Early presentation of urological abnormalities in a case of Wolfram syndrome.

Wolfram syndrome (WS) is a rare autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder characterised by arginine vasopressin deficiency (AVP-D), juvenile type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM), optic atrophy (OA) and deafness. We describe an early adolescent female child being managed initially as a case of juvenile type 1 DM presented with urinary retention and diminished visual acuity. Further evaluation confirmed OA and stage IV chronic kidney disease secondary to bilateral hydro-uretero-nephrosis and urinary bladder atrophy. Though AVP-D and sensorineural deafness were absent, the diagnosis of WS was established clinically and confirmed by genetic analysis. Rarity of our case was in the early involvement of bilateral renal tracts. Renal tract involvement in juvenile type 1 DM should raise suspicion of pathology other than microvascular complication. High suspicion and careful evaluation are required to make a diagnosis of WS in juvenile type 1 DM.

Sequential Presentation of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Narcolepsy in a 10-Year-Old Girl With Wolfram Syndrome 1.

ABSTRACT: Wolfram syndrome 1 (WS1) is a rare, autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by diabetes insipidus, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, and deafness resulting from loss-of-function genetic variants in the WFS1 gene. Individuals with WS1 manifest a spectrum of neuropsychiatric disorders. Here, we report a pediatric case of WS1, which stemmed from a novel biallelic WFS1 loss-of-function genetic variant. The individual initially presented with obsessive-compulsive disorder, which was successfully managed by fluvoxamine. After 2 months, the child manifested excessive daytime sleepiness. Clinical evaluation and sleep recordings revealed a diagnosis of narcolepsy type 2. Excessive daytime sleepiness was improved with methylphenidate. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of narcolepsy in WS1, which possibly arose during a progressive neurodegenerative process. We emphasize the need for in-depth screening for neuropsychiatric phenotypes and sleep-related disorders in WS1, for clinical management, which significantly improves the quality of life.

An adolescent male with persistent urinary symptoms.

An 11-year-old male child who presented with increased frequency of urination, thirst and feeling of incomplete void was initially diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM) based on elevated blood sugar. Polyuria and polydipsia were confirmed even after normalisation of blood sugar. A standardised water deprivation test showed presence of central diabetes insipidus (DI) and patient was started on desmopressin. Presence of DM and DI led to suspicion of DIDMOAD/Wolfram syndrome and ophthalmic examination confirmed bilateral optic atrophy. Despite treatment for DM and DI the urinary complaints persisted, and ultrasound showed persistent bilateral hydronephroureterosis. Bladder workup including voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) and urodynamic study reported thickened trabeculated bladder wall along with overactivity, poor compliance and high bladder pressure. Bladder dysfunction has been documented to be associated with Wolfram syndrome and often may lead to chronic kidney disease which can be prevented by early diagnosis and appropriate management. The case highlights the need for comprehensive evaluation of children with urinary symptoms.

An adolescent with Wolfram syndrome and central sleep apnea.

Wolfram syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder affecting approximately 1 in 500,000 individuals. The disorder is most commonly caused by mutations in the WFS1 gene, which encodes an endoplasmic reticulum protein, wolframin, which is thought to protect against endoplasmic reticulum stress-related apoptosis. The major clinical findings of Wolfram syndrome are diabetes mellitus and optic atrophy, both of which usually appear before 16 years of age. Common additional findings include sensorineural hearing impairment, central diabetes insipidus, nonautoimmune hypothyroidism, delayed puberty, neurogenic bladder, cerebellar ataxia, and psychiatric disorders. Central sleep apnea is an uncommon but serious feature of Wolfram syndrome. However, the clinical details of this manifestation have not been documented. Herein, we report an adolescent with recently diagnosed Wolfram syndrome who demonstrated severe central sleep apnea on polysomnography testing. CITATION: Harris JC, Kenkare JD, Schramm CM. An adolescent with Wolfram syndrome and central sleep apnea. J Clin Sleep Med. 2024;20(7):1205-1208.

