Cerebrospinal fluid 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG) as a monitoring biomarker for IDH-mutant gliomas.

D-2-hydroxyglutarate (D-2-HG) is a well-established oncometabolite of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutant gliomas. While prior studies have demonstrated that D-2-HG is elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with IDH-mutant gliomas 1,2 , no study has determined if CSF D-2-HG can provide a plausible method to evaluate therapeutic response. We are obtaining CSF samples from consenting patients during their disease course via intra-operative collection and Ommaya reservoirs. D-2-HG and D/L-2-HG consistently decreased following tumor resection and throughout chemoradiation in patients monitored longitudinally. Our early experience with this strategy demonstrates the potential for intracranial CSF D-2-HG as a monitoring biomarker for IDH-mutant gliomas.

Genetic therapy in a mitochondrial disease model suggests a critical role for liver dysfunction in mortality.

The clinical and largely unpredictable heterogeneity of phenotypes in patients with mitochondrial disorders demonstrates the ongoing challenges in the understanding of this semi-autonomous organelle in biology and disease. Previously, we used the gene-breaking transposon to create 1200 transgenic zebrafish strains tagging protein-coding genes (Ichino et al., 2020), including the lrpprc locus. Here, we present and characterize a new genetic revertible animal model that recapitulates components of Leigh Syndrome French Canadian Type (LSFC), a mitochondrial disorder that includes diagnostic liver dysfunction. LSFC is caused by allelic variations in the LRPPRC gene, involved in mitochondrial mRNA polyadenylation and translation. lrpprc zebrafish homozygous mutants displayed biochemical and mitochondrial phenotypes similar to clinical manifestations observed in patients, including dysfunction in lipid homeostasis. We were able to rescue these phenotypes in the disease model using a liver-specific genetic model therapy, functionally demonstrating a previously under-recognized critical role for the liver in the pathophysiology of this disease.

Incorporation of Second-Tier Biomarker Testing Improves the Specificity of Newborn Screening for Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I.

Enzyme-based newborn screening for Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) has a high false-positive rate due to the prevalence of pseudodeficiency alleles, often resulting in unnecessary and costly follow up. The glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), dermatan sulfate (DS) and heparan sulfate (HS) are both substrates for α-l-iduronidase (IDUA). These GAGs are elevated in patients with MPS I and have been shown to be promising biomarkers for both primary and second-tier testing. Since February 2016, we have measured DS and HS in 1213 specimens submitted on infants at risk for MPS I based on newborn screening. Molecular correlation was available for 157 of the tested cases. Samples from infants with MPS I confirmed by IDUA molecular analysis all had significantly elevated levels of DS and HS compared to those with confirmed pseudodeficiency and/or heterozygosity. Analysis of our testing population and correlation with molecular results identified few discrepant outcomes and uncovered no evidence of false-negative cases. We have demonstrated that blood spot GAGs analysis accurately discriminates between patients with confirmed MPS I and false-positive cases due to pseudodeficiency or heterozygosity and increases the specificity of newborn screening for MPS I.

A Comparative Effectiveness Study of Newborn Screening Methods for Four Lysosomal Storage Disorders.

Newborn screening for one or more lysosomal disorders has been implemented in several US states, Japan and Taiwan by multiplexed enzyme assays using either tandem mass spectrometry or digital microfluidics. Another multiplex assay making use of immunocapture technology has also been proposed. To investigate the potential variability in performance of these analytical approaches, we implemented three high-throughput screening assays for the simultaneous screening for four lysosomal disorders: Fabry disease, Gaucher disease, mucopolysaccharidosis type I, and Pompe disease. These assays were tested in a prospective comparative effectiveness study using nearly 100,000 residual newborn dried blood spot specimens. In addition, 2nd tier enzyme assays and confirmatory molecular genetic testing were employed. Post-analytical interpretive tools were created using the software Collaborative Laboratory Integrated Reports (CLIR) to determine its ability to improve the performance of each assay vs. the traditional result interpretation based on analyte-specific reference ranges and cutoffs. This study showed that all three platforms have high sensitivity, and the application of CLIR tools markedly improves the performance of each platform while reducing the need for 2nd tier testing by 66% to 95%. Moreover, the addition of disease-specific biochemical 2nd tier tests ensures the lowest false positive rates and the highest positive predictive values for any platform.

Precision newborn screening for lysosomal disorders.

