Molecular analysis of APOB, SAR1B, ANGPTL3, and MTTP in patients with primary hypocholesterolemia in a clinical laboratory setting: Evidence supporting polygenicity in mutation-negative patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Primary hypobetalipoproteinemia is generally considered a heterogenic group of monogenic, inherited lipoprotein disorders characterized by low concentrations of LDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B in plasma. Lipoprotein disorders include abetalipoproteinemia, familial hypobetalipoproteinemia, chylomicron retention disease, and familial combined hypolipidemia. Our aim was to review and analyze the results of the molecular analysis of hypolipidemic patients studied in our laboratory over the last 15 years. METHODS: The study included 44 patients with clinical and biochemical data. Genomic studies were performed and genetic variants were characterized by bioinformatics analysis. A weighted LDL cholesterol gene score was calculated to evaluate common variants associated with impaired lipid concentrations and their distribution among patients. RESULTS: Twenty-three patients were genetically confirmed as affected by primary hypobetalipoproteinemia. In this group of patients, the most prevalent mutated genes were APOB (in 17 patients, with eight novel mutations identified), SAR1B (in 3 patients, with one novel mutation identified), ANGPTL3 (in 2 patients), and MTTP (in 1 patient). The other 21 patients could not be genetically diagnosed with hypobetalipoproteinemia despite presenting suggestive clinical and biochemical features. In these patients, two APOB genetic variants associated with lower LDL cholesterol were more frequent than in controls. Moreover, the LDL cholesterol gene score, calculated with 11 SNPs, was significantly lower in mutation-negative patients. CONCLUSIONS: Around half of the patients could be genetically diagnosed. The results suggest that, in at least some of the patients without an identified mutation, primary hypobetalipoproteinemia may have a polygenic origin.

Hipobetalipoproteinemia primária: relato de caso / Primary Hypobetalipoproteinemia: a case report

Descrevemos o caso de uma paciente de 19 anos diagnosticada com hipobetalipoproteinemia primária. A paciente apresentava sintomas compatíveis com a doença como diarreia desde o primeiro mês de vida, défice de crescimento e retinopatia. A biópsia duodenal evidenciou presença de vacúolos lipídicos intraepiteliais, os quais foram altamente sugestivos para o diagnóstico. Os exames complementares evidenciaram disfunção hepática, baixos níveis séricos de triglicerídeos, e de colesterol total e frações. Após a dosagem de apolipoproteína B abaixo dos valores da normalidade, aliada a clínica e exames complementares, o diagnóstico foi realizado. A relativa escassez de dados na literatura em nosso meio, atrelada à raridade da doença, ilustra a relevância deste relato de caso, somado à importância do diagnóstico precoce

The case of a 19-year-old female patient who was diagnosed with Primary Hypobetalipoproteinemia (HBL) is described.The patient presented symptoms that were consistent with the disease, such as diarrhea from the very first month of life, growth failure and retinopathy. The duodenal biopsy showed the presence of intraepithelial lipid vacuoles that were highly suggestive of the diagnosis. Further tests showed liver dysfunction, low serum levels of triglycerides and total cholesterol and fractions. After the dosage of Apolipoprotein B below normal values, and clinical exam along with laboratory tests, the diagnosis was made. The lack of data in the literature and the rarity of the disease illustrate the importance of this case report,and of an early diagnosis.

Hypolipidemia in a Special Operations Candidate: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: A 19-year-old male military recruit who presented for a screening physical for US Naval Special Warfare Duty was found to have hypolipidemia. Medical history revealed mildly increased frequency of bowel movements, but was otherwise unremarkable. His presentation was most consistent with heterozygous familial hypobetalipoproteinemia (FHBL), and the patient was cleared for Special Operations duty. METHODS: A literature search was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE. Keywords included familial hypobetalipoproteinemia, heterozygous familial hypobetalipoproteinemia, abetalipoproteinemia, hypolipidemia, diving, special operations, and military. Results that included cases of familial hypobetalipoproteinemia were included. RESULTS: Review of the literature reveals that FHBL is a genetic disorder frequently, but not always, due to a mutation in the apolipoprotein B (apoB) gene. Those with the condition should be screened for ophthalmologic, neurologic, and gastrointestinal complications. Analysis of the disease, as well as the absence of reported cases of FHBL in diving and Special Operations, suggest there is minimal increased risk in diving and Special Operations for patients who are likely heterozygous, are asymptomatic, and have a negative workup for potential complications from the disease. CONCLUSION: Individuals with presumed or proven heterozygous FHBL seeking clearance for Special Operations duty should be given precautions, undergo careful questioning for history of disease-specific complications, and should have a baseline evaluation. If negative, it seems reasonable to clear the patient for Special Operations and diving.

