Sensorimotor outcomes in adrenomyeloneuropathy show significant disease progression.

Current outcomes used to evaluate adrenomyeloneuropathy are limited by rater bias, not sensitive to preclinical changes, and require years to decades to detect disease progression. Quantitative outcomes are needed that detect meaningful change in a short time period over a broad range of disability. The study aim was to track sensorimotor outcomes in adults with adrenomyeloneuropathy and evaluate differences in progression between men and women. This prospective observational cohort study analyzes data collected annually in the Phase III study of adults with adrenomyeloneuropathy. Outcomes include postural sway in four static standing conditions, great-toe vibration, hip strength, walking velocity, timed up-and-go, and 6-minute walk distance. Linear mixed model analysis was used to detect change in the outcomes in 2 years, correcting for age, sex, disability, symptom duration, and treatment across the cohort. Modeling was repeated for each sex to evaluate differences. Power computations were carried out by sex and for the full dataset. Sixty-one men and 87 women participated. Average age, 46 ± 12 years; Expanded Disability Status Scale, 3 (1-6.5); symptom duration, 10.8 ± 9.4 years. The cohort showed significant worsening in all standing conditions (P < .001), sensation (P = .0223) and strength (P = .001); but more stability in walking with only velocity (P < .0337) significantly declining. For each sex, postural sway declines significantly in all conditions (P < .01) except for eyes closed feet together for women. Strength declines significantly by sex for hip flexion (P < .03). Sex-specific significant decline is seen in walking (velocity P = .0276; distance P = .0072) for men only. Quantitative measures of postural sway, sensation strength, and walking are effective measures of adrenomyeloneuropathy progression in 2 years.

MRI surveillance of boys with X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy identified by newborn screening: Meta-analysis and consensus guidelines.

BACKGROUND: Among boys with X-Linked adrenoleukodystrophy, a subset will develop childhood cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy (CCALD). CCALD is typically lethal without hematopoietic stem cell transplant before or soon after symptom onset. We sought to establish evidence-based guidelines detailing the neuroimaging surveillance of boys with neurologically asymptomatic adrenoleukodystrophy. METHODS: To establish the most frequent age and diagnostic neuroimaging modality for CCALD, we completed a meta-analysis of relevant studies published between January 1, 1970 and September 10, 2019. We used the consensus development conference method to incorporate the resulting data into guidelines to inform the timing and techniques for neuroimaging surveillance. Final guideline agreement was defined as >80% consensus. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-three studies met inclusion criteria yielding 1285 patients. The overall mean age of CCALD diagnosis is 7.91 years old. The median age of CCALD diagnosis calculated from individual patient data is 7.0 years old (IQR: 6.0-9.5, n = 349). Ninety percent of patients were diagnosed between 3 and 12. Conventional MRI was most frequently reported, comprised most often of T2-weighted and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MRI. The expert panel achieved 95.7% consensus on the following surveillance parameters: (a) Obtain an MRI between 12 and 18 months old. (b) Obtain a second MRI 1 year after baseline. (c) Between 3 and 12 years old, obtain a contrast-enhanced MRI every 6 months. (d) After 12 years, obtain an annual MRI. CONCLUSION: Boys with adrenoleukodystrophy identified early in life should be monitored with serial brain MRIs during the period of highest risk for conversion to CCALD.

Volume of Gadolinium Enhancement and Successful Repair of the Blood-Brain Barrier in Cerebral Adrenoleukodystrophy.

Up to 40% of boys with adrenoleukodystrophy develop a severe central nervous system demyelinating form (cALD) characterized by white matter changes and gadolinium enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) is the only proven means to attenuate cALD progression. The elimination of active neuroinflammation is indicated radiographically by the resolution of gadolinium (Gd) enhancement and correlates to speed of donor neutrophil recovery. We analyzed 66 boys with cALD undergoing HCT for biomarkers correlating with early (30 days post-HCT) Gd signal resolution. We found that log Gd volume (cm3) on pre-HCT MRI strongly positively correlated to day 30 Gd resolution (P = .0003) with smaller volume correlating to higher proportion resolved, as was the baseline gadolinium intensity score (P = .04), plasma chitotriosidase activity (P = .04), and faster absolute neutrophil count recovery (P = .03). In multivariate analysis, log Gd volume remained superior in determining which patients would have Gd signal resolution by 30 days post-HCT (P = .016). A final analysis indicated that early Gd resolution also correlated with less neurologic progression from baseline to 1 year following HCT (P = .006). MRI Gd volume may serve as a contributing biomarker to better delineate outcomes and an important metric in comparing therapies in the treatment of cALD.

Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Gene Therapy for Cerebral Adrenoleukodystrophy.

BACKGROUND: In X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy, mutations in ABCD1 lead to loss of function of the ALD protein. Cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy is characterized by demyelination and neurodegeneration. Disease progression, which leads to loss of neurologic function and death, can be halted only with allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation. METHODS: We enrolled boys with cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy in a single-group, open-label, phase 2-3 safety and efficacy study. Patients were required to have early-stage disease and gadolinium enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at screening. The investigational therapy involved infusion of autologous CD34+ cells transduced with the elivaldogene tavalentivec (Lenti-D) lentiviral vector. In this interim analysis, patients were assessed for the occurrence of graft-versus-host disease, death, and major functional disabilities, as well as changes in neurologic function and in the extent of lesions on MRI. The primary end point was being alive and having no major functional disability at 24 months after infusion. RESULTS: A total of 17 boys received Lenti-D gene therapy. At the time of the interim analysis, the median follow-up was 29.4 months (range, 21.6 to 42.0). All the patients had gene-marked cells after engraftment, with no evidence of preferential integration near known oncogenes or clonal outgrowth. Measurable ALD protein was observed in all the patients. No treatment-related death or graft-versus-host disease had been reported; 15 of the 17 patients (88%) were alive and free of major functional disability, with minimal clinical symptoms. One patient, who had had rapid neurologic deterioration, had died from disease progression. Another patient, who had had evidence of disease progression on MRI, had withdrawn from the study to undergo allogeneic stem-cell transplantation and later died from transplantation-related complications. CONCLUSIONS: Early results of this study suggest that Lenti-D gene therapy may be a safe and effective alternative to allogeneic stem-cell transplantation in boys with early-stage cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy. Additional follow-up is needed to fully assess the duration of response and long-term safety. (Funded by Bluebird Bio and others; STARBEAM ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01896102 ; ClinicalTrialsRegister.eu number, 2011-001953-10 .).

Survival and Functional Outcomes in Boys with Cerebral Adrenoleukodystrophy with and without Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy (CALD) is a rapidly progressing, often fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by mutations in the ABCD1 gene, resulting in deficiency of ALD protein. Clinical benefit has been reported following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). We conducted a large multicenter retrospective chart review to characterize the natural history of CALD, to describe outcomes after HSCT, and to identify predictors of treatment outcomes. Major functional disabilities (MFDs) were identified as having the most significant impact on patients' abilities to function independently and were used to assess HSCT outcome. Neurologic function score (NFS) and Loes magnetic resonance imaging score were assessed. Data were collected on 72 patients with CALD who did not undergo HSCT (untreated cohort) and on 65 patients who underwent transplantation (HSCT cohort) at 5 clinical sites. Kaplan-Meier (KM) estimates of 5-year overall survival (OS) from the time of CALD diagnosis were 55% (95% confidence interval [CI], 42.2% to 65.7%) for the untreated cohort and 78% (95% CI, 64% to 86.6%) for the HSCT cohort overall (P = .01). KM estimates of 2-year MFD-free survival for patients with gadolinium-enhanced lesions (GdE+) were 29% (95% CI, 11.7% to 48.2%) for untreated patients (n = 21). For patients who underwent HSCT with GdE+ at baseline, with an NFS ≤1 and Loes score of 0.5 to ≤9 (n = 27), the 2-year MFD-free survival was 84% (95% CI, 62.3% to 93.6%). Mortality rates post-HSCT were 8% (5 of 65) at 100days and 18% (12 of 65) at 1 year, with disease progression (44%; 7 of 16) and infection (31%; 5 of 16) listed as the most common causes of death. Adverse events post-HSCT included infection (29%; 19 of 65), acute grade II-IV graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) (31%; 18 of 58), and chronic GVHD (7%; 4 of 58). Eighteen percent of the patients (12 of 65) experienced engraftment failure after their first HSCT. Positive predictors of OS in the HSCT cohort may include donor-recipient HLA matching and lack of GVHD, and early disease treatment was predictive of MFD-free survival. GdE+ status is a strong predictor of disease progression in untreated patients. This study confirms HSCT as an effective treatment for CALD when performed early. We propose survival without MFDs as a relevant treatment goal, rather than solely assessing OS as an indicator of treatment success.

