BACKGROUND & AIMS: Homozygous Pi∗Z mutation in alpha-1 antitrypsin (Pi∗ZZ genotype) predisposes to pulmonary loss-of-function and hepatic gain-of-function injury. To facilitate selection into clinical trials typically targeting only 1 organ, we systematically evaluated an international, multicenter, longitudinal, Pi∗ZZ cohort to uncover natural disease course and surrogates for future liver- and lung-related endpoints. METHODS: Cohort 1 recruited 737 Pi∗ZZ individuals from 25 different centers without known liver comorbidities who received a baseline clinical and laboratory assessment as well as liver stiffness measurement (LSM). A follow-up interview was performed after at least 6 months. Cohort 2 consisted of 135 Pi∗ZZ subjects without significant liver fibrosis, who received a standardized baseline and follow-up examination at least 2 years later, both including LSM. RESULTS: During 2634 patient-years of follow-up, 39 individuals died, with liver and lung being responsible for 46% and 36% of deaths, respectively. Forty-one Pi∗ZZ subjects who developed a hepatic endpoint presented with significantly higher baseline liver fibrosis surrogates, that is, LSM (24 vs 5 kPa, P < .001) and aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (1.1 vs 0.3 units, P < .001). Liver-related endpoints within 5 years were most accurately predicted by LSM (area under the curve 0.95) followed by aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (0.92). Baseline lung parameters displayed only a moderate predictive utility for lung-related endpoints within 5 years (forced expiratory volume in the first second area under the curve 0.76). Fibrosis progression in those with no/mild fibrosis at baseline was rare and primarily seen in those with preexisting risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Noninvasive liver fibrosis surrogates accurately stratify liver-related risks in Pi∗ZZ individuals. Our findings have direct implications for routine care and future clinical trials of Pi∗ZZ patients.
- MeSH
- alpha 1-Antitrypsin * genetics blood MeSH
- Biomarkers blood MeSH
- Time Factors MeSH
- alpha 1-Antitrypsin Deficiency * genetics diagnosis complications MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Elasticity Imaging Techniques MeSH
- Genotype MeSH
- Homozygote MeSH
- Liver Cirrhosis * genetics diagnosis MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Longitudinal Studies MeSH
- Mutation MeSH
- Lung physiopathology pathology diagnostic imaging MeSH
- Lung Diseases genetics etiology diagnosis MeSH
- Disease Progression * MeSH
- Risk Factors MeSH
- Severity of Illness Index MeSH
- Check Tag
- Adult MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Multicenter Study MeSH
This 2023 statement updates clinical guidance for homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HoFH), explains the genetic complexity, and provides pragmatic recommendations to address inequities in HoFH care worldwide. Key strengths include updated criteria for the clinical diagnosis of HoFH and the recommendation to prioritize phenotypic features over genotype. Thus, a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) >10 mmol/L (>400 mg/dL) is suggestive of HoFH and warrants further evaluation. The statement also provides state-of-the art discussion and guidance to clinicians for interpreting the results of genetic testing and for family planning and pregnancy. Therapeutic decisions are based on the LDL-C level. Combination LDL-C-lowering therapy-both pharmacologic intervention and lipoprotein apheresis (LA)-is foundational. Addition of novel, efficacious therapies (i.e. inhibitors of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9, followed by evinacumab and/or lomitapide) offers potential to attain LDL-C goal or reduce the need for LA. To improve HoFH care around the world, the statement recommends the creation of national screening programmes, education to improve awareness, and management guidelines that account for the local realities of care, including access to specialist centres, treatments, and cost. This updated statement provides guidance that is crucial to early diagnosis, better care, and improved cardiovascular health for patients with HoFH worldwide.
