Hematopoietic Stem- and Progenitor-Cell Gene Therapy for Hurler Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation is the standard of care for Hurler syndrome (mucopolysaccharidosis type I, Hurler variant [MPSIH]). However, this treatment is only partially curative and is associated with complications. METHODS: We are conducting an ongoing study involving eight children with MPSIH. At enrollment, the children lacked a suitable allogeneic donor and had a Developmental Quotient or Intelligence Quotient score above 70 (i.e., none had moderate or severe cognitive impairment). The children received autologous hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) transduced ex vivo with an α-L-iduronidase (IDUA)-encoding lentiviral vector after myeloablative conditioning. Safety and correction of blood IDUA activity up to supraphysiologic levels were the primary end points. Clearance of lysosomal storage material as well as skeletal and neurophysiological development were assessed as secondary and exploratory end points. The planned duration of the study is 5 years. RESULTS: We now report interim results. The children's mean (±SD) age at the time of HSPC gene therapy was 1.9±0.5 years. At a median follow-up of 2.10 years, the procedure had a safety profile similar to that known for autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation. All the patients showed prompt and sustained engraftment of gene-corrected cells and had supraphysiologic blood IDUA activity within a month, which was maintained up to the latest follow-up. Urinary glycosaminoglycan (GAG) excretion decreased steeply, reaching normal levels at 12 months in four of five patients who could be evaluated. Previously undetectable levels of IDUA activity in the cerebrospinal fluid became detectable after gene therapy and were associated with local clearance of GAGs. Patients showed stable cognitive performance, stable motor skills corresponding to continued motor development, improved or stable findings on magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and spine, reduced joint stiffness, and normal growth in line with World Health Organization growth charts. CONCLUSIONS: The delivery of HSPC gene therapy in patients with MPSIH resulted in extensive metabolic correction in peripheral tissues and the central nervous system. (Funded by Fondazione Telethon and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT03488394; EudraCT number, 2017-002430-23.).

Antibody Deficiency in Patients with Biallelic KARS1 Mutations.

Biallelic KARS1 mutations cause KARS-related diseases, a rare syndromic condition encompassing central and peripheral nervous system impairment, heart and liver disease, and deafness. KARS1 encodes the t-RNA synthase of lysine, an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase, involved in different physiological mechanisms (such as angiogenesis, post-translational modifications, translation initiation, autophagy and mitochondrial function). Although patients with immune-hematological abnormalities have been individually described, results have not been collectively discussed and functional studies investigating how KARS1 mutations affect B cells have not been performed. Here, we describe one patient with severe developmental delay, sensoneurinal deafness, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, hypogammaglobulinemia and recurrent infections. Pathogenic biallelic KARS1 variants (Phe291Val/ Pro499Leu) were associated with impaired B cell metabolism (decreased mitochondrial numbers and activity). All published cases of KARS-related diseases were identified. The corresponding authors and researchers involved in the diagnosis of inborn errors of immunity or genetic syndromes were contacted to obtain up-to-date clinical and immunological information. Seventeen patients with KARS-related diseases were identified. Recurrent/severe infections (9/17) and B cell abnormalities (either B cell lymphopenia [3/9], hypogammaglobulinemia [either IgG, IgA or IgM; 6/15] or impaired vaccine responses [4/7]) were frequently reported. Immunoglobulin replacement therapy was given in five patients. Full immunological assessment is warranted in these patients, who may require detailed investigation and specific supportive treatment.

Absent B cells, agammaglobulinemia, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in folliculin-interacting protein 1 deficiency.

