Expanding the phenotype of IBA57 mutations: related leukodystrophy can remain asymptomatic

Biallelic mutations in IBA57 cause a mitochondrial disorder with a broad phenotypic spectrum that ranges from severe intellectual disability to adolescent-onset spastic paraplegia. Only 21 IBA57 mutations have been reported, therefore the phenotypic spectrum of IBA57-related mitochondrial disease has not yet been fully elucidated. In this study, we performed whole-exome sequencing on a Sepharadi Jewish and Japanese family with leukodystrophy. We identified four novel biallelic variants in IBA57 in the two families: one frameshift insertion and three missense variants. The three missense variants were predicted to be disease-causing by multiple in silico tools. The 29-year-old Sepharadi Jewish male had infantile-onset optic atrophy with clinically asymptomatic leukodystrophy involving periventricular white matter. The 19-year-old younger brother, with the same compound heterozygous IBA57 variants, had a similar clinical course until 7 years of age. However, he then developed a rapidly progressive spastic paraparesis following a febrile illness. A 7-year-old Japanese girl had developmental regression, spastic quadriplegia, and abnormal periventricular white matter signal on brain magnetic resonance imaging performed at 8 months of age. She had febrile convulsions at the age of 18 months and later developed epilepsy. In summary, we have identified four novel IBA57 mutations in two unrelated families. Consequently, we describe a patient with infantile-onset optic atrophy and asymptomatic white matter involvement, thus broadening the phenotypic spectrum of biallelic IBA57 mutations

Hypomyelination with atrophy of the basal ganglia and cerebellum: further delineation of the phenotype and genotype-phenotype correlation

Hypomyelination with atrophy of the basal ganglia and cerebellum (H-ABC) is a rare childhood leukoencephalopathy caused by heterozygous mutations in the TUBB4A beta-tubulin gene. Hamilton et al. describe the clinical spectrum and genotype-phenotype correlation in 42 patients, and reveal extrapyramidal movement abnormalities to be the core feature of the disease.Hypomyelination with atrophy of the basal ganglia and cerebellum is a rare leukoencephalopathy that was identified using magnetic resonance imaging in 2002. In 2013, whole exome sequencing of 11 patients with the disease revealed that they all had the same de novo mutation in TUBB4A, which encodes tubulin beta-4A. We investigated the mutation spectrum in a cohort of 42 patients and the relationship between genotype and phenotype. Patients were selected on the basis of clinical and magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities that are indicative of hypomyelination with atrophy of the basal ganglia and cerebellum. Genetic testing and a clinical inventory were performed, and sequential magnetic resonance images were evaluated using a standard protocol. The heterozygous TUBB4A mutation observed in the first 11 patients was the most common (25 patients). Additionally, 13 other heterozygous mutations were identified, located in different structural domains of tubulin beta-4A. We confirmed that the mutations were de novo in all but three patients. In two of these three cases we lacked parental DNA and in one the mutation was also found in the mother, most likely due to mosaicism. Patients showed a phenotypic continuum ranging from neonatal to childhood disease onset, normal to delayed early development and slow to more rapid neurological deterioration. Neurological symptomatology consisted of extrapyramidal movement abnormalities, spasticity, ataxia, cognitive deficit and sometimes epilepsy. Three patients died and the oldest living patient was 29 years of age. The patients' magnetic resonance images showed an absent or disappearing putamen, variable cerebellar atrophy and highly variable cerebral atrophy. Apart from hypomyelination, myelin loss was evident in several cases. Three severely affected patients had similar, somewhat atypical magnetic resonance image abnormalities. The study results were strongly suggestive of a genotype-phenotype correlation. The 25 patients with the common c.745G > A mutation generally had a less rapidly progressive disease course than the 17 cases with other TUBB4A mutations. Overall, this work demonstrates that the distinctive magnetic resonance imaging pattern for hypomyelination with atrophy of the basal ganglia and cerebellum defines a homogeneous clinical phenotype of variable severity. Patients almost invariably have prominent extrapyramidal movement abnormalities, which are rarely seen in patients with hypomyelination of different origin. A dominant TUBB4A mutation is also associated with dystonia type 4, in which magnetic resonance images of the brain seem normal. It is highly likely that there is a disease continuum associated with TUBB4A mutations, of which hypomyelination with atrophy of the basal ganglia and cerebellum and dystonia type 4 are the extremes. This would indicate that extrapyramidal movement abnormalities constitute the core feature of the disease spectrum related to dominant TUBB4A mutations and that all other features are variable

Expanding the β-III Spectrin-Associated Phenotypes toward Non-Progressive Congenital Ataxias with Neurodegeneration