PURPOSE: The implementation of newborn screening for lysosomal disorders has uncovered overall poor specificity, psychosocial harm experienced by caregivers, and costly follow-up testing of false-positive cases. We report an informatics solution proven to minimize these issues. METHODS: The Kentucky Department for Public Health outsourced testing for mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) and Pompe disease, conditions recently added to the recommended uniform screening panel, plus Krabbe disease, which was added by legislative mandate. A total of 55,161 specimens were collected from infants born over 1 year starting from February 2016. Testing by tandem mass spectrometry was integrated with multivariate pattern recognition software (Collaborative Laboratory Integrated Reports), which is freely available to newborn screening programs for selection of cases for which a biochemical second-tier test is needed. RESULTS: Of five presumptive positive cases, one was affected with infantile Krabbe disease, two with Pompe disease, and one with MPS I. The remaining case was a heterozygote for the latter condition. The false-positive rate was 0.0018% and the positive predictive value was 80%. CONCLUSION: Postanalytical interpretive tools can drastically reduce false-positive outcomes, with preliminary evidence of no greater risk of false-negative events, still to be verified by long-term surveillance.

Potential of inner cell mass outgrowth and amino acid turnover as markers of quality in the in vitro fertilization laboratory.

OBJECTIVE: To compare sensitivity of inner cell mass (ICM) outgrowth assay and analysis of culture media amino acid turnover with the sensitivity of the human sperm motility assay (HSMA) and murine embryo assay (MEA) for detection of formaldehyde toxicity. DESIGN: Prospective in vitro study. SETTING: University hospital-based infertility center. ANIMAL(S): Murine embryos. INTERVENTION(S): The HSMA, MEA, and ICM outgrowth assays were performed with media containing 0-64-µM concentrations of formaldehyde. These assays were compared with dynamics of amino acid turnover in culture media. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The lowest concentration of formaldehyde in culture media detected by each quality control assay. RESULT(S): Sperm forward progression, but not motility, detected formaldehyde at a concentration of 32 µM. Sperm motility index identified formaldehyde toxicity at 64 µM, whereas blastocyst rates in the MEA were affected at 32 µM formaldehyde. Evaluation of ICM using outgrowth and grade detected 16 µM formaldehyde. Leucine turnover in culture media detected 64 µM formaldehyde in the amino acid assay. CONCLUSION(S): Inner cell mass outgrowth is a more sensitive bioassay than MEA and HSMA for the detection of formaldehyde in culture media. Amino acid metabolism may also provide a sensitive quality control measure for detection of formaldehyde.

Comparison of multiple steroid concentrations in serum and dried blood spots throughout the day of patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

BACKGROUND/AIM: periodic measurement of plasma concentrations of cortisol precursors on a clinic visit may be of limited value in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia because it does not reflect a patient's circadian patterns of adrenal steroid secretion. Steroid profiling in dried blood spots (DBS) may allow for more frequent and sensitive monitoring. METHODS: we compared the agreement between 17α-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) and androstenedione (D4A) levels determined from DBS samples and concurrently collected serum samples. Blood was drawn from 9 congenital adrenal hyperplasia patients every 4 h over a 24-hour period. Serum and DBS steroid levels were measured by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS: DBS determinations of 17-OHP overestimated corresponding serum levels (mean difference 1.67 ng/ml), and underestimated D4A serum levels (mean difference 0.84 ng/ml). However, the DBS assay yielded excellent agreement (97%) with serum 17-OHP, but did considerably poorer for D4A (31%). CONCLUSIONS: our results indicate an excellent agreement between DBS and serum 17-OHP measurements to identify the peaks and troughs associated with an individual's circadian pattern. Larger-scale studies are required to evaluate the utility of DBS for home monitoring and to determine if more frequent monitoring leads to improved clinical outcomes.

Second-tier test for quantification of alloisoleucine and branched-chain amino acids in dried blood spots to improve newborn screening for maple syrup urine disease (MSUD).

BACKGROUND: Newborn screening for maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) relies on finding increased concentrations of the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) leucine, isoleucine, and valine by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). d-Alloisoleucine (allo-Ile) is the only pathognomonic marker of MSUD, but it cannot be identified by existing screening methods because it is not differentiated from isobaric amino acids. Furthermore, newborns receiving total parenteral nutrition often have increased concentrations of BCAAs. To improve the specificity of newborn screening for MSUD and to reduce the number of diet-related false-positive results, we developed a LC-MS/MS method for quantifying allo-Ile. METHODS: Allo-Ile and other BCAAs were extracted from a 3/16-inch dried blood spot punch with methanol/H2O, dried under nitrogen, and reconstituted into mobile phase. Quantitative LC-MS/MS analysis of allo-Ile, its isomers, and isotopically labeled internal standards was achieved within 15 min. To determine a reference interval for BCAAs including allo-Ile, we analyzed 541 dried blood spots. We also measured allo-Ile in blinded samples from 16 MSUD patients and 21 controls and compared results to an HPLC method. RESULTS: Intra- and interassay imprecision (mean CVs) for allo-Ile, leucine, isoleucine, and valine ranged from 1.8% to 7.4%, and recovery ranged from 91% to 129%. All 16 MSUD patients were correctly identified. CONCLUSIONS: The LC-MS/MS method can reliably measure allo-Ile in dried blood spots for the diagnosis of MSUD. Applied to newborn screening as a second-tier test, it will reduce false-positive results, which produce family anxiety and increase follow-up costs. The assay also appears suitable for use in monitoring treatment of MSUD patients.

