis of GD. Among differentially expressed and filtered transcripts, we found loss-of-function (LoF) variants of the autism-linked Neuroligin 3 (NLGN3) gene in two unrelated patients co-presenting with GD and neurodevelopmental traits. We demonstrated that NLGN3 is upregulated in maturing GnRH neurons and that NLGN3 wild type, but not mutant protein, promotes neuritogenesis when overexpressed in developing GnRH cells. Our data represent proof-of-principle that this complementary approach can identify novel candidate GD genes and demonstrate that LoF NLGN3 variants may contribute to GD. This novel genotype-phenotype correlation implies common genetic mechanisms underlying neurodevelopmental disorders, such as GD and autistic spectrum disorder.