1. A novel mechanism of idiopathic orthostatic hypotension and hypocatecholaminemia due to autoimmunity against aromatic l-Amino acid decarboxylase.
- Author
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Uenishi E, Seino Y, Nakashima A, Kato K, Kato M, Nagasaki H, Ishikawa K, Izumoto T, Yamamoto M, Takahashi Y, Sugimura Y, Oiso Y, and Tsunekawa S
- Subjects
- Female, Humans, Middle Aged, Autoantibodies blood, Autoantibodies immunology, Catecholamines, Dopamine metabolism, Serotonin metabolism, Aromatic-L-Amino-Acid Decarboxylases deficiency, Autoimmunity, Hypotension, Orthostatic etiology, Hypotension, Orthostatic physiopathology
- Abstract
Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is a common condition. Many potential etiologies of OH have been identified, but in clinical practice the underlying cause of OH is often unknown. In the present study, we identified a novel and extraordinary etiology of OH. We describe a first case of acquired severe OH with syncope, and the female patient had extremely low levels of catecholamines and serotonin in plasma, urine and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Her clinical and biochemical evidence showed a deficiency of the enzyme aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC), which converts l-DOPA to dopamine, and 5-hydroxytryptophan to serotonin, respectively. The consequence of pharmacologic stimulation of catecholaminergic nerves and radionuclide examination revealed her catecholaminergic nerves denervation. Moreover, we found that the patient's serum showed presence of autoantibodies against AADC, and that isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from the patient showed cytokine-induced toxicity against AADC. These observations suggest that her autoimmunity against AADC is highly likely to cause toxicity to adrenal medulla and catecholaminergic nerves which contain AADC, resulting in hypocatecholaminemia and severe OH. Administration of vitamin B6, an essential cofactor of AADC, enhanced her residual AADC activity and drastically improved her symptoms. Our data thus provide a new insight into pathogenesis and pathophysiology of OH., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2024
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