Detection of hypo-N-glycosylation using mass spectrometry of transferrin.

Many congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) can be diagnosed by observing the extent of glycosylation of the abundant serum glycoprotein transferrin (Trf). Trf is an N-glycosylated protein with two asparagine glycation sites. CDG types I are those genetic defects which occur prior to transfer of the complex oligosaccharide to the acceptor asparagine in the cotranslated polypeptide chain. CDG Ia constitutes by far the most frequent form of CDG and is the result of mutations in the phosphomannomutase gene. CDG Ia and the Ib subtype (Phosphomannoisomerase deficiency) result in low cellular mannose-1-phosphate levels, a required precursor for oligosaccharide assembly in the endoplasmic reticulum. The deficiency in oligosaccharides with branched mannose structures is thereafter expressed by the appearance of glycoproteins with unoccupied N-glycosylation sites (hypoglycosylation). Currently, there have been at least 11 Type I defects, type Ia being by far the most frequently occurring. Most, if not all type I defects result in unoccupied N-glycation sites. Hypoglycosylated Trf, also known as carbohydrate-deficient Trf (CDT), can be detected using mass spectrometry (MS) to measure the masses of the serum Trf. The methods for sample preparation using affinity chromatography and MS analysis are described in this unit.

Steroid profiling by tandem mass spectrometry improves the positive predictive value of newborn screening for congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is primarily caused by 21-hydroxylase deficiency and leads to an accumulation of 17-hydroxyprogesterone and reduced cortisol levels. Newborn screening for CAH is traditionally based on measuring 17-hydroxyprogesterone by different immunoassays. Despite attempts to adjust cutoff levels for birth weight, gestational age, and stress factors, the positive predictive value for CAH screening remains less than 1%. To improve this situation, we developed a method using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to measure 17-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione, and cortisol simultaneously in blood spots. A total of 1222 leftover blood spots from six different screening programs using different immunoassays (fluorescent immunoassay and ELISA) were reanalyzed in a blinded fashion by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Thirty-one samples were from babies with CAH, 190 had yielded false-positive results by immunoassay, and the remaining 1001 samples were from babies with normal screening results. Steroid profiling allowed for an elimination of 169 (89%) of the false-positive results and for an improvement of the positive predictive value from the reported 0.5 to 4.7%. Although this method is not suitable for mass screening due to the length of the analysis (12 min), it can be used as a second-tier test of blood spots with positive results for CAH by the conventional methods. This would prevent unnecessary blood draws, medical evaluations, and stress to families.

Improved specificity of newborn screening for congenital adrenal hyperplasia by second-tier steroid profiling using tandem mass spectrometry.

BACKGROUND: Newborn screening for congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) involves measurement of 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP), usually by immunoassay. Because this testing has been characterized by high false-positive rates, we developed a steroid profiling method that uses liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to measure 17-OHP, androstenedione, and cortisol simultaneously in blood spots. METHODS: Whole blood was eluted from a 4.8-mm (3/16-inch) dried-blood spot by an aqueous solution containing the deuterium-labeled internal standard d(8)-17-OHP. 17-OHP, androstenedione, and cortisol were extracted into diethyl ether, which was subsequently evaporated and the residue dissolved in LC mobile phase. This extract was injected into a LC-MS/MS equipped with pneumatically assisted electrospray. The steroids were quantified in the selected-reaction monitoring mode by use of peak areas in reference to the stable-isotope-labeled internal standard. We analyzed 857 newborn blood spots, including 14 blood spots of confirmed CAH cases and 101 of false-positive cases by conventional screening. RESULTS: Intra- and interassay CVs for 17-OHP were 7.2-20% and 3.9-18%, respectively, at concentrations of 2, 30, and 50 microg/L. At a cutoff for 17-OHP of 12.5 microg/L and a cutoff of 3.75 for the sum of peak areas for 17-OHP and androstenedione divided by the peak area for cortisol, 86 of the 101 false-positive samples were within reference values by LC-MS/MS, whereas the 742 normal and 14 true-positive results obtained by conventional screening were correctly classified. CONCLUSION: Steroid profiling in blood spots can identify false-positive results obtained by conventional newborn screening for CAH.