Your browser doesn't support javascript.
loading
Show: 20 | 50 | 100
Results 1 - 20 de 34
Filter
1.
Retina ; 44(6): 1052-1062, 2024 Jun 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38261977

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Serine (Ser) and glycine (Gly) levels were reported to differ between patients with macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel) compared with healthy controls. Because they are closely related to methylation metabolism, this report investigates methylation-associated metabolite levels in patients with MacTel and retinal changes in monogenetic methylation disorders. METHODS: Prospective, monocentric study on patients with MacTel and healthy controls underwent a standardized protocol including a blood draw. Methylation-associated metabolite levels in plasma were determined using targeted quantitative metabolomics. Furthermore, patient records of cystathionine beta-synthase, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, and methylmalonic aciduria and homocystinuria type C protein (MMACHC) deficiency were screened for reported retinal changes. RESULTS: In total, 29 patients with MacTel and 27 healthy controls were included. Patients with MacTel showed lower plasma Ser ( P = 0.02 and P = 0.01) and Gly ( P = 0.11 and P = 0.11) levels than controls. Principal component analyses revealed that methylation-associated metabolite, especially homocysteine, contributed to a distinct clustering of patients with MacTel. No retinal changes were seen in cystathionine beta-synthase (n = 1) and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (n = 2) deficiency, while two patients with MMACHC (n = 4) deficiency displayed extensive macular dystrophy. CONCLUSION: Patients with MacTel show distinct clustering of methylation-associated metabolite compared with controls. Of the three homocystinurias, only MMACHC resulted in macular dystrophy, possibly due to distinct compensatory pathways.


Subject(s)
Retinal Telangiectasis , Humans , Female , Male , Prospective Studies , Retinal Telangiectasis/diagnosis , Retinal Telangiectasis/metabolism , Retinal Telangiectasis/genetics , Middle Aged , Tomography, Optical Coherence , Adult , Aged , Methylation , Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors/genetics , Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors/complications , Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors/metabolism , Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors/diagnosis , Fluorescein Angiography/methods , Glycine , Homocystinuria/genetics , Homocystinuria/complications , Homocystinuria/diagnosis
2.
Ophthalmic Genet ; 44(3): 313-317, 2023 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36444989

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) is a rare inherited disease characterized by abnormal retinal angiogenesis that leads to incomplete vascularization of the peripheral retina and ischemia. The disease demonstrates complex genetics and can be inherited in an autosomal recessive, autosomal dominant, or X-linked recessive fashion. All presently identified pathogenic genetic variants account for about 50% of all FEVR cases worldwide. Genetic testing can confirm the diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Case report. CASE: A 7-year-old female who was born prematurely at 33 weeks gestation and was thought to have progression of bilateral retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) was referred to a pediatric-retina specialist for management. Upon initial examination under anesthesia with multimodal imaging, the diagnosis of FEVR was suspected. Genetic testing identified a FZD4 variant involving a novel complex interchromosomal rearrangement involving chromosomes 2 and 11 associated with microarray-defined deletion of 11q14. The patient was conceived via IVF and has a fraternal twin without FEVR. This is the first report of familial exudative vitreoretinopathy associated with this combination of genetic findings. CONCLUSION: Autosomal dominant FEVR involves abnormalities in several genes, including FZD4 at the chromosome 11q. We recommend that patients with microarray-defined deletions of 11q have careful review of the allelic deletions in Chromosome 11 to determine if FZD4 is included because a loss of function variant of a single copy of FZD4 is sufficient to cause the FEVR phenotype. It is essential to differentiate FEVR from other pediatric retinal diseases in children, including ROP, persistent fetal vasculature, and Coats disease.


Subject(s)
Retinal Diseases , Retinal Telangiectasis , Retinopathy of Prematurity , Female , Infant, Newborn , Child , Humans , Familial Exudative Vitreoretinopathies/genetics , Retinopathy of Prematurity/diagnosis , Retinopathy of Prematurity/genetics , Frizzled Receptors/genetics , Retinal Diseases/genetics , Genetic Testing , Retinal Telangiectasis/genetics , Mutation , Pedigree , DNA Mutational Analysis
3.
Eur J Ophthalmol ; 33(4): NP1-NP4, 2023 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35679086

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To report the unique case of a pair of phenotypically discordant monozygotic twins, with one of them affected by unilateral Coats disease. CASE REPORT: Both patients underwent a complete ophthalmologic evaluation and were genetically tested with whole-exome sequencing (WES). Any known or unknown potential genetic determinant of Coats disease wasn't found. CONCLUSION: It may suggest a non-genetic etiology for this disorder. This represents, to the best of our knowledge, the first case of genetic analysis of monozygotic twins, one of whom is affected by Coats disease. Further studies are warranted, including performing genetic analysis directly on retinal biopsy tissue.