Peroxisome biogenesis disorders in the Zellweger spectrum: An overview of current diagnosis, clinical manifestations, and treatment guidelines.

Peroxisome biogenesis disorders in the Zellweger spectrum (PBD-ZSD) are a heterogeneous group of genetic disorders caused by mutations in PEX genes responsible for normal peroxisome assembly and functions. As a result of impaired peroxisomal activities, individuals with PBD-ZSD can manifest a complex spectrum of clinical phenotypes that typically result in shortened life spans. The extreme variability in disease manifestation ranging from onset of profound neurologic symptoms in newborns to progressive degenerative disease in adults presents practical challenges in disease diagnosis and medical management. Recent advances in biochemical methods for newborn screening and genetic testing have provided unprecedented opportunities for identifying patients at the earliest possible time and defining the molecular bases for their diseases. Here, we provide an overview of current clinical approaches for the diagnosis of PBD-ZSD and provide broad guidelines for the treatment of disease in its wide variety of forms. Although we anticipate future progress in the development of more effective targeted interventions, the current guidelines are meant to provide a starting point for the management of these complex conditions in the context of personalized health care.

A model-based approach to assess the exposure-response relationship of Lorenzo's oil in adrenoleukodystrophy.

AIMS: X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is a peroxisomal disorder, most commonly affecting boys, associated with increased very long chain fatty acids (C26:0) in all tissues, causing cerebral demyelination and adrenocortical insufficiency. Certain monounsaturated long chain fatty acids including oleic and erucic acids, known as Lorenzo's oil (LO), lower plasma C26:0 levels. The aims of this study were to characterize the effect of LO administration on plasma C26:0 concentrations and to determine whether there is an association between plasma concentrations of erucic acid or C26:0 and the likelihood of developing brain MRI abnormalities in asymptomatic boys. METHODS: Non-linear mixed effects modelling was performed on 2384 samples collected during an open label single arm trial. The subjects (n = 104) were administered LO daily at ~2-3 mg kg(-1) with a mean follow-up of 4.88 ± 2.76 years. The effect of erucic acid exposure on plasma C26:0 concentrations was characterized by an inhibitory fractional Emax model. A Weibull model was used to characterize the time-to-developing MRI abnormality. RESULTS: The population estimate for the fractional maximum reduction of C26:0 plasma concentrations was 0.76 (bootstrap 95% CI 0.73, 0.793). Our time-to-event analyses showed that every mg l(-1) increase in time-weighted average of erucic acid and C26:0 plasma concentrations was, respectively, associated with a 3.7% reduction and a 753% increase in the hazard of developing MRI abnormality. However, the results were not significant (P = 0.5344, 0.1509, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: LO administration significantly reduces the abnormally high plasma C26:0 concentrations in X-ALD patients. Further studies to evaluate the effect of LO on the likelihood of developing brain MRI abnormality are warranted.

A hierarchical Bayesian approach for combining pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling and Phase IIa trial design in orphan drugs: Treating adrenoleukodystrophy with Lorenzo's oil.