Agammaglobulinemia is the most profound primary antibody deficiency that can occur due to an early termination of B-cell development. We here investigated 3 novel patients, including the first known adult, from unrelated families with agammaglobulinemia, recurrent infections, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Two of them also presented with intermittent or severe chronic neutropenia. We identified homozygous or compound-heterozygous variants in the gene for folliculin interacting protein 1 (FNIP1), leading to loss of the FNIP1 protein. B-cell metabolism, including mitochondrial numbers and activity and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT pathway, was impaired. These defects recapitulated the Fnip1-/- animal model. Moreover, we identified either uniparental disomy or copy-number variants (CNVs) in 2 patients, expanding the variant spectrum of this novel inborn error of immunity. The results indicate that FNIP1 deficiency can be caused by complex genetic mechanisms and support the clinical utility of exome sequencing and CNV analysis in patients with broad phenotypes, including agammaglobulinemia and HCM. FNIP1 deficiency is a novel inborn error of immunity characterized by early and severe B-cell development defect, agammaglobulinemia, variable neutropenia, and HCM. Our findings elucidate a functional and relevant role of FNIP1 in B-cell development and metabolism and potentially neutrophil activity.

Parents' experience of the communication process of positivity at newborn screening for metabolic diseases: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: The process of receiving a communication of positivity for metabolic diseases at expanded newborn screening (ENBS) is extremely articulated, involves a variety of actors (parents, maternal and child departments, clinical centres and laboratories) and is open to a variety of outcomes from false positive to true positive cases. Receiving communication of positivity can be highly stressful for parents and requires an adequate communication process to give clear and reliable information without causing excessive worry. This qualitative study describes the parents' experience of receiving a communication of positivity to metabolic diseases at ENBS, and their assessment of the quality of the communication process and steps, with the main aim to identify the process' strengths and weaknesses and to advance tailored recommendations to improve the communication process. METHOD: Fourteen in-depth, semi-structured phone interviews were conducted with parents whose children resulted positive to the ENBS. As part of the ENBS communication process, parents received a first phone call communication of positivity and a second in-person communication at metabolic clinical centres (MCC). The framework analysis method was used to organize the data and identify emerging themes. RESULTS: Parents were largely dissatisfied with the quality and depth of the information received and with the way the healthcare staff delivered the first communication phone call, which failed to create a caring, empathic and safe setting. Many parents tried to reduce the uncertainty by searching online information or consulting with other providers. Nevertheless, the majority of parents described the in-person visit at MCC as clear, welcoming and reassuring. CONCLUSION: More efforts are needed to improve the quality of the communication process of the ENBS. Guidelines, recommendations and standard scripts to communicate positivity are needed along with programmes and educational resources to train tailored communication skills.

Efficacy and safety of empagliflozin in glycogen storage disease type Ib: Data from an international questionnaire.

PURPOSE: This paper aims to report collective information on safety and efficacy of empagliflozin drug repurposing in individuals with glycogen storage disease type Ib (GSD Ib). METHODS: This is an international retrospective questionnaire study on the safety and efficacy of empagliflozin use for management of neutropenia/neutrophil dysfunction in patients with GSD Ib, conducted among the respective health care providers from 24 countries across the globe. RESULTS: Clinical data from 112 individuals with GSD Ib were evaluated, representing a total of 94 treatment years. The median age at start of empagliflozin treatment was 10.5 years (range = 0-38 years). Empagliflozin showed positive effects on all neutrophil dysfunction-related symptoms, including oral and urogenital mucosal lesions, recurrent infections, skin abscesses, inflammatory bowel disease, and anemia. Before initiating empagliflozin, most patients with GSD Ib were on G-CSF (94/112; 84%). At the time of the survey, 49 of 89 (55%) patients previously treated with G-CSF had completely stopped G-CSF, and another 15 (17%) were able to reduce the dose. The most common adverse event during empagliflozin treatment was hypoglycemia, occurring in 18% of individuals. CONCLUSION: Empagliflozin has a favorable effect on neutropenia/neutrophil dysfunction-related symptoms and safety profile in individuals with GSD Ib.

Evidence of Treatment Benefits in Patients with Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I-Hurler in Long-term Follow-up Using a New Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scoring System.

We developed a brain and spine magnetic resonance scoring system based on a magnetic resonance assessment of 9 patients with mucopolysaccharidosis type I-Hurler who underwent hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation. The score is reliable and correlates with long-term clinical and cognitive outcome in patients with mucopolysaccharidosis type I-Hurler.