- MeSH
- Anticholesteremic Agents * therapeutic use MeSH
- Atherosclerosis * drug therapy MeSH
- Homozygote MeSH
- Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia * MeSH
- Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II * diagnosis genetics therapy MeSH
- Cholesterol, LDL genetics MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
BACKGROUND: We previously documented that elevated HE4 plasma concentration decreased in people with CF (pwCF) bearing the p.Gly551Asp-CFTR variant in response to CFTR modulator (CFTRm) ivacaftor (IVA), and this level was inversely correlated with the FEV1% predicted values (ppFEV1). Although the effectiveness of lumacaftor (LUM)/IVA in pwCF homozygous for the p.Phe508del-CFTR variant has been evaluated, plasma biomarkers were not used to monitor treatment efficacy thus far. METHODS: Plasma HE4 concentration was examined in 68 pwCF drawn from the PROSPECT study who were homozygous for the p.Phe508del-CFTR variant before treatment and at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after administration of LUM/IVA therapy. Plasma HE4 was correlated with ppFEV1 using their absolute and delta values. The discriminatory power of delta HE4 was evaluated for the detection of lung function improvements based on ROC-AUC analysis and multiple regression test. RESULTS: HE4 plasma concentration was significantly reduced below baseline following LUM/IVA administration during the entire study period. The mean change of ppFEV1 was 2.6% (95% CI, 0.6 to 4.5) by 6 months of therapy in this sub-cohort. A significant inverse correlation between delta values of HE4 and ppFEV1 was observed especially in children with CF (r=-0.7053; p<0.0001). Delta HE4 predicted a 2.6% mean change in ppFEV1 (AUC: 0.7898 [95% CI 0.6823-0.8972]; P < 0.0001) at a cut-off value of -10.7 pmol/L. Moreover, delta HE4 independently represented the likelihood of being a responder with ≥ 5% delta ppFEV1 at 6 months (OR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.82-0.95; P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Plasma HE4 level negatively correlates with lung function improvement assessed by ppFEV1 in pwCF undergoing LUM/IVA CFTRm treatment.
- MeSH
- Chloride Channel Agonists therapeutic use MeSH
- Aminophenols therapeutic use MeSH
- Aminopyridines therapeutic use MeSH
- Benzodioxoles therapeutic use MeSH
- Cystic Fibrosis * diagnosis drug therapy genetics MeSH
- Child MeSH
- Drug Combinations MeSH
- Homozygote MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Mutation MeSH
- Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator genetics MeSH
- Check Tag
- Child MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
INTRODUCTION: Pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency is a rare, under-recognised, hereditary condition that leads to chronic haemolytic anaemia and potentially serious secondary complications, such as iron overload, cholecystitis, pulmonary hypertension and extramedullary haematopoiesis. It is an autosomal recessive disease caused by homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in the PKLR gene. Due to its rarity and clinical heterogeneity, information on the natural history and long-term clinical course of PK deficiency is limited, presenting major challenges to patient management, the development of new therapies and establishing disease-specific treatment recommendations. The Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency Global Longitudinal (Peak) Registry is an initiative to address the gaps in the knowledge of PK deficiency. This manuscript describes the objectives, study design and methodology for the Peak Registry. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The Peak Registry is an observational, longitudinal, global registry of adult and paediatric patients with a genetically confirmed diagnosis of PK deficiency. The Peak Steering Committee is composed of 11 clinicians and researchers with experience in the diagnosis and management of PK deficiency from 10 countries, a patient representative and representatives from the sponsor (Agios Pharmaceuticals). The registry objective is to foster an understanding of the longitudinal clinical implications of PK deficiency, including its natural history, treatments and outcomes, and variability in clinical care. The aim is to enrol up to 500 participants from approximately 60 study centres across 20 countries over 7 years, with between 2 and 9 years of follow-up. Data will include demographics, diagnosis history, genotyping, transfusion history, relevant clinical events, medications, emergency room visits and hospitalisations. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Registry protocol and informed consent forms are approved by institutional review boards/independent ethics committees at each study site. The study is being conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Registry data will be published in peer-reviewed journal articles and conference publications. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03481738.