X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is a rare, progressive, and typically fatal neurodegenerative disease. Lorenzo's oil (LO) is one of the few X-ALD treatments available, but little has been done to establish its clinical efficacy or indications for its use. In this article, we analyze data on 116 male asymptomatic pediatric patients who were administered LO. We offer a hierarchical Bayesian statistical approach to understand LO pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) resulting from an accumulation of very long-chain fatty acids. We experiment with individual- and observational-level errors and various choices of prior distributions and deal with the limitation of having just one observation per administration of the drug, as opposed to the more usual multiple observations per administration. We link LO dose to the plasma erucic acid concentrations by PK modeling, and then link this concentration to a biomarker (C26, a very long-chain fatty acid) by PD modeling. Next, we design a Bayesian Phase IIa study to estimate precisely what improvements in the biomarker can arise from various LO doses while simultaneously modeling a binary toxicity endpoint. Our Bayesian adaptive algorithm emerges as reasonably robust and efficient while still retaining good classical (frequentist) operating characteristics. Future work looks toward using the results of this trial to design a Phase III study linking LO dose to actual improvements in health status, as measured by the appearance of brain lesions observed via magnetic resonance imaging.

Newborn screening for X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy: further evidence high throughput screening is feasible.

X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is characterized by adrenal insufficiency and neurologic involvement with onset at variable ages. Plasma very long chain fatty acids are elevated in ALD; even in asymptomatic patients. We demonstrated previously that liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry measuring C26:0 lysophosphatidylcholine reliably identifies affected males. We prospectively applied this method to 4689 newborn blood spot samples; no false positives were observed. We show that high throughput neonatal screening for ALD is methodologically feasible.

The Pex1-G844D mouse: a model for mild human Zellweger spectrum disorder.

Zellweger spectrum disorder (ZSD) is a disease continuum that results from inherited defects in PEX genes essential for normal peroxisome assembly. These autosomal recessive disorders impact brain development and also cause postnatal liver, adrenal, and kidney dysfunction, as well as loss of vision and hearing. The hypomorphic PEX1-G843D missense allele, observed in approximately 30% of ZSD patients, is associated with milder clinical and biochemical phenotypes, with some homozygous individuals surviving into early adulthood. Nonetheless, affected children with the PEX1-G843D allele have intellectual disability, failure to thrive, and significant sensory deficits. To enhance our ability to test candidate therapies that improve human PEX1-G843D function, we created the novel Pex1-G844D knock-in mouse model that represents the murine equivalent of the common human mutation. We show that Pex1-G844D homozygous mice recapitulate many classic features of mild ZSD cases, including growth retardation and fatty livers with cholestasis. In addition, electrophysiology, histology, and gene expression studies provide evidence that these animals develop a retinopathy similar to that observed in human patients, with evidence of cone photoreceptor cell death. Similar to skin fibroblasts obtained from ZSD patients with a PEX1-G843D allele, we demonstrate that murine cells homozygous for the Pex1-G844D allele respond to chaperone-like compounds, which normalizes peroxisomal ß-oxidation. Thus, the Pex1-G844D mouse provides a powerful model system for testing candidate therapies that address the most common genetic cause of ZSD. In addition, this murine model will enhance studies focused on mechanisms of pathogenesis.

Distal Xq28 microdeletions: clarification of the spectrum of contiguous gene deletions involving ABCD1, BCAP31, and SLC6A8 with a new case and review of the literature.

The contiguous ABCD1/DXS1375E (BCAP31) deletion syndrome (CADDS) is a rare X-linked contiguous gene deletion syndrome with a severe clinical phenotype that includes marked delays, significant growth failure, liver dysfunction, and early death. The X-linked creatine transporter deficiency is a considerably more common and a cause of X-linked intellectual disability; however, multi-exon deletions of the creatine transporter are rare. We report the fifth case of CADDS, who also has a deletion of the X-linked creatine transporter. We also review reported cases of deletions in this region in order to clarify the clinical spectrum of contiguous microdeletions in this region.

The FGF and FGFR Gene Family and Risk of Cleft Lip With or Without Cleft Palate.

