Congenital erythropoietic porphyria: Recent advances.

Congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by photosensitivity and by hematologic abnormalities in affected individuals. CEP is caused by mutations in the uroporphyrinogen synthase (UROS) gene. In three reported cases, CEP has been associated with a specific X-linked GATA1 mutation. Disease-causing mutations in either gene result in absent or markedly reduced UROS enzymatic activity. This in turn leads to the accumulation of the non-physiologic and photoreactive porphyrinogens, uroporphyrinogen I and coproporphyrinogen I, which damage erythrocytes and elicit a phototoxic reaction upon light exposure. The clinical spectrum of CEP depends on the level of residual UROS activity, which is determined by the underlying pathogenic loss-of-function UROS mutations. Disease severity ranges from non-immune hydrops fetalis in utero to late-onset disease with only mild cutaneous involvement. The clinical characteristics of CEP include exquisite photosensitivity to visible light resulting in bullous vesicular lesions which, when infected lead to progressive photomutilation of sun-exposed areas such as the face and hands. In addition, patients have erythrodontia (brownish discoloration of teeth) and can develop corneal scarring. Chronic transfusion-dependent hemolytic anemia is common and leads to bone marrow hyperplasia, which further increases porphyrin production. Management of CEP consists of strict avoidance of exposure to visible light with sun-protective clothing, sunglasses, and car and home window filters. Adequate care of ruptured vesicles and use of topical antibiotics is indicated to prevent superinfections and osteolysis. In patients with symptomatic hemolytic anemia, frequent erythrocyte cell transfusions may be necessary to suppress hematopoiesis and decrease marrow production of the phototoxic porphyrins. In severe transfection-dependent cases, bone marrow or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has been performed, which is curative. Therapeutic approaches including gene therapy, proteasome inhibition, and pharmacologic chaperones are under investigation.

Porphyrias and photosensitivity: pathophysiology for the clinician.

Porphyrias are disorders caused by defects in the biosynthetic pathway of heme. Their manifestations can be divided into three distinct syndromes, each attributable to the accumulation of three distinct classes of molecules. The acute neurovisceral syndrome is caused by the accumulation of the neurotoxic porphyrin precursors, delta aminolevulinic acid, and porphobilinogen; the syndrome of immediate painful photosensitivity is caused by the lipid-soluble protoporphyrin IX and, the syndrome of delayed blistering photosensitivity, caused by the water-soluble porphyrins, uroporphyrin, and coproporphyrin. Porphyrias can manifest with one, or with a combination, of these syndromes, depending on whether one or more types of molecules are being accumulated. Iron plays a significant role in some of these conditions, as evidenced by improvements in both clinical manifestations and laboratory parameters, following iron depletion in porphyria cutanea tarda, or iron administration in some cases of X-linked erythropoietic protoporphyria. While the pathophysiology of a specific type of porphyrias, the protoporphyrias, appears to favor the administration of zinc, results so far have been conflicting, necessitating further studies in order to assess its potential benefit. The pathways involved in each disease, as well as insights into their pathobiological processes are presented, with an emphasis on the development of photosensitivity reactions.

Brain perfusion defects by SPET/CT and neurostat semi-quantitative analysis in two patients with congenital erythropoietic porphyria.

BACKGROUND: Congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP) is a rare autosomal recessively inherited disorder with chronic and relatively stable presentation. Till now brain blood flow derangements have been described only in acute hepatic porphyrias. We describe the first findings of brain perfusion defects, studied by single photon emission tomography/computed tomography (SPET/CT), in two patients affected by CEP, by using a semi-quantification anatomic-standardized voxel-based program compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Two Pakistanis brothers were investigated for CEP confirmed by a genetic test. The disease was severe with: skin burning, mood depression and haemolytic anemia. Considering depression, patients underwent brain SPET/CT and MRI. Single photon emission tomography/CT images were processed by neurostat semi-quantitative software. Data obtained were compared to a normal database and z-score images were generated. RESULTS: In both patients we found several perfusion defects evident in transaxial slices and in z-score images obtained by neurostat processing. Magnetic resonance imaging was negative in both patients. Biochemical mechanisms inducing localized brain hypoperfusion are uncertain. However, mismatch between SPET/CT data and MRI was probably due to absence of necrosis. CONCLUSION: In our opinion, SPET/CT could have a key role in this setting of patients due to its high sensitivity and reliability in mild-to-moderate brain perfusion defects detection. Moreover, the quantitative analysis by using neurostat may allow to recognize even mild brain perfusion alterations, difficult to detect only visually.