- MeSH
- Child MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Anemia, Hemolytic, Congenital Nonspherocytic * diagnosis genetics MeSH
- Homozygote MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Pyruvate Kinase genetics MeSH
- Pyruvate Metabolism, Inborn Errors * genetics MeSH
- Check Tag
- Child MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
Pregnancy-related complications (PRC) re-present a serious public health and healthcare challenge. In European countries, infertility among couples varies from 5 to 24 %. The cause of PRC may include autoimmune and metabolic factors, correctness of the karyotype and variants of selected genes. The impact magnitude of genetic variants in one of PRC, pregnancy loss (PL), is still unexplored. Therefore, in this study, raw data on 12 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that were published separately in 2017-2019 were re-examined. We analysed the co-inheritance of 12 SNPs: rs6025 FV, rs429358 and rs7412 ApoE, rs1799752 ACE, rs1799889 PAI-1, rs1799963 PT, rs1801133 MTHFR, rs9468 and rs1800547 INV 17q21.31, rs731236 and rs1544410 VDR, and rs10421768 HAMP. Each time, the same study group of 154 women with PL, mean age 33 (± 5.4) years, and 154 mothers without PL, mean age 31.4 (± 6.7) years, with at least one live-born child, a control group, was investigated. In Bosnian women, no relationship of the co-inheritance pattern of any of the studied variants with PL was confirmed: P was in the range 0.248-1.0. In conclusion, the role of co-inheritance of heterozygotes and homozygotes or homozygotes of selected genes in PL has not been fully confirmed.
- MeSH
- Child MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Genetic Predisposition to Disease MeSH
- Genotype MeSH
- Homozygote MeSH
- Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide genetics MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Risk Factors MeSH
- Abortion, Spontaneous * genetics MeSH
- Case-Control Studies MeSH
- Pregnancy MeSH
- Check Tag
- Child MeSH
- Adult MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Pregnancy MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
We present a case of complete deficiency of the interferon alpha/beta receptor alpha chain (IFNAR1) in a child with fatal systemic hyperinflammation, apparently provoked by live-attenuated viral vaccination. Such pathologic hyperinflammation, fulfilling criteria for hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, is an emerging phenotype accompanying inborn errors of type I interferon immunity.
ARHGAP42 encodes Rho GTPase activating protein 42 that belongs to a member of the GTPase Regulator Associated with Focal Adhesion Kinase (GRAF) family. ARHGAP42 is involved in blood pressure control by regulating vascular tone. Despite these findings, disorders of human variants in the coding part of ARHGAP42 have not been reported. Here, we describe an 8-year-old girl with childhood interstitial lung disease (chILD), systemic hypertension, and immunological findings who carries a homozygous stop-gain variant (c.469G>T, p.(Glu157Ter)) in the ARHGAP42 gene. The family history is notable for both parents with hypertension. Histopathological examination of the proband lung biopsy showed increased mural smooth muscle in small airways and alveolar septa, and concentric medial hypertrophy in pulmonary arteries. ARHGAP42 stop-gain variant in the proband leads to exon 5 skipping, and reduced ARHGAP42 levels, which was associated with enhanced RhoA and Cdc42 expression. This is the first report linking a homozygous stop-gain variant in ARHGAP42 with a chILD disorder, systemic hypertension, and immunological findings in human patient. Evidence of smooth muscle hypertrophy on lung biopsy and an increase in RhoA/ROCK signaling in patient cells suggests the potential mechanistic link between ARHGAP42 deficiency and the development of chILD disorder.
