Leticia Belmont-Martínez

Analysis of the CTNS Gene in Nephropathic Cystinosis Mexican Patients: Report of Four Novel Mutations and Identification of a False Positive 57-kb Deletion Genotype with LDM-2/Exon 4 Multiplex PCR Assay

OBJECTIVE Identify CTNS gene mutations in nephropathic cystinosis Mexican patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Eleven patients were included, nine presenting infantile nephropathic cystinosis and two siblings with the juvenile phenotype. The common 57-kb deletion was detected by multiplex PCR using large deletion marker-2 (LDM-2)/exon 4 set primers. Those alleles negative for 57-kb deletion were screened by single strand confirmation polymorphism (SSCP) and subsequent direct sequencing. RESULTS In our sample, five mutations previously reported are identified: 57-kb deletion, EX4_EX5del, c.985_986insA, c.357_360delGACT, and c.537_557del. We detect a false assignation of 57-kb deletion homozygous genotype by using the LDM-2/exon 4 primers. In addition, four novel and severe mutations are identified: c.379delC, c.1090_1093delACCAinsCG, c.986C>G (p.T216R), and c.400+5G>A. CONCLUSIONS Our sample of Mexican patients display allelic heterogeneity as compared to European or North American cystinosis cases. The identification of novel mutations might suggest the presence of exclusive American CTNS alleles in Mexican population. In order to prevent the false positive assignation of 57-kb deletion genotype, as caused by the presence of another type of intragenic CTNS gross deletion, we propose to analyze a different control CTNS exon to those originally reported in both LDM multiplex PCR assays, especially when parental DNA samples are not available.

CTNS gene analysis emphasizes diagnostic value of eye examination in patients with cystinosis

Classic nephropathic cystinosis (CNC) is an autosomal recessive and infrequent inborn metabolic disease that should be suspected in all children who show failure to thrive and renal Fanconi syndrome (RFS). Slit-lamp examination reveals pathognomonic corneal deposits of cystine crystals in virtually all affected individuals after 12-16 mo of age. A diagnosis of CNC is difficult to confirm in children living in Mexico and most Latin American countries, because cystine levels can be measured only at a few locations. We report the cystinosin genotype findings in 15 Latin American patients with a high clinical suspicion of CNC mainly due to RFS (n =13), although five of them lacked proper ophthalmologic assessment, despite being more than 1-year-old. Molecular analysis confirmed diagnosis of CNC in six (40%) of the 15 patients, five of them with RFS and cystine crystals. The remaining nine (60%) patients had a normal genotype. The predominance of a normal cystinosin genotype in eight of 13 patients with RFS (61.50%) reinforces the need to perform slit-lamp examinations in all patients with RFS over 1 yr of age, prior to measuring cystine or performing molecular cystinosin study, both methods not readily available throughout Latin America.

Kernicterus in a boy with ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency: A case report

Ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (OTCD) is an X‐linked urea cycle defect associated with severe and usually fatal hyperammonemia. This study describes a patient with early onset lethal OTCD due to a known pathogenic variant (c.298+1G>A), as well as the novel autopsy finding of kernicterus with relatively low blood concentration of unconjugated bilirubin (UCB) (11.55 mg/dL). The patient was a full‐term male with a family history of two previous male siblings who died as newborns after acute neurologic deterioration. The patients symptoms began at 24 h of life with lethargy that rapidly progressed to coma upon admission to the neonatal intensive care unit. Although hyperammonemia and hyperbilirubinemia were documented, hemofiltration could not be performed. OTCD diagnosis was biochemically established. Despite nutritional intervention and treatment for hyperammonemia, the patient died on the sixth day of life. At autopsy, external brain examination revealed a marked yellow pigmentation typical of kernicterus that included gray matter, particularly the thalamus and basal ganglia; dentate nuclei of the cerebellum and brain stem gray matter were also affected. Microscopic findings were consistent with the classical description of tissue damage in OTCD, including the presence of Alzheimer type II astrocytes in basal ganglia, necrosis, neuronal loss with spongiform degeneration and macrophage infiltration surrounded by astroglia. This condition may be an important comorbidity in newborns with hyperammonemia.