Long term clinical follow up of four patients with Wolfram syndrome and urodynamic abnormalities.

OBJECTIVES: Wolfram syndrome is characterised by insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM), diabetes insipidus (DI), optic atrophy, sensorineural deafness and neurocognitive disorders. The DIDMOAD acronym has been recently modified to DIDMOAUD suggesting the rising awareness of the prevalence of urinary tract dysfunction (UD). End stage renal disease is the commonest cause of mortality in Wolfram syndrome. We present a case series with main objective of long term follow up in four children having Wolfram syndrome with evaluation of their urodynamic profile. METHODS: A prospective follow up of four genetically proven children with Wolfram syndrome presenting to a tertiary care pediatric diabetes clinic in Pune, India was conducted. Their clinical, and urodynamic parameters were reviewed. RESULTS: IDDM, in the first decade, was the initial presentation in all the four children (three male and one female). Three children had persistent polyuria and polydipsia despite having optimum glycemic control; hence were diagnosed to have DI and treated with desmopressin. All four patients entered spontaneous puberty. All patients had homozygous mutation in WFS1 gene; three with exon 8 and one with exon 6 novel mutations. These children with symptoms of lower urinary tract malfunction were further evaluated with urodynamic studies; two of them had hypocontractile detrusor and another had sphincter-detrusor dyssynergia. Patients with hypocontractile bladder were taught clean intermittent catheterization and the use of overnight drain. CONCLUSIONS: We report a novel homozygous deletion in exon 6 of WFS-1 gene. The importance of evaluation of lower urinary tract malfunction is highlighted by our case series. The final bladder outcome in our cases was a poorly contractile bladder in three patients.

Neuroimaging features in Wolfram syndrome type 1.

Wolfram syndrome type 1 is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder which is characterized by the co-existence of diabetes insipidus, diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, and deafness, and hence is also referred to as the acronym DIDMOAD. In this neuroimage, the typical neuroimaging features of a genetically confirmed case of Wolfram syndrome type 1 are presented. The presence of left-sided vestibulocochlear dysplasia is a novel finding in our case which has not been reported previously.

Paediatric Wolfram syndrome Type 1: should gonadal dysfunction be part of the diagnostic criteria?

Aims: Wolfram Syndrome Spectrum Disorder (WFS1-SD), in its "classic" form, is a rare autosomal recessive disease with poor prognosis and wide phenotypic spectrum. Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (DM), optic atrophy (OA) diabetes insipidus (DI) and sensorineural deafness (D) are the main features of WFS1-SD. Gonadal dysfunction (GD) has been described mainly in adults with variable prevalence and referred to as a minor clinical feature. This is the first case series investigating gonadal function in a small cohort of paediatric patients affected by WFS1-SD. Methods: Gonadal function was investigated in eight patients (3 male and 5 female) between 3 and 16 years of age. Seven patients have been diagnosed with classic WFS1-SD and one with non-classic WFS1-SD. Gonadotropin and sex hormone levels were monitored, as well as markers of gonadal reserve (inhibin-B and anti-Mullerian hormone). Pubertal progression was assessed according to Tanner staging. Results: Primary hypogonadism was diagnosed in 50% of patients (n=4), more specifically 67% (n=2) of males and 40% of females (n=2). Pubertal delay was observed in one female patient. These data confirm that gonadal dysfunction may be a frequent and underdiagnosed clinical feature in WFS1-SD. Conclusions: GD may represent a frequent and earlier than previously described feature in WFS1-SD with repercussions on morbidity and quality of life. Consequently, we suggest that GD should be included amongst clinical diagnostic criteria for WFS1-SD, as has already been proposed for urinary dysfunction. Considering the heterogeneous and elusive presentation of WFS1-SD, this clinical feature may assist in an earlier diagnosis and timely follow-up and care of treatable associated diseases (i.e. insulin and sex hormone replacement) in these young patients.

Clinical management and obstetric outcome in WFS1 Wolfram syndrome spectrum disorder: A case report and literature review.