Subject(s)
Retinal Telangiectasis , Twins, Monozygotic , Humans , Twins, Monozygotic/genetics , Retinal Telangiectasis/diagnosis , Retinal Telangiectasis/genetics , Exome Sequencing , Diseases in Twins/diagnosis , Diseases in Twins/genetics , Retina
4.
J Peripher Nerv Syst ; 27(3): 215-224, 2022 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35837722

ABSTRACT

Pathogenic variants in the genes encoding serine palmitoyl transferase (SPTLC1 or SPTLC2) are the most common causes of the rare peripheral nerve disorder Hereditary Sensory Neuropathy Type 1 (HSN1). Macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel), a retinal disorder associated with disordered serine-glycine metabolism, has been described in some patients with HSN1. This study aims to further investigate this association in a cohort of people with HSN1. Fourteen patients with a clinically and genetically confirmed diagnosis of HSN1 from the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery (NHNN, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom) were recruited to the MacTel Registry, between July 2018 and April 2019. Two additional patients were identified from the dataset of the international clinical registry study (www.lmri.net). Ocular examination included fundus autofluorescence, blue light and infrared reflectance, macular pigment optical density mapping and optical coherence tomography. Twelve patients had a pathogenic variant in the SPTLC1 gene, with p.Cys133Trp in 11 cases (92%) and p.Cys133Tyr in one case (8%). Four patients had a variant in the SPTLC2 gene. None of the patients showed clinical evidence of MacTel. The link between HSN1 and MacTel seems more complex than can solely be explained by the genetic variants. An extension of the spectrum of SPTLC1/2-related disease with phenotypic pleiotropy is proposed. HSN1 patients should be screened for visual symptoms and referred for specialist retinal screening, but the association of the two diseases is likely to be variable and remains unexplained.


Subject(s)
Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathies , Retinal Telangiectasis , Humans , Retinal Telangiectasis/complications , Retinal Telangiectasis/diagnosis , Retinal Telangiectasis/genetics , Serine , Serine C-Palmitoyltransferase/genetics
5.
Ophthalmic Genet ; 43(4): 543-549, 2022 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35416114

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Coats plus syndrome or cerebroretinal microangiopathy with calcifications and cysts (CMCC) is an exceedingly rare autosomal recessive disorder that predominantly affects the microvasculature in the retina, brain, bones, and gastrointestinal system. Unlike Coats disease, CMCC is bilateral and affects multiple organ systems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: We report the case of two brothers with Coats Plus syndrome who presented with variable phenotypic expression. One sibling (Patient 1) was thought to have atypical retinopathy of prematurity and was only diagnosed with Coats plus after his older brother (Patient 2) presented with a seizure and a left upper extremity tremor at 4 years of age. The CTC1 mutation was confirmed in both patients. Aggressive treatment with laser photocoagulation and intravitreal bevacizumab dramatically improved the retinal vascular and exudative changes. CONCLUSION: Coats Plus syndrome can have a variable phenotypic presentation, including retinal vascular findings. This rare genetic disease should be in the differential diagnosis in patients who present with atypical retinal pathology, including Retinopathy of Prematurity, Familial Exudative Vitreoretinopathy, or Coats disease associated with non-specific multiorgan abnormalities.