Hipercolesterolemia familiar homocigota. Primer caso en España tratado con lomitapide, un inhibidor de la síntesis de lipoproteínas con apolipoproteína B / Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. First case in Spain treated with lomitapide, an inhibitor of the synthesis of lipoproteins with apolipoprotein B

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Clinical and genetic analysis of a family diagnosed with familial hypobetalipoproteinemia in which the proband was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: To perform clinical and genetic analysis of a family with familial hypobetalipoproteinemia in which the proband had been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Direct sequencing was performed on candidate genes such as APOB, PCSK9, and ANGPTL3. The effect of the mutant gene on lipid profile was investigated using biochemical methods. RESULTS: A novel mutation Y344S in ANGPTL3 was identified but no variants were found in PCSK9 or APOB. Lipid profiles showed the levels of TG, TC, and LDL-C to be significantly lower in Y344S carriers than in non-carriers in this family. The levels of HDL-C and plasma concentrations of ANGPTL3 showed no significant differences. Western blot analysis revealed that the mutant ANGPTL3 proteins could not be secreted into the medium. CONCLUSION: A novel mutation Y344S was found in ANGPTL3 gene in two diabetic patients with familial hypobetalipoproteinemia. The family study and genetic analysis suggest that this set of gene mutation may be a genetic basis for the lipid phenotypes, and may become a vascular protective factor in the probands with high risk of atherosclerosis.

Hypocholesterolemia.

Hypocholesterolemia is defined as total cholesterol (TC) and low density cholesterol (LDL-C) levels below the 5(th) percentile of the general population adjusted for age, gender and race. Hypocholesterolemia may be attributed to inherited disorders or several secondary causes. Inherited forms of hypocholesterolemia consist of a group of rare diseases. The best studied are familial hypobetalipoproteinemia (FHBL) and abetalipoproteinemia (ABL). Clinical diagnosis rests on lipid levels and the pattern of inheritance after secondary causes are excluded. Patients with primary hypobetalipoproteinemias may manifest a variety of symptoms and signs affecting several organs (steatorrhea, neurological and ophalmological symptoms, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) or be asymptomatic. Understanding hypocholesterolemia and the underlying molecular basis is of crucial importance since this may provide new insights in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and cardiovascular disease.

Identification of patients with abetalipoproteinemia and homozygous familial hypobetalipoproteinemia in Tunisia.

BACKGROUND: Abetalipoproteinemia (ABL) and Homozygous Familial Hypobetalipoproteinemia (Ho-FHBL) are rare monogenic diseases characterised by very low plasma levels of cholesterol and triglyceride and the absence or a great reduction of apolipoprotein B (apoB)-containing lipoproteins. ABL results from mutations in the MTP gene; Ho-FHBL may be due to mutations in the APOB gene. METHODS: We sequenced MTP and APOB genes in three Tunisian children, born from consanguineous marriage, with very low levels of plasma apoB-containing lipoproteins associated with severe intestinal fat malabsorption. RESULTS: Two of them were found to be homozygous for two novel mutations in intron 5 (c.619-3T>G) and in exon 8 (c.923 G>A) of the MTP gene, respectively. The c.619-3T>G substitution caused the formation of an abnormal mRNA devoid of exon 6, predicted to encode a truncated MTP of 233 amino acids. The c.923 G>A is a nonsense mutation resulting in a truncated MTP protein (p.W308X). The third patient was homozygous for a novel nucleotide deletion (c.2172delT) in exon 15 of APOB gene resulting in the formation of a truncated apoB of 706 amino acids (apoB-15.56). CONCLUSIONS: These mutations are expected to abolish the apoB lipidation and the assembly of apoB-containing lipoproteins in both liver and intestine.

Molecular diagnosis of hypobetalipoproteinemia: an ENID review.

Primary hypobetalipoproteinemia (HBL) includes a group of genetic disorders: abetalipoproteinemia (ABL) and chylomicron retention disease (CRD), with a recessive transmission, and familial hypobetalipoproteinemia (FHBL) with a co-dominant transmission. ABL and CRD are rare disorders due to mutations in the MTP and SARA2 genes, respectively. Heterozygous FHBL is much more frequent. FHBL subjects often have fatty liver and, less frequently, intestinal fat malabsorption. FHBL may be linked or not to the APOB gene. Most mutations in APOB gene cause the formation of truncated forms of apoB which may or may be not secreted into the plasma. Truncated apoBs with a size below that of apoB-30 are not detectable in plasma; they are more frequent in patients with the most severe phenotype. Only a single amino acid substitution (R463W) has been reported as the cause of FHBL. Approximately 50% of FHBL subjects are carriers of pathogenic mutations in APOB gene; therefore, a large proportion of FHBL subjects have no apoB gene mutations or are carriers of rare amino acid substitutions in apoB with unknown effect. In some kindred FHBL is linked to a locus on chromosome 3 (3p21) but the candidate gene is unknown. Recently a FHBL plasma lipid phenotype was observed in carriers of mutations of the PCSK9 gene causing loss of function of the encoded protein, a proprotein convertase which regulates LDL-receptor number in the liver. Inactivation of this enzyme is associated with an increased LDL uptake and hypobetalipoproteinemia. HBL carriers of PCSK9 mutations do not develop fatty liver disease.

[Clinical studies of pediatric malabsorption syndromes].