Congenital erythropoietic porphyria (Gunther disease) - long-term follow up of a case and review.

Patients with the rare genodermatosis congenitalerythropoietic porphyria (CEP, Gunther disease)develop erosions and scarring on sun-exposedsites caused by phototoxin mediated damage.Compromised skin barrier function places patientsat higher risk of infection and long term sequelaeinclude scarring. We report a long term follow up ofa 60 year old patient born with CEP and provide anextensive literature review of CEP including recentupdates on potential management options. Multiplepatient interviews and collection of biochemistry datawere conducted for the case discussion. All Australianpathology laboratories in each state performingporphyria testing were surveyed in mid 2015 to verifyexistence of other cases of CEP in Australia with onlyone case of true congenital porphyria identifiedand one adult onset case. Congenital erythropoieticporphyria is a rare condition with no cure currentlyavailable. It is important to diagnose patients earlyto prevent and minimize complications such asscarring and secondary infection, provide longterm skin checks, and advise patients about lifestylemodification.

A bioassay for the detection of neutralizing antibodies against the α-melanocyte stimulating hormone analog afamelanotide in patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria.

The tridecapeptide afamelanotide (Scenesse®) is a congener of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH). Upon binding to the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) on the surface of pigment cells of the skin, the melanocytes, α-MSH or afamelanotide trigger the synthesis of cAMP, which stimulates the synthesis of melanin and therefore induces skin tanning. In a recent trial, afamelanotide administered as controlled release implants protected erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) patients from sunlight induced phototoxic skin reactions. Administration of biological therapeutic peptides may elicit unwanted immunogenic responses in recipients of these products. Although in a previous study using ELISA technique we excluded any newly developed immunogenicity during prolonged exposure to afamelanotide, we confirmed the previously published existence of low titers of antibodies against α-MSH in drug-naïve individuals that cross-reacted with afamelanotide. In order to investigate whether such antibodies are neutralizing, i.e. could block the biological effect of afamelanotide, we developed a cell culture-based bioassay. The basis of our assay was the measurement of afamelanotide-induced cAMP formation in a strain of the B16 mouse melanoma cell line, G4F-7, expressing the transfected human MC1R. Average half-effective concentrations of the natural hormone α-MSH and its congener afamelanotide were 38.8 ± 10.6 and 10.9 ± 7.17 nM (n=5), respectively. Neutralizing antibodies would reduce the cAMP formation. Two neutralizing anti-α-MSH antibodies served as positive controls. cAMP formation in the G4F-7 cells after addition of sera of drug-naïve (n=6) and of drug-exposed EPP patients (n=17) was significantly lower than after that from healthy volunteers (n=13). There was no difference between drug-naïve and drug-exposed patients. Using forskolin as a hormone-independent stimulator of cAMP formation, we excluded an unspecific interference of EPP sera with cAMP formation. We conclude that afamelanotide even after prolonged application to EPP patients did not elicit neutralizing antibodies. Further, the low titer immunoreactivity observed in sera of some drug-naïve individuals had no effect on the biological activity of afamelanotide.

Congenital erythropoietic porphyria: a single-observer clinical study of 29 cases.

