Pathogenic O-GlcNAc dyshomeostasis is associated with cortical malformations and hyperactivity

Missense variants in the O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) gene have recently been shown to segregate with a syndromic form of intellectual disability (OGT-ID), underscoring the importance of protein O-GlcNAcylation in brain function. However, the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms linking ID to potential OGT malfunction—whether developmental, neurophysiological, or both—remain unclear. Here, we present comprehensive analyses encompassing behaviour and brain architecture of a rodent model carrying the pathogenic C921Y OGT-ID variant. These mice show a range of behavioural deficits, including hyperactivity, impulsivity, and associative learning phenotypes. Structural studies, using micro-computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, revealed reduced skull size, microcephaly, reduced cortical thickness and hypoplastic corpus callosum. Detailed histological analyses revealed dysplastic changes in the neocortex, predominantly affecting the superficial layers of cingulate cortex. Mechanistically, quantitative proteomic analyses revealed O-GlcNAc dyshomeostasis associated with distinct perturbed molecular pathways involved in brain development. Taken together, these data reveal neurodevelopmental defects associated with O-GlcNAc dyshomeostasis and provide a platform for dissecting mechanism and treatments of OGT-ID.