Subject(s)
Central Nervous System Cysts , Leukoencephalopathies , Retinal Telangiectasis , Retinopathy of Prematurity , Ataxia , Brain Neoplasms , Calcinosis , Central Nervous System Cysts/genetics , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Laser Coagulation , Leukoencephalopathies/genetics , Male , Muscle Spasticity , Retinal Diseases , Retinal Telangiectasis/diagnosis , Retinal Telangiectasis/genetics , Retinal Telangiectasis/therapy , Retinopathy of Prematurity/diagnosis , Retinopathy of Prematurity/genetics , Seizures
7.
Nat Metab ; 3(3): 366-377, 2021 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33758422

ABSTRACT

Macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel) is a progressive, late-onset retinal degenerative disease linked to decreased serum levels of serine that elevate circulating levels of a toxic ceramide species, deoxysphingolipids (deoxySLs); however, causal genetic variants that reduce serine levels in patients have not been identified. Here we identify rare, functional variants in the gene encoding the rate-limiting serine biosynthetic enzyme, phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH), as the single locus accounting for a significant fraction of MacTel. Under a dominant collapsing analysis model of a genome-wide enrichment analysis of rare variants predicted to impact protein function in 793 MacTel cases and 17,610 matched controls, the PHGDH gene achieves genome-wide significance (P = 1.2 × 10-13) with variants explaining ~3.2% of affected individuals. We further show that the resulting functional defects in PHGDH cause decreased serine biosynthesis and accumulation of deoxySLs in retinal pigmented epithelial cells. PHGDH is a significant locus for MacTel that explains the typical disease phenotype and suggests a number of potential treatment options.


Subject(s)
Haploinsufficiency , Phosphoglycerate Dehydrogenase/genetics , Retinal Telangiectasis/genetics , Serine/biosynthesis , Cohort Studies , Humans , Phenotype , Retinal Pigment Epithelium/metabolism
8.
Genome Med ; 13(1): 39, 2021 03 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33750426

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel) is a rare, heritable and largely untreatable retinal disorder, often comorbid with diabetes. Genetic risk loci subtend retinal vascular calibre and glycine/serine/threonine metabolism genes. Serine deficiency may contribute to MacTel via neurotoxic deoxysphingolipid production; however, an independent vascular contribution is also suspected. Here, we use statistical genetics to dissect the causal mechanisms underpinning this complex disease. METHODS: We integrated genetic markers for MacTel, vascular and metabolic traits, and applied Mendelian randomisation and conditional and interaction genome-wide association analyses to discover the causal contributors to both disease and spatial retinal imaging sub-phenotypes. RESULTS: Genetically induced serine deficiency is the primary causal metabolic driver of disease occurrence and progression, with a lesser, but significant, causal contribution of type 2 diabetes genetic risk. Conversely, glycine, threonine and retinal vascular traits are unlikely to be causal for MacTel. Conditional regression analysis identified three novel disease loci independent of endogenous serine biosynthetic capacity. By aggregating spatial retinal phenotypes into endophenotypes, we demonstrate that SNPs constituting independent risk loci act via related endophenotypes. CONCLUSIONS: Follow-up studies after GWAS integrating publicly available data with deep phenotyping are still rare. Here, we describe such analysis, where we integrated retinal imaging data with MacTel and other traits genomics data to identify biochemical mechanisms likely causing this disorder. Our findings will aid in early diagnosis and accurate prognosis of MacTel and improve prospects for effective therapeutic intervention. Our integrative genetics approach also serves as a useful template for post-GWAS analyses in other disorders.


Subject(s)
Biosynthetic Pathways/genetics , Disease Progression , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Retinal Telangiectasis/genetics , Retinal Telangiectasis/pathology , Serine/biosynthesis , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/genetics , Endophenotypes , Genetic Loci , Genome-Wide Association Study , Humans , Metabolome , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide/genetics , Retinal Vessels/pathology
9.
Commun Biol ; 4(1): 274, 2021 03 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33654266

ABSTRACT

Macular Telangiectasia Type 2 (MacTel) is a rare degenerative retinal disease with complex genetic architecture. We performed a genome-wide association study on 1,067 MacTel patients and 3,799 controls, which identified eight novel genome-wide significant loci (p < 5 × 10-8), and confirmed all three previously reported loci. Using MAGMA, eQTL and transcriptome-wide association analysis, we prioritised 48 genes implicated in serine-glycine biosynthesis, metabolite transport, and retinal vasculature and thickness. Mendelian randomization indicated a likely causative role of serine (FDR = 3.9 × 10-47) and glycine depletion (FDR = 0.006) as well as alanine abundance (FDR = 0.009). Polygenic risk scoring achieved an accuracy of 0.74 and was associated in UKBiobank with retinal damage (p = 0.009). This represents the largest genetic study on MacTel to date and further highlights genetically-induced systemic and tissue-specific metabolic dysregulation in MacTel patients, which impinges on retinal health.


