Congenital Hyperinsulinism in Humans and Insulin Secretory Dysfunction in Mice Caused by Biallelic DNAJC3 Variants.

The BiP co-chaperone DNAJC3 protects cells during ER stress. In mice, the deficiency of DNAJC3 leads to beta-cell apoptosis and the gradual onset of hyperglycemia. In humans, biallelic DNAJC3 variants cause a multisystem disease, including early-onset diabetes mellitus. Recently, hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia (HH) has been recognized as part of this syndrome. This report presents a case study of an individual with HH caused by DNAJC3 variants and provides an overview of the metabolic phenotype of individuals with HH and DNAJC3 variants. The study demonstrates that HH may be a primary symptom of DNAJC3 deficiency and can persist until adolescence. Additionally, glycemia and insulin release were analyzed in young DNACJ3 knockout (K.O.) mice, which are equivalent to human infants. In the youngest experimentally accessible age group of 4-week-old mice, the in vivo glycemic phenotype was already dominated by a reduced total insulin secretion capacity. However, on a cellular level, the degree of insulin release of DNAJC3 K.O. islets was higher during periods of increased synthetic activity (high-glucose stimulation). We propose that calcium leakage from the ER into the cytosol, due to disrupted DNAJC3-controlled gating of the Sec61 channel, is the most likely mechanism for HH. This is the first genetic mechanism explaining HH solely by the disruption of intracellular calcium homeostasis. Clinicians should screen for HH in DNAJC3 deficiency and consider DNAJC3 variants in the differential diagnosis of congenital hyperinsulinism.

An expanded clinical spectrum of hypoinsulinaemic hypoketotic hypoglycaemia.

BACKGROUND: Hypoketotic hypoglycaemia with suppressed plasma fatty acids and detectable insulin suggests congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI). Severe hypoketotic hypoglycaemia mimicking hyperinsulinism but without detectable insulin has recently been described in syndromic individuals with mosaic genetic activation of post-receptor insulin signalling. We set out to expand understanding of this entity focusing on metabolic phenotypes. METHODS: Metabolic profiling, candidate gene and exome sequencing were performed in six infants with hypoketotic, hypoinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia, with or without syndromic features. Additional signalling studies were carried out in dermal fibroblasts from two individuals. RESULTS: Two infants had no syndromic features. One was mistakenly diagnosed with CHI. One had mild features of megalencephaly-capillary malformation-polymicrogyria (MCAP) syndrome, one had non-specific macrosomia, and two had complex syndromes. All required intensive treatment to maintain euglycaemia, with CHI-directed therapies being ineffective. Pathogenic PIK3CA variants were found in two individuals - de novo germline c.323G>A (p.Arg108His) in one non-syndromic infant and postzygotic mosaic c.2740G>A (p.Gly914Arg) in the infant with MCAP. No causal variants were proven in the other individuals despite extensive investigation, although rare variants in mTORC components were identified in one. No increased PI3K signalling in fibroblasts of two individuals was seen. CONCLUSIONS: We expand the spectrum of PI3K-related hypoinsulinaemic hypoketotic hypoglycaemia. We demonstrate that pathogenic germline variants activating post-insulin-receptor signalling may cause non-syndromic hypoinsulinaemic hypoketotic hypoglycaemia closely resembling CHI. This distinct biochemical footprint should be sought and differentiated from CHI in infantile hypoglycaemia. To facilitate adoption of this differential diagnosis, we propose the term "pseudohyperinsulinism".

Hyperinsulinemic Hypoglycemia Associated with a CaV1.2 Variant with Mixed Gain- and Loss-of-Function Effects.

