Variant c.2158-2A>G in MANBA is an important and frequent cause of hereditary hearing loss and beta-mannosidosis among the Czech and Slovak Roma population- evidence for a new ethnic-specific variant

Benzoxazole-derivatives enhance progranulin expression and reverse the aberrant lysosomal proteome caused by GRN haploinsufficiency

Heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in the GRN gene are a major cause of hereditary frontotemporal dementia. The mechanisms linking frontotemporal dementia pathogenesis to progranulin deficiency are not well understood, and there is currently no treatment. Our strategy to prevent the onset and progression of frontotemporal dementia in patients with GRN mutations is to utilize small molecule positive regulators of GRN expression to boost progranulin levels from the remaining functional GRN allele, thus restoring progranulin levels back to normal within the brain. This work describes a series of blood-brain-barrier-penetrant small molecules which significantly increase progranulin protein levels in human cellular models, correct progranulin protein deficiency in Grn+/- mouse brains, and reverse lysosomal proteome aberrations, a phenotypic hallmark of frontotemporal dementia, more efficiently than the previously described small molecule suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid. These molecules will allow further elucidation of the cellular functions of progranulin and its role in frontotemporal dementia and will also serve as lead structures for further drug development.

Beta-mannosidosis in a domestic cat associated with a missense variant in MANBA

A 6-month-old cat of unknown ancestry presented for a neurologic evaluation due to progressive motor impairment. Complete physical and neurologic examinations suggested the disorder was likely to be hereditary, although the signs were not consistent with any previously described inherited disorders in cats. Due to the progression of disease signs including severely impaired motor function and cognitive decline, the cat was euthanized at approximately 10.5 months of age. Whole genome sequence analysis identified a homozygous missense variant c.2506G > A in MANBA that predicts a p.Gly836Arg alteration in the encoded lysosomal enzyme β -mannosidase. This variant was not present in the whole genome or whole exome sequences of any of the 424 cats represented in the 99 Lives Cat Genome dataset. β -Mannosidase enzyme activity was undetectable in brain tissue homogenates from the affected cat, whereas α-mannosidase enzyme activities were elevated compared to an unaffected cat. Postmortem examination of brain and retinal tissues revealed massive accumulations of vacuolar inclusions in most cells, similar to those reported in animals of other species with hereditary β -mannosidosis. Based on these findings, the cat likely suffered from β -mannosidosis due to the abolition of β -mannosidase activity associated with the p.Gly836Arg amino acid substitution. p.Gly836 is located in the C-terminal region of the protein and was not previously known to be involved in modulating enzyme activity. In addition to the vacuolar inclusions, some cells in the brain of the affected cat contained inclusions that exhibited lipofuscin-like autofluorescence. Electron microscopic examinations suggested these inclusions formed via an autophagy-like process.

A founder COL4A4 pathogenic variant resulting in autosomal recessive Alport syndrome accounts for most genetic kidney failure in Romani people

Introduction

Romani people have a high prevalence of kidney failure. This study examined a Romani cohort for pathogenic variants in the COL4A3, COL4A4, and COL4A5 genes that are affected in Alport syndrome (AS), a common cause of genetic kidney disease, characterized by hematuria, proteinuria, end-stage kidney failure, hearing loss, and eye anomalies.

Materials and methods

The study included 57 Romani from different families with clinical features that suggested AS who underwent next-generation sequencing (NGS) of the COL4A3, COL4A4, and COL4A5 genes, and 83 family members.

Results

In total, 27 Romani (19%) had autosomal recessive AS caused by a homozygous pathogenic c.1598G>A, p.Gly533Asp variant in COL4A4 (n = 20) or a homozygous c.415G>C, p.Gly139Arg variant in COL4A3 (n = 7). For p.Gly533Asp, 12 (80%) had macroscopic hematuria, 12 (63%) developed end-stage kidney failure at a median age of 22 years, and 13 (67%) had hearing loss. For p.Gly139Arg, none had macroscopic hematuria (p = 0.023), three (50%) had end-stage kidney failure by a median age of 42 years (p = 0.653), and five (83%) had hearing loss (p = 0.367). The p.Gly533Asp variant was associated with a more severe phenotype than p.Gly139Arg, with an earlier age at end-stage kidney failure and more macroscopic hematuria. Microscopic hematuria was very common in heterozygotes with both p.Gly533Asp (91%) and p.Gly139Arg (92%).