Background : Isolated, nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate is a common human congenital malformation with a complex and heterogeneous etiology. Genes coding for fibroblast growth factors and their receptors (FGF/FGFR genes) are excellent candidate genes. Methods : We tested single-nucleotide polymorphic markers in 10 FGF/FGFR genes (including FGFBP1, FGF2, FGF10, FGF18, FGFR1, FGFR2, FGF19, FGF4, FGF3, and FGF9) for genotypic effects, interactions with one another, and with common maternal environmental exposures in 221 Asian and 76 Maryland case-parent trios ascertained through a child with isolated, nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate. Results : Both FGFR1 and FGF19 yielded evidence of linkage and association in the transmission disequilibrium test, confirming previous evidence. Haplotypes of three single-nucleotide polymorphisms in FGFR1 were nominally significant among Asian trios. Estimated odds ratios for individual single-nucleotide polymorphic markers and haplotypes of multiple markers in FGF19 ranged from 1.31 to 1.87. We also found suggestive evidence of maternal genotypic effects for markers in FGF2 and FGF10 among Asian trios. Tests for gene-environment (G × E) interaction between markers in FGFR2 and maternal smoking or multivitamin supplementation yielded significant evidence of G × E interaction separately. Tests of gene-gene (G × G) interaction using Cordell's method yielded significant evidence between single-nucleotide polymorphisms in FGF9 and FGF18, which was confirmed in an independent sample of trios from an international consortium. Conclusion : Our results suggest several genes in the FGF/FGFR family may influence risk for isolated, nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate through distinct biological mechanisms.

A Phase 1 Study of Oral Vitamin D3 in Boys and Young Men With X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy.

Background and Objectives: There are no therapies for preventing cerebral demyelination in X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD). Higher plasma vitamin D levels have been linked to lower risk of inflammatory brain lesions. We assessed the safety and pharmacokinetics of oral vitamin D dosing regimens in boys and young men with ALD. Methods: In this open-label, multicenter, phase 1 study, we recruited boys and young men with ALD without brain lesions to a 12-month study of daily oral vitamin D3 supplementation. Our primary outcome was attainment of plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in target range (40-80 ng/mL) at 6 and 12 months. Secondary outcomes included safety and glutathione levels in the brain, measured with magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and blood, measured via mass spectrometry. Participants were initially assigned to a fixed dosing regimen starting at 2,000 IU daily, regardless of weight. After a midstudy safety assessment, we modified the dosing regimen, so all subsequent participants were assigned to a weight-stratified dosing regimen starting as low as 1,000 IU daily. Results: Between October 2016 and June 2019, we enrolled 21 participants (n = 12, fixed-dose regimen; n = 9, weight-stratified regimen) with a median age of 6.7 years (range: 1.9-22 years) and median weight of 20 kg (range: 11.7-85.5 kg). The number of participants achieving target vitamin D levels was similar in both groups at 6 months (fixed dose: 92%; weight stratified: 78%) and 12 months (fixed dose: 67%; weight stratified: 67%). Among the 12 participants in the fixed-dose regimen, half had asymptomatic elevations in either urine calcium:creatinine or plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D; no laboratory deviations occurred with the weight-stratified regimen. Glutathione levels in the brain, but not the blood, increased significantly between baseline and 12 months. Discussion: Our vitamin D dosing regimens were well tolerated and achieved target 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in most participants. Brain glutathione levels warrant further study as a biomarker for vitamin D and ALD. Classification of Evidence: This study provides Class IV evidence that fixed or weight-stratified vitamin D supplementation achieved target levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in boys and young men with X-ALD without brain lesions.

Adrenoleukodystrophy in female heterozygotes: underrecognized and undertreated.

X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is a neurodegenerative disease resulting from mutations in the gene ABCD1 and alterations in peroxisomal beta-oxidation of long chain fatty acids. As it has been frequently discussed, it manifests a wide range of phenotypes in male, with progressive myelopathy being the most common. Even though the gene is localized to the X-chromosome and a region subject to X-inactivation, female carriers still are affected significantly by this condition. It has been stated that between 20 and 50% of women who are carriers may manifest some symptoms and recent evidence has suggested the differences in disease manifestations and relative rates of progression between men and women. However there have been only limited studies specifically addressing this and to date there has been no comprehensive review discussing the different phenotypes in female carriers, as well as the differences in disease onset, progression, disability, nervous system pathology and neuroimaging patterns compared to affected males. This is of key importance as similarities and differences between genders will assist in determining how best to target therapies in all affected individuals as opportunities for treatment present themselves. As will be further addressed in this review, we need to improve our understanding of the associations of emergent neuroimaging techniques to physical disability in this population. We reviewed the clinical presentations in the carrier population, the distinct disability profile and neuroimaging findings in order to put together pieces of this neglected segment in X-ALD and give direction to further studies.