The voltage-dependent L-type calcium channel isoform CaV1.2 is critically involved in many physiological processes, e.g., in cardiac action potential formation, electromechanical coupling and regulation of insulin secretion by beta cells. Gain-of-function mutations in the calcium voltage-gated channel subunit alpha 1 C (CACNA1C) gene, encoding the CaV1.2 α1-subunit, cause Timothy syndrome (TS), a multisystemic disorder that includes autism spectrum disorders and long QT (LQT) syndrome. Strikingly, TS patients frequently suffer from hypoglycemia of yet unproven origin. Using next-generation sequencing, we identified a novel heterozygous CACNA1C mutation in a patient with congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) and associated hypoglycemic episodes. We characterized the electrophysiological phenotype of the mutated channel using voltage-clamp recordings and in silico action potential modeling experiments. The identified CaV1.2L566P mutation causes a mixed electrophysiological phenotype of gain- and loss-of-function effects. In silico action potential modeling supports that this mixed electrophysiological phenotype leads to a tissue-specific impact on beta cells compared to cardiomyocytes. Thus, CACNA1C variants may be associated with non-syndromic hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia without long-QT syndrome, explained by very specific electrophysiological properties of the mutated channel. We discuss different biochemical characteristics and clinical impacts of hypoglycemia in the context of CACNA1C variants and show that these may be associated with significant morbidity for Timothy Syndrome patients. Our findings underline that the potential of hypoglycemia warrants careful attention in patients with CACNA1C variants, and such variants should be included in the differential diagnosis of non-syndromic congenital hyperinsulinism.

Progressive liver, kidney, and heart degeneration in children and adults affected by TULP3 mutations.

Organ fibrosis is a shared endpoint of many diseases, yet underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Several pathways governed by the primary cilium, a sensory antenna present on most vertebrate cells, have been linked with fibrosis. Ciliopathies usually start early in life and represent a considerable disease burden. We performed massively parallel sequencing by using cohorts of genetically unsolved individuals with unexplained liver and kidney failure and correlated this with clinical, imaging, and histopathological analyses. Mechanistic studies were conducted with a vertebrate model and primary cells. We detected bi-allelic deleterious variants in TULP3, encoding a critical adaptor protein for ciliary trafficking, in a total of 15 mostly adult individuals, originating from eight unrelated families, with progressive degenerative liver fibrosis, fibrocystic kidney disease, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with atypical fibrotic patterns on histopathology. We recapitulated the human phenotype in adult zebrafish and confirmed disruption of critical ciliary cargo composition in several primary cell lines derived from affected individuals. Further, we show interaction between TULP3 and the nuclear deacetylase SIRT1, with roles in DNA damage repair and fibrosis, and report increased DNA damage ex vivo. Transcriptomic studies demonstrated upregulation of profibrotic pathways with gene clusters for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and WNT and TGF-ß signaling. These findings identify variants in TULP3 as a monogenic cause for progressive degenerative disease of major organs in which affected individuals benefit from early detection and improved clinical management. Elucidation of mechanisms crucial for DNA damage repair and tissue maintenance will guide novel therapeutic avenues for this and similar genetic and non-genomic diseases.

The ciliary transition zone protein TMEM218 synergistically interacts with the NPHP module and its reduced dosage leads to a wide range of syndromic ciliopathies.

Mutations in genes that lead to dysfunctional cilia can cause a broad spectrum of human disease phenotypes referred to as ciliopathies. Many ciliopathy-associated proteins are localized to the evolutionary conserved ciliary transition zone (TZ) subdomain. We identified biallelic missense and nonsense mutations in the gene encoding the transmembrane protein TMEM218 in unrelated patients with features related to Bardet-Biedl, Joubert and Meckel-Gruber syndrome (MKS) and characterized TMEM218 as a major component of the ciliary TZ module. Co-immunoprecipitation assays resulted in the physical interaction of TMEM218 with the MKS module member TMEM67/Meckelin that was significantly reduced by the TMEM218 missense change harboured by one of our patients. We could further validate its pathogenicity by functional in vivo analysis in zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a well-established vertebrate model for ciliopathies. Notably, ciliopathy-related phenotypes were most prominent by genetic interactions with the NPHP module component Nphp4. Conclusively, we describe TMEM218 as a new disease gene for patients with a wide spectrum of syndromic ciliopathy phenotypes and provide evidence for a synergistic interaction of TMEM218 and the NPHP module crucial for proper ciliary function.

