Long-acting Erwinia chrysanthemi, Pegcrisantaspase, induces alternate amino acid biosynthetic pathways in a preclinical model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive disease without meaningful therapeutic options beyond the first salvage therapy. Targeting PDAC metabolism through amino acid restriction has emerged as a promising new strategy, with asparaginases, enzymes that deplete plasma glutamine and asparagine, reaching clinical trials. In this study, we investigated the anti-PDAC activity of the asparaginase formulation Pegcrisantaspase (PegC) alone and in combination with standard-of-care chemotherapeutics. METHODS: Using mouse and human PDAC cell lines, we assessed the impact of PegC on cell proliferation, cell death, and cell cycle progression. We further characterized the in vitro effect of PegC on protein synthesis as well as the generation of reactive oxygen species and levels of glutathione, a major cellular antioxidant. Additional cell line studies examined the effect of the combination of PegC with standard-of-care chemotherapeutics. In vivo, the tolerability and efficacy of PegC, as well as the impact on plasma amino acid levels, was assessed using the C57BL/6-derived KPC syngeneic mouse model. RESULTS: Here we report that PegC demonstrated potent anti-proliferative activity in a panel of human and murine PDAC cell lines. This decrease in proliferation was accompanied by inhibited protein synthesis and decreased levels of glutathione. In vivo, PegC was tolerable and effectively reduced plasma levels of glutamine and asparagine, leading to a statistically significant inhibition of tumor growth in a syngeneic mouse model of PDAC. There was no observable in vitro or in vivo benefit to combining PegC with standard-of-care chemotherapeutics, including oxaliplatin, irinotecan, 5-fluorouracil, paclitaxel, and gemcitabine. Notably, PegC treatment increased tumor expression of asparagine and serine biosynthetic enzymes. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our results demonstrate the potential therapeutic use of PegC in PDAC and highlight the importance of identifying candidates for combination regimens that could improve cytotoxicity and/or reduce the induction of resistance pathways.

Erwinia asparaginase (crisantaspase) increases plasma levels of serine and glycine.

The impact of asparaginases on plasma asparagine and glutamine is well established. However, the effect of asparaginases, particularly those derived from Erwinia chrysanthemi (also called crisantaspase), on circulating levels of other amino acids is unknown. We examined comprehensive plasma amino acid panel measurements in healthy immunodeficient/immunocompetent mice as well as in preclinical mouse models of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) using long-acting crisantaspase, and in an AML clinical study (NCT02283190) using short-acting crisantaspase. In addition to the expected decrease of plasma glutamine and asparagine, we observed a significant increase in plasma serine and glycine post-crisantaspase. In PDAC tumors, crisantaspase treatment significantly increased expression of serine biosynthesis enzymes. We then systematically reviewed clinical studies using asparaginase products to determine the extent of plasma amino acid reporting and found that only plasma levels of glutamine/glutamate and asparagine/aspartate were reported, without measuring other amino acid changes post-asparaginase. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to report comprehensive plasma amino acid changes in mice and humans treated with asparaginase. As dysregulated serine metabolism has been implicated in tumor development, our findings offer insights into how leukemia/cancer cells may potentially overcome glutamine/asparagine restriction, which can be used to design future synergistic therapeutic approaches.

2022 Association of Professors of Human and Medical Genetics (APHMG) consensus-based update of the core competencies for undergraduate medical education in genetics and genomics.

PURPOSE: The field of genetics and genomics continues to expand at an unprecedented pace. As scientific knowledge is translated to clinical practice, genomic information is routinely being used in preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic decision-making across a variety of clinical practice areas. As adoption of genomic medicine further evolves, health professionals will be required to stay abreast of new genetic discoveries and technologies and implementation of these advances within their scope of practice will be indicated. METHODS: The Association of Professors of Human and Medical Genetics previously developed medical school genetics core competencies, last updated in 2013. The competencies were reviewed and updated through a structured approach incorporating a modified Delphi method. RESULTS: The updated Association of Professors of Human and Medical Genetics core competencies are presented. Current revisions include competencies that are concise, specific, and assessable. In addition, they incorporate recent advances in clinical practice and promote equity and inclusion in clinical care. CONCLUSION: The 2022 competencies will serve as a guide for medical school leadership and educators involved in curriculum development, implementation, and assessment. Use of these competencies across the undergraduate medical curricula will foster knowledge, skills, and behaviors required in medical practice across a wide range of specialties.

Measurement of lysosomal enzyme activities: A technical standard of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG).