Combined extraction of acyl carnitines and 26:0 lysophosphatidylcholine from dried blood spots: prospective newborn screening for X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy.

X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is a severe genetic disorder that affects the nervous system, and the adrenal cortex. Newborn screening for X-ALD has been proposed to allow improved diagnosis along with prospective monitoring and treatment for this severe disorder. Newborn dried whole blood spot (DBS) 26:0 lysophosphatidyl choline was validated as a diagnostic marker for X-ALD and other peroxisomal disorders of peroxisomal ß-oxidation. In this study, we developed a new one step extraction procedure that simultaneously extracts acyl carnitines and the lysophosphatidyl cholines from DBS. Further analysis of these metabolites has been performed by two different high throughput LC-MS/MS methods. The 26:0 lysophosphatidyl choline levels in this study were consistent with previously published values and discriminate between healthy and abnormal profiles. There is a very minor modification to the original acyl carnitine extraction procedure and our data indicates that there is no significant effect on acyl carnitine levels in DBS. Our new method potentially can be complementary to the current newborn screening panel. It successfully combines the existing method for acyl carnitine analysis and 26:0 lysophosphatidyl choline that can be applied for prospective X-ALD newborn screening.

Newborn Screening for X-Linked Adrenoleukodystrophy: Past, Present, and Future.

Newborn screening for X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy began in New York in 2013. Prior to this start, there was already significant information on the diagnosis and monitoring of asymptomatic individuals. Methods needed to be developed and validated for the use of dried blood spots. Following its institution in New York, its acceptance as a disorder on the Recommended Uniform Screening occurred. With it has come published recommendations on the surveillance and care of boys detected by newborn screening. There still remain challenges, but it is hoped that with periodic review, they may be overcome.

Presymptomatic Lesion in Childhood Cerebral Adrenoleukodystrophy: Timing and Treatment.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We sought to characterize the natural history and standard of care practices between the radiologic appearance of brain lesions, the appearance of lesional enhancement, and treatment with hematopoietic stem cell transplant or gene therapy among boys diagnosed with presymptomatic childhood-onset cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy (CCALD). METHODS: We analyzed a multi-center, mixed retrospective/prospective cohort of patients diagnosed with presymptomatic CCALD (Neurologic Function Score [NFS] = 0, Loes Score [LS] = 0.5 - 9.0, Age < 13 years old). Two time-to-event survival analyses were conducted: (1) Time from CCALD lesion-onset-to-lesional enhancement, (2) Time from enhancement-to-treatment. The analysis was repeated in the subset of patients with (1) the earliest evidence of CCALD, defined as an MRI LS < 1, and (2) patients diagnosed between 2016 - 2021. RESULTS: Seventy-one boys were diagnosed with presymptomatic cerebral lesions at a median age of 6.4yo [2.4 - 12.1] with a LS of 1.5 [0.5 - 9.0]. Fifty percent of patients had lesional enhancement at diagnosis. In the remaining 50%, the median KM-estimate of time from diagnosis-to-lesional enhancement was 6.0 months [95%CI 3.6 - 17.8]. The median KM-estimate of time from enhancement-to-treatment is 3.8 months [95%CI 2.8 - 5.9]; two patients (4.2%) developed symptoms prior to treatment. Patients with a diagnostic LS < 1 were younger (5.8yo [2.4 - 11.5]), had a time-to-enhancement of 4.7mo [95%CI 2.7 - 9.30], and were treated in 3.8mo [95%CI 3.1 - 7.1]; no patients developed symptoms prior to treatment. Time from CCALD diagnosis-to-treatment decreased over the course of the study (ρ = -0.401, p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Our findings offer a more refined understanding of the timing of lesion formation, enhancement, and treatment among boys with presymptomatic CCALD. These data offer benchmarks for standardizing clinical care and designing future clinical trials.