Subject(s)
Energy Metabolism/genetics , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide , Retina/metabolism , Retinal Telangiectasis/genetics , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Case-Control Studies , Female , Genetic Loci , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Genome-Wide Association Study , Humans , Male , Mendelian Randomization Analysis , Middle Aged , Phenotype , Quantitative Trait Loci , Retinal Telangiectasis/diagnosis , Retinal Telangiectasis/metabolism , Risk Assessment , Risk Factors , Transcriptome
10.
Nat Genet ; 53(1): 54-64, 2021 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33414548

ABSTRACT

In cross-platform analyses of 174 metabolites, we identify 499 associations (P < 4.9 × 10-10) characterized by pleiotropy, allelic heterogeneity, large and nonlinear effects and enrichment for nonsynonymous variation. We identify a signal at GLP2R (p.Asp470Asn) shared among higher citrulline levels, body mass index, fasting glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide and type 2 diabetes, with ß-arrestin signaling as the underlying mechanism. Genetically higher serine levels are shown to reduce the likelihood (by 95%) and predict development of macular telangiectasia type 2, a rare degenerative retinal disease. Integration of genomic and small molecule data across platforms enables the discovery of regulators of human metabolism and translation into clinical insights.


Subject(s)
Health , Metabolism/genetics , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/genetics , Eye Diseases/genetics , Gene Frequency/genetics , Genetic Loci , Genetic Pleiotropy , Genome, Human , Glucagon-Like Peptide-2 Receptor/genetics , Glycine/metabolism , Humans , Linear Models , Mendelian Randomization Analysis , Metabolism, Inborn Errors/genetics , Metabolome/genetics , Mutation, Missense/genetics , Phenotype , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide/genetics , Retinal Telangiectasis/genetics , Sample Size , Serine/metabolism
11.
N Engl J Med ; 381(15): 1422-1433, 2019 10 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31509666

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Identifying mechanisms of diseases with complex inheritance patterns, such as macular telangiectasia type 2, is challenging. A link between macular telangiectasia type 2 and altered serine metabolism has been established previously. METHODS: Through exome sequence analysis of a patient with macular telangiectasia type 2 and his family members, we identified a variant in SPTLC1 encoding a subunit of serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT). Because mutations affecting SPT are known to cause hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type 1 (HSAN1), we examined 10 additional persons with HSAN1 for ophthalmologic disease. We assayed serum amino acid and sphingoid base levels, including levels of deoxysphingolipids, in patients who had macular telangiectasia type 2 but did not have HSAN1 or pathogenic variants affecting SPT. We characterized mice with low serine levels and tested the effects of deoxysphingolipids on human retinal organoids. RESULTS: Two variants known to cause HSAN1 were identified as causal for macular telangiectasia type 2: of 11 patients with HSAN1, 9 also had macular telangiectasia type 2. Circulating deoxysphingolipid levels were 84.2% higher among 125 patients with macular telangiectasia type 2 who did not have pathogenic variants affecting SPT than among 94 unaffected controls. Deoxysphingolipid levels were negatively correlated with serine levels, which were 20.6% lower than among controls. Reduction of serine levels in mice led to increases in levels of retinal deoxysphingolipids and compromised visual function. Deoxysphingolipids caused photoreceptor-cell death in retinal organoids, but not in the presence of regulators of lipid metabolism. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated levels of atypical deoxysphingolipids, caused by variant SPTLC1 or SPTLC2 or by low serine levels, were risk factors for macular telangiectasia type 2, as well as for peripheral neuropathy. (Funded by the Lowy Medical Research Institute and others.).