Proposal of an Algorithm to Early Detect Attenuated Type I Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS Ia) among Children with Growth Abnormalities.

Background and Objectives: Diagnostic delay is common in attenuated Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I (MPS Ia) due to the rarity of the disease and the variability of clinical presentation. Short stature and impaired growth velocity are frequent findings in MPS Ia, but they rarely raise suspicion as paediatric endocrinologists are generally poorly trained to detect earlier and milder clinical signs of this condition. Materials and Methods: Following a consensus-based methodology, a multidisciplinary panel including paediatric endocrinologists, paediatricians with expertise in metabolic disorders, radiologists, and rheumatologists shared their experience on a possible clinical approach to the diagnosis of MPS Ia in children with short stature or stunted growth. Results: The result was the formation of an algorithm that illustrates how to raise the suspicion of MPS Ia in a patient older than 5 years with short stature and suggestive clinical signs. Conclusion: The proposed algorithm may represent a useful tool to improve the awareness of paediatric endocrinologists and reduce the diagnostic delay for patients with MPS Ia.

A multicenter open-label extension study of intrathecal heparan-N-sulfatase in patients with Sanfilippo syndrome type A.

Sanfilippo syndrome type A (mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA) is a rare autosomal recessive lysosomal disorder characterized by deficient heparan-N-sulfatase (HNS) activity, and subsequent accumulation of heparan sulfate, especially in the central nervous system. The disease is associated with progressive neurodegeneration in early childhood. For this open-label extension study of a phase 2b clinical trial, we report on safety and cognitive decline in patients receiving intrathecal (IT) administration of recombinant human HNS (rhHNS). Of 21 patients who completed the phase 2b study, 17 continued in the open-label extension. Patients receiving rhHNS IT 45 mg continued to receive the same treatment regimen (i.e., every 2 weeks or every 4 weeks) throughout the extension. Patients receiving no treatment in the phase 2b study were re-randomized to the treatment groups. Neurocognition was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development®, Third Edition (BSID-III). Adverse events were recorded over the duration of the treatment period. Cognitive decline was observed in most patients in both treatment groups; however, improvements in BSID-III development quotient score were observed for two patients, in receptive and expressive communication scores for three patients each, in fine motor skills for one patient, and in gross motor skills for six patients. Treatment-emergent adverse events that occurred with rhHNS IT were mostly mild, none led to study discontinuation, and there were no deaths. The extension study was terminated early as the primary endpoints of the phase 2b study were not met, and no statistical analyses were carried out. Although cognitive decline was apparent in most patients, improvements were observed in a small group of patients. Greater declines were observed in patients at the higher end of the age range, suggesting earlier intervention may increase the possibility of a response to treatment. rhHNS IT treatment remained generally well tolerated up to 96 weeks.

Clinical and radiological correlates of activities of daily living in cerebellar atrophy caused by PMM2 mutations (PMM2-CDG).

We aimed to identify clinical, molecular and radiological correlates of activities of daily living (ADL) in patients with cerebellar atrophy caused by PMM2 mutations (PMM2-CDG), the most frequent congenital disorder of glycosylation. Twenty-six PMM2-CDG patients (12 males; mean age 13 ± 11.1 years) underwent a standardized assessment to measure ADL, ataxia (brief ataxia rating scale, BARS) and phenotype severity (Nijmegen CDG rating scale, NCRS). MRI biometry of the cerebellum and the brainstem were performed in 23 patients (11 males; aged 5 months-18 years) and 19 control subjects with equal gender and age distributions. The average total ADL score was 15.3 ± 8.5 (range 3-32 out of 36 indicating severe functional disability), representing variable functional outcome in PMM2-CDG patients. Total ADL scores were significantly correlated with NCRS (r2 = 0.55, p < 0.001) and BARS scores (r2 = 0.764; p < 0.001). Severe intellectual disability, peripheral neuropathy, and severe PMM2 variants were all significantly associated with worse functional outcome. Higher ADL scores were significantly associated with decreased diameters of cerebellar vermis (r2 = 0.347; p = 0.004), hemispheres (r2 = 0.436; p = 0.005), and brainstem, particularly the mid-pons (r2 = 0.64; p < 0.001) representing the major radiological predictor of functional disability score in multivariate regression analysis. We show that cerebellar syndrome severity, cognitive level, peripheral neuropathy, and genotype correlate with ADL used to quantify disease-related deficits in PMM2-CDG. Brainstem involvement should be regarded among functional outcome predictors in patients with cerebellar atrophy caused by PMM2-CDG.

