A multidisciplinary approach to the clinical management of Prader-Willi syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a complex neuroendocrine disorder affecting approximately 1/15,000-1/30,000 people. Unmet medical needs of individuals with PWS make it a rare disease that models the importance of multidisciplinary approaches to care with collaboration between academic centers, medical homes, industry, and parent organizations. Multidisciplinary clinics support comprehensive, patient-centered care for individuals with complex genetic disorders and their families. Value comes from improved communication and focuses on quality family-centered care. METHODS: Interviews with medical professionals, scientists, managed care experts, parents, and individuals with PWS were conducted from July 1 to December 1, 2016. Review of the literature was used to provide support. RESULTS: Data are presented based on consensus from these interviews by specialty focusing on unique aspects of care, research, and management. We have also defined the Center of Excellence beyond the multidisciplinary clinic. CONCLUSION: Establishment of clinics motivates collaboration to provide evidence-based new standards of care, increases the knowledge base including through randomized controlled trials, and offers an additional resource for the community. They have a role in global telemedicine, including to rural areas with few resources, and create opportunities for clinical work to inform basic and translational research. As a care team, we are currently charged with understanding the molecular basis of PWS beyond the known genetic cause; developing appropriate clinical outcome measures and biomarkers; bringing new therapies to change the natural history of disease; improving daily patient struggles, access to care, and caregiver burden; and decreasing healthcare load. Based on experience to date with a PWS multidisciplinary clinic, we propose a design for this approach and emphasize the development of "Centers of Excellence." We highlight the dearth of evidence for management approaches creating huge gaps in care practices as a means to illustrate the importance of the collaborative environment and translational approaches.

Mutations in GPAA1, Encoding a GPI Transamidase Complex Protein, Cause Developmental Delay, Epilepsy, Cerebellar Atrophy, and Osteopenia.

Approximately one in every 200 mammalian proteins is anchored to the cell membrane through a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor. These proteins play important roles notably in neurological development and function. To date, more than 20 genes have been implicated in the biogenesis of GPI-anchored proteins. GPAA1 (glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor attachment 1) is an essential component of the transamidase complex along with PIGK, PIGS, PIGT, and PIGU (phosphatidylinositol-glycan biosynthesis classes K, S, T, and U, respectively). This complex orchestrates the attachment of the GPI anchor to the C terminus of precursor proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum. Here, we report bi-allelic mutations in GPAA1 in ten individuals from five families. Using whole-exome sequencing, we identified two frameshift mutations (c.981_993del [p.Gln327Hisfs∗102] and c.920delG [p.Gly307Alafs∗11]), one intronic splicing mutation (c.1164+5C>T), and six missense mutations (c.152C>T [p.Ser51Leu], c.160_161delinsAA [p.Ala54Asn], c.527G>C [p.Trp176Ser], c.869T>C [p.Leu290Pro], c.872T>C [p.Leu291Pro], and c.1165G>C [p.Ala389Pro]). Most individuals presented with global developmental delay, hypotonia, early-onset seizures, cerebellar atrophy, and osteopenia. The splicing mutation was found to decrease GPAA1 mRNA. Moreover, flow-cytometry analysis of five available individual samples showed that several GPI-anchored proteins had decreased cell-surface abundance in leukocytes (FLAER, CD16, and CD59) or fibroblasts (CD73 and CD109). Transduction of fibroblasts with a lentivirus encoding the wild-type protein partially rescued the deficiency of GPI-anchored proteins. These findings highlight the role of the transamidase complex in the development and function of the cerebellum and the skeletal system.

POGZ truncating alleles cause syndromic intellectual disability.

BACKGROUND: Large-scale cohort-based whole exome sequencing of individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) has identified numerous novel candidate disease genes; however, detailed phenotypic information is often lacking in such studies. De novo mutations in pogo transposable element with zinc finger domain (POGZ) have been identified in six independent and diverse cohorts of individuals with NDDs ranging from autism spectrum disorder to developmental delay. METHODS: Whole exome sequencing was performed on five unrelated individuals. Sanger sequencing was used to validate variants and segregate mutations with the phenotype in available family members. RESULTS: We identified heterozygous truncating mutations in POGZ in five unrelated individuals, which were confirmed to be de novo or not present in available parental samples. Careful review of the phenotypes revealed shared features that included developmental delay, intellectual disability, hypotonia, behavioral abnormalities, and similar facial characteristics. Variable features included short stature, microcephaly, strabismus and hearing loss. CONCLUSIONS: While POGZ has been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders in large cohort studies, our data suggest that loss of function variants in POGZ lead to an identifiable syndrome of NDD with specific phenotypic traits. This study exemplifies the era of human reverse clinical genomics ushered in by large disease-directed cohort studies; first defining a new syndrome molecularly and, only subsequently, phenotypically.

Mild Angelman syndrome phenotype due to a mosaic methylation imprinting defect.

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurogenetic disorder causing severe to profound intellectual disability, absent or very limited speech and a high risk for seizures. AS is caused by a loss of function of the maternally-derived UBE3A allele due to one of several mechanisms including imprinting defects (ImpDs). We present a girl with AS due to a mosaic ImpD who has relatively high developmental function (VABS-II composite score of 76) and communication skills (as demonstrated in supplemental video links). Given the patient's relatively mild developmental impairment, without clinical evidence of seizures, gait disturbance or inappropriate laughter, the diagnosis of AS was not initially suspected. Initial laboratory testing for AS was inconclusive but additional studies suggested mosaic ImpD and characteristic EEG findings provided further support for the clinical diagnosis. Our patient, along with other case reports of children with AS and relatively mild phenotypes, raises the question as to whether there exists an undiagnosed group of individuals with mild intellectual disability and expressive speech delays due to mosaic methylation defects of the chromosome 15q11.2-13 region. Population studies may be needed to determine if such an undiagnosed group exists.