Subject(s)
Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathies/genetics , Mutation , Retinal Telangiectasis/genetics , Serine C-Palmitoyltransferase/genetics , Serine/metabolism , Sphingolipids/metabolism , Adult , Aged , Animals , DNA Mutational Analysis , Disease Models, Animal , Exome/genetics , Female , Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathies/complications , Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathies/metabolism , Humans , Lipid Metabolism , Macula Lutea/pathology , Male , Mice , Middle Aged , Pedigree , Retinal Telangiectasis/complications , Retinal Telangiectasis/metabolism , Risk Factors , Serine/blood , Sphingosine/analogs & derivatives , Sphingosine/analysis , Young Adult
12.
J Peripher Nerv Syst ; 24(2): 224-229, 2019 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30866134

ABSTRACT

Hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type I (HSAN-1) is an autosomal dominant sensory neuropathy occurring secondary to mutations in the SPTLC1 and SPTLC2 genes. We present two generations of a single family with Ser384Phe mutation in the SPTLC2 gene located on chromosome 14q24 characterized by a typical HSAN-1c presentation, with additional findings upper motor neuron signs, early demyelinating features on nerve conduction studies, and type II juxtafoveal retinal telangiectasias also known as macular telangiectasias (MacTel II). Although HSAN1 is characterized as an axonal neuropathy, demyelinating features were identified in two subjects on serial nerve conduction studies comprising motor conduction block, temporal dispersion, and prolongation of F-waves. MacTell II is a rare syndrome characterized by bilateral macular depigmentation and Müller cell loss. It has a presumed genetic basis, and these cases suggest that the accumulation of toxic sphingoplipids may lead to Müller cell degeneration, subsequent neuronal loss, depigmentation, and progressive central macular thinning.


Subject(s)
Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathies/genetics , Motor Neurons/physiology , Mutation , Retinal Telangiectasis/genetics , Serine C-Palmitoyltransferase/genetics , Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathies/physiopathology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neural Conduction/genetics , Pedigree , Retinal Telangiectasis/physiopathology
13.
JAMA Ophthalmol ; 136(10): 1158-1163, 2018 10 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30098143

ABSTRACT

Importance: The apparent genetic penetrance of macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel) is important for gene discovery studies and for clinical risk assessment of affected individuals' family members. Objective: To determine the genetic penetrance of MacTel. Design, Setting, and Participants: Descriptive cross-sectional study of patients with MacTel at a tertiary referral eye center. From 2008 to 2016, consecutive patients with MacTel were independently identified, and all of their available siblings and parents were recruited. Seventeen probands with MacTel were included in the study who satisfied the requirement of having at least 1 parent or sibling willing and able to participate. Data from these 17 families were included for the analysis of apparent genetic penetrance. Main Outcomes and Measures: Determination of MacTel genetic penetrance in probands' parents and siblings. Results: Of 80 study participants, 50 (62.5%) were women. The mean (SD) age of study participants with MacTel was 61.2 (14.0) years (range, 23-81 years) and without MacTel was 60.7 (16.4) years (range, 24-92 years). There were 17 MacTel probands, and there was a high rate of enrollment of living siblings and parents: 52 of 71 living siblings (73%) and 11 of 12 parents (92%). Of 52 enrolled siblings, 9 (17%) were affected. Of 11 enrolled parents, 3 (27%) had MacTel. Apparent genetic penetrance was calculated to be 0.35 (95% CI, 0.14-0.6) by sibling analysis and 0.55 (95% CI, 0.02-1.00) by parent analysis. Combining the sibling and parent analyses, the apparent penetrance was calculated to be 0.38 (95% CI, 0.19-0.57). Conclusions and Relevance: The genetic penetrance of MacTel in rigorously phenotyped multiple large families is described. Families such as these could be critical for successful identification of MacTel genes.


Subject(s)
Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Penetrance , Retinal Telangiectasis/genetics , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Fluorescein Angiography , Genetic Markers , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Optical Imaging , Parents , Pedigree , Phenotype , Retinal Telangiectasis/diagnosis , Risk Assessment , Siblings , Tomography, Optical Coherence , Visual Acuity , Young Adult
14.
Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol ; 38(5): 1216-1229, 2018 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29449337