Assays that measure lysosomal enzyme activity are important tools for the screening and diagnosis of lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs). They are often ordered in combination with urine oligosaccharide and glycosaminoglycan analysis, additional biomarker assays, and/or DNA sequencing when an LSD is suspected. Enzyme testing in whole blood/leukocytes, serum/plasma, cultured fibroblasts, or dried blood spots demonstrating deficient enzyme activity remains a key component of LSD diagnosis and is often prompted by characteristic clinical findings, abnormal newborn screening, abnormal biochemical findings (eg, elevated glycosaminoglycans), or molecular results indicating pathogenic variants or variants of uncertain significance in a gene associated with an LSD. This document, which focuses on clinical enzyme testing for LSDs, provides a resource for laboratories to develop and implement clinical testing, to describe variables that can influence test performance and interpretation of results, and to delineate situations for which follow-up molecular testing is warranted.

Venetoclax and pegcrisantaspase for complex karyotype acute myeloid leukemia.

Complex karyotype acute myeloid leukemia (CK-AML) has a dismal outcome with current treatments, underscoring the need for new therapies. Here, we report synergistic anti-leukemic activity of the BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax (Ven) and the asparaginase formulation Pegylated Crisantaspase (PegC) in CK-AML in vitro and in vivo. Ven-PegC combination inhibited growth of multiple AML cell lines and patient-derived primary CK-AML cells in vitro. In vivo, Ven-PegC showed potent reduction of leukemia burden and improved survival, compared with each agent alone, in a primary patient-derived CK-AML xenograft. Superiority of Ven-PegC, compared to single drugs, and, importantly, the clinically utilized Ven-azacitidine combination, was also demonstrated in vivo in CK-AML. We hypothesized that PegC-mediated plasma glutamine depletion inhibits 4EBP1 phosphorylation, decreases the expression of proteins such as MCL-1, whose translation is cap dependent, synergizing with the BCL-2 inhibitor Ven. Ven-PegC treatment decreased cellular MCL-1 protein levels in vitro by enhancing eIF4E-4EBP1 interaction on the cap-binding complex via glutamine depletion. In vivo, Ven-PegC treatment completely depleted plasma glutamine and asparagine and inhibited mRNA translation and cellular protein synthesis. Since this novel mechanistically-rationalized regimen combines two drugs already in use in acute leukemia treatment, we plan a clinical trial of the Ven-PegC combination in relapsed/refractory CK-AML.

Newborn Screening Long Term Follow-Up in the Medical Home.

This demonstration project explored the feasibility of utilizing data from pediatric primary care providers to evaluate the long-term outcomes of children with disorders identified by newborn screening (NBS). Compliance with national guidelines for care and the morbidity for this population was also examined. Primary care practices were recruited and patients with sickle cell disease or who were deaf/hard of hearing were given the opportunity to enroll in the study. Data were collected on the quality of the medical home with practice data compared to family responses. Clinical outcomes for each patient were assessed by review of medical records and patient surveys. These data sources were compared to determine accuracy of primary care data, morbidity, and receipt of preventive care. Electronic data sharing was explored through transmission of Clinical Document Architecture (CDA) files. Care coordination was a challenge, even in highly accredited medical homes. Providers did not have complete information regarding clinical outcomes and children were not consistently receiving recommended preventive care. Electronic data sharing with public health departments encountered interface challenges. Primary care providers in the USA should not currently be used as a sole source to evaluate long-term outcomes of children with disorders identified by NBS.

Asparaginase Erwinia chrysanthemi effectively depletes plasma glutamine in adult patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia.

Depletion of glutamine (Gln) has emerged as a potential therapeutic approach in the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), as neoplastic cells require Gln for synthesis of cellular components essential for survival. Asparaginases deplete Gln, and asparaginase derived from Erwinia chrysanthemi (Erwinaze) appears to have the greatest glutaminase activity of the available asparaginases. In this Phase I study, we sought to determine the dose of Erwinaze that safely and effectively depletes plasma Gln levels to ≤ 120 µmol/L in patients with relapsed or refractory (R/R) AML. Five patients were enrolled before the study was halted due to issues with Erwinaze manufacturing supply. All patients received Erwinaze at a dose of 25,000 IU/m2 intravenously three times weekly for 2 weeks. Median trough plasma Gln level at 48 h after initial Erwinaze administration was 27.6 µmol/L, and 80% (lower limit of 1-sided 95% CI 34%) of patients achieved at least one undetectable plasma Gln value (< 12.5 µmol/L), with the fold reduction (FR) in Gln level at 3 days, relative to baseline, being 0.16 (p < 0.001 for rejecting FR = 1). No dose-limiting toxicities were identified. Two patients responded, one achieved partial remission and one achieved hematologic improvement after six doses of Erwinaze monotherapy. These data suggest asparaginase-induced Gln depletion may have an important role in the management of patients with AML, and support more pharmacologic and clinical studies on the mechanistically designed asparaginase combinations in AML.

ERRATUM: Laboratory diagnosis of biotinidase deficiency, 2017 update: a technical standard and guideline of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics.

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/gim.2017.84.

