Background Acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) is a rare and severe neurologic complication of viral infection in children, thought to result from a hyperacute cytokine storm causing blood-brain barrier disruption and central nervous system injury. Despite characteristic clinical and radiologic features, ANE remains poorly understood at the molecular level, with no validated biomarkers or targeted therapies. We aimed to determine whether genetic predisposition to ANE due to RANBP2 variants is associated with a distinct immunologic signature.

Methods We conducted a prospective biological study of familial ANE (ANE1, NCT06731790). We included 23 heterozygous carriers of the RANBP2 c.1754C>T (p.Thr585Met) variant from 10 families, and 28 noncarriers (median age, 40 years [range, 4-72]). Soluble immune mediators, transcriptomic analyses, multiparameter flow cytometry, and cellular imaging were analysed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and monocytes. Baseline and resiquimod-stimulated immune responses were analysed within the same statistical model, with genetic status as the primary predictor.

Findings The RANBP2 Thr585Met mutation was associated with a dysregulated inflammatory phenotype characterized by reduced basal mediator production and exaggerated TNF-α responses following stimulation (estimated difference, +2,098 pg/mL; 95% CI, 1,121 to 3,076; P=0.0001). Transcriptomic and flow cytometry analyses showed broad reprogramming of myeloid cells with enrichment of CXCR3-high CD14-high subsets. Expansion of these populations was associated with increased long-term disease burden. The RANBP2 variant was the only independent factor associated this inflammatory phenotype.

Interpretation: RANBP2-associated ANE is characterised by a distinct immunological signature that can inform disease stratification and support the development of targeted immunotherapeutic approaches.

The authors have declared no competing interest.

NCT06731790

The study was conducted with funds from the Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR-23-CE15-0005-01) and ANRS-MIE (ECTZ209411) to N.J.A, a CHU Montpellier Tremplin grant to P.M. and N.J.A. Family travel was financed by the Grayson Legacy Support Fund.

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The study was approved by the Comite de protection des personnes Ile-de-France VII (approval no. 24.00903.000298).

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