Ocular Manifestation of Compound Heterozygotic Mutation in Congenital Erythropoietic Porphyria

PURPOSE: Congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP) is a rare disorder inherited as an autosomal recessive trait, which is characterized by almost complete reduction of uroporphyrinogen III synthase (UROS) activity. The authors of the present study report a case of congenital erythropoietic porphyria with severe ocular involvement. CASE SUMMARY: A 27-year-old male patient diagnosed with congenital erythropoietic porphyria was referred to our clinic with a history of ocular pain, and foreign body sensation in both eyes. Visual acuity was light perception in both eyes. Severe scarring of eyelids, corneal leukoma with neovascularization, total limbal deficiency and scleromalacia were observed in both eyes. Identification of the uroporphyrinogen III synthase (UROS) gene mutation revealed the patient had a compound heterozygote mutation at p.Q249X (c.745C>T) and p.L237P (c.710T>C) in exon 10. CONCLUSIONS: CEP is clinically characterized by severe cutaneous photosensitivity, hemolytic anemia and porphyriuria. In addition to these manifestations, the authors report a severe ocular involvement in a patient with CEP who had a compound heterozygote mutation at p.Q249X (c.745C>T) and p.L237P (c.710T>C) in exon 10.

Porfiria Congénita Eritropoyética en la Argentina: 4 niños y un caso de manifestación tardía / Congenital Erythropoietic Porphyria in Argentina: 4 children and one late onset case

Las porfirias son la consecuencia de fallas en el metabolismo del hemo. La Porfiria Congénita Eritropoyética (PCE) (enfermedad de Günther) es una porfiria cutánea rara que se transmite en forma autosómica recesiva. Se produce debido a la presencia de mutaciones en el gen de la uroporfirinógeno III sintetasa (UROIII-S) que llevan a una marcada disminución de su actividad y a la producción y acumulación de elevadas cantidades de porfirinas de la serie isomérica I en plasma, tejidos y huesos, responsables de la severa sintomatología cutánea que generalmente presentan los pacientes con esta porfiria. Se han descripto sólo alrededor de 200 casos a nivel mundial. Su expresión clínica es muy heterogénea, encontrándose desde casos muy graves con severo compromiso cutáneo, transfusión-dependiente, hasta casos leves con escasa sintomatología cutánea. Se presentan 5 casos de pacientes argentinos con PCE, 4 infantiles y uno de manifestación tardía, diagnosticados en el Centro de Investigaciones sobre Porfirinas y Porfirias (CIPYP), que constituyen, hasta el momento, los únicos registrados en Argentina. Se encontraron elevadas cantidades de porfirinas en plasma, sangre, orina y materia fecal y un patrón de porfirinas con predominio de la serie I. La actividad de la UROIII-S estaba reducida en un 25-44% con respecto al valor normal. El diagnóstico certero y precoz de esta porfiria es fundamental para aplicar tempranamente el tratamiento adecuado en cada caso y brindarle al paciente una mejor calidad de vida.

Porphyrias are metabolism disorders caused by a partial deficiency in one of the heme biosynthetic pathway enzymes. Congenital Erythropoietic Porphyria, also termed Günther disease, is extremely rare and is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait that results from the markedly deficient activity of the fourth enzyme in the heme biosynthetic pathway, Uroporphyrinogen III synthase (UROIII-S). This enzyme deficiency leads to an increased production and accumulation of the nonphysiological and phototoxic type I porphyrins responsible for the typical clinical manifestations. The disease severity is markedly heterogeneous, ranging from severe transfusion dependency throughout life to milder adult cases with only cutaneous photosensitivity. Only 200 cases have been described all over the world so far. In this work five Argentinean CEP patients are presented, 4 infantile and one late onset case, diagnosed in the CIPYP which are, as far as it is known, the only cases described in Argentina. Increased amounts of porphyrins were found in plasma, blood, urine and faeces, together with high amounts of the pathogenic type I isomer. Enzyme activity was reduced to 25-44% respect to normal values. Early diagnosis is important for correct treatment so as to prevent the characteristic mutilation of the disease and to improve patient´s life quality.

Porfiria eritropoiética congênita (doença de Günther): relato de caso / Congenital erythropoietic porphyria (Günther's disease): a case report

A porfiria erotropoiética congênita é doença que resulta da deficiência da enzima uroporfirinogênio III sintease, do metabolismo do grupo heme da hemoglobina. Essa anormalidade desvia a produçäo de metabólitos dessa síntese para isômeros da série uroporfirina I e coproporfirina I), que se acumulam em praticamente todos os tecidos do organismo. Altos níveis de uroporfirina I säo encontrados na urina e nas fezes. Os depósitos cutâneos da uroporfirina induzem à reaçäo fototóxica com formaçäo de bolhas subepidérmicas. O presente artigo constitui-se no relato do caso clínico de um paciente de 13 anos de idade, do sexo masculino, cujo quadro clínico era caracterizado pela presença de vesículas e bolhas nas áreas da pele fotoexpostas, associada a outras manifestaçöes, como eritrodontia, hipertricose, atrofia e reabsorçäo das falanges, conjuntivite, cicatrizes cutâneas, mília, contraturas dos dedos, hiper e hipopigmentaçäo cutânea. A investigaçäo clínica e laboratorial dos órgäos internos demonstrou apenas discreta hepatoesplenomegalia. O estudo das porfirinas revelou aumentos muito significativos na excreçäo urinário da uroporfirina I e da coproporfirina I