BACKGROUND: Congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP) is an autosomal recessive cutaneous porphyria caused by decreased activity of uroporphyrinogen III synthase (UROS). Its predominant characteristics include bullous cutaneous photosensitivity to visible light from early infancy, progressive photomutilation and chronic haemolytic anaemia. Due to its rarity and genetic heterogeneity, clinical phenotypes are unclear and its impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has not been previously assessed. OBJECTIVES: To define comprehensively CEP phenotypes and assess their impact on HRQoL, and to correlate these factors with laboratory parameters. METHODS: A single observer assessed patients with CEP from four European countries. RESULTS: Twenty-seven unrelated patients with CEP, aged between 7.6 and 65 years, participated in the study. The patients came from the U.K. (17), France (4), Switzerland (4) and Germany (2). Additional data were obtained for two deceased patients. Newly characterized features of CEP include acute-onset cutaneous and noncutaneous symptoms immediately following sunlight exposure, and pink erythematous facial papules. There was a lack of consistent genotype-phenotype correlation in CEP. The main poor prognostic factors in CEP are the early age of disease onset and haematological complications. CONCLUSIONS: CEP is a multisystem disease; cutaneous, ocular, oral and skeletal manifestations also contribute to disease severity and impact on HRQoL, in addition to the haematological complications. The rarity of the disease can lead to delayed diagnosis. The lack of consistent genotype-phenotype correlation in CEP suggests a contribution to phenotype from other factors, such as environment, patients' photoprotective behaviour and genes other than UROS. There is currently an unmet need for multidisciplinary management of patients with CEP.

The role of photography in dermatology research.

This article discusses the role of clinical photography in dermatology research and the value of healthcare professionals engaging with clinical photographers when planning and undertaking clinical photography. It is not always feasible to use a clinical photographer, or clinicians may not have access to such a service, but with advice, support and training from clinical photographers, clinicians can take good clinical photographs with easy-to-use low cost equipment. This article provides an exemplar where good quality clinical photographs have been obtained of congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP) patients for dermatology research. The images have been taken by a dermatologist, with guidance from trained clinical photographers. The photographs played a valuable role in providing a visual, comparative and comprehensive description of this extremely rare multi-system disease.

Study of the genotype-phenotype relationship in four cases of congenital erythropoietic porphyria.

Congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP) is a rare inborn error of metabolism that results from a deficient activity of uroporphyrinogen III synthase (URO-synthase). We report four Spanish CEP cases studied at a clinical, biochemical and molecular level. The patients harbored missense mutations in the URO-synthase gene showing the following genotypes: C73R/T228M; C73R/P248Q; and P248Q/P248Q (two patients). The last allelic combination had never been reported in a CEP patient. The compound heterozygote patients presented both a moderate-to-severe disease with hematological and dermatological involvement. The two homozygote P248Q/P248Q cases showed, however, a very different phenotype. One patient presented signs of hemolysis, cutaneous scarring and severe deformities, while the other showed only mild hyperpigmentation and no signs of hemolysis. Biochemical study showed that the former patient presented a higher erythrocytic concentration and a higher urinary excretion of porphyrins with the residual activity of URO-synthase in red blood cells being similar in both cases. Differences in stimulation of erythropoiesis; long-term divergences in life-style and inadequate protection from sunlight may explain, in part, the drastic clinical divergence and the lack of genotype-phenotype correlation among these CEP patients.

Uroporphyrinogen III synthase knock-in mice have the human congenital erythropoietic porphyria phenotype, including the characteristic light-induced cutaneous lesions.

Congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP), an autosomal recessive inborn error, results from the deficient but not absent activity of uroporphyrinogen III synthase (URO-synthase), the fourth enzyme in the heme biosynthetic pathway. The major clinical manifestations include severe anemia, erythrodontia, and disfiguring cutaneous involvement due to the accumulation of phototoxic porphyrin I isomers. Murine models of CEP could facilitate studies of disease pathogenesis and the evaluation of therapeutic endeavors. However, URO-synthase null mice were early embryonic lethals. Therefore, knock-in mice were generated with three missense mutations, C73R, V99A, and V99L, which had in vitro-expressed activities of 0.24%, 5.9%, and 14.8% of expressed wild-type activity, respectively. Homozygous mice for all three mutations were fetal lethals, except for mice homozygous for a spontaneous recombinant allele, V99A(T)/V99A(T), a head-to-tail concatemer of three V99A targeting constructs. Although V99A(T)/V99A(T) and C73R/V99A(T) mice had approximately 2% hepatic URO-synthase activity and normal hepatic microsomal heme and hemoprotein levels, they had 20% and 13% of wild-type activity in erythrocytes, respectively, which indicates that sufficient erythroid URO-synthase was present for fetal development and survival. Both murine genotypes showed marked porphyrin I isomer accumulation in erythrocytes, bone, tissues, and excreta and had fluorescent erythrodontia, hemolytic anemia with reticulocytosis and extramedullary erythropoiesis, and, notably, the characteristic light-induced cutaneous involvement. These mice provide insight into why CEP is an erythroid porphyria, and they should facilitate studies of the disease pathogenesis and therapeutic endeavors for CEP.

Porfirias cutáneas / Cutaneous porphyrias

Las porfirias son un grupo heterogéneo de trastornos causados por un déficit parcial genético o adquirido de las enzimas que regulan la síntesis del grupo hemo. De acuerdo con la presencia o ausencia de fotosensibilidad cutánea, estas enfermedades pueden clasificarse en porfirias cutáneas y no cutáneas. Existen 5 tipos principales de porfirias cutáneas: la porfiria cutánea tarda (PCT); la porfiria variegata (PV); la coproporfiria hereditaria (CPH); la protoporfiria eritropoyética (PPE); y la porfiria eritropoyética congénita (PEC). La PV, CPH, PPE y la PCT tipo II son trastornos autonómicos dominantes con baja penetrancia. Las formas autosómicas recesivas (CEP y porfiria hepatoeritrocitaria, PHE) son trastornos de inicio precoz y muy raros. Las lesiones cutáneas en la PCT, la porfiria más frecuente, PV, CPH y PEC son similares: fragilidad mecánica, ampollas subepidérmicas, hipertricosis y pigmentación. PPE se caracteriza por una fotosensibilidad aguda y sin estas lesiones. Los ataques agudos de porfiria pueden ocurrir en la PV y CPH pero no en las otras porfirias cutáneas. La afectación hepática es una complicación infrecuente pero potencialmente fatal de la PPE. La PCT se asocia frecuentemente con enfermedad hepática crónica que a menudo es causada por el alcohol y suele ser leve. El diagnóstico clínico debe siempre confirmarse mediante análisis bioquimicos de porfirinas en orina, heces y sangre. La PCT puede ser tratada mediante sangrías repetidas para depleccionar los depósitos de hierro o mediante cloroquina a bajas dosis. El tratamiento de los otros tipos de porfiria cutánea es principalmente sintomático

The porphyrias are a heterogeneous group of disorders caused by genetically determined or acquired partial deficiencies of enzymes regulating heme biosynthesis. According to the presence or absence of cutaneous photosensitivity, these diseases can be classified into cutaneous and noncutaneous porphyrias. There are five main types of cutaneous porphyrias : porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT); variegate porphyria (VP); hereditary coproporphyria (He); erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP); and congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP) Vp, HC, EPp, and one form of PCT (type II) are autosomal dominant conditions with low elinical penetrance. The autosomal recessive prophyrias (CEP and Hepatoerythropoietic porphyria, HEP) are rare disorders with early onset. The skin lesions in PCT (the commonest cutaneous porphyria), VP, HC, and CEP are similar: mechanical fragility, subepidermal bullae, hypertrichosis, and pigmentation. EPP is characterized by acute photosensitivity without these lesions. Acute attacks of porphyria may occur in VP and HC but not in other cutaneous porphyrias. Liver disease is an uncommon, potentially fatal, complication of EPP PCT is commonly associated with chronic liver disease, is often caused by alcohol and usually mild. The clinical diagnosis should always be confirmed by biochemical porphyrin analyses in urine, stool and blood. PCT can be treated by repeated venesection to deplete iron stores or with low-dose chloroquine. Treatment of the other cutaneous porphyrias is largely symptomatic

Diagnosis and management of the erythropoietic porphyrias.