Multicenter evaluation of use of dried blood spot compared to conventional plasma in measurements of globotriaosylsphingosine (LysoGb3) concentration in 104 Fabry patients.

OBJECTIVES: Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder, resulting from a deficiency of the enzyme α-galactosidase A, responsible for breaking down glycolipids such as globotriaosylceramide and its deacylated derivative, globotriaosylsphingosine (LysoGb3). Here, we compare the levels of LysoGb3 in dried blood spots (DBS) and plasma in patients with classic and late-onset phenotypes. METHODS: LysoGb3 measurements were performed in 104 FD patients, 39 males and 65 females. Venous blood was collected. A portion was spotted onto filter paper and another portion separated to obtain plasma. The LysoGb3 concentrations in DBS and plasma were determined by highly sensitive electrospray ionization liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Agreement between different matrices was assessed using linear regression and Bland Altman analysis. RESULTS: The method on DBS was validated by evaluating its precision, accuracy, matrix effect, recovery, and stability. The analytical performances were verified by comparison of a total of 104 paired DBS and plasma samples from as many FD patients (representing 46 GLA variants). There was a strong correlation between plasma and the corresponding DBS LysoGb3 concentrations, with few exceptions. Discrepancies were observed in anemic patients with typically low hematocrit levels compared to the normal range. CONCLUSIONS: The method proved to be efficient for the rapid analysis of LysoGb3. DBS provides a convenient, sensitive, and reproducible method for measuring LysoGb3 levels for diagnosis, initial phenotypic assignment, and therapeutic monitoring in patients with FD.

Dietary lipids in glycogen storage disease type III: A systematic literature study, case studies, and future recommendations.

A potential role of dietary lipids in the management of hepatic glycogen storage diseases (GSDs) has been proposed, but no consensus on management guidelines exists. The aim of this study was to describe current experiences with dietary lipid manipulations in hepatic GSD patients. An international study was set up to identify published and unpublished cases describing hepatic GSD patients with a dietary lipid manipulation. A literature search was performed according to the Cochrane Collaboration methodology through PubMed and EMBASE (up to December 2018). All delegates who attended the dietetics session at the IGSD2017, Groningen were invited to share unpublished cases. Due to multiple biases, only data on GSDIII were presented. A total of 28 cases with GSDIII and a dietary lipid manipulation were identified. Main indications were cardiomyopathy and/or myopathy. A high fat diet was the most common dietary lipid manipulation. A decline in creatine kinase concentrations (n = 19, P < .001) and a decrease in cardiac hypertrophy in paediatric GSDIIIa patients (n = 7, P < .01) were observed after the introduction with a high fat diet. This study presents an international cohort of GSDIII patients with different dietary lipid manipulations. High fat diet may be beneficial in paediatric GSDIIIa patients with cardiac hypertrophy, but careful long-term monitoring for potential complications is warranted, such as growth restriction, liver inflammation, and hepatocellular carcinoma development.

Targeting a Pre-existing Anti-transgene T Cell Response for Effective Gene Therapy of MPS-I in the Mouse Model of the Disease.

Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS-I) is a severe genetic disease caused by a deficiency of the alpha-L-iduronidase (IDUA) enzyme. Ex vivo hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene therapy is a promising therapeutic approach for MPS-I, as demonstrated by preclinical studies performed in naive MPS-I mice. However, after enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), several MPS-I patients develop anti-IDUA immunity that may jeopardize ex vivo gene therapy efficacy. Here we treat MPS-I mice with an artificial immunization protocol to mimic the ERT effect in patients, and we demonstrate that IDUA-corrected HSC engraftment is impaired in pre-immunized animals by IDUA-specific CD8+ T cells spared by pre-transplant irradiation. Conversely, humoral anti-IDUA immunity does not impact on IDUA-corrected HSC engraftment. The inclusion of lympho-depleting agents in pre-transplant conditioning of pre-immunized hosts allowes rescue of IDUA-corrected HSC engraftment, which is proportional to CD8+ T cell eradication. Overall, these data demonstrate the relevance of pre-existing anti-transgene T cell immunity on ex vivo HSC gene therapy, and they suggest the application of tailored immune-depleting treatments, as well as a deeper immunological characterization of patients, to safeguard the therapeutic effects of ex vivo HSC gene therapy in immunocompetent hosts.

Total loss of GM3 synthase activity by a normally processed enzyme in a novel variant and in all ST3GAL5 variants reported to cause a distinct congenital disorder of glycosylation.

ST3GAL5-CDG is a rare syndrome which is caused by variant GM3 synthases, the enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of a-b-c-series gangliosides. Here we report a novel homozygous ST3GAL5 variant, p.Gly342Ser, in a patient suffering from failure to thrive, severe hearing, visual, motor, and cognitive impairment, and respiratory chain dysfunction. A GM3 synthase assay towards the natural acceptor substrate lactosylceramide was performed upon transfection in HEK-293T cells of expression plasmids carrying wild type and mutated ST3GAL5 cDNAs. The assay revealed a complete loss of enzyme activity. Identical results were obtained with the other four ST3GAL5 variants which have been reported to be pathogenic. HEK-293T clones permanently expressing HaloTag-ST3GAL5 carrying each of the five variants were assessed by quantitative PCR, flow cytometry, western blotting and confocal microscopy. The results indicated that transcription, translation, stability and intracellular localization of the tagged protein were identical to those of the wild type construct. Compared with the very mild phenotype of st3gal5 KO mouse models, the results suggest that unknown mechanisms, in addition to the lack of a-b-c-series gangliosides, contribute to the syndrome. Direct enzyme assay upon transfection in model cells appears to be an effective tool for characterizing variants of glycosyltransferases involved in glycosphingolipid biosynthesis.

Intrathecal heparan-N-sulfatase in patients with Sanfilippo syndrome type A: A phase IIb randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Sanfilippo syndrome type A (mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA) is a lysosomal disorder wherein deficient heparan-N-sulfatase (HNS) activity results in the accumulation of heparan sulfate in the central nervous system and is associated with progressive neurodegeneration in early childhood. We report on the efficacy, pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of intrathecal (IT) administration of recombinant human HNS (rhHNS) from a phase IIb randomized open-label trial. METHODS: Twenty-one patients, randomized 1:1:1 to rhHNS IT 45 mg administered every 2 weeks (Q2W), every 4 weeks (Q4W), or no treatment, were assessed for amelioration in neurocognitive decline as determined by the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development®, Third Edition. The primary efficacy goal was defined as ≤10-point decline (responder) in at least three patients in a dosing cohort after 48 weeks. Other efficacy assessments included adaptive behavioral function, assessments of cortical gray matter volume, and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) levels in urine. RESULTS: A clinical response to rhHNS IT was observed in three treated patients (two in the Q2W group, one in the Q4W group). Cerebrospinal fluid heparan sulfate and urine GAG levels were reduced in all treated patients. However, most secondary efficacy assessments were similar between treated patients (n = 14; age, 17.8-47.8 months) and untreated controls (n = 7; age, 12.6-45.0 months). Treatment-emergent adverse events that occurred with rhHNS IT were mostly mild, none led to study discontinuation, and there were no deaths. CONCLUSION: rhHNS IT treatment reduced heparan sulfate and GAG levels in treated patients. Though the primary neurocognitive endpoint was not met, important lessons in the design and endpoints for evaluation of cognitive and behavioral diseases resulted. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.govNCT02060526; EudraCT 2013-003450-24.