In silico prediction of the pathogenic effect of a novel variant of BCKDHA leading to classical maple syrup urine disease identified using clinical exome sequencing

Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is a metabolic disorder caused by mutations in three of the branched-chain α-keto acid dehydrogenase complex (BCKDC) genes. Classical MSUD symptom can be observed immediately after birth and include ketoacidosis, irritability, lethargy, and coma, which can lead to death or irreversible neurodevelopmental delay in survivors. The molecular diagnosis of MSUD can be time-consuming and difficult to establish using conventional Sanger sequencing because it could be due to pathogenic variants of any of the BCKDC genes. Next-generation sequencing-based methodologies have revolutionized the molecular diagnosis of inborn errors in metabolism and offer a superior approach for genotyping these patients. Here, we report an MSUD case whose molecular diagnosis was performed by clinical exome sequencing (CES), and the possible structural pathogenic effect of a novel E1α subunit pathogenic variant was analyzed using in silico analysis of α and β subunit crystallographic structure. Molecular analysis revealed a new homozygous non-sense c.1267C>T or p.Gln423Ter variant of BCKDHA. The novel BCKDHA variant is considered pathogenic because it caused a premature stop codon that probably led to the loss of the last 22 amino acid residues of the E1α subunit C-terminal end. In silico analysis of this region showed that it is in contact with several residues of the E1β subunit mainly through polar contacts, hydrogen bonds, and hydrophobic interactions. CES strategy could benefit the patients and families by offering precise and prompt diagnosis and better genetic counseling.

Mutational spectrum of PTS gene and in silico pathological assessment of a novel variant in Mexico

BACKGROUND Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is the cofactor for 6-pyruvoyl-tetrahydropterin synthase (PTPS); it is involved in BH4 biosynthesis and is encoded by PTS gene. Its deficiency (PTPSD) is characterized by hyperphenylalaninemia (HPA) and deficit in central monoamine neurotransmitters. We describe the clinical and mutational spectrum of five patients with PTPSD, from four unrelated Mexican families. All patients had symptomatic diagnosis and presented severe early neurological manifestations and HPA. METHODS Clinical and biochemical data from studied patients were recorded. Responsible PTPSD genotypes was determined by direct and bidirectional Sanger DNA sequencing of the six PTS coding exons and their exon-intron borders, and these were directly searched in the available relatives. The novel PTS missense variant [NM_3000317.2:331G > T, p.(Ala111Ser)] was subjected to in silico, to predict a possible deleterious effect. RESULTS Diminished fetal movements were perceived as a uniform characteristic in the studied group. DNA sequencing showed two known p.(Arg25∗) and p.(Val132TyrFs∗19) and the novel missense p.(Ala111Ser) PTS variants, the latter representing potentially a frequent PTPSD-responsible allele (50%, 4/8) in Mexican patients. In silico protein modeling analysis of the p.(Ala111Ser) variant revealed loss of hydrophobic interactions between the alanine and neighboring valines, suggesting that these changes in polarity may be detrimental for enzyme function, structure and/or stability. CONCLUSIONS This work contributes to the knowledge of PTPS molecular spectrum. The delayed diagnosis of these patients emphasizes the importance of considering BH4 metabolism defects in the differential diagnosis of HPA, especially for countries that are beginning their HPA newborn screening programs.

Hepatorenal Tyrosinemia in Mexico: A Call to Action

Hepatorenal tyrosinemia is a treatable metabolic disease characterized by progressive liver failure, renal damage and pronounced coagulopathy. Its clinical diagnosis is difficult because of its low prevalence and heterogeneous symptoms. In developed countries, expanded newborn screening, based on succinylacetone quantification by tandem mass spectrometry, has been very valuable in the early detection of hepatorenal tyrosinemia, providing the opportunity for rapid treatment of affected patients. In developing countries without systematic expanded newborn screening, however, diagnosis and treatment of this disease remain major challenges, as genetic diseases in these countries are not a health priority and there are few referral centers for infants with inherited errors of metabolism. This chapter describes the diagnosis, follow-up and outcome of 20 Mexican patients with hepatorenal tyrosinemia. This chapter also constitutes a call to action to pediatricians, gastroenterologists, geneticists and other health professionals, and to academic organizations, health authorities and patient advocacy groups, to promote early patient detection and treatment, reducing the unacceptably high mortality rate (75%) in Mexican infants with this potentially deadly but eminently treatable condition.