The erythropoietic porphyrias are erythropoietic protoporphyria, and congenital erythropietic porphyria. Diagnosis is made based on clinical manifestations, and their characteristic porphyrin profiles. There are multiple treatment options for these two porphyrias, however, aside from bone marrow transplant for CEP, none is curative.

Erythropoietic and hepatic porphyrias.

Porphyrias are divided into erythropoietic and hepatic manifestations. Erythropoietic porphyrias are characterized by cutaneous symptoms and appear in early childhood. Erythropoietic protoporphyria is complicated by cholestatic liver cirrhosis and progressive hepatic failure in 10%, of patients. Acute hepatic porphyrias (delta-aminolaevulinic acid dehydratase deficiency porphyria, acute intermittent porphyria, hereditary coproporphyria and variegate porphyria) are characterized by variable extrahepatic gastrointestinal, neurological-psychiatric and cardiovascular manifestations requiring early diagnosis to avoid life-threatening complications. Acute hepatic porphyrias are pharmacogenetic and molecular regulatory diseases (without porphyrin accumulation) mainly induced by drugs, sex hormones, fasting or alcohol. The disease process depends on the derepression of hepatic delta-aminolaevulinic acid synthase following haem depletion. In contrast to the acute porphyrias, nonacute, chronic hepatic porphyrias such as porphyria cutanea tarda are porphyrin accumulation disorders leading to cutaneous symptoms associated with liver disease, especially caused by alcohol or viral hepatitis. Alcohol, oestrogens, haemodialysis, hepatitis C and AIDS are triggering factors. Porphyria cutanea tarda is the most common porphyria, followed by acute intermittent porphyria and erythropoietic protoporphyria. The molecular genetics of the porphyrias is very heterogenous. Nearly every family has its own mutation. The mutations identified account for the corresponding enzymatic deficiencies, which may remain clinically silent throughout life. Thus, the recognition of the overt disorder with extrahepatic manifestations depends on the demonstration of biochemical abnormalities due to these primary defects and compensatory hepatic overexpression of hepatic delta-aminolaevulinic acid synthase in the acute porphyrias. Consequently, haem precursors are synthesized in excess. The increased metabolites upstream of the enzymatic defect are excreted into urine and faeces. The diagnosis is based on their evaluation. Primary enzymatic or molecular analyses are noncontributary and may be misleading. Acute polysymptomatic exacerbations accompany a high excretory constellation of porphyrin precursors delta-aminolaevulinic acid and porphobilinogen. Homozygous or compound heterozygous variants of acute hepatic porphyrias may already manifest in childhood.

Porfirias en la infancia: revisión casuística de 17 casos de niños con porfiria en un servicio de dermatología pediátrica manifestaciones cutáneas evaluación de características hereditarias propuesta terapéutica revisión bibliográfica / Porphyria of infancy: review of 17 cases from a pediatric dermatology service the cutaneous manifestations and hereditary characteristics

