Smith-Lemli-Optiz syndrome: importance of ophthalmology referral and follow-up.

Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR7) gene, located on chromosomal region 11q13. This results in reduced cholesterol and increased 7-dehydrocholesterol (7DHC) levels. Accumulation of 7DHC in patients with SLOS can affect multiple organs and display a broad phenotypic expression. Ophthalmic abnormalities related to SLOS are variable but the most common is blepharoptosis. Over 50% of these patients present with self-injurious behavior, such as head banging, which can result in ocular complications and blindness. We report the first case of peripheral avascularity of the retina in a patient with SLOS. Physicians should be aware of the potential ocular complications associated with SLOS and confounding factors, such as prematurity, given that referral is usually delayed due to the lack of awareness of these potentially blinding associations. This case highlights the importance of early referral and continuous ophthalmologic follow-up in preventing further deterioration of visual development and complications that can lead to blindness.

Measurement of 7-dehydrocholesterol and cholesterol in hair can be used in the diagnosis of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome.

7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) and cholesterol (CHOL) are biomarkers of Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome (SLOS), a congenital autosomal recessive disorder characterized by elevated 7-DHC level in patients. Hair samples have been shown to have great diagnostic and research value, which has long been neglected in the SLOS field. In this study, we sought to investigate the feasibility of using hair for SLOS diagnosis. In the presence of antioxidants (2,6-ditert-butyl-4-methylphenol and triphenylphosphine), hair samples were completely pulverized and extracted by micro-pulverized extraction in alkaline solution or in n-hexane. After microwave-assisted derivatization with N,O-Bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide, the analytes were measured by GC-MS. We found that the limits of determination for 7-DHC and CHOL were 10 ng/mg and 8 ng/mg, respectively. In addition, good linearity was obtained in the range of 50-4000 ng/mg and 30-6000 ng/mg for 7-DHC and CHOL, respectively, which fully meets the requirement for SLOS diagnosis and related research. Finally, by applying the proposed method to real hair samples collected from 14 healthy infants and two suspected SLOS patients, we confirmed the feasibility of hair analysis as a diagnostic tool for SLOS. In conclusion, we present an optimized and validated analytical method for the simultaneous determination of two SLOS biomarkers using human hair.

A reliable tool for detecting 7-dehydrocholesterol and cholesterol in human plasma and its use in diagnosis of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome is a birth defect caused by the deficiency of 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase in cholesterol biosynthesis pathway, which leads to accumulation of 7-dehydrocholesterol and reduction of cholesterol in body fluids. To effectively diagnose Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome and monitor therapy, a reliable method for simultaneous detection of 7-dehydrocholesterol and cholesterol is needed. METHODS: In the presence of antioxidants (2,6-ditert-butyl-4-methylphenol and triphenylphosphine), 50 µL of human plasma were hydrolyzed at 70℃ for 40 min with 1 M potassium hydroxide in 90% ethanol, and then 7-dehydrocholesterol and cholesterol were extracted by 600 µL of n-hexane for three times. After microwave-assisted derivatization with 70 µL of N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide at 460 W for 3 min, the analytes were measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS: The limits of detection were 100 ng/mL for 7-dehydrocholesterol and 300 ng/mL for cholesterol. Good linearity was obtained in the range of 1-600 µg/mL for 7-dehydrocholesterol and 10-600 µg/mL for cholesterol, which completely covered the biochemical levels of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome patients that have been reported. CONCLUSION: A time-saving and accurate gas chromatography with mass spectrometry based method was developed for the determination of 7-dehydrocholesterol and cholesterol in human plasma, which also serves as a useful tool for Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome diagnosis, treatment, and research.

Liver Transplant and Improvements in Cholesterol Biosynthesis Defects: A Case Report of Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome.

Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome is an autosomal recessive metabolic disease characterized by mental retardation and multiple congenital anomalies. The main pathology is the lack of the enzyme 3ß-hydroxysterol Δ7-reductase, which is the last enzymatic step in cholesterol synthesis, ending with a low cholesterol level. Cholesterol is vitally important in cell membranes and myelination of the nervous system. The cholesterol level affects many systems of the body, especially the nervous system. The cause of liver involvement in Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome is unclear, and many hypotheses have been suggested. Here, we present the early results of a patient with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome who underwent living-donor liver transplant due to cirrhosis. As a result of liver transplant, normal cholesterol levels were shown, as well as improvements in the patient's neurodevelopment and behavior. Early liver transplant may be considered for patients with a defect of cholesterol biosynthesis, even in the absence of cirrhosis, and may be a future treatment option to prevent risks of neurologic deterioration.