Resting energy expenditure in argininosuccinic aciduria and in other urea cycle disorders.

No data are available on the specific energy needs of patients affected with Urea Cycle disorders (UCD) and especially argininosuccinic aciduria (ASA). In our experience, ASA patients tend to develop central adiposity and hypertriglyceridemia when treated with apparently adequate energy intake, while the other UCD do not. The aim of this study was to evaluate anthropometric parameters, body composition, risk of metabolic syndrome (MS) and resting energy expenditure (REE), both by indirect calorimetry (IC) and predictive equations, in UCD patients. Hypertension (5/13), pathological waist circumference-to-height ratio (WtHr) (6/13), hypertriglyceridemia (12/13), reduced HDL cholesterol (12/13), and MS (5/13) were found in ASA group. In the ASA cohort, the mean and median IC-REE were 88% of what was predicted by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Harris-Benedict equations. The "other UCD" cohort did not show hypertension, dyslipidaemia nor MS; IC-REE was similar to the REE predicted by equations. A significant difference was seen for the presence of hypertension, dyslipidaemia, pathological WtHr, MS and IC-REE/predictive equations-REE in the two cohorts. ASA patients have a risk of overfeeding if their energy requirement is not assessed individually with IC. Excessive energy intake might increase the cardiovascular risk of ASA patients. We suggest to test ASA individuals with IC every year if the patient is sufficiently collaborative. We speculate that most of the features seen in ASA patients might depend on an imbalance of Krebs cycle. Further studies are needed to verify this hypothesis.

Chronic liver involvement in urea cycle disorders.

The increased survival of urea cycle disorders (UCDs) patients has led the attention to clinical manifestations that characterize the long-term disease course. Acute and chronic liver disease have been anecdotally reported since the very first description of UCDs. However, a detailed analysis of long-term liver involvement in large patient cohorts is still needed. Chronic liver damage in UCDs has probably a multifactorial origin, but the specific underlying mechanisms of liver disease have not yet been well elucidated. In this study, we report on chronic liver involvement and on associated metabolic abnormalities in a large cohort of 102 UCD patients, followed by two reference centers in Italy. Chronic liver involvement was observed in over 60% of UCDs patients, and comparison between individual diseases showed a significant higher frequency in argininosuccinate lyase deficiency (ASLD) and in hyperornithinemia-hyperammonemia-homocitrullinemia (HHH) syndrome with elevation of transaminases and of gamma-GT in ASLD, and of alpha-fetoprotein in HHH syndrome. Also, consistent with a chronic hepatic dysfunction, ultrasound examination revealed more pronounced abnormalities in ASLD and in HHH syndrome, when compared to other UCDs. Our study highlights in a large UCDs patients' cohort that chronic liver disease is a common finding in UCDs, often with a distinct phenotype between different diseases. Furthers studies are needed to elucidate the specific involvement of different metabolic pathways in the pathogenesis of liver dysfunction in UCDs.

Molecular Pathways and Respiratory Involvement in Lysosomal Storage Diseases.

Lysosomal storage diseases (LSD) include a wide range of different disorders with variable degrees of respiratory system involvement. The purpose of this narrative review is to treat the different types of respiratory manifestations in LSD, with particular attention being paid to the main molecular pathways known so far to be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. A literature search was conducted using the Medline/PubMed and EMBASE databases to identify studies, from 1968 through to November 2018, that investigated the respiratory manifestations and molecular pathways affected in LSD. Pulmonary involvement includes interstitial lung disease in Gaucher's disease and Niemann-Pick disease, obstructive airway disease in Fabry disease and ventilatory disorders with chronic respiratory failure in Pompe disease due to diaphragmatic and abdominal wall muscle weakness. In mucopolysaccharidosis and mucolipidoses, respiratory symptoms usually manifest early in life and are secondary to anatomical malformations, particularly of the trachea and chest wall, and to accumulation of glycosaminoglycans in the upper and lower airways, causing, for example, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Although the molecular pathways involved vary, ranging from lipid to glycogen and glycosaminoglycans accumulation, some clinical manifestations and therapeutic approaches are common among diseases, suggesting that lysosomal storage and subsequent cellular toxicity are the common endpoints.