Conclusion

These two founder variants contribute to the high prevalence of kidney failure in Czech Romani. The estimated population frequency of autosomal recessive AS from these variants and consanguinity by descent is at least 1:11,000 in Czech Romani. This corresponds to a population frequency of autosomal dominant AS from these two variants alone of 1%. Romani with persistent hematuria should be offered genetic testing.

SCP2 variant is associated with alterations in lipid metabolism, brainstem neurodegeneration, and testicular defects

BACKGROUND

The detoxification of very long-chain and branched-chain fatty acids and the metabolism of cholesterol to form bile acids occur largely through a process called peroxisomal β-oxidation. Mutations in several peroxisomal proteins involved in β-oxidation have been reported, resulting in diseases characterized by neurological defects. The final step of the peroxisomal β-oxidation pathway is catalyzed by sterol carrier protein-x (SCPx), which is encoded by the SCP2 gene. Previously, there have been two reports of SCPx deficiency, which resulted from a homozygous or compound heterozygous SCP2 mutation. We report herein the first patient with a heterozygous SCP2 mutation leading to SCPx deficiency.

RESULTS

Clinical presentations of the patient included progressive brainstem neurodegeneration, cardiac dysrhythmia, muscle wasting, and azoospermia. Plasma fatty acid analysis revealed abnormal values of medium-, long-, and very long-chain fatty acids. Protein expression of SCPx and other enzymes involved in β-oxidation were altered between patient and normal fibroblasts. RNA sequencing and lipidomic analyses identified metabolic pathways that were altered between patient and normal fibroblasts including PPAR signaling, serotonergic signaling, steroid biosynthesis, and fatty acid degradation. Treatment with fenofibrate or 4-hydroxytamoxifen increased SCPx levels, and certain fatty acid levels in patient fibroblasts.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that the patient's SCP2 mutation resulted in decreased protein levels of SCPx, which may be associated with many metabolic pathways. Increasing SCPx levels through pharmacological interventions may reverse some effects of SCPx deficiency. Collectively, this work provides insight into many of the clinical consequences of SCPx deficiency and provides evidence for potential treatment strategies.

Genetics of Hearing Impairment in North-Eastern Romania-A Cost-Effective Improved Diagnosis and Literature Review

Background: We have investigated the main genetic causes for non-syndromic hearing impairment (NSHI) in the hearing impairment individuals from the North-Eastern Romania and proposed a cost-effective diagnosis protocol. Methods: MLPA followed by Sanger Sequencing were used for all 291 patients included in this study. Results: MLPA revealed abnormal results in 141 cases (48.45%): 57 (40.5%) were c.35delG homozygous, 26 (18.44%) were c.35delG heterozygous, 14 (9.93%) were compound heterozygous and 16 (11.35%) had other types of variants. The entire coding region of GJB2 was sequenced and out of 150 patients with normal results at MLPA, 29.33% had abnormal results: variants in heterozygous state: c.71G>A (28%), c.457G>A (20%), c.269T>C (12%), c.109G>A (12%), c.100A>T (12%), c.551G>C (8%). Out of 26 patients with c.35delG in heterozygous state, 38.46% were in fact compound heterozygous. Conclusions: We identified two variants: c.109G>A and c.100A>T that have not been reported in any study from Romania. MLPA is an inexpensive, rapid and reliable technique that could be a cost-effective diagnosis method, useful for patients with hearing impairment. It can be adaptable for the mutation spectrum in every population and followed by Sanger sequencing can provide a genetic diagnosis for patients with different degrees of hearing impairment.