Entre agosto de 1987 y diciembre de 1996 se observaron en nuetros servicio de dermatolgía pediátrica, sobrre un total de 37.467 pacientes con consulta de primera vez, 17 niños con diagnóstico confirmado, con una prevalencia del 0,057 por ciento (1 caso de porfiria cada 2.000 consultas de primera vez). Los 17 casos se distribuyeron de la siguiente manera. Porfiria Cutánea Tarda (PCT): 9 casos (52,9 por ciento); Protoporfiria eritropoyética (PPE): 6 casos (35,3 por ciento); Porfiria Variegata (PV): 1 caso (5,9 por ciento) y Porfiria Eritropoyéctica Congénita de G³nther (PCE): 1 caso (5, 9 por ciento). Relación: PCT/PPE: 1,5:1. La distribución de frecuencia acorde a sexo y edad fue la siguiente: PCT: relación F/M: 2:1 (F= 6 casos; M= 3 casos); Edad: Rango= 3 a 12 años X= 7 años. PPE: relación F/M: 1:2 (F= 2 casos; M= 4 casos); Edad: Rango= 2 a 11 años X= 7 años. PV: 1 caso de una niña de 8 años. PEC: 1 caso de una niña de 2 meses. El diagnóstico de porfirinas en orina, plasma, eritrocitos y materia fecal y el índice de fluorescencia plasmática, acorde a su correlación clínica. Se evaluaron los antecedentes hereditarios en la mayoria de los pacientes, observándose diferentes cuadros de porfiria comprobados en los familiares, fundamentalmente en los niños portadors de PCT. Los síntomas iniciales estuvieron asociados con fenómenos de fotosensibilidad y aparición de lesiones vesico-ampollares en regiones expuetas, principalmente cara y dorso de manos. La hipertricosis fue constante en los casos de PCT. Hubo compromiso abdominal en los casos de PEC y PV y severa onicodistrofia con hipertricosis, anemia hemolítica y mal estado general en el caso de G³nther. Un caso de PCT asociado con leucemia mieloide y otro en un paciente post-transplantado renal (no diálisis). En todos los pacientes con PPE se realizaron biopsias hepáticas con resultados normales...(AU)

Porfirias en la infancia: revisión casuística de 17 casos de niños con porfiria en un servicio de dermatología pediátrica manifestaciones cutáneas evaluación de características hereditarias propuesta terapéutica revisión bibliográfica / Porphyria of infancy: review of 17 cases from a pediatric dermatology service the cutaneous manifestations and hereditary characteristics

Entre agosto de 1987 y diciembre de 1996 se observaron en nuetros servicio de dermatolgía pediátrica, sobrre un total de 37.467 pacientes con consulta de primera vez, 17 niños con diagnóstico confirmado, con una prevalencia del 0,057 por ciento (1 caso de porfiria cada 2.000 consultas de primera vez). Los 17 casos se distribuyeron de la siguiente manera. Porfiria Cutánea Tarda (PCT): 9 casos (52,9 por ciento); Protoporfiria eritropoyética (PPE): 6 casos (35,3 por ciento); Porfiria Variegata (PV): 1 caso (5,9 por ciento) y Porfiria Eritropoyéctica Congénita de Günther (PCE): 1 caso (5, 9 por ciento). Relación: PCT/PPE: 1,5:1. La distribución de frecuencia acorde a sexo y edad fue la siguiente: PCT: relación F/M: 2:1 (F= 6 casos; M= 3 casos); Edad: Rango= 3 a 12 años X= 7 años. PPE: relación F/M: 1:2 (F= 2 casos; M= 4 casos); Edad: Rango= 2 a 11 años X= 7 años. PV: 1 caso de una niña de 8 años. PEC: 1 caso de una niña de 2 meses. El diagnóstico de porfirinas en orina, plasma, eritrocitos y materia fecal y el índice de fluorescencia plasmática, acorde a su correlación clínica. Se evaluaron los antecedentes hereditarios en la mayoria de los pacientes, observándose diferentes cuadros de porfiria comprobados en los familiares, fundamentalmente en los niños portadors de PCT. Los síntomas iniciales estuvieron asociados con fenómenos de fotosensibilidad y aparición de lesiones vesico-ampollares en regiones expuetas, principalmente cara y dorso de manos. La hipertricosis fue constante en los casos de PCT. Hubo compromiso abdominal en los casos de PEC y PV y severa onicodistrofia con hipertricosis, anemia hemolítica y mal estado general en el caso de Günther. Un caso de PCT asociado con leucemia mieloide y otro en un paciente post-transplantado renal (no diálisis). En todos los pacientes con PPE se realizaron biopsias hepáticas con resultados normales...