The underestimated burden of monogenic kidney disease in adults waitlisted for kidney transplantation.

PURPOSE: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major health-care burden. Increasing evidence suggests that a considerable proportion of patients are affected by a monogenic kidney disorder. METHODS: In this study, the kidney transplantation waiting list at the Charité was screened for patients with undetermined cause of CKD. By next-generation sequencing (NGS) we targeted all 600 genes described and associated with kidney disease or allied disorders. RESULTS: In total, 635 patients were investigated. Of these, 245 individuals had a known cause of CKD (38.5%) of which 119 had a proven genetic disease (e.g., ADPKD, Alport). The other 340 patients (53.5%) were classified as undetermined diagnosis, of whom 87 had kidney failure (KF) onset <40 years. To this latter group genetic testing was offered as well as to those patients (n = 29) with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and all individuals (n = 21) suspicious for thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) in kidney biopsy. We detected diagnostic variants in 26 of 126 patients (20.6%) of which 14 of 126 (11.1%) were pathogenic or likely pathogenic. In another 12 of 126 (9.5%) patients, variants of unknown significance (VUS) were detected. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates the diagnostic value of comprehensive genetic testing among patients with undetermined CKD.

Phylogenetic Cluster Analysis Identifies Virological and Behavioral Drivers of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Transmission in Men Who Have Sex With Men.

BACKGROUND: Identifying local outbreaks and their drivers is a key step toward curbing human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission and potentially achieving HIV elimination. Such outbreaks can be identified as transmission clusters extracted from phylogenetic trees constructed of densely sampled viral sequences. In this study, we combined phylogenetic transmission clusters with extensive data on virological suppression and behavioral risk of cluster members to quantify the drivers of ongoing transmission over 10 years. METHODS: Using the comprehensive Swiss HIV Cohort Study and its drug-resistance database, we reconstructed phylogenetic trees for each year between 2007 and 2017. We identified HIV transmission clusters dominated by men who have sex with men (MSM) and determined their annual growth. We used Poisson regression to assess if cluster growth was associated with a per-cluster infectivity and behavioral risk score. RESULTS: Both infectivity and behavioral risk scores were significantly higher in growing MSM transmission clusters compared to nongrowing clusters (P ≤ .01). The fraction of transmission clusters without infectious members acquiring new infections increased significantly over the study period. The infectivity score was significantly associated with per-capita incidence of MSM transmission clusters in 8 years, while the behavioral risk score was significantly associated with per-capita incidence of MSM transmission clusters in 3 years. CONCLUSIONS: We present a phylogenetic method to identify hotspots of ongoing transmission among MSM. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of treatment as prevention at the population level. However, the significantly increasing number of new infections among transmission clusters without infectious members highlights a relative shift from diagnosed to undiagnosed individuals as drivers of HIV transmission in Swiss MSM.

Loss of CBY1 results in a ciliopathy characterized by features of Joubert syndrome.

Ciliopathies are clinically and genetically heterogeneous diseases. We studied three patients from two independent families presenting with features of Joubert syndrome: abnormal breathing pattern during infancy, developmental delay/intellectual disability, cerebellar ataxia, molar tooth sign on magnetic resonance imaging scans, and polydactyly. We identified biallelic loss-of-function (LOF) variants in CBY1, segregating with the clinical features of Joubert syndrome in the families. CBY1 localizes to the distal end of the mother centriole, contributing to the formation and function of cilia. In accordance with the clinical and mutational findings in the affected individuals, we demonstrated that depletion of Cby1 in zebrafish causes ciliopathy-related phenotypes. Levels of CBY1 transcript were found reduced in the patients compared with controls, suggesting degradation of the mutated transcript through nonsense-mediated messenger RNA decay. Accordingly, we could detect CBY1 protein in fibroblasts from controls, but not from patients by immunofluorescence. Furthermore, we observed reduced ability to ciliate, increased ciliary length, and reduced levels of the ciliary proteins AHI1 and ARL13B in patient fibroblasts. Our data show that CBY1 LOF-variants cause a ciliopathy with features of Joubert syndrome.