OBJECTIVE: Wolfram Syndrome (WS) is a rare autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations in WFS1 or CISD2 (WFS2). We present a rare case report of pregnancy with WFS1 spectrum disorder (WFS1-SD) in our hospital and reviewed literature to provide the management of pregnancy in these patients through multi-disciplinary cooperation. CASE REPORT: A 31-year-old (gravida 6, para 1) woman with WFS1-SD conceived naturally. During the pregnancy, she adjusted insulin intermittently to control blood glucose and monitored intraocular pressure changes under the guidance of doctors without any complications. Cesarean section was delivered at 37+4 weeks of gestation due to breech position and uterine scar and the neonatal weight was 3200 g. Apgar score 10 at 1 min, 10 at 5-min and 10 at 10 min, respectively. This rare case had a good maternal and infant outcome under multidisciplinary management. CONCLUSION: WS is an extremely rare disease. Limited information is available on the impact and management of WS on maternal physiologic adaptation and fetal outcome. This case provide a guide for clinicians to raise awareness of this rare disease and strengthen the management of pregnancy in these patients.

WFS1 autosomal dominant variants linked with hearing loss: update on structural analysis and cochlear implant outcome.

BACKGROUND: Wolfram syndrome type 1 gene (WFS1), which encodes a transmembrane structural protein (wolframin), is essential for several biological processes, including proper inner ear function. Unlike the recessively inherited Wolfram syndrome, WFS1 heterozygous variants cause DFNA6/14/38 and wolfram-like syndrome, characterized by autosomal dominant nonsyndromic hearing loss, optic atrophy, and diabetes mellitus. Here, we identified two WFS1 heterozygous variants in three DFNA6/14/38 families using exome sequencing. We reveal the pathogenicity of the WFS1 variants based on three-dimensional (3D) modeling and structural analysis. Furthermore, we present cochlear implantation (CI) outcomes in WFS1-associated DFNA6/14/38 and suggest a genotype-phenotype correlation based on our results and a systematic review. METHODS: We performed molecular genetic test and evaluated clinical phenotypes of three WFS1-associated DFNA6/14/38 families. A putative WFS1-NCS1 interaction model was generated, and the impacts of WFS1 variants on stability were predicted by comparing intramolecular interactions. A total of 62 WFS1 variants associated with DFNA6/14/38 were included in a systematic review. RESULTS: One variant is a known mutational hotspot variant in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-luminal domain WFS1(NM_006005.3) (c.2051 C > T:p.Ala684Val), and the other is a novel frameshift variant in transmembrane domain 6 (c.1544_1545insA:p.Phe515LeufsTer28). The two variants were pathogenic, based on the ACMG/AMP guidelines. Three-dimensional modeling and structural analysis show that non-polar, hydrophobic substitution of Ala684 (p.Ala684Val) destabilizes the alpha helix and contributes to the loss of WFS1-NCS1 interaction. Also, the p.Phe515LeufsTer28 variant truncates transmembrane domain 7-9 and the ER-luminal domain, possibly impairing membrane localization and C-terminal signal transduction. The systematic review demonstrates favorable outcomes of CI. Remarkably, p.Ala684Val in WFS1 is associated with early-onset severe-to-profound deafness, revealing a strong candidate variant for CI. CONCLUSIONS: We expanded the genotypic spectrum of WFS1 heterozygous variants underlying DFNA6/14/38 and revealed the pathogenicity of mutant WFS1, providing a theoretical basis for WFS1-NCS1 interactions. We presented a range of phenotypic traits for WFS1 heterozygous variants and demonstrated favorable functional CI outcomes, proposing p.Ala684Val a strong potential marker for CI candidates.

Wolfram syndrome in a young woman with associated hypergonadotropic hypogonadism - A case report.