Isolated autism is not an indication for Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome biochemical testing.

Several studies have demonstrated a high incidence of autistic spectrum features in individuals with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS). However, do these findings imply a converse relationship that has diagnostic utility? Is SLOS testing implicated when autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the only clinical indication? AIM: To determine if there is any correlation with a clinical indication of ASD and a biochemical diagnosis of SLOS, based on historical test request and assay data. METHODS: Six years (2008-2013) of clinical test requests for 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) level were classified and summarised according to indication and final test result. RESULTS: From the audit period, 988 valid test results from post-natal samples were identified. In plasma/serum, mean 7-DHC level was 264.7 µmol/L (normal range < 2.0) for confirmed SLOS cases. No tests performed due to an isolated clinical indication of ASD or where no clinical information was supplied were associated with 7-DHC levels diagnostic for SLOS. CONCLUSIONS: Historical test data analysis supports the recommendation that autism/ASD as a single clinical feature is not an appropriate indication for SLOS (7-DHC) biochemical testing.

Voltammetry of 7-dehydrocholesterol as a new and useful tool for Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome diagnosis.

7-Dehydrocholesterol is an essential biomarker of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome, a congenital autosomal recessive disorder. This study shows for the first time that electrochemical oxidation of 7-dehydrocholesterol can be used for its voltammetric determination. Two classes of supporting electrolytes in acetonitrile and a mixture of acetonitrile-water were used: inorganic acids known to promote structural changes of steroids and indifferent electrolytes. Oxidation of 7-dehydrocholesterol at ca +0.8 V (vs. Ag/AgNO3 in acetonitrile) in 0.1 mol L-1 NaClO4 in acetonitrile is useful for its voltammetric detection using common bare electrode materials. Detection limits for 7-dehydrocholesterol lie in the low micromolar range for all the working electrodes, including boron-doped diamond (0.4 µmol L-1) and disposable thin-film platinum electrodes (0.5 µmol L-1), which are advantageous because of the low volumes of studied solutions. After Bligh-Dyer extraction, quantification of 7-dehydrocholesterol concentration (boron-doped diamond) or concentration range (thin-film platinum) is easily attainable in artificial serum. The mere knowledge of the concentration range provides clinically valuable information, as 7-dehydrocholesterol levels are employed for SLOS diagnosis as a binary criterion (elevated, tens to hundreds µmol L-1 in symptomatic/non-elevated, typically bellow 1 µmol L-1 in healthy individuals in plasma). Moreover, it is shown that 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) can be oxidized in 0.1 mol L-1 HClO4 in acetonitrile. Under these conditions, their voltammetric response changes dramatically, and their oxidation potential difference transiently increases from 0.08 V to 0.25 V, which should facilitate their simultaneous voltammetric determination. This work constitutes a foundation for a reliable and straightforward method for Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome diagnosis and monitoring 7-dehydrocholesterol's biotransformation to cholecalciferol.

Auditory phenotype of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome.

Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) is an autosomal recessive multiple congenital malformation and intellectual disability syndrome resulting from variants in DHCR7. Auditory characteristics of persons with SLOS have been described in limited case reports but have not been systematically evaluated. The objective of this study is to describe the auditory phenotype in SLOS. Age- and ability-appropriate hearing evaluations were conducted on 32 patients with SLOS. A subset of 21 had auditory brainstem response testing, from which an auditory neural phenotype is described. Peripheral or retrocochlear auditory dysfunction was observed in at least one ear of 65.6% (21) of the patients in our SLOS cohort. The audiometric phenotype was heterogeneous and included conductive, mixed, and sensorineural hearing loss. The most common presentation was a slight to mild conductive hearing loss, although profound sensorineural hearing loss was also observed. Abnormal auditory brainstem responses indicative of retrocochlear dysfunction were identified in 21.9% of the patients. Many were difficult to test behaviorally and required objective assessment methods to estimate hearing sensitivity. Individuals with SLOS are likely to have hearing loss that may impact communication, including speech and language development. Routine audiologic surveillance should be conducted to ensure prompt management of hearing loss.