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: ALK1 (activin-receptor like kinase 1) is an endothelial cell-restricted receptor with high affinity for BMP (bone morphogenetic protein) 9 TGF-ß (transforming growth factor-ß) family member. Loss-of-function mutations in ALK1 cause a subtype of hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia-a rare disease characterized by vasculature malformations. Therapeutic strategies are aimed at reducing potential complications because of vascular malformations, but currently, there is no curative treatment for hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia. APPROACH AND RESULTS: In this work, we report that a reduction in ALK1 gene dosage (heterozygous ALK1+/- mice) results in enhanced retinal endothelial cell proliferation and vascular hyperplasia at the sprouting front. We found that BMP9/ALK1 represses VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor)-mediated PI3K (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase) by promoting the activity of the PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog). Consequently, loss of ALK1 function in endothelial cells results in increased activity of the PI3K pathway. These results were confirmed in cutaneous telangiectasia biopsies of patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia 2, in which we also detected an increase in endothelial cell proliferation linked to an increase on the PI3K pathway. In mice, genetic and pharmacological inhibition of PI3K is sufficient to abolish the vascular hyperplasia of ALK1+/- retinas and in turn normalize the vasculature. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our results indicate that the BMP9/ALK1 hub critically mediates vascular quiescence by limiting PI3K signaling and suggest that PI3K inhibitors could be used as novel therapeutic agents to treat hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia.


Subject(s)
Activin Receptors, Type II/genetics , Activin Receptors, Type I/genetics , Endothelial Cells/enzymology , Mutation , Neovascularization, Pathologic , Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/metabolism , Retinal Telangiectasis/genetics , Telangiectasia, Hereditary Hemorrhagic/genetics , Activin Receptors, Type I/deficiency , Angiogenesis Inhibitors/pharmacology , Animals , Case-Control Studies , Cells, Cultured , Endothelial Cells/drug effects , Endothelial Cells/pathology , Enzyme Activation , Gene Deletion , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Growth Differentiation Factor 2/pharmacology , Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells/enzymology , Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells/pathology , Humans , Hyperplasia , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Knockout , Phenotype , Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors , Protein Kinase Inhibitors/pharmacology , Retinal Telangiectasis/drug therapy , Retinal Telangiectasis/enzymology , Retinal Telangiectasis/pathology , Signal Transduction , Telangiectasia, Hereditary Hemorrhagic/drug therapy , Telangiectasia, Hereditary Hemorrhagic/enzymology , Telangiectasia, Hereditary Hemorrhagic/pathology , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/pharmacology
15.
Ophthalmic Genet ; 39(2): 247-250, 2018 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29161159

ABSTRACT

We report a case of a 25-year-old woman with unilateral Coats'-like disease. Her brother was previously diagnosed with an autosomal dominant form of dyskeratosis congenita. Genetic testing was performed by screening the TERC gene for mutations and identified heterozygosity for the n.68_124del mutation. Our case demonstrates that the exudative retinopathy seen in Coats'-like disease can be caused by mutations in a telomere-capping gene TERC as a part of the dyskeratosis congenita spectrum without other systemic involvement. This is an interesting case that illustrates that retinal Coats'-like involvement can be the first manifestation of dyskeratosis congenita.


Subject(s)
RNA/genetics , Retinal Telangiectasis/genetics , Sequence Deletion , Telomerase/genetics , Adult , Ataxia/diagnosis , Ataxia/genetics , Brain Neoplasms/diagnosis , Brain Neoplasms/genetics , Calcinosis/diagnosis , Calcinosis/genetics , Central Nervous System Cysts/diagnosis , Central Nervous System Cysts/genetics , Dyskeratosis Congenita/diagnosis , Dyskeratosis Congenita/genetics , Female , Fluorescein Angiography , Humans , Iatrogenic Disease , Leukoencephalopathies/diagnosis , Leukoencephalopathies/genetics , Male , Muscle Spasticity/diagnosis , Muscle Spasticity/genetics , Retinal Diseases/diagnosis , Retinal Diseases/genetics , Retinal Telangiectasis/diagnosis , Retinal Vessels/pathology , Seizures/diagnosis , Seizures/genetics
16.
Arch Soc Esp Oftalmol (Engl Ed) ; 93(3): 105-112, 2018 Mar.
Article in English, Spanish | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29150217