Heritability of the HIV-1 reservoir size and decay under long-term suppressive ART.

The HIV-1 reservoir is the major hurdle to curing HIV-1. However, the impact of the viral genome on the HIV-1 reservoir, i.e. its heritability, remains unknown. We investigate the heritability of the HIV-1 reservoir size and its long-term decay by analyzing the distribution of those traits on viral phylogenies from both partial-pol and viral near full-length genome sequences. We use a unique nationwide cohort of 610 well-characterized HIV-1 subtype-B infected individuals on suppressive ART for a median of 5.4 years. We find that a moderate but significant fraction of the HIV-1 reservoir size 1.5 years after the initiation of ART is explained by genetic factors. At the same time, we find more tentative evidence for the heritability of the long-term HIV-1 reservoir decay. Our findings indicate that viral genetic factors contribute to the HIV-1 reservoir size and hence the infecting HIV-1 strain may affect individual patients' hurdle towards a cure.

Host Genomics of the HIV-1 Reservoir Size and Its Decay Rate During Suppressive Antiretroviral Treatment.

BACKGROUND: The primary hurdle for the eradication of HIV-1 is the establishment of a latent viral reservoir early after primary infection. Here, we investigated the potential influence of human genetic variation on the HIV-1 reservoir size and its decay rate during suppressive antiretroviral treatment. SETTING: Genome-wide association study and exome sequencing study to look for host genetic determinants of HIV-1 reservoir measurements in patients enrolled in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study, a nation-wide prospective observational study. METHODS: We measured total HIV-1 DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from study participants, as a proxy for the reservoir size at 3 time points over a median of 5.4 years, and searched for associations between human genetic variation and 2 phenotypic readouts: the reservoir size at the first time point and its decay rate over the study period. We assessed the contribution of common genetic variants using genome-wide genotyping data from 797 patients with European ancestry enrolled in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study and searched for a potential impact of rare variants and exonic copy number variants using exome sequencing data generated in a subset of 194 study participants. RESULTS: Genome-wide and exome-wide analyses did not reveal any significant association with the size of the HIV-1 reservoir or its decay rate on suppressive antiretroviral treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our results point to a limited influence of human genetics on the size of the HIV-1 reservoir and its long-term dynamics in successfully treated individuals.

Genotype-Informed Versus Empiric Management Of VirEmia (GIVE MOVE): study protocol of an open-label randomised clinical trial in children and adolescents living with HIV in Lesotho and Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Globally, the majority of people living with HIV have no or only limited access to HIV drug resistance testing to guide the selection of antiretroviral drugs. This is of particular concern for children and adolescents, who experience high rates of treatment failure. The GIVE MOVE trial assesses the clinical impact and cost-effectiveness of routinely providing genotypic resistance testing (GRT) to children and adolescents living with HIV who have an unsuppressed viral load (VL) while taking antiretroviral therapy (ART). METHODS: GIVE MOVE is an open-label randomised clinical trial enrolling children and adolescents (≥6 months to <19 years) living with HIV with a VL ≥400 copies/mL (c/mL) while taking first-line ART. Recruitment takes place at sites in Lesotho and Tanzania. Participants are randomised in a 1:1 allocation to a control arm receiving the standard of care (3 sessions of enhanced adherence counselling, a follow-up VL test, continuation of the same regimen upon viral resuppression or empiric selection of a new regimen upon sustained elevated viremia) and an intervention arm (GRT to inform onward treatment). The composite primary endpoint is the occurrence of any one or more of the following events during the 36 weeks of follow-up period: i) death due to any cause; ii) HIV- or ART-related hospital admission of ≥24 h duration; iii) new clinical World Health Organisation stage 4 event (excluding lymph node tuberculosis, stunting, oral or genital herpes simplex infection and oesophageal candidiasis); and iv) no documented VL <50 c/mL at 36 weeks follow-up. Secondary and exploratory endpoints assess additional health-related outcomes, and a nested study will assess the cost-effectiveness of the intervention. Enrolment of a total of 276 participants is planned, with an interim analysis scheduled after the first 138 participants have completed follow-up. DISCUSSION: This randomised clinical trial will assess if the availability of resistance testing improves clinical outcomes in children and adolescents with elevated viremia while taking ART. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT04233242 ; registered 18.01.2020). More information: www.givemove.org .