[Clinical and genetic analysis of a Chinese pedigree affected with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical phenotype and pathogenic variants in a Chinese pedigree affected with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome. METHODS: Peripheral blood samples were collected from five members, including two affected ones, from the pedigree for the extraction of genomic DNA. Whole exome sequencing was carried out, and candidate variants were verified by Sanger sequencing as well as reverse transcription sequencing at the RNA level. RESULTS: The proband and another affected child from the pedigree showed mental retardation, dyskinesia, microcephaly, micrognathia, anteverted nares, and 2/3 toe syndactyly. The proband also had hypospadia, single upper incisor, and lower serum cholesterol level. Both children were found to harbor a paternally derived c.278C>T (p.T93M) variant and a maternally derived c.907G>A (p.G303R) variant of the DHCR7 gene. Both were known pathogenic mutations. CONCLUSION: The compound heterozygous mutations of c.278C>T (p.T93M) and c.907G>A (p.G303R) of the DHCR7 gene probably underlay the disease in this pedigree. Above finding has enabled early diagnosis and treatment of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome.

Visualisation of cholesterol and ganglioside GM1 in zebrafish models of Niemann-Pick type C disease and Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome using light sheet microscopy.

Lysosomal storage diseases are the most common cause of neurodegeneration in children. They are characterised at the cellular level by the accumulation of storage material within lysosomes. There are very limited therapeutic options, and the search for novel therapies has been hampered as few good small animal models are available. Here, we describe the use of light sheet microscopy to assess lipid storage in drug and morpholino induced zebrafish models of two diseases of cholesterol homeostasis with lysosomal dysfunction: First, Niemann-Pick type C disease (NPC), caused by mutations in the lysosomal transmembrane protein NPC1, characterised by intralysosomal accumulation of cholesterol and several other lipids. Second, Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS), caused by mutations in 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase, which catalyses the last step of cholesterol biosynthesis and is characterised by intralysosomal accumulation of dietary cholesterol. This is the first description of a zebrafish SLOS model. We find that zebrafish accurately model lysosomal storage and disease-specific phenotypes in both diseases. Increased cholesterol and ganglioside GM1 were observed in sections taken from NPC model fish, and decreased cholesterol in SLOS model fish, but these are of limited value as resolution is poor, and accurate anatomical comparisons difficult. Using light sheet microscopy, we were able to observe lipid changes in much greater detail and identified an unexpected accumulation of ganglioside GM1 in SLOS model fish. Our data demonstrate, for the first time in zebrafish, the immense potential that light sheet microscopy has in aiding the resolution of studies involving lysosomal and lipid disorders.

GC-MS as a tool for reliable non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome but essential also for other cholesterolopathies verification.

Rare multiple congenital malformations/developmental disorders are challenging in clinical diagnosis. The introduction of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized this diagnostic by offering multigene panels or whole-exome sequencing. However, if there is no possibility to perform NGS or if we are facing prenatal ultrasound results, clinical diagnostics is even more difficult. For a selected group of congenital metabolic disorders, resulting from defects in cholesterol biosynthesis (called cholesterolopathies), application of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GS-MS) may provide or orientate diagnostics. The most common of these is Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS), but in this publication, we also want to introduce other cholesterolopathies and draw attention to the possibility of non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of SLOS.

Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome: what is the actual risk for couples carriers of the DHCR7:c.964-1G>C variant?

The founder variant DHCR7:c.964-1G>C causing autosomal recessive Smith-Lemli-Opitz (SLOS) was introduced into the Israeli preconception carrier program for Ashkenazi Jews in 2017 because of the high carrier frequency in this population (2.3%). Other disease-causing variants in DHCR7 are relatively rare in Israeli population. Discrepancy between the carrier frequency and disease prevalence raises the question of the actual risks for affected offspring for couples detected by the screening program. We performed a literature review of all relevant publications regarding homozygous DHCR7:c.964-1G>C fetuses/patients. We also collected clinical data about couples identified in the national screening program, including reproductive history. Out of 32 homozygous fetuses, six died in utero, 11 pregnancies were terminated during second trimester, and 15 children were born. All died between first days of life till 3 months of age. Reproductive history of SLOS-at-risk couples showed that after correction for ascertainment bias, out of 61 pregnancies, there was an absence of affected fetuses/children and an excess of miscarriages even if assumed that all the homozygous fetuses were miscarried. Out of these, eight families were Israelis, they had a total of one sick child, 21 healthy children, and 21 miscarriages. Our observations support the previous knowledge that homozygosity for c.964-1G>C in DHCR7 leads to a severe phenotype or early miscarriage. An unexpected observation was the excess of early miscarriages. This phenomenon is unclear and awaits further studies.

Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome - Fetal phenotypes with special reference to the syndrome-specific internal malformation pattern.

BACKGROUND: Autosomal-recessive SLOS is caused by mutations in the DHCR7 gene. It is defined as a highly variable complex of microcephaly with intellectual disability, characteristic facies, hypospadias, and polysyndactyly. Syndrome diagnosis is often missed at prenatal ultrasound and fetal autopsy METHODS: We performed autopsies and DHCR7 gene analyses in eight fetuses suspected of having SLOS and measured cholesterol values in long-term formalin-fixed tissues of an additional museum exhibit RESULTS: Five of the nine fetuses presented classical features of SLOS, including four cases with atrial/atrioventricular septal defects and renal anomalies, and one with additional bilateral renal agenesis and a Dandy-Walker cyst. These cases allowed for diagnosis at autopsy and subsequent SLOS diagnosis in two siblings. Two fetuses were mildly affected and two fetuses showed additional holoprosencephaly. These four cases and the exhibit had escaped diagnosis at autopsy. The case with bilateral renal agenesis presented a novel combination of a null allele and a putative C-terminus missense mutation in the DHCR7 gene CONCLUSIONS: In view of the discrepancy between the prevalence of SLOS among newborns and the carrier frequency of a heterozygous DHCR7 gene mutation, the syndrome-specific internal malformation pattern may be helpful not to miss SLOS diagnosis in fetuses at prenatal ultrasound and fetal autopsy.

Mass Spectrometry for the Study of Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

Mass spectrometry (MS) has been increasingly used to study central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The first studies of ASD using MS focused on the identification of external toxins, but current research is more directed at understanding endogenous protein changes that occur in ASD (ASD proteomics). This chapter focuses on how MS has been used to study ASDs, with particular focus on proteomic analysis. Other neurodevelopmental disorders have been investigated using this technique, including genetic syndromes associated with autism such as fragile X syndrome (FXS) and Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome (SLOS).

The Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome and dentofacial anomalies diagnostic: Case reports and literature review.

OBJECTIVE: Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) is an autosomal recessive disorder. It is due to a deficiency of 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR7) that catalyses the reduction of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) to cholesterol. The aim of this review is to gather all information, concerning diagnostic characteristics of this syndrome, with an emphasis on intraoral symptom presentation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a review of the literature, including articles between 1964 and 2017. Data was collected regarding the clinical diagnosis, pathophysiology and treatment of SLOS patients. Moreover, two clinical cases are described, illustrating the oral and facial anomalies of SLOS patients, at the regional university hospital of Lille, France. DISCUSSION: Low cholesterol levels provoke a broad spectrum of clinical presentations, from mild to lethal forms. They can cause mental retardation, growth deficiency and congenital malformations. The SLOS features are often present at birth. Moreover, all the patients have facial anomalies. The dento-maxillofacial symptoms consist of crowded teeth, widely spaced incisors, oligodontia, polydontia, premature tooth eruption, enamel hypoplasia, a bifid uvula, broad alveolar ridges, bifid tongue, and Pierre-Robin syndrome symptoms (glossoptosis, retrognathia and cleft palate). These symptoms are warning signs and should increase the awareness of clinicians. CONCLUSIONS: All healthcare professionals can contribute to the SLOS patient diagnostics. The dento-maxillofacial anomalies, illustrated by two case reports, could help to detect undiagnosed patients. An early detection might improve the outcome of these patients, as cholesterol supplementation can improve symptoms. This study can benefit orthodontists by enabling them to recognize the clinical signs of SLOS in order to refer these young patients to a specialist if the diagnosis has not been established.

Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome presenting as acute adrenal crisis in a child: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of cholesterol biosynthesis which is characterized by multiple congenital malformations and global developmental delay. Here we report the case of a 3-year-old, previously undiagnosed, child with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome presenting with acute adrenal crisis, which is an extremely rare and atypical presentation of this disease. CASE PRESENTATION: A 3-year-old Sri Lankan Sinhalese boy without evidence of infection presented with circulatory collapse. He had a normal perinatal period; however, his early infancy was complicated by poor feeding, episodes of loose stools, failure to thrive, and several episodes of unexplained drowsiness. His weight, height, and occipitofrontal circumference were well below the third percentile. He had soft dysmorphic features that included microcephaly, bitemporal narrowing, upward slanting eyes, epicanthal folds, partial ptosis, broad nasal bridge, low set posteriorly rotated ears, high arched palate, and short neck. Marked hyperpigmentation was noted in perioral, buccal, and palmar areas. His pulses were rapid and low in volume and his systolic blood pressure was low. Initial resuscitation was performed by administering multiple crystalloid fluid boluses. A septic screen was negative. His blood glucose and serum bicarbonate levels were low and serum electrolytes revealed hyponatremia with hyperkalemia. Serum spot cortisol level was low normal and 17-hydroxyprogesterone level was low. Diagnosis of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome and associated adrenal crisis was made based on clinical and biochemical features. Intravenously administered hydrocortisone was commenced to which he showed a marked clinical response. CONCLUSIONS: This case describes a rare and atypical presentation of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome and highlights the importance of making early and accurate syndromic diagnoses in children with dysmorphism to avoid sudden and life-threatening complications.

Advances in computer-assisted syndrome recognition by the example of inborn errors of metabolism.

Significant improvements in automated image analysis have been achieved in recent years and tools are now increasingly being used in computer-assisted syndromology. However, the ability to recognize a syndromic facial gestalt might depend on the syndrome and may also be confounded by severity of phenotype, size of available training sets, ethnicity, age, and sex. Therefore, benchmarking and comparing the performance of deep-learned classification processes is inherently difficult. For a systematic analysis of these influencing factors we chose the lysosomal storage diseases mucolipidosis as well as mucopolysaccharidosis type I and II that are known for their wide and overlapping phenotypic spectra. For a dysmorphic comparison we used Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome as another inborn error of metabolism and Nicolaides-Baraitser syndrome as another disorder that is also characterized by coarse facies. A classifier that was trained on these five cohorts, comprising 289 patients in total, achieved a mean accuracy of 62%. We also developed a simulation framework to analyze the effect of potential confounders, such as cohort size, age, sex, or ethnic background on the distinguishability of phenotypes. We found that the true positive rate increases for all analyzed disorders for growing cohorts (n = [10...40]) while ethnicity and sex have no significant influence. The dynamics of the accuracies strongly suggest that the maximum distinguishability is a phenotype-specific value, which has not been reached yet for any of the studied disorders. This should also be a motivation to further intensify data sharing efforts, as computer-assisted syndrome classification can still be improved by enlarging the available training sets.

Prenatal diagnosis of holoprosencephaly associated with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS) in a 46,XX fetus.

OBJECTIVE: To show the importance of measuring cholesterol precursor levels in amniotic fluid in all pregnancies with ultrasound features (such as holoprosencephaly) suggestive of Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS), after exclusion of chromosomal anomalies. CASE REPORT: A 28-year-old woman, gravida 1 para 0, performed chorionic villus sampling for fetal karyotyping at 13 weeks of gestation due to positive combined first trimester screening in a fetus with increased nuchal translucency and suspected holoprosencephaly. The result was normal - 46,XX. The diagnosis of alobar holoprosencephaly was confirmed at 15 weeks of gestation, and cardiac and limb defects were also identified. Thus, a syndromic cause was considered, specifically a chromosomal microdeletion syndrome or a monogenic entity such as SLOS. The latter was confirmed by measuring 7-dehydrocholesterol (7DHC) and 8-dehydrocholesterol (8DHC) in amniotic fluid. Molecular analysis of DHCR7 gene identified a homozygous mutation in intron 8, c.964-1G>C, providing molecular confirmation for this diagnosis. CONCLUSION: The differential diagnosis of holoprosencephaly is broad. Identification of the cause of holoprosencephaly aids in establishing the prognosis and is essential to ascertain the mode of inheritance for adequate genetic counseling.