Submission Details

Submitter:

Classification:
Definitive
GENCC:100001
Gene:
Disease:
T-B+ severe combined immunodeficiency due to JAK3 deficiency
Mode Of Inheritance:
Autosomal recessive
Evaluated Date:
12/18/2020
Evidence/Notes:

JAK3 - SCID, autosomal recessive, T-negative/B-positive type Phenotype MIM:600802

JAK3 was first reported in relation to autosomal recessive severe combined immune deficiency (T-negative/B-positive type) in 1994 (Russell et al., PMID:7973658). At least 27 unique variants (missense, in-frame indel, nonsense, frameshift, large deletion, splice) have been reported in humans. Evidence supporting this gene-disease relationship includes case-level and experimental data.

Variants in this gene have been reported in at least 15 probands, in at least 6 publications (PMID:9354668, PMID:7659163, PMID: 7481768, PMID: 30032486, PMID: 14615376, PMID: 9753072). Probands described range in age of onset between approximately 3 and 14 months. Common phenotypes include recurrent upper and lower respiratory tract infections, decreased circulating antibody levels, recurrent diarrhea, lack of circulating T cells, and a normal number of B lymphocytes.

This gene-disease association is supported by mice models, cell culture models, expression studies, and in vitro functional assays (PMID: 28513593, PMID: 14615376, PMID: 10075926, PMID: 7481768). Protein encoded by JAK3 is a member of the Janus kinase (JAK) family of tyrosine kinases involved in cytokine receptor-mediated intracellular signal transduction. It is predominantly expressed in immune cells and transduces a signal in response to its activation via tyrosine phosphorylation by interleukin receptors. JAK3 mediates signaling events in both innate and adaptive immunity and plays a critical role in hematopoiesis during T-cells development (PMID: 14615376, PMID: 28513593). In the cytoplasm, JAK3 plays a crucial role in signal transduction via its association with type I receptors sharing the common gamma chain (γc) (PMID: 10075926). Following ligand binding to cell surface receptors, JAK3 phosphorylates specific tyrosine residues on the cytoplasmic tails of the receptor, creating docking sites for STATs proteins (PMID: 7481768). JAK3 phosphorylates the STATs proteins once they are recruited to the receptor. Phosphorylated STATs then translocate to the nucleus to activate gene transcription (UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot). Mutations in this gene are associated with autosomal recessive severe combined immunodeficiency and are found throughout all 7 functional domains of the protein with different functional effects.

In summary, JAK3 is definitively associated with autosomal recessive, severe combined immunodeficiency disease (T-negative/B-positive type). This has been repeatedly demonstrated in both the research and clinical diagnostic settings, and has been upheld over time

This classification was approved by the ClinGen SCID-CID Working Group on 12/17/20 (SOP Version 8).

PubMed IDs:
7481768 7659163 9354668 9753072 10075926 14615376 28513593 30032486
Public Report:
Assertion Criteria:
Submitter Submitted Date:
12/05/2025

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