Carnitine-acylcarnitine Translocase Deficiency with c.199-10T>G Mutation in Two Filipino Neonates Detected through Parental Carrier Testing

Carnitine-acylcarnitine translocase deficiency (CACTD), a fatty acid oxidation defect (FAOD), can present in the neonatal period with non-specific findings and hypoglycemia. A high index of suspicion is needed to recognize the disorder. The case is of a 24-year-old G2P2(2000) mother who sought consultation for recurrent neonatal deaths. The neonates, born two years apart, were apparently well at birth but had a fair cry and no spontaneous eye opening within the first 24 h of life and died before the 72nd hour of life. Newborn screening of both babies revealed elevated long chain acylcarnitines and hypocarnitinemia suggestive of a FAOD. However, due to their early demise, no confirmatory tests were done. Parental carrier testing was performed, revealing both parents to be heterozygous carriers of a pathogenic variant, c.199 10T>G (intronic), in the SLC25A20 gene associated with autosomal recessive CACTD. This is the first reported case of CACTD in the Filipino population.

Isolated aniridia caused by a novel PAX6 heterozygous deletion mediated by multi-exon complex rearrangement.

PURPOSE: Mutations in PAX6 gene (chromosome 11p13) encoding a transcriptional regulator involved in oculogenesis mostly present with aniridia. Aniridia is not uncommon in the Philippines but only limited information is available as yet. The purpose of this study was to present a novel, deletion mediated by complex rearrangement in PAX6 gene causing an isolated aniridia in a Filipino girl. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The patient is an 8-year-old girl who came in due to leukocoria with associated nystagmus and esotropia. She presented with subnormal vision, nystagmus, aniridia, and cataractous lenses in both eyes. The family history reveals presence of the aniridia and cataract with the mother and a sibling. The patient underwent lens extraction without intraocular lens implantation bilaterally, where patient subsequently underwent intraocular lens implantation on her left eye. Systemic workup was performed including whole abdomen, renal ultrasound, blood chemistry, and urinalysis. Targeted cataract panel with WT1 and PAX6 genes revealed a novel, heterozygous PAX6-inherited mutation from the mother. This variant is a complex rearrangement in PAX6 involving partial deletions of exons 3-5, including the initiator codon. Deletions of PAX6 are part of a contiguous gene deletion syndrome - Wilms tumor, aniridia, genitourinary anomalies, and intellectual disability syndrome - and therefore evaluation of the WT1 gene was necessary to rule out this life-threatening syndrome. CONCLUSION: This rare, complex rearrangement of multiple exons and deletions in PAX6 causing an isolated aniridia phenotype is probably the first reported case. The patient was managed by a multidisciplinary team and the guardians were counseled regarding the prognosis and complications.