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Type 2 idiopathic macular telangiectasia (MacTel2) is a rare retinal disease that has still not been well-defined. The aim of the present manuscript is to describe the clinical features by multimodal retinal imaging, to present the functional characteristics, and to estimate the prevalence of the disease. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on the 12 eyes of 6 patients with MacTel2. Fundus colour photographs, fundus autofluorescence, fluorescein angiography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and OCT-angiography were performed and subsequently analysed. Visual acuity (VA) was prospectively recorded. The prevalence was established based on the patients referred to a specialised macular diseases unit. Minimum follow-up period was 18 months. RESULTS: Prevalence of MacTel 2 in our study was 0.12%. Clinical features were presented using multimodal retinal imaging. VA remained stable during follow-up. Three patients developed choroidal neovascularisation (CNV), requiring intravitreal treatment with antiangiogenic agents. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of the disease found was 0.12%. The study using multimodal imaging allows a more accurate diagnosis and follow-up of this pathology. The VA is maintained during the 18-month follow-up (P=.492). Patients who develop CNV and are treated with antiangiogenic agents appear to respond adequately to them. More studies are needed to establish these conclusions.


Subject(s)
Retinal Telangiectasis , Aged , Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Phenotype , Prevalence , Retinal Telangiectasis/classification , Retinal Telangiectasis/diagnostic imaging , Retinal Telangiectasis/epidemiology , Retinal Telangiectasis/genetics , Retrospective Studies
17.
Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci ; 58(10): 4223-4234, 2017 08 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28846772

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Retinal iron accumulation is observed in a wide range of retinal degenerative diseases, including AMD. Previous work suggests that Müller glial cells may be important mediators of retinal iron transport, distribution, and regulation. A transgenic model of Müller cell loss recently demonstrated that primary Müller cell ablation leads to blood-retinal barrier leakage and photoreceptor degeneration, and it recapitulates clinical features observed in macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel2), a rare human disease that features Müller cell loss. We used this mouse model to determine the effect of Müller cell loss on retinal iron homeostasis. Methods: Changes in total retinal iron levels after Müller cell ablation were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Corresponding changes in the expression of iron flux and iron storage proteins were determined using quantitative PCR, Western analysis, and immunohistochemistry. Results: Müller cell loss led to blood-retinal barrier breakdown and increased iron levels throughout the neurosensory retina. There were corresponding changes in mRNA and/or protein levels of ferritin, transferrin receptor, ferroportin, Zip8, and Zip14. There were also increased iron levels within the RPE of retinal sections from a patient with MacTel2 and both RPE and neurosensory retina of a patient with diabetic retinopathy, which, like MacTel2, causes retinal vascular leakage. Conclusion: This study shows that Müller cells and the blood-retinal barrier play pivotal roles in the regulation of retinal iron homeostasis. The retinal iron accumulation resulting from blood-retinal barrier dysfunction may contribute to retinal degeneration in this model and in diseases such as MacTel2 and diabetic retinopathy.


Subject(s)
Disease Models, Animal , Ependymoglial Cells/pathology , Iron/metabolism , Retina/metabolism , Retinal Telangiectasis/metabolism , Aged , Animals , Blood-Retinal Barrier/metabolism , Blood-Retinal Barrier/pathology , Blotting, Western , Capillary Permeability , Cation Transport Proteins/genetics , Cation Transport Proteins/metabolism , Female , Ferritins/genetics , Ferritins/metabolism , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Male , Mass Spectrometry , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Inbred CBA , Mice, Transgenic , Middle Aged , RNA, Messenger/genetics , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction , Receptors, Transferrin/genetics , Receptors, Transferrin/metabolism , Retinal Telangiectasis/genetics
18.
Nat Genet ; 49(4): 559-567, 2017 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28250457

ABSTRACT

Idiopathic juxtafoveal retinal telangiectasis type 2 (macular telangiectasia type 2; MacTel) is a rare neurovascular degenerative retinal disease. To identify genetic susceptibility loci for MacTel, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) with 476 cases and 1,733 controls of European ancestry. Genome-wide significant associations (P < 5 × 10-8) were identified at three independent loci (rs73171800 at 5q14.3, P = 7.74 × 10-17; rs715 at 2q34, P = 9.97 × 10-14; rs477992 at 1p12, P = 2.60 × 10-12) and then replicated (P < 0.01) in an independent cohort of 172 cases and 1,134 controls. The 5q14.3 locus is known to associate with variation in retinal vascular diameter, and the 2q34 and 1p12 loci have been implicated in the glycine/serine metabolic pathway. We subsequently found significant differences in blood serum levels of glycine (P = 4.04 × 10-6) and serine (P = 2.48 × 10-4) between MacTel cases and controls.