Comparative meta-analysis of Kabuki syndrome with and without hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Kabuki syndrome (KS), caused by pathogenic variants in KMT2D or KDM6A, is associated with hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia (HH) in 0.3%-4% of patients. We characterized the clinical, biochemical and molecular data of children with KS and HH compared to children with KS without HH in a multicentre meta-analysis. METHODS: Data of seven new and 17 already published children with KS and HH were compared to 373 recently published KS patients without HH regarding molecular and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: Seven new patients were identified with seven different pathogenic variants in KDM6A (n = 4) or KMT2D (n = 3). All presented with HH on the first day of life and were responsive to diazoxide. KS was diagnosed between 9 months and 14 years of age. In the meta-analysis, 24 KS patients with HH had a significantly higher frequency of variants in KDM6A compared to 373 KS patients without HH (50% vs 11.5%, P < .001), and KDM6A-KS was more likely to be associated with HH than KMT2D-KS (21.8% vs. 3.5%, P < .001). Sex distribution and other phenotypic features did not differ between KS with and without HH. CONCLUSION: The higher incidence of HH in KDM6A-KS compared to KMT2D-KS indicates that KDM6A loss of function variants predispose more specifically to beta cell dysfunction compared to KMT2D variants. As difficulties to assign syndromic characteristics to KS in early infancy often lead to delayed diagnosis, genetic testing for KS should be considered in children with HH, especially in the presence of other extrapancreatic/syndromic features.

Cancer incidence and spectrum among children with genetically confirmed Beckwith-Wiedemann spectrum in Germany: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is a cancer predisposition syndrome caused by defects on chromosome 11p15.5. The quantitative cancer risks in BWS patients depend on the underlying (epi)genotype but have not yet been assessed in a population-based manner. METHODS: We identified a group of 321 individuals with a molecularly confirmed diagnosis of BWS and analysed the cancer incidence up to age 15 years and cancer spectrum by matching their data with the German Childhood Cancer Registry. RESULTS: We observed 13 cases of cancer in the entire BWS cohort vs 0.4 expected. This corresponds to a 33-fold increased risk (standardised incidence ratio (SIR) = 32.6; 95% confidence interval = 17.3-55.7). The specific cancers included hepatoblastoma (n = 6); nephroblastoma (n = 4); astrocytoma (n = 1); neuroblastoma (n = 1) and adrenocortical carcinoma (n = 1). The cancer SIR was highest in patients with a paternal uniparental disomy of 11p15.5 (UPDpat). A high cancer risk remained when cases of cancer diagnosed prior to the BWS diagnosis were excluded. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms an increased cancer risk in children with BWS. Our findings suggest that the highest cancer risk is associated with UPDpat. We were unable to confirm an excessive cancer risk in patients with IC1 gain of methylation (IC1-GOM) and this finding requires further investigation.

Differences in social and mental well-being of long-term survivors among people who inject drugs and other participants in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study: 1980-2018.