Mis-splicing of the GALNS gene resulting from deep intronic mutations as a cause of Morquio a disease.

BACKGROUND: Mucopolysaccharidosis-IVA (Morquio A disease) is a lysosomal disorder in which the abnormal accumulation of keratan sulfate and chondroitin-6-sulfate is consequent to mutations in the galactosamine-6-sulfatase (GALNS) gene. Since standard DNA sequencing analysis fails to detect about 16% of GALNS mutant alleles, gross DNA rearrangement screening and uniparental disomy evaluation are required to complete the molecular diagnosis. Despite this, the second pathogenic GALNS allele generally remains unidentified in ~ 5% of Morquio-A disease patients. METHODS: In an attempt to bridge the residual gap between clinical and molecular diagnosis, we performed an mRNA-based evaluation of three Morquio-A disease patients in whom the second mutant GALNS allele had not been identified. We also performed sequence analysis of the entire GALNS gene in two patients. RESULTS: Different aberrant GALNS mRNA transcripts were characterized in each patient. Analysis of these transcripts then allowed the identification, in one patient, of a disease-causing deep intronic GALNS mutation. The aberrant mRNA products identified in the other two individuals resulted in partial exon loss. Despite sequencing the entire GALNS gene region in these patients, the identity of a single underlying pathological lesion could not be unequivocally determined. We postulate that a combination of multiple variants, acting in cis, may synergise in terms of their impact on the splicing machinery. CONCLUSIONS: We have identified GALNS variants located within deep intronic regions that have the potential to impact splicing. These findings have prompted us to incorporate mRNA analysis into our diagnostic flow procedure for the molecular analysis of Morquio A disease.

Safety of anesthesia for children with mucopolysaccharidoses: A retrospective analysis of 54 patients.

BACKGROUND: Complications are common during anesthesia for patients with mucopolysaccharidoses. San Gerardo Hospital (Italy) is a reference center for mucopolysaccharidoses with a dedicated pediatric anesthesia service. AIMS: This study aims to evaluate the safety of anesthesia for mucopolysaccharidoses patients, describe their anesthetic management at our institution, and assess risk factors for complications. METHODS: The anesthetic charts of mucopolysaccharidoses patients admitted from January 1999 to December 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. We retrieved patients' demographics; location and type of the procedure; anesthetic approach airway management and occurrence of difficult intubation and complications and outcome at hospital discharge. A generalized linear mixed model was performed to assess risk factors for complications and difficult intubation. RESULTS: Fifty-four consecutive children were included. The anesthetic charts of 232 procedures (52% radio-diagnostics, 15% orthopedics, 15% ear-nose-throat surgery, 10% neurosurgery, and 8% general surgery) were analyzed. Each patient underwent a median of 4 (1-6) procedures. The median age at the first procedure was 2 (1-5), and overall age was 5 (2-8) years old. One hundred and twenty-five (54%) procedures were performed in remote locations. General anesthesia was utilized for 100 (43%) procedures. No death was recorded. Twenty-one (9%) procedures had respiratory complications. Remote location anesthesia was associated with increased risk for complications (odds ratio 5.405 [1.355-28.571], P = .016). All planned intubations (n = 65) were successful. Nineteen (29%) of those were defined difficult. All emergency intubations (n = 3) failed and were rescued by laryngeal mask airways. Older age was associated with an increased risk of difficult intubation (OR 1.200 [1.019-1.436], P = .028). CONCLUSION: Patients with mucopolysaccharidoses are at high risk for anesthesia-related complications. Remote location anesthesia is associated with increased risk for complications, and older age is associated with increased risk for difficult intubation.