Alpers progressive infantile neuronal poliodystrophy: an acute neonatal form with findings of the fetal akinesia syndrome

The first living newborn case with 7706G˃A missense mutation: Alpers-Huttenlocher syndrome

Alpers-Huttenlocher syndrome (AHS) is an uncommon autosomal recessive mitochondrial DNA depletion disease. The classic clinical triad of progressive developmental regression, liver degeneration, and seizures helps define the disorder, but a wide range of clinical expressions occur. The most common mutations in childhood have been identified in the cytochrome c oxidase Ⅰ and Ⅳ genes. The 7706G˃A missense mutation in the Cox Ⅱ gene was previously reported in one case after postmortem histological study. Consequently, our patient is the first patient diagnosed with AHS with a 7706G˃A missense mutation in the Cox Ⅱ gene while alive. We proposed that 7706G˃A missense mutation is rare and should be more lethal than other mutations that cause Alpers-Huttenlocher syndrome.

Progressive neuronal degeneration of childhood: prenatal diagnosis by MRI

We report two cases in the same family of progressive neuronal degeneration of childhood--Alpers syndrome--with prenatal MRI findings in one case. The first infant presented at birth with severe microcephaly, then rapidly evolved to progressive encephalopathy with refractory epilepsy, leading to death at 10 months. Biochemical investigations including liver function tests were normal. CT and MRI showed severe diffuse brain atrophy. The diagnosis of progressive neuronal degeneration of childhood was made on the clinical and imaging data. The second pregnancy was marked by gradual decrease of fetal cerebral biometry and a prenatal MRI performed at 32 weeks showed diffuse cortical atrophy, as observed in the sibling. The infant died at 5 months. Neuropathological findings were consistent with Alpers syndrome.

Molecular basis of autosomal recessive diseases among the Palestinian Arabs

In the review of the literature, 71 different autosomal recessive diseases have been delineated that are relatively frequent among Palestinian Arabs. Among those, in 40 the mutation(s) responsible for the diseases are known. Fourteen of these disorders were caused by a single mutation, while the other 26 were due to multiple mutations. Most of the mutations were found in homozygosity among the affected patients. It is probable that the high frequency of most of the genetic diseases among the Palestinian Arabs is due to a founder effect as the result of the high consanguinity rates in this population. However, in some cases the high frequency was demonstrated to be secondary to the presence of multiple mutations, either allelic or in different genes in a small geographic region. This phenomenon remains unexplained but may be secondary to a selective advantage to the carriers, either specific to the region or to the population.

Mechanisms of liver injury relevant to pediatric hepatology

Hepatocyte injury and necrosis from many causes may result in pediatric liver disease. Influenced by other cell types in the liver, by its unique vascular arrangements, by lobular zonation, and by contributory effects of sepsis, reactive oxygen species and disordered hepatic architecture, the hepatocyte is prone to injury from exogenous toxins, from inborn errors of metabolism, from hepatotrophic viruses, and from immune mechanisms. Experimental studies on cultured hepatocytes or animal models must be interpreted with caution. Having discussed general concepts, this review describes immune mechanisms of liver injury, as seen in autoimmune hepatitis, hepatitis B and C infection, the anticonvulsant hypersensitivity syndrome, and autoimmune polyendocrinopathy. Of the monogenic disorders causing significant liver injury in childhood, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and Niemann-Pick C disease demonstrate the effect of endoplasmic or endosomal retention of macromolecules. Tyrosinemia illustrates how understanding the biochemical defect leads to understanding cell injury, extrahepatic porphyric effects, oncogenesis, pharmacological intervention, and possible stem cell therapy. Pathogenesis of cirrhosis in galactosemia remains incompletely understood. In hereditary fructose intolerance, phosphate sequestration causes ATP depletion. Recent information about mitochondrial disease, NASH, disorders of glycosylation, Wilson's disease, and the progressive familial intrahepatic cholestases is discussed.

Autosomal recessive microcephaly with neonatal myoclonic seizures: clinical and MRI findings

We describe an infant who was born to a consanguineous couple of Palestinian origin. The patient had severe microcephaly, myoclonic seizures, hypsarrythmia, spasticity, hypertonicity, and profound mental retardation. A similar case was reported in another unrelated Palestinian family, suggesting that this condition may be endemic. The condition resembles early onset myoclonic seizures and spasticity described by Tolmie et al.: Am J Med Genet 27:583-594 [1987]. To the best of our knowledge, only four pairs of sibs have been described with this syndrome; however, to date no magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings were reported for this condition. We present the clinical and radiological findings in the patients, including the first report of MRI findings.

Other hereditary diseases and the liver

In this chapter, an abbreviated account is presented on the subject of hereditary diseases and the liver. However, it is incomplete because Alagille syndrome, storage disorders, alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency and Wilson disease are not included as they appear in other chapters of this volume. Biliary atresia is omitted because all available evidence does not support any significant genetic association. Molecular biological techniques have enabled linkage of several liver cholestatic disorders to chromosomal loci, and further characterization of the canalicular bile salt transporter (cBST) will advance our understanding of pathogenetic mechanisms involved in benign and progressive cholestatic syndromes. Disorders that have been treated as separate entities may have common 'roots', exemplified by the concept of the ductal plate malformation in fibropolycystic disease. Whereas the majority of disorders referred to in this chapter present early in life, there are several that are associated with liver failure in the neonatal period, which makes early recognition particularly important. Liver transplantation offers a cure for many hereditary disorders affecting the liver but it is not applicable to all.

Fetal akinesia

Normal fetal growth and development during pregnancy is highly dependent upon adequate fetal movement. Limitation of movement, regardless of the underlying cause, can result in a particular pattern of abnormal fetal morphogenesis. This phenotype is termed the fetal akinesia deformation sequence (FADS). The etiology of fetal akinesia may be generally classified into one of five categories: neuropathy, myopathy, restrictive dermopathy, teratogen exposure, or restricted movement due to intrauterine constraint. In this article, the differential diagnosis of fetal akinesia is systematically reviewed and information regarding prenatal diagnosis, prognosis, perinatal management, and recurrence risks are discussed.