OBJECTIVES: Wolfram syndrome (WFS) is a rare neurodegenerative disease. Clinical diagnosis is made when nonautoimmune insulin-dependent diabetes is found to be associated with bilateral optic atrophy in a patient early in life. Frequent associations include diabetes insipidus, diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy and deafness. Many other multisystemic associations have been described including menstrual irregularities in female and hypogonadism in male patients. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a first case of WFS associated with hypergonadotropic hypogonadism in a female adolescent diagnosed with WFS both clinically and genetically. Other causes of premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) have been excluded. CONCLUSIONS: This case report shows the importance of gonadal function assessment and follow-up in time for both genders.

Neuro-ophthalmological manifestations of Wolfram syndrome: Case series and review of the literature.

Wolfram Syndrome (WS) is a rare progressive hereditary neurodegenerative disease with hallmark features of diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, and hearing loss. Its other clinical manifestations may include diabetes insipidus, urological, neurological, and psychiatric abnormalities. We review systemic and ocular manifestations of WS as well as its pathophysiology, diagnostic approach, and treatment options. We then describe a case series of 5 patients (ages 15-38, 60% male) with WS. All had significant progressive visual loss. 3/5 patients had type 1 DM and 4/5 had hearing loss. Other neuro-ophthalmological findings included convergence impairment and end-gaze nystagmus. This case series highlights the variability in clinical presentations of patients with WS, reminding clinicians to maintain high suspicion for this diagnosis in order to allow for prompt diagnosis and genetic counselling for patients and their families.

Longitudinal progression of diabetes mellitus in Wolfram syndrome: The Washington University Wolfram Research Clinic experience.

OBJECTIVE: (1) Describe the progression of diabetes mellitus over time in an observational study of Wolfram syndrome, a rare, genetic, neurodegenerative disorder, which often includes diabetes mellitus and is typically diagnosed during childhood or adolescence. (2) Determine whether C-peptide could be used as a marker of diabetes progression in interventional trials for Wolfram syndrome. METHODS: N = 44 (25F/19M) participants with genetically confirmed Wolfram syndrome attended the Washington University Wolfram Research Clinic annually from 2010 to 2019. Medical history, physical examinations, blood sampling, and questionnaires were used to collect data about diabetes mellitus and other components of Wolfram syndrome. Beta-cell function was assessed by determination of C-peptide during a mixed meal tolerance test. Random coefficients models evaluated the rate of progression of C-peptide over time, and power analyses were used to estimate the number of subjects needed to detect a change in C-peptide decline during an intervention trial. RESULTS: 93.2% of patients had diabetes mellitus. Mean HbA1c across all study visits was 7.9%. C-peptide significantly decreased with increasing duration of diabetes mellitus (p < 0.0001); an optimal break point in C-peptide decline was identified to occur between 0.1 and 2.3 years after diabetes mellitus diagnosis. Twenty patients per group (active vs. control) were estimated to be needed to detect a 60% slowing of C-peptide decline during the first 2.3 years following diabetes diagnosis. CONCLUSION: C-peptide declines over time in Wolfram syndrome and could potentially be used as a marker of diabetes progression in interventional studies for Wolfram syndrome, especially within the first 2 years after diabetes diagnosis.

Early Intervention and Lifelong Treatment with GLP1 Receptor Agonist Liraglutide in a Wolfram Syndrome Rat Model with an Emphasis on Visual Neurodegeneration, Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Diabetic Phenotype.

Wolfram syndrome (WS), also known as a DIDMOAD (diabetes insipidus, early-onset diabetes mellitus, optic nerve atrophy and deafness) is a rare autosomal disorder caused by mutations in the Wolframin1 (WFS1) gene. Previous studies have revealed that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP1 RA) are effective in delaying and restoring blood glucose control in WS animal models and patients. The GLP1 RA liraglutide has also been shown to have neuroprotective properties in aged WS rats. WS is an early-onset, chronic condition. Therefore, early diagnosis and lifelong pharmacological treatment is the best solution to control disease progression. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the long-term liraglutide treatment on the progression of WS symptoms. For this purpose, 2-month-old WS rats were treated with liraglutide up to the age of 18 months and changes in diabetes markers, visual acuity, and hearing sensitivity were monitored over the course of the treatment period. We found that treatment with liraglutide delayed the onset of diabetes and protected against vision loss in a rat model of WS. Therefore, early diagnosis and prophylactic treatment with the liraglutide may also prove to be a promising treatment option for WS patients by increasing the quality of life.