Laboratory diagnosis of biotinidase deficiency, 2017 update: a technical standard and guideline of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics.

Disclaimer: These ACMG Standards and Guidelines are intended as an educational resource for clinical laboratory geneticists to help them provide quality clinical laboratory genetic services. Adherence to these Standards and Guidelines is voluntary and does not necessarily assure a successful medical outcome. These Standards and Guidelines should not be considered inclusive of all proper procedures and tests or exclusive of others that are reasonably directed to obtaining the same results. In determining the propriety of any specific procedure or test, clinical laboratory geneticists should apply their professional judgment to the specific circumstances presented by the patient or specimen. Clinical laboratory scientists and geneticists are encouraged to document in the patient's record the rationale for the use of a particular procedure or test, whether or not it is in conformance with these Standards and Guidelines. They also are advised to take notice of the date any particular guideline was adopted, and to consider other relevant medical and scientific information that becomes available after that date. It also would be prudent to consider whether intellectual property interests may restrict the performance of certain tests and other procedures.Biotinidase deficiency is an autosomal recessively inherited disorder of biotin recycling that is associated with neurologic and cutaneous consequences if untreated. Fortunately, the clinical features of the disorder can be ameliorated or prevented by administering pharmacological doses of the vitamin biotin. Newborn screening and confirmatory diagnosis of biotinidase deficiency encompasses both enzymatic and molecular testing approaches. These guidelines were developed to define and standardize laboratory procedures for enzymatic biotinidase testing, to delineate situations for which follow-up molecular testing is warranted, and to characterize variables that can influence test performance and interpretation of results.

The M405V allele of the glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase gene is an important marker for glutaric aciduria type I (GA-I) low excretors.

Glutaric aciduria type I (GA-I) is an autosomal recessive organic aciduria resulting from a functional deficiency of glutaryl-CoA dehydrogenase, encoded by GCDH. Two clinically indistinguishable diagnostic subgroups of GA-I are known; low and high excretors (LEs and HEs, respectively). Early medical and dietary interventions can result in significantly better outcomes and improved quality of life for patients with GA-I. We report on nine cases of GA-I LE patients all sharing the M405V allele with two cases missed by newborn screening (NBS) using tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). We describe a novel case with the known pathogenic M405V variant and a novel V133L variant, and present updated and previously unreported clinical, biochemical, functional and molecular data on eight other patients all sharing the M405V allele. Three of the nine patients are of African American ancestry, with two as siblings. GCDH activity was assayed in six of the nine patients and varied from 4 to 25% of the control mean. We support the use of urine glutarylcarnitine as a biochemical marker of GA-I by demonstrating that glutarylcarnitine is efficiently cleared by the kidney (50-90%) and that plasma and urine glutarylcarnitine follow a linear relationship. We report the allele frequencies for three known GA-I LE GCDH variants (M405V, V400M and R227P) and note that both the M405V and V400M variants are significantly more common in the population of African ancestry compared to the general population. This report highlights the M405V allele as another important molecular marker in patients with the GA-I LE phenotype. Therefore, the incorporation into newborn screening of molecular screening for the M405V and V400M variants in conjunction with MS/MS could help identify asymptomatic at-risk GA-I LE patients that could potentially be missed by current NBS programs.

Next-generation DNA sequencing of HEXA: a step in the right direction for carrier screening.

Tay-Sachs disease (TSD) is the prototype for ethnic-based carrier screening, with a carrier rate of ∼1/27 in Ashkenazi Jews and French Canadians. HexA enzyme analysis is the current gold standard for TSD carrier screening (detection rate ∼98%), but has technical limitations. We compared DNA analysis by next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) plus an assay for the 7.6 kb deletion to enzyme analysis for TSD carrier screening using 74 samples collected from participants at a TSD family conference. Fifty-one of 74 participants had positive enzyme results (46 carriers, five late-onset Tay-Sachs [LOTS]), 16 had negative, and seven had inconclusive results. NGS + 7.6 kb del screening of HEXA found a pathogenic mutation, pseudoallele, or variant of unknown significance (VUS) in 100% of the enzyme-positive or obligate carrier/enzyme-inconclusive samples. NGS detected the B1 allele in two enzyme-negative obligate carriers. Our data indicate that NGS can be used as a TSD clinical carrier screening tool. We demonstrate that NGS can be superior in detecting TSD carriers compared to traditional enzyme and genotyping methodologies, which are limited by false-positive and false-negative results and ethnically focused, limited mutation panels, respectively, but is not ready for sole use due to lack of information regarding some VUS.

Development and characterization of a mouse with profound biotinidase deficiency: a biotin-responsive neurocutaneous disorder.