Nervonic Acid Attenuates Accumulation of Very Long-Chain Fatty Acids and is a Potential Therapy for Adrenoleukodystrophy.

Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is an X-linked inherited peroxisomal disorder due to mutations in the ALD protein and characterized by accumulation of very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFA), specifically hexacosanoic acid (C26:0). This can trigger other pathological processes such as mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation, which if involves the brain tissues can result in a lethal form of the disease called childhood cerebral ALD. With the recent addition of ALD to the Recommended Uniform Screening Panel, there is an increase in the number of individuals who are identified with ALD. However, currently, there is no approved treatment for pre-symptomatic individuals that can arrest or delay symptom development. Here, we report our observations investigating nervonic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid as a potential therapy for ALD. Using ALD patient-derived fibroblasts, we examined whether nervonic acid can reverse VLCFA accumulation similar to erucic acid, the active ingredient in Lorenzo's oil, a dietary intervention believed to alter disease course. We have shown that nervonic acid can reverse total lipid C26:0 accumulation in a concentration-dependent manner in ALD cell lines. Further, we show that nervonic acid can protect ALD fibroblasts from oxidative insults, presumably by increasing intracellular ATP production. Thus, nervonic acid can be a potential therapeutic for individuals with ALD, which can alter cellular biochemistry and improve its function.

International Recommendations for the Diagnosis and Management of Patients With Adrenoleukodystrophy: A Consensus-Based Approach.

Pathogenic variants in the ABCD1 gene cause adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a progressive metabolic disorder characterized by 3 core clinical syndromes: a slowly progressive myeloneuropathy, a rapidly progressive inflammatory leukodystrophy (cerebral ALD), and primary adrenal insufficiency. These syndromes are not present in all individuals and are not related to genotype. Cerebral ALD and adrenal insufficiency require early detection and intervention and warrant clinical surveillance because of variable penetrance and age at onset. Newborn screening has increased the number of presymptomatic individuals under observation, but clinical surveillance protocols vary. We used a consensus-based modified Delphi approach among 28 international ALD experts to develop best-practice recommendations for diagnosis, clinical surveillance, and treatment of patients with ALD. We identified 39 discrete areas of consensus. Regular monitoring to detect the onset of adrenal failure and conversion to cerebral ALD is recommended in all male patients. Hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) is the treatment of choice for cerebral ALD. This guideline addresses a clinical need in the ALD community worldwide as the number of overall diagnoses and presymptomatic individuals is increasing because of newborn screening and greater availability of next-generation sequencing. The poor ability to predict the disease course informs current monitoring intervals but remains subject to change as more data emerge. This knowledge gap should direct future research and illustrates once again that international collaboration among physicians, researchers, and patients is essential to improving care.

Failure of intrathecal allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells to halt progressive demyelination in two boys with cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy.

Cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy is an inflammatory demyelinating condition that is the result of a mutation in the X-linked ABCD1 gene, a peroxisomal very long chain fatty acid transporter. Although mutations in this gene result in adrenal insufficiency in the majority of affected individuals, 40% of those affected develop the demyelinating cerebral form, cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy (CALD). CALD is characterized by imaging findings of demyelination and contrast enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Although allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation can arrest progression of CALD early in its course, there is no accepted therapy for patients with advanced CALD. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been used in a variety of clinical trials to capitalize on their anti-inflammatory properties as well as promote tissue repair. We delivered MSCs via intrathecal (IT) route to two boys with rapidly advancing CALD. The first boy received three doses 1 week apart, whereas the second boy received a single dose of IT MSCs. We note delivery of IT MSCs was feasible and without complication. Follow-up MRI scans after IT MSC delivery showed progressive demyelination in the first patient and no change in demyelination or contrast enhancement in the second patient. Although the infusion of IT MSCs was safe, it did not halt CALD progression in this setting, and future studies should focus on patient selection and dose optimization.