(1) Background: A non-progressive congenital ataxia (NPCA) phenotype caused by β-III spectrin (SPTBN2) mutations has emerged, mimicking spinocerebellar ataxia, autosomal recessive type 14 (SCAR14). The pattern of inheritance, however, resembles that of autosomal dominant classical spinocerebellar ataxia type 5 (SCA5). (2) Methods: In-depth phenotyping of two boys studied by a customized gene panel. Candidate variants were sought by structural modeling and protein expression. An extensive review of the literature was conducted in order to better characterize the SPTBN2 -associated NPCA. (3) Results: Patients exhibited an NPCA with hypotonia, developmental delay, cerebellar syndrome, and cognitive deficits. Both probands presented with progressive global cerebellar volume loss in consecutive cerebral magnetic resonance imaging studies, characterized by decreasing midsagittal vermis relative diameter measurements. Cortical hyperintensities were observed on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images, suggesting a neurodegenerative process. Each patient carried a novel de novo SPTBN2 substitution: c.193A > G (p.K65E) or c.764A > G (p.D255G). Modeling and protein expression revealed that both mutations might be deleterious. (4) Conclusions: The reported findings contribute to a better understanding of the SPTBN2 -associated phenotype. The mutations may preclude proper structural organization of the actin spectrin-based membrane skeleton, which, in turn, is responsible for the underlying disease mechanis

De novo mutations in KIF1A cause progressive encephalopathy and brain atrophy

OBJECTIVE: To determine the cause and course of a novel syndrome with progressive encephalopathy and brain atrophy in children. METHODS: Clinical whole-exome sequencing was performed for global developmental delay and intellectual disability; some patients also had spastic paraparesis and evidence of clinical regression. Six patients were identified with de novo missense mutations in the kinesin gene KIF1A. The predicted functional disruption of these mutations was assessed in silico to compare the calculated conformational flexibility and estimated efficiency of ATP binding to kinesin motor domains of wild-type (WT) versus mutant alleles. Additionally, an in vitro microtubule gliding assay was performed to assess the effects of de novo dominant, inherited recessive, and polymorphic variants on KIF1A motor function. RESULTS: All six subjects had severe developmental delay, hypotonia, and varying degrees of hyperreflexia and spastic paraparesis. Microcephaly, cortical visual impairment, optic neuropathy, peripheral neuropathy, ataxia, epilepsy, and movement disorders were also observed. All six patients had a degenerative neurologic course with progressive cerebral and cerebellar atrophy seen on sequential magnetic resonance imaging scans. Computational modeling of mutant protein structures when compared to WT kinesin showed substantial differences in conformational flexibility and ATP-binding efficiency. The de novo KIF1A mutants were nonmotile in the microtubule gliding assay. INTERPRETATION: De novo mutations in KIF1A cause a degenerative neurologic syndrome with brain atrophy. Computational and in vitro assays differentiate the severity of dominant de novo heterozygous versus inherited recessive KIF1A mutations. The profound effect de novo mutations have on axonal transport is likely related to the cause of progressive neurologic impairment in these patients

De novo mutations in KIF1A cause progressive encephalopathy and brain atrophy.

ObjectiveTo determine the cause and course of a novel syndrome with progressive encephalopathy and brain atrophy in children.MethodsClinical whole-exome sequencing was performed for global developmental delay and intellectual disability; some patients also had spastic paraparesis and evidence of clinical regression. Six patients were identified with de novo missense mutations in the kinesin gene KIF1A. The predicted functional disruption of these mutations was assessed in silico to compare the calculated conformational flexibility and estimated efficiency of ATP binding to kinesin motor domains of wild-type (WT) versus mutant alleles. Additionally, an in vitro microtubule gliding assay was performed to assess the effects of de novo dominant, inherited recessive, and polymorphic variants on KIF1A motor function.ResultsAll six subjects had severe developmental delay, hypotonia, and varying degrees of hyperreflexia and spastic paraparesis. Microcephaly, cortical visual impairment, optic neuropathy, peripheral neuropathy, ataxia, epilepsy, and movement disorders were also observed. All six patients had a degenerative neurologic course with progressive cerebral and cerebellar atrophy seen on sequential magnetic resonance imaging scans. Computational modeling of mutant protein structures when compared to WT kinesin showed substantial differences in conformational flexibility and ATP-binding efficiency. The de novo KIF1A mutants were nonmotile in the microtubule gliding assay.InterpretationDe novo mutations in KIF1A cause a degenerative neurologic syndrome with brain atrophy. Computational and in vitro assays differentiate the severity of dominant de novo heterozygous versus inherited recessive KIF1A mutations. The profound effect de novo mutations have on axonal transport is likely related to the cause of progressive neurologic impairment in these patients