Multi-omics profiling reveals MAGEL2-driven defects in human corticogenesis shared across Prader-Willi and Schaaf-Yang syndromes.

Abstract

The human cortex acquires its advanced cognitive capacity through tightly regulated developmental programs, disruption of which underlies neurodevelopmental disorders such as Schaaf-Yang syndrome (SYS) and Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). While SYS results from pathogenic variants in the imprinted gene MAGEL2, PWS arises from chromosomal deletions, imprinting defects or uniparental disomy encompassing the MAGEL2 locus. However, the contribution of MAGEL2 to disease pathogenesis and human corticogenesis is not fully understood. Here, we performed integrated transcriptomic, proteomic, and ubiquitinomic profiling of cortical neurons derived from CRISPR/Cas9-engineered isogenic human pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) modeling SYS and PWS. Beyond PWS-specific signatures including dysregulated ribosomal processes, we identified MAGEL2-dependent defects shared across both disorders. These include reduced progenitor proliferation, accelerated neuronal maturation, impaired migration and adhesion, as well as abnormal synaptic development, collectively linking PWS and SYS at the level of cortical development. Notably, these phenotypes partially overlap with those observed in other neurodevelopmental disorders, suggesting that MAGEL2 governs core pathways broadly vulnerable in disease. Together, our findings establish MAGEL2 as a key regulator of human cortical development, provide a unifying mechanistic framework for SYS and PWS, accessible via a web-based platform.