Citrin deficiency mimicking mitochondrial depletion syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (CD) is a rare inborn error of metabolism due to variants in the SLC25A13 gene encoding the calcium-binding protein citrin. Citrin is an aspartate-glutamate carrier located within the inner mitochondrial membrane. CASE PRESENTATION: We report on two siblings of Romanian-Vietnamese ancestry with citrin deficiency. Patient 1 is a female who presented at age 8 weeks with cholestasis, elevated lactate levels and recurrent severe hypoglycemia. Diagnosis was made by whole exome sequencing and revealed compound heterozygosity for the frameshift variant c.852_855del, p.Met285Profs*2 and a novel deletion c.(69 + 1_70-1)_(212 + 1_231-1)del in SLC25A13. The girl responded well to dietary treatment with a lactose-free, MCT-enriched formula. Her younger brother (Patient 2) was born 1 year later and also found to be carrying the same gene variants. Dietary treatment from birth was able to completely prevent clinical manifestation until his current age of 4.5 months. CONCLUSIONS: As CD is a well-treatable disorder it should be ruled out early in the differential diagnosis of neonatal cholestasis. Due to the combination of hepatopathy, lactic acidosis and recurrent hypoglycemia the clinical presentation of CD may resemble hepatic mitochondrial depletion syndrome.

Possible mechanisms for sensorineural hearing loss and deafness in patients with propionic acidemia.

Propionic acidemia is an inborn error of metabolism caused by deficiency of the mitochondrial enzyme propionyl-CoA carboxylase. Sensorineural deafness and severe hearing loss have been described as long-term complications of this disease, however, the mechanism has not yet been elucidated. We have recently shown by patch clamping experiments and Western blots that acute and chronic effects of accumulating metabolites such as propionic acid, propionylcarnitine and methylcitrate on the KvLQT1/KCNE1 channel complex cause long QT syndrome in patients with propionic acidemia by inhibition of K+ flow via this channel. The same KvLQT1/KCNE1 channel complex is expressed in the inner ear and essential for luminal potassium secretion into the endolymphatic space. A disruption of this K+ flow results in sensorineural hearing loss or deafness. It can be assumed that acute and chronic effects of accumulating metabolites on the KvLQT1/KCNE1 channel protein may similarly cause the hearing impairment of patients with propionic acidemia.

Novel homozygous RARS2 mutation in two siblings without pontocerebellar hypoplasia - further expansion of the phenotypic spectrum.

BACKGROUND: Pontocerebellar hypoplasia type 6 (PCH6) is a mitochondrial disease caused by mutations in the RARS2 gene. RARS2 encodes mitochondrial arginyl transfer RNA synthetase, an enzyme involved in mitochondrial protein translation. A total of 27 patients from 14 families have been reported so far. Characteristic clinical features comprise neonatal lactic acidosis, severe encephalopathy, intractable seizures, feeding problems and profound developmental delay. Most patients show typical neuroradiologic abnormalities including cerebellar hypoplasia and progressive pontocerebellar atrophy. METHODS: We describe the clinical, biochemical and molecular features of 2 siblings with a novel homozygous mutation in RARS2. Both patients presented neonatally with lactic acidosis. While the older sibling had severe neurological symptoms with microcephaly, seizures and developmental delay, the younger patient was still neurologically asymptomatic at the age of 2 months. RESULTS: MRI studies in both children lacked pontocerebellar involvement. The expression of the OXPHOS complex proteins was decreased in both patients, whereas oxygen consumption was increased. CONCLUSIONS: Characteristic neuroradiological abnormalities of PCH6 such as vermis and cerebellar hypoplasia and progressive pontocerebellar atrophy may be missing in patients with RARS2 mutations. RARS2 testing should therefore also be performed in patients without pontocerebellar hypoplasia but otherwise typical clinical symptoms.

How strict is galactose restriction in adults with galactosaemia? International practice.

Dietary management of 418 adult patients with galactosaemia (from 39 centres/12 countries) was compared. All centres advised lactose restriction, 6 restricted galactose from galactosides ± fruits and vegetables and 12 offal. 38% (n=15) relaxed diet by: 1) allowing traces of lactose in manufactured foods (n=13) or 2) giving fruits, vegetables and galactosides (n=2). Only 15% (n=6) calculated dietary galactose. 32% of patients were lost to dietetic follow-up. In adult galactosaemia, there is limited diet relaxation.

Propionic acidemia: neonatal versus selective metabolic screening.

BACKGROUND: Whereas propionic acidemia (PA) is a target disease of newborn screening (NBS) in many countries, it is not in others. Data on the benefit of NBS for PA are sparse. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty PA patients diagnosed through NBS were compared to 35 patients diagnosed by selective metabolic screening (SMS) prompted by clinical findings, family history, or routine laboratory test results. Clinical and biochemical data of patients from 16 metabolic centers in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland were evaluated retrospectively. Additionally, assessment of the intelligent quotient (IQ) was performed. In a second step, the number of PA patients who have died within the past 20 years was estimated based on information provided by the participating metabolic centers. RESULTS: Patients diagnosed through NBS had neither a milder clinical course regarding the number of metabolic crises nor a better neurological outcome. Among NBS patients, 63% were already symptomatic at the time of diagnosis, and <10% of all patients remained asymptomatic. Among all PA patients, 76% were found to be at least mildly mentally retarded, with an IQ <69. IQ was negatively correlated with the number of metabolic decompensations, but not simply with the patients' age. Physical development was also impaired in the majority of patients. Mortality rates tended to be lower in NBS patients compared with patients diagnosed by SMS. CONCLUSION: Early diagnosis of PA through NBS seems to be associated with a lower mortality rate. However, no significant benefit could be shown for surviving patients with regard to their clinical course, including the number of metabolic crises, physical and neurocognitive development, and long-term complications.

Mutation analysis in 54 propionic acidemia patients.

Deficiency of propionyl CoA carboxylase (PCC), a dodecamer of alpha and beta subunits, causes inherited propionic acidemia. We have studied, at the molecular level, PCC in 54 patients from 48 families comprised of 96 independent alleles. These patients of various ethnic backgrounds came from research centers and hospitals in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The thorough clinical characterization of these patients was described in the accompanying paper (Grünert et al. 2012). In all 54 patients, many of whom originated from consanguineous families, the entire PCCB gene was examined by genomic DNA sequencing and in 39 individuals the PCCA gene was also studied. In three patients we found mutations in both PCC genes. In addition, in many patients RT-PCR analysis of lymphoblast RNA, lymphoblast enzyme assays, and expression of new mutations in E.coli were carried out. Eight new and eight previously detected mutations were identified in the PCCA gene while 15 new and 13 previously detected mutations were found in the PCCB gene. One missense mutation, p.V288I in the PCCB gene, when expressed in E.coli, yielded 134% of control activity and was consequently classified as a polymorphism in the coding region. Numerous new intronic polymorphisms in both PCC genes were identified. This study adds a considerable amount of new molecular data to the studies of this disease.