Biotinidase deficiency is the primary enzymatic defect in biotin-responsive, late-onset multiple carboxylase deficiency. Untreated children with profound biotinidase deficiency usually exhibit neurological symptoms including lethargy, hypotonia, seizures, developmental delay, sensorineural hearing loss and optic atrophy; and cutaneous symptoms including skin rash, conjunctivitis and alopecia. Although the clinical features of the disorder markedly improve or are prevented with biotin supplementation, some symptoms, once they occur, such as developmental delay, hearing loss and optic atrophy, are usually irreversible. To prevent development of symptoms, the disorder is screened for in the newborn period in essentially all states and in many countries. In order to better understand many aspects of the pathophysiology of the disorder, we have developed a transgenic biotinidase-deficient mouse. The mouse has a null mutation that results in no detectable serum biotinidase activity or cross-reacting material to antibody prepared against biotinidase. When fed a biotin-deficient diet these mice develop neurological and cutaneous symptoms, carboxylase deficiency, mild hyperammonemia, and exhibit increased urinary excretion of 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid and biotin and biotin metabolites. The clinical features are reversed with biotin supplementation. This biotinidase-deficient animal can be used to study systematically many aspects of the disorder and the role of biotinidase, biotin and biocytin in normal and in enzyme-deficient states.

Management and quality assurance in the biochemical genetics laboratory.

High-quality biochemical genetics testing is critical for proper diagnosis and management of patients with inborn errors of metabolism. An accurate diagnosis is a prerequisite for proper treatment, ongoing management, and ultimately, for optimal clinical outcome. Quality testing in the biochemical genetics laboratory is managed via adherence to federal regulations that govern clinical laboratory testing. However, because these were not specifically written for biochemical genetics laboratories, a number of professional organizations have developed practice guidelines to address gaps in the federal code. This unit reviews these regulations and guidelines as they apply to quality management of the biochemical genetics laboratory, including test validation, personnel standards, proficiency testing, and overall quality management (including quality assurance, quality control, and quality improvement). It also provides examples of protocols and forms that can be adapted for the documentation of test validation, personnel training, quality control, and quality assurance.

Biochemical and molecular analyses of infantile free sialic acid storage disease in North American children.

The differential diagnosis of developmental delays and growth retardation in early childhood includes the allelic lysosomal sialic acid storage disorders, Salla disease and infantile free sialic acid storage disease (ISSD). These diseases, due to defective free sialic acid transport out of lysosomes, derive from mutations in the SLC17A5 gene coding for the protein sialin. We present two patients with clinical, biochemical, and molecular data indicative of lysosomal free sialic acid storage disorders. One patient, with a severe clinical course typical of ISSD, had 86-fold elevated levels of fibroblast free sialic acid, with 62% in the lysosomal fraction. His SLC17A5 mutations include a 148-bp deletion of exon 9, due to a G >A splice site mutation in position 1 of intron 9, and a 15-bp deletion (del 801-815) in exon 6. Another patient, with "intermediate severe" Salla disease, had 9-fold elevated levels of free sialic acid in cultured fibroblasts, of which 87% resided in the lysosomal fraction. This girl is compound heterozygous for the SLC17A5 mutation commonly found in Finnish Salla disease patients (R39C) and a 15-bp deletion found in ISSD patients (del 801-815). These observations emphasize the importance of considering free sialic acid disorders in infants with developmental delays and growth retardation, regardless of whether they are of Finnish ancestry.

Nonsense mutations in ADTB3A cause complete deficiency of the beta3A subunit of adaptor complex-3 and severe Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome type 2.

Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS) is an autosomal recessive disease consisting of oculocutaneous albinism and a storage pool deficiency resulting from absent platelet dense bodies. The disorder is genetically heterogeneous. The majority of patients, including members of a large genetic isolate in northwest Puerto Rico, have mutations in HPS1. Another gene, ADTB3A, was shown to cause HPS-2 in two brothers having compound heterozygous mutations that allowed for residual production of the gene product, the beta3A subunit of adaptor complex-3 (AP-3). This heterotetrameric complex serves as a coat protein-mediating formation of intracellular vesicles, e.g. the melanosome and platelet dense body, from membranes of the trans-Golgi network. We determined the genomic organization of the human ADTB3A gene, with intron/exon boundaries, and describe a third patient with beta3A deficiency. This 5-y-old boy has two nonsense mutations, C1578T (R-->X) and G2028T (E-->X), which produce no ADTB3A mRNA and no beta3A protein. The associated mu3 subunit of AP-3 is also entirely absent. In fibroblasts, the cell biologic concomitant of this deficiency is robust and aberrant trafficking through the plasma membrane of LAMP-3, an integral lysosomal membrane protein normally carried directly to the lysosome. The clinical concomitant is a severe, G-CSF-responsive neutropenia in addition to oculocutaneous albinism and platelet storage pool deficiency. Our findings expand the molecular, cellular, and clinical spectrum of HPS-2 and call for an increased index of suspicion for this diagnosis among patients with features of albinism, bleeding, and neutropenia.