BACKGROUND: People living with HIV who were diagnosed before highly active antiretroviral therapy became available in 1996 and who survived at least 15 years after HIV diagnosis, termed long-term survivors (LTS), form a particularly vulnerable population. We study social, clinical and mental factors of LTS in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study, with a particular focus on people who inject drugs (PWID). METHODS: We quantified differences between PWID LTS, and men who have sex with men (MSM) and heterosexual (HET) LTS. Using phylogenetic methods, we distinguished between heterosexual LTS who most likely shared a social network with PWID at the time of infection, termed clusteredHET, and those who did not, termed HET not clustered (HETnc). The analysis was performed using data collected at least 15 years post diagnosis. RESULTS: Overall, 1,663 of 5,686 (29.2%) PWID were LTS. We found significant differences between PWID LTS and MSM/HETnc LTS regarding self-reported depression (59.4% versus 43.3%; odds ratio [OR]=1.8; P<0.001), incarceration (30.6% versus 7.0%; OR=6.9; P<0.001) and full work ability (25.4% versus 59.0%; OR=0.27; P<0.001). ClusteredHET were less vulnerable with respect to these variables than PWID LTS but more at risk compared with MSM/HETnc LTS, indicating that clusteredHET are closer to PWID with regard to social and mental aspects compared with all MSM/HETnc. CONCLUSIONS: Even more than 15 years post HIV diagnosis, special care for HIV-positive PWID is needed, with emphasis on mental health and social integration of PWID LTS.

PEBRA trial - effect of a peer-educator coordinated preference-based ART service delivery model on viral suppression among adolescents and young adults living with HIV: protocol of a cluster-randomized clinical trial in rural Lesotho.

BACKGROUND: Despite tremendous progress in controlling the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa, HIV-related mortality continues to increase among adolescents and young people living with HIV (AYPLHIV). Globally, sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 85% of the AYPLHIV. Overall outcomes along the HIV care cascade are worse among AYPLHIV as compared to all other age groups due to various challenges in accessing and adhering to antiretroviral therapy (ART). New, innovative multicomponent packages of differentiated service delivery (DSD) models, are required to address the specific needs of AYPLHIV. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a multicomponent DSD model (PEBRA model) designed for AYPLHIV and coordinated by a peer-educator. METHODS: PEBRA (Peer-Educator Based Refill of ART) is a cluster randomized, open-label, superiority trial conducted at 20 health facilities in three districts of Lesotho, Southern Africa. The clusters (health facilities) are randomly assigned to either the PEBRA model or standard of care in a 1:1 ratio, stratified by district. AYPLHIV aged 15-24 years old in care and on ART at one of the clusters are eligible. In the PEBRA model, a peer-educator coordinates the antiretroviral therapy (ART) services - such as medication pick-up, SMS notifications and support options - according to the preferences of the AYPLHIV. The peer-educator delivers this personalized model using a tablet-based application called PEBRApp. The control clusters continue to offer standard of care: ART services coordinated by the nurse. The primary endpoint is viral suppression at 12 months. Secondary endpoints include self-reported adherence to ART, quality of life, satisfaction with care and engagement in care. The target sample size is 300 AYPLHIV. Statistical analyses are conducted and reported in line with CONSORT guidelines for cluster randomized trials. DISCUSSION: The PEBRA trial will provide evidence on the feasibility and effectiveness of an inclusive, holistic and preference-based DSD model for AYPLHIV that is coordinated by a peer-educator. Many countries in SSA have an existing peer-educator program. If proven effective, the PEBRA model and PEBRApp have the potential to be scaled up to similar settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT03969030. Registered on 31 May 2019. More information: www.pebra.info.

Determinants of HIV-1 reservoir size and long-term dynamics during suppressive ART.

The HIV-1 reservoir is the major hurdle to a cure. We here evaluate viral and host characteristics associated with reservoir size and long-term dynamics in 1,057 individuals on suppressive antiretroviral therapy for a median of 5.4 years. At the population level, the reservoir decreases with diminishing differences over time, but increases in 26.6% of individuals. Viral blips and low-level viremia are significantly associated with slower reservoir decay. Initiation of ART within the first year of infection, pretreatment viral load, and ethnicity affect reservoir size, but less so long-term dynamics. Viral blips and low-level viremia are thus relevant for reservoir and cure studies.

