Early-onset LBSL: how severe does it get?

AIM: Leukoencephalopathy with brainstem and spinal cord involvement and lactate elevation (LBSL) is known as a relatively mild leukoencephalopathy. We investigated the occurrence of severe variants of LBSL with extensive brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities. METHOD: MRIs of approximately 3,000 patients with an unknown leukoencephalopathy were retrospectively reviewed for extensive signal abnormalities of the cerebral and cerebellar white matter, posterior limb of the internal capsule, cerebellar peduncles, pyramids, and medial lemniscus. Clinical data were retrospectively collected. RESULTS: Eleven patients fulfilled the MRI criteria (six males); six had DARS2 mutations. Clinical and laboratory findings did not distinguish between patients with and without DARS2 mutations, but MRI did. Patients with DARS2 mutations more often had involvement of structures typically affected in LBSL, including decussatio of the medial lemniscus, anterior spinocerebellar tracts, and superior and inferior cerebellar peduncles. Also, involvement of the globus pallidus was associated with DARS2 mutations. Earliest disease onset was neonatal; earliest death at 20 months. INTERPRETATION: This study confirms the occurrence of early infantile, severe LBSL, extending the known phenotypic range of LBSL. Abnormality of specific brainstem tracts and cerebellar peduncles are MRI findings that point to the correct diagnosis.

Clinical features and X-inactivation in females heterozygous for creatine transporter defect.

The creatine transporter defect is an X-linked cause of mental retardation. We investigated the clinical features and pattern of X-inactivation in a Dutch cohort of eight female heterozygotes. We show that symptoms of the creatine transporter defect (mental retardation, learning difficulties, and constipation) can be present in female heterozygotes. We further show that the diagnosis in females is not straightforward: (i) The creatine/creatinine ratio in urine was elevated only in three of eight females. (ii) Although as a group the females had a significantly decreased cerebral creatine concentration, individual females had creatine concentrations overlapping with normal controls. (iii) Skewed X-inactivation was found in the cultured fibroblasts, in favour of either the mutated or the wild-type allele, leading to either deficient or normal results in the creatine uptake studies in fibroblasts. Thus, screening by these tests is unreliable for the diagnosis. In addition, we found no consistent skewing of the X-inactivation in peripheral tissues indicating that there is no selection against the creatine transporter defect. We conclude that testing for creatine transporter defect should be considered in females with (mild) mental retardation. Screening by DNA analysis of the SLC6A8 gene is recommended.