- MeSH
- Child MeSH
- Homozygote MeSH
- Hypertension genetics MeSH
- Lung Diseases, Interstitial genetics pathology MeSH
- Leukocytosis genetics immunology MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Lymphocytosis genetics immunology MeSH
- Mice MeSH
- GTPase-Activating Proteins genetics MeSH
- rhoA GTP-Binding Protein genetics metabolism MeSH
- Pedigree MeSH
- Exome Sequencing MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Child MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Mice MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Case Reports MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
INTRODUCTION: Biallelic variants in the SLC1A4 gene have been so far identified as a very rare cause of neurodevelopmental disorders with or without epilepsy and almost exclusively described in the Ashkenazi-Jewish population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Here we present Czech patient with microcephaly, severe global developmental delay and intractable seizures whose condition remained undiagnosed despite access to clinical experience and standard diagnostic methods including examination with an epilepsy targeted NGS gene panel. RESULTS: Whole exome sequencing revealed a novel variant NM_003038.4:c.1370G > A p.(Arg457Gln) of the SLC1A4 gene in a homozygous state in the patient, and afterwards Sanger sequencing in both parents confirmed the biallelic origin of the variant. A variant in the same codon, but with a different amino acid exchange, was described previously in a patient that had a very similar phenotype, however, without epilepsy. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the SLC1A4 gene should be considered in the diagnosis of patients with severe, early onset neurodevelopmental impairment with epilepsy and encourage the analysis of SLC1A4 gene variants via targeted NGS gene panel or whole exome sequencing.
- MeSH
- Child MeSH
- Homozygote MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Microcephaly genetics pathology MeSH
- Mutation MeSH
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders genetics pathology MeSH
- Amino Acid Transport System ASC genetics MeSH
- Seizures genetics pathology MeSH
- Check Tag
- Child MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Case Reports MeSH
We describe the casuistry of a homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia female patient with a biallelic missense variant (NM_000527.4:c.1775G>A, p.Gly592Glu) in the LDLR gene, severe hypertriglyceridemia and late manifestation of coronary heart disease not earlier than at the age of 45 years. An atypical phenotype led to a delayed diagnosis.
- MeSH
- Phenotype * MeSH
- Genetic Testing methods MeSH
- Homozygote * MeSH
- Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II diagnosis genetics physiopathology MeSH
- Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide MeSH
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Lipids blood classification MeSH
- Mutation, Missense MeSH
- Multifactorial Inheritance MeSH
- Severity of Illness Index MeSH
- Check Tag
- Middle Aged MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Case Reports MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
The mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC) complex III (CIII) associates with complexes I and IV (CI and CIV) into supercomplexes. We identified a novel homozygous missense mutation (c.665G>C; p.Gly222Ala) in UQCRC2 coding for structural subunit Core 2 in a patient with severe encephalomyopathy. The structural data suggest that the Gly222Ala exchange might result in an altered spatial arrangement in part of the UQCRC2 subunit, which could impact specific protein-protein interactions. Accordingly, we have found decreased levels of CIII and accumulation of CIII-specific subassemblies comprising MT-CYB, UQCRB, UQCRQ, UQCR10 and CYC1 subunits, but devoid of UQCRC1, UQCRC2, and UQCRFS1 in the patient's fibroblasts. The lack of UQCRC1 subunit-containing subassemblies could result from an impaired interaction with mutant UQCRC2Gly222Ala and subsequent degradation of both subunits by mitochondrial proteases. Indeed, we show an elevated amount of matrix CLPP protease, suggesting the activation of the mitochondrial protein quality control machinery in UQCRC2Gly222Ala fibroblasts. In line with growing evidence, we observed a rate-limiting character of CIII availability for the supercomplex formation, accompanied by a diminished amount of CI. Furthermore, we found impaired electron flux between CI and CIII in skeletal muscle and fibroblasts of the UQCRC2Gly222Ala patient. The ectopic expression of wild-type UQCRC2 in patient cells rescued maximal respiration rate, demonstrating the deleterious effect of the mutation on MRC. Our study expands the phenotypic spectrum of human disease caused by CIII Core protein deficiency, provides insight into the assembly pathway of human CIII, and supports the requirement of assembled CIII for a proper accumulation of CI.
- MeSH
- Fibroblasts pathology MeSH
- Homozygote MeSH
- Muscle, Skeletal pathology MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Mutation, Missense genetics MeSH
- Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathies genetics MeSH
- Mitochondrial Proteins genetics MeSH
- Mitochondria genetics MeSH
- Electron Transport Complex III genetics MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