Persistent hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia in children with Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Genetic aetiology remains unknown in up to 50% of patients with persistent hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia (HH). Several syndromes are associated with HH. We report Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome (RSTS) as one of the possible causes of persistent HH. Early diagnosis and treatment of HH is crucial to prevent hypoglycaemic brain injury. DESIGN: Four RSTS patients with HH were retrospectively analysed. METHODS: Genetic investigations included next-generation sequencing-based gene panels and exome sequencing. Clinical characteristics, metabolic profile during hypoglycaemia and treatment were reviewed. RESULTS: Disease-related EP300 or CREBBP variants were found in all patients, no pathogenic variants were found in a panel of genes associated with non-syndromic HH. Two patients had classic manifestations of RSTS, three had choanal atresia or stenosis. Diagnosis of HH varied from 1 day to 18 months of age. One patient was unresponsive to treatment with diazoxide, octreotide and nifedipine, but responded to sirolimus. All required gastrostomy feeding. CONCLUSIONS: Given the rarity of RSTS (1:125 000) and HH (1:50 000), our observations indicate an association between these two conditions. We therefore recommend that clinicians should be vigilant in screening for HH in symptomatic infants with RSTS. In children with an apparent syndromic form of HH, RSTS should be considered in the differential diagnosis.

Limited Sustained Local Transmission of HIV-1 CRF01_AE in New South Wales, Australia.

Australia's response to the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) pandemic led to effective control of HIV transmission and one of the world's lowest HIV incidence rates-0.14%. Although there has been a recent decline in new HIV diagnoses in New South Wales (NSW), the most populous state in Australia, there has been a concomitant increase with non-B subtype infections, particularly for the HIV-1 circulating recombinant form CRF01_AE. This aforementioned CRF01_AE sampled in NSW, were combined with those sampled globally to identify NSW-specific viral clades. The population growth of these clades was assessed in two-year period intervals from 2009 to 2017. Overall, 109 NSW-specific clades were identified, most comprising pairs of sequences; however, five large clades comprising ≥10 sequences were also found. Forty-four clades grew over time with one or two sequences added to each in different two-year periods. Importantly, while 10 of these clades have seemingly discontinued, the remaining 34 were still active in 2016/2017. Seven such clades each comprised ≥10 sequences, and are representative of individual sub-epidemics in NSW. Thus, although the majority of new CRF01_AE infections were associated with small clades that rarely establish ongoing chains of local transmission, individual sub-epidemics are present and should be closely monitored.

HIV Transmission Chains Exhibit Greater HLA-B Homogeneity Than Randomly Expected.

BACKGROUND: HIV's capacity to escape immune recognition by human leukocyte antigen (HLA) is a core component of HIV pathogenesis. A better understanding of the distribution of HLA class I in HIV-infected patients would improve our knowledge of pathogenesis in relation to the host HLA type and could better improve therapeutic strategies against HIV. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three hundred one to 325 transmission pairs and 469-496 clusters were identified for analysis among Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) participants using HIV pol sequences from the drug resistance database. HLA class I data were compiled at 3 specificity levels: 4-digit, 2-digit alleles, and HLA-B supertype. The analysis tabulated HLA-I homogeneity as 2 measures: the proportion of transmission pairs, which are HLA concordant, and the average percentage of allele matches within all clusters. These measures were compared with the mean value across randomizations with randomly assorted individuals. RESULTS: We repeated the analysis for different HLA classification levels and separately for HLA-A, -B, and -C. Subanalyses by the risk group were performed for HLA-B. HLA-B showed significantly greater homogeneity in the transmission chains (2-digit clusters: 0.291 vs. 0.251, P value = 0.009; supertype clusters: 0.659 vs. 0.611, P value = 0.002; supertype pairs: 0.655 vs. 0.608, P value = 0.014). Risk group restriction caused the effect to disappear for men-who-have-sex-with-men but not for other risk groups. We also examined if protective HLA alleles B27 and B57 were under- or overrepresented in the transmission chains, although this yielded no significant pattern. CONCLUSIONS: The HLA-B alleles of patients within HIV-1 transmission chains segregate in homogenous clusters/pairs, potentially indicating preferential transmission among HLA-B concordant individuals.