Analysis of genetic mutations in Chinese patients with systemic primary carnitine deficiency.

Abstract

Systemic primary carnitine deficiency (CDSP) is caused by mutations in SLC22A5 gene, which encodes organic cation transporter 2(OCTN2). CDSP leads to skeletal or cardiac myopathy and hepatic encephalopathy. The present study aimed to identify SLC22A5 gene mutations and analyze the potential relationship between genotype and clinical symptoms in 20 Chinese patients with CDSP. The complete coding region of the SLC22A5 gene including intron-exon boundaries were amplified and sequenced in all patients. Eighteen different mutations were found; of which, nine were novel. The mutations clustering in exons 1 and 4 accounted for 66.7% of all mutant alleles (26/39). The c.760C>T (p. R254X) was the most frequent mutation (25.6%, 10/39), suggesting it as an ethnic founder mutation. The relationship between genotype and phenotype was investigated in patients carrying the R254X mutation. Homozygous patients with R254X were late-onset cases who presented with dilated cardiomyopathy and muscle weakness after 1 year of age. Compound heterozygous patients carrying R254X, combined with other missense mutations occurred in very specific positions, dramatically altered OCTN2 protein function. Based on the analysis of case studies, a clear relationship between free carnitine (C0) level in plasma and OCTN2 genotype was not found in the present work, however, the low plasma C0 level could not indicate disease severity or genotype. Further functional studies with a large sample size are required to understand the relationship between R254X mutation and CDSP.

• Authors: Lianshu Han, Fei Wang, Yu Wang, Jun Ye, Wenjuan Qiu, Huiwen Zhang, Xiaolan Gao, Zhuwen Gong, Xuefan Gu
• Journal: European journal of medical genetics (Eur J Med Genet) Vol. 57 Issue 10 Pg. 571-5 (Oct 2014) ISSN: 1878-0849 [Electronic] Netherlands
• PMID: 25132046 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Organic Cation Transport Proteins
• SLC22A5 protein, human
• Solute Carrier Family 22 Member 5
• Carnitine

Topics

• Asian People (genetics)
• Cardiomyopathies (blood, diagnosis, genetics)
• Carnitine (blood, deficiency, genetics)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• DNA Mutational Analysis
• Exons
• Genotype
• Humans
• Hyperammonemia (blood, diagnosis, genetics)
• Infant
• Infant, Newborn
• Introns
• Muscular Diseases (blood, diagnosis, genetics)
• Mutation
• Mutation, Missense
• Neonatal Screening
• Organic Cation Transport Proteins (genetics)
• Phenotype
• Solute Carrier Family 22 Member 5