Subject(s)
Genetic Predisposition to Disease/genetics , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide/genetics , Retinal Telangiectasis/genetics , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Genetic Loci/genetics , Genome-Wide Association Study/methods , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , White People/genetics , Young Adult
19.
Hum Mol Genet ; 25(8): 1637-47, 2016 Apr 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26908610

ABSTRACT

Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) belongs to a group of genetically and clinically heterogeneous disorders in retinal vascular development. To date, in approximately 50% of patients with FEVR, pathogenic mutations have been detected in FZD4, LRP5, TSPAN12, NDP and ZNF408. In this study, we identified two heterozygous frameshift mutations in RCBTB1 from three Taiwanese cases through exome sequencing. In patient-derived lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs), the protein level of RCBTB1 is approximately half that of unaffected control LCLs, which is indicative of a haploinsufficiency mechanism. By employing transient transfection and reporter assays for the transcriptional activity of ß-catenin, we demonstrated that RCBTB1 participates in the Norrin/FZD4 signaling pathway and that knockdown of RCBTB1 by shRNA significantly reduced nuclear accumulation of ß-catenin under Norrin and Wnt3a treatments. Furthermore, transgenic fli1:EGFP zebrafish with rcbtb1 knockdown exhibited anomalies in intersegmental and intraocular vessels. These results strongly support that reduced RCBTB1 expression may lead to defects in angiogenesis through the Norrin-dependent Wnt pathway, and that RCBTB1 is a putative genetic cause of vitreoretinopathies.


Subject(s)
Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors/genetics , Haploinsufficiency , Neovascularization, Physiologic , Retinal Diseases/genetics , Retinal Telangiectasis/genetics , Sequence Analysis, DNA/methods , Cell Line , Exome , Eye Diseases, Hereditary , Eye Proteins/metabolism , Familial Exudative Vitreoretinopathies , Female , Frameshift Mutation , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factors/metabolism , Humans , Male , Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism , Taiwan , Wnt Signaling Pathway
20.
BMC Res Notes ; 9: 91, 2016 Feb 13.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26872607

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Mutations in the CRB1 gene are associated with variable phenotypes of severe retinal dystrophies, and retinal dystrophies resulting from CRB1 mutations may be accompanied by specific fundus features such as coat's like vasculopathy in retinitis pigmentosa patients. This is the first report of the occurrence of coat's like vasculopathy in a patient diagnosed with Leber congenital amaurosis caused by a CRB1 mutation. CASE PRESENTATION: An 18-year old Syrian female patient presented with bilateral gradual loss of vision since early childhood, with recent deterioration in her left eye. She appeared to have an asymmetric bilateral coat's like vasculopathy which was more severe in the left eye. The diagnosis of Leber congenital amaurosis was suggested, and a genetic CRB1 sequencing for the patient and her two younger siblings, who also had severe vision loss, was done, upon which the diagnosis of Leber congenital amaurosis associated with exudative retinal detachment due to coat's like vasculopathy was made. Treatment with panretinal photocoagulation was attempted in the worse left eye, but with no improvement. As the disease suddenly progressed in both eyes, pars plana vitrectomy with endolaser and silicone oil tamponade was performed in the better right eye which led to anatomical stabilization of the case without improvement in the visual acuity. CONCLUSION: Leber congenital amaurosis is reported to be associated with multiple systemic and ocular findings, none of which is coat's like vasculopathy. CRB1 gene mutations are associated with remarkable retinal findings in patients with retinitis pigmentosa and other fundus dystrophies. In this unique case we are reporting the incidence of coat's like vasculopathy in a patient diagnosed with Leber congenital amaurosis caused by CRB1 gene mutation, and its management. CRB1 mutant patients should be followed up closely as sudden progression can have permanent poor outcomes and as early management is vital in such cases.


Subject(s)
Eye Proteins/genetics , Leber Congenital Amaurosis/genetics , Membrane Proteins/genetics , Mutation/genetics , Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics , Retinal Telangiectasis/genetics , Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Fluorescein Angiography , Fovea Centralis/pathology , Fundus Oculi , Homozygote , Humans , Male , Siblings
SELECTION OF CITATIONS
SEARCH DETAIL
...