Wolfram-like syndrome with bicuspid aortic valve due to a homozygous missense variant in CDK13.

BACKGROUND: Wolfram syndrome (WFS) is characterized by deafness, diabetes mellitus, and diabetes insipidus along with optic atrophy. WFS has an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance and is due to variants in WFS1 and CISD2. METHODS: We evaluated the underlying molecular etiology of three affected members of a consanguineous family with hearing impairment, bicuspid aortic valve, diabetes mellitus and insipidus, clinodactyly, and gastrointestinal tract abnormalities via exome sequencing approach. We correlated clinical and imaging data with the genetic findings and their associated phenotypes. RESULTS: We identified a homozygous missense variant p.(Asn1097Lys) in CDK13, a gene previously associated with autosomal dominant congenital heart defects, dysmorphic facial features, clinodactyly, gastrointestinal tract abnormalities, intellectual developmental disorder, and seizures with variable phenotypic features. CONCLUSION: We report a homozygous variant in CDK13 and suggest that this gene causes an autosomal recessive disorder with hearing impairment, bicuspid aortic valve, diabetes mellitus and insipidus, clinodactyly, and gastrointestinal tract abnormalities.

Autosomal-dominant WFS1-related disorder-Report of a novel WFS1 variant and review of the phenotypic spectrum of autosomal recessive and dominant forms.

Wolfram syndrome was initially reported as an autosomal recessive (AR), progressive neurodegenerative disorder that leads to diabetes insipidus, childhood onset diabetes mellitus (DM), optic atrophy, and deafness (D) also known as DIDMOAD. However, heterozygous dominant pathogenic variants in Wolfram syndrome type 1 (WFS1) may lead to distinct, allelic conditions, described as isolated sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), syndromic SNHL, congenital cataracts, or early onset DM. We report a family with a novel dominant, likely pathogenic variant in WFS1 (NM_006005.3) c.2605_2616del12 (p.Ser869_His872del), resulting in cataracts, SNHL, and DM in a female and her mother. A maternal aunt had cataracts, DM, and SNHL but was not tested for the familial WFS1 mutation. Both the mother and maternal aunt had early menopause by age 43 years and infertility which may be a coincidental finding that has not been associated with autosomal dominant AD WFS1-related disorder to the best of our knowledge. Screening at risk individuals in families with the AR Wolfram syndrome, for DM, SNHL, and for cataracts is indicated.

Corneal Abnormalities Are Novel Clinical Feature in Wolfram Syndrome.

PURPOSE: To evaluate corneal morphology among patients with Wolfram syndrome (WFS). DESIGN: Comparative observational longitudinal case series of WFS patients with a laboratory approach in the WFS1 gene knockout (Wfs1KO) mouse model. METHODS: A group of 12 patients with biallelic mutations in the WFS1 gene recruited from the whole country and a control group composed of 30 individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) were evaluated in a national reference center for monogenic diabetes. All subjects (n = 42) underwent a complete ophthalmic examination, computer videokeratography, and corneal thickness and endothelial measurements. Additionally, WFS patients (n = 9) underwent longitudinal videokeratography and Pentacam evaluation. Corneal characteristics were assessed and compared between both groups. Human and mouse corneas were subjected to immunohistochemistry to detect wolframin expression and microscopic evaluation to study corneal morphology ex vivo. RESULTS: Clinical and topographic abnormalities similar to keratoconus were observed in 14 eyes (58.3%) of 8 WFS patients (66.7%). Flat keratometry, inferior-superior dioptric asymmetry, skewed radial axis, logarithm of keratoconus percentage index, index of surface variance, index of vertical asymmetry, keratoconus index, central keratoconus index, index of height asymmetry, and index of height decentration differed between WFS and T1D patients. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated wolframin expression in human and mouse corneas. Compared with Wfs1WT mice, Wfs1KO mice also presented corneal abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with WFS present a high prevalence of changes in corneal morphology compatible with the diagnosis of early stages of keratoconus. Observations in a mouse model suggest that a mutation in the WFS1 gene may be responsible for corneal abnormalities similar to keratoconus.