Crisis neuropática por suspensión de nitisinona en una paciente con tirosinemia: informe de un caso

Se presenta el caso de una paciente con tirosinemia hepatorrenal (TYR- 1) que, debido a la interrupcion por cuatro semanas de tratamiento con nitisinona, tuvo una grave crisis neurologica de pseudoporfiria caracterizada por vomito, dolor abdominal, irritabilidad e hipertension arterial, con gran elevacion de la succinilacetona y alfafetoproteina. La crisis requirio tratamiento intrahospitalario. Una semana despues de reiniciar la administracion del farmaco revirtio totalmente. Este caso enfatiza la importancia de mantener el tratamiento ininterrumpido con nitisinona en pacientes con tirosinemia hepatorrenal. Tambien es util para reconocer el cuadro clinico y la fisiopatologia de las crisis neurologicas caracteristicas de esta enfermedad.

La gastrostomía afecta positivamente al estado nutricional y disminuye los días de hospitalización en pacientes con errores innatos del metabolismo

INTRODUCTION the nutrition management of patients with inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) requires the permanent use of elemental medical formulas whose organoleptic characteristics sometimes impede oral acceptance. In addition, these patients may have gastrointestinal disorders and require constant use of drugs, that often complicate treatment adherence, thereby committing their nutritional status and disease control. Gastrostomy is an alternative to facilitate feeding and treatment, but its use is controversial. OBJECTIVE to compare nutrition status and length of hospitalizations before and after gastrostomy surgery in a group of IEM patients. METHODS retrospective analysis of anthropometric data, number of hospitalizations due to metabolic decompensation and length in pediatric patients with IEM before and after gastrostomy. RESULTS 16 children were analyzed, 40% with propionate disorders, 25% with abnormal urea cycle and 35% other IEM. After gastrostomy, the number of eutrophic patients increased from 6-56%, and malnutrition decreased from 94 to 44%. After gastrostomy inpatient hospital days significantly decrease from 425 to 131 (p = 0.011), admission numbers pre-gastrostomy decreased from 33 to 17, however this difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION in this sample, gastrostomy improved nutritional status in 56% of EIM patients and significantly reduced hospital days caused by metabolic decompensation.

Experiencia con sapropterina en pacientes mexicanos con hiperfenilalaninemia

Hyperphenylalaninemia is caused by deficient enzyme activity of phenylalanine hydroxylase. It was one of the first genetic disorders susceptible to treatment with a natural protein restricted diet for life. While this treatment has proven effective in preventing mental retardation, eliminating certain foods from the diet entails the risk of nutritional deficiencies. For these reasons, new non-nutritional therapeutic strategies have been developed. One is the administration of sapropterin dihydrochloride, the synthetic form of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), which is the natural cofactor of phenylalanine hydroxylase, whose purpose is to reduce blood phenylalanine levels. We studied 6 patients with confirmed diagnosis of hyperphenylalaninemia or phenylketonuria. Sapropterin dihydrochloride was administered for 28 days and the intake of phenylalanine was calculated in each patient. To evaluate the response to sapropterin phenylalanine blood levels were measured at zero, eight and 24 hours and on days seven, 14, 21 and 28. The 24-hours recall was used to establish the intake of phenylalanine before and during the study. A positive response was determined as a reduction of phenylalanine blood levels ≥30% Four of the six patients responded positively to sapropterin dihydrochloride. The aim of this paper is to present the experience with sapropterin dihydrochloride in a group of Mexican patients with hyperphenylalaninemia.