Multiple cases with various types of pediatric malabsorption syndromes were evaluated. The clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, pathophysiology, and histopathological descriptions of each patient were analyzed in an effort to clear the pathogenesis of the malabsorption syndromes and the treatments were undertaken. The cases studied, included one patient with cystic fibrosis, two with lactose intolerance with lactosuria (Durand type), one with primary intestinal lymphangiectasia, two with familial hypobetalipoproteinemia, one with Hartnup disease, one with congenital chroride diarrhea, one with acrodermatitis enteropathica, one with intestinal nodular lymphoid hyperplasia (NLH), five with intractable diarrhea of early infancy and four with glycogenosis type Ia. Each case description and outcome is described below: 1. A 15-year-old Japanese boy with cystic fibrosis presented with severe symptoms, including pancreatic insufficiency, bronchiectasis, pneumothorax and hemoptysis. His prognosis was poor. Analysis of the CFTR genes of this patient revealed a homozygous large deletion from intron 16 to 17b. 2. In the sibling case of Durand type lactose intolerance, the subjects'disaccaridase activity of the small bowel, including lactase, were within normal limits. The results of per oral and per intraduodenal lactose tolerance tests confirmed lactosuria in both. These observations suggested, not only an abnormal gastric condition, but also duodenal and intestinal mucosal abnormal permeability of lactose. 3. In the case of primary intestinal lymphangiectasia, the subject had a lymphedematous right arm and hand, a grossly coarsened mucosal pattern of the upper gastrointestinal tract (identified via radiologic examination) and the presence of lymphangiectasia (confirmed via duodenal mucosal biopsy). The major laboratory findings were hypoalbuminemia, decreased immunoglobulin levels and lymphopenia resulting from loss of lymph fluid and protein into the gastro-intestinal tract. 4. In two cases of heterozygous familial hypobetalipoproteinemia, serum total cholesterol and betalipoprotein levels were very low. The subjects presented with symptoms and signs of acanthocytosis and fat malabsorption. Further, one subject had neurological abnormalities such as mental retardation and severe convulsions. Treatment with MCT formula diet corrected the lipid malabsorption. 5. A 5-year-old girl presented with pellagra-like rashes, mental retardation and cerebellar ataxia. An oral tryptophan (Trp) and dipeptide (Trp-Phe) loading test were conducted and the renal clearance of amino acids was also evaluated in this patient and in controls. Following the oral Trp loading test, plasma levels of Trp indicated a lower peak in the case, reaching a maximum at 60 minutes. On the other hand, the oral dipeptide (Trp-Phe) loading test in the Hartnup patient showed the peak Trp plasma level was the same as the control subjects. The renal clearance of neutral amino acids in this case increased to levels 5 to 35 times normal. 6. In the case of congenital chloride diarrhea, the subject had secondary lactose intolerance, dehydration, hyponatremia, hypokalemia, hypochloremia, hyperreninemia and metabolic alkalosis. The chloride content of her fecal fluid was very high. The concentrations were 89-103 mEq/l. In contrast, her urine was chloride-free. The subject's growth and development improved after treatment with lactose free formura and oral replacement of the fecal loses of water, NaCl and KCl. Unfortunately, the patient died of a small bowel intussusception. The kidney histopathological finding was juxtaglomerular hyperplasia by a necropsy. 7. In the case of acrodermatitis enteropathica, the subject had characteristic skin lesions, low serum zinc levels and ALPase activity. An oral ZnSO4 loading test and intestinal mucosal histology by a peroral biopsy were conducted. The serum zinc peak level was 2 hours after the oral ZnSO4 loading test. Infant formula alone could not maintain normal serum zinc ranges. Light microscopic studies of the intestinal villous architecture showed a normal pattern. However, ultrastructual examination of several epithelial cells revealed numerous intracellular vesicles. After zinc therapy, these changes were decreased. The lesions were postulated as the secondary result of zinc deficiency. 8. A 12-year-old girl presented with hypogammaglobulinemia, recurrent infections, chronic diarrhea and intestinal NLH. A barium meal and follow-through examination showed multiple nodules throughout the stomach and intestine. The nodules, all uniform in size, were 2 mm diameter. The barium enema did not show NLH in the colon. Mucosal biopsy of the stomach and jejunum revealed the typical histology of NLH in the lamina propria. Also, achlorhydria was present in this patient and her serum gastrin levels were very high; 315-775 pg/ml. 9. In 4 cases of intractable diarrhea in early infancy (by Avery G B), a jejunal biopsy showed shortening villi and nonspecific enterocolitis. Some patients were found with only low lactase or low lactase and sucrase levels. An electron microscope analysis of the small bowel in 2 cases showed alterations: increased pinocytosis in microvillus membranes and lysosomes by endocytosis of undigested macromolecular substances. I postulated that the stated evidence was causative of this clinical profile. 10. I frequently observed diarrhea as a clinical manifestation in glycogenosis type Ia and lipid malabsorption in one case. The light and electron photomicrographs showed intestinal absorption cells with the glycogen deposits in the inferior devision of nuclei.