Clinical and genetic analysis of two wolfram syndrome families with high occurrence of wolfram syndrome and diabetes type II: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Mutations of the WFS1 gene are responsible for most cases of Wolfram syndrome (WS), a rare, recessively inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by juvenile-onset non-autoimmune diabetes mellitus and optic atrophy. Variants of WFS1 are also associated with non-syndromic hearing loss and type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Our study adds to literature significant associations between WS and T2DM. CASE PRESENTATION: In this study, we analyzed the clinical and genetic data of two families with high prevalence of WS and T2DM. Genetic linkage analysis and DNA sequencing were exploited to identify pathogenic variants. One novel pathogenic variant (c.2243-2244insC) and one known pathogenic (c.1232_1233delCT) (frameshift) variant were identified in exon eight of WFS1 gene. CONCLUSIONS: The mutational and phenotypic spectrum of WS is broadened by our report of novel WFS1 mutation. Our results reveal the value of molecular analysis of WFS1 in the improvement of clinical diagnostics for WS. This study also confirms the role of WFS1 in T2DM.

Wolfram syndrome, a rare neurodegenerative disease: from pathogenesis to future treatment perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Wolfram syndrome (WS), a rare genetic disorder, is considered the best prototype of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) diseases. Classical WS features are childhood-onset diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, deafness, diabetes insipidus, neurological signs, and other abnormalities. Two causative genes (WFS1 and WFS2) have been identified. The transmission of the disease takes place in an autosomal recessive mode but autosomal dominant mutations responsible for WS-related disorders have been described. Prognosis is poor, death occurs at the median age of 39 years with a major cause represented by respiratory failure as a consequence of brain stem atrophy and neurodegeneration. The aim of this narrative review is to focus on etiology, pathogenesis and natural history of WS for an adequate patient management and for the discussion of future therapeutic interventions. MAIN BODY: WS requires a multidisciplinary approach in order to be successfully treated. A prompt diagnosis decreases morbidity and mortality through prevention and treatment of complications. Being a monogenic pathology, WS represents a perfect model to study the mechanisms of ER stress and how this condition leads to cell death, in comparison with other prevalent diseases in which multiple factors interact to produce the disease manifestations. WS is also an important disease prototype to identify drugs and molecules associated with ER homeostasis. Evidence indicates that specific metabolic diseases (type 1 and type 2 diabetes), neurodegenerative diseases, atherosclerosis, inflammatory pathologies and also cancer are closely related to ER dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Therapeutic strategies in WS are based on drug repurposing (i.e., investigation of approved drugs for novel therapeutic indications) with the aim to stop the progression of the disease by reducing the endoplasmic reticulum stress. An extensive understanding of WS from pathophysiology to therapy is fundamental and more studies are necessary to better manage this devastating disease and guarantee the patients a better quality of life and longer life expectancy.

Evidence of retinal degeneration in Wolfram syndrome.

PURPOSE: Wolfram syndrome is characterized by early onset diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus, deafness, and optic atrophy, but retinal degeneration has not been described as a major component of the phenotype. We present two cases with Wolfram syndrome and evidence of retinal degeneration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Observational case series. Patients underwent complete ocular examinations as well as retinal imaging and electroretinography. RESULTS: Both patients had electroretinographic evidence of retinal dysfunction/degeneration in addition to optic atrophy with an otherwise normal-appearing retina. CONCLUSIONS: Some patients with Wolfram syndrome have a mild retinal degeneration that may be a manifestation of the neuronal involvement that is present in this condition.