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Objective: Single Large Scale Mitochondrial DNA Deletions (SLSMDs), Pearson Syndrome (PS) and Kearns-Sayre Syndrome (KSS), are systemic diseases with multiple endocrine abnormalities. The adrenocortical function has not been systematically investigated with a few anecdotal reports of overt adrenal insufficiency (AI). The study aimed to assess the adrenocortical function in a large cohort of SLSMDs. Design and methods: A retrospective monocentric longitudinal study involved a cohort of 18 SLSMDs patients. Adrenocortical function was evaluated by baseline adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol measurements and by high- (HDT) and low-dose (LDT) ACTH stimulation tests and compared with 92 healthy controls (HC). Results: Baseline adrenocortical function was impaired in 39% of patients and by the end of the study, 66% of PS and 25% of KSS showed an insufficient increase after ACTH stimulation, with cortisol deficiency due to primary AI in most PS and subclinical AI in KSS. Symptomatic AI was recorded in 44% of patients. Peak cortisol levels after ACTH stimulation tests were significantly lower in patients than in HC (P < .0001), with a more reduced response to LDT vs HDT (P < .05). Conclusions: Our study highlights that cortisol deficiency due to primary AI represents a relevant part of the clinical spectrum in SLSMDs, with more severe impairment in PS than in KSS. Basal and after-stimulus assessment of adrenocortical axis should be early and regularly investigated to identify any degree of adrenocortical dysfunction. The study allowed the elaboration of a diagnostic process designed for the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of adrenocortical abnormalities in SLSMDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case of a 17-month-old boy with bilateral corneal haze in the course of Pearson syndrome - a rare mitochondrial disease. In this paper the cause, course and ophthalmologic changes in this disease have been cited and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congenital sideroblastic anemia (CSA) is a series of rare, heterogeneous disorders, characterized by iron overload in the mitochondria of erythroblasts and ringed sideroblasts in bone marrow. In recent years, rapid development of next-generation sequencing technology brings great advance in understanding of genetic and pathophysiologic features of CSA. Based on the pathophysiology of mitochondrial iron metabolism, causative genes of CSA can be divided into three subtypes: heme biosynthesis related; iron‑sulfur cluster biosynthesis and transportation related; and mitochondrial respiratory chain synthesis related. Patients with CSA present various clinical manifestation due to relevant mutation gene and require different treatment strategies. The recognition of the causative genes and evolution of pathogenicity is critical. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in mutation genes of CSA, and its potential role in the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single large-scale mitochondrial DNA deletions disorders are classified into three main phenotypes with frequent clinical overlap: Pearson marrow-pancreas syndrome (PMS), Kearns-Sayre syndrome (KSS) and chronic progressive external ophtalmoplegia (PEO). So far, only few anecdotal studies have reported on the urinary organic acids profile in this disease class. In this single-center retrospective study, we performed quantitative evaluation of urinary organic acids in a series of 15 pediatric patients, 7 with PMS and 8 with KSS. PMS patients showed an organic acids profile almost constantly altered, whereas KSS patients frequently presented with normal profiles. Lactate, 3-hydroxybutyrate, 3-hydroxyisobutyrate, fumarate, pyruvate, 2-hydroxybutyrate, 2-ethyl-3-hydroxypropionate, and 3-methylglutaconate represented the most frequent metabolites observed in PMS urine. We also found novel metabolites, 3-methylglutarate, tiglylglycine and 2-methyl-2,3-dihydroxybutyrate, so far never reported in this disease. Interestingly, patients with a disease onset as PMS evolving overtime into KSS phenotype, presented persistent and more pronounced alterations of organic acid signature than in patients with a pure KSS phenotype. Our study shows that the quantitative analysis of urinary organic acid profile represents a helpful tool for the diagnosis of PMS and for the differential diagnosis with other inherited diseases causing abnormal organic acidurias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the effects of the major long‐chain fatty acids accumulating in very long‐chain acyl‐CoA dehydrogenase (VLCAD) deficiency, namely cis‐5‐tetradecenoic acid (Cis‐5) and myristic acid (Myr), on important mitochondrial functions in isolated mitochondria from cardiac fibers and cardiomyocytes of juvenile rats. Cis‐5 and Myr at pathological concentrations markedly reduced mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), matrix NAD(P)H pool, Ca2+ retention capacity, ADP‐ (state 3) and carbonyl cyanide 3‐chlorophenyl hydrazine‐stimulated (uncoupled) respiration, and ATP generation. By contrast, these fatty acids increased resting (state 4) respiration (uncoupling effect) with the involvement of the adenine nucleotide translocator because carboxyatractyloside significantly attenuated the increased state 4 respiration provoked by Cis‐5 and Myr. Furthermore, the classical inhibitors of mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) pore cyclosporin A plus ADP, as well as the Ca2+ uptake blocker ruthenium red, fully prevented the Cis‐5‐ and Myr‐induced decrease in ΔΨm in Ca2+‐loaded mitochondria, suggesting, respectively, the induction of MPT pore opening and the contribution of Ca2+ toward these effects. The findings of the present study indicate that the major long‐chain fatty acids that accumulate in VLCAD deficiency disrupt mitochondrial bioenergetics and Ca2+ homeostasis, acting as uncouplers and metabolic inhibitors of oxidative phosphorylation, as well as inducers of MPT pore opening, in the heart at pathological relevant concentrations. It is therefore presumed that a disturbance of bioenergetics and Ca2+ homeostasis may contribute to the cardiac manifestations observed in VLCAD deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium species are ubiquitous fungi causing a wide array of infections, including invasive disease in the immunosuppressed. We present a fusarium bone infection in a child with Pearson syndrome and review the literature. Ten cases of fusarium osteomyelitis were reported in the past 40 years, and we review the treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Very long chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (VLCAD) deficiency can present at various ages from the neonatal period to adulthood, and poses the greatest risk of complications during intercurrent illness or after prolonged fasting. Early diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance can reduce mortality; hence, the disorder is included in the newborn Recommended Uniform Screening Panel (RUSP) in the United States. The Inborn Errors of Metabolism Information System (IBEM-IS) was established in 2007 to collect longitudinal information on individuals with inborn errors of metabolism included in newborn screening (NBS) programs, including VLCAD deficiency. We retrospectively analyzed early outcomes for individuals who were diagnosed with VLCAD deficiency by NBS and describe initial presentations, diagnosis, clinical outcomes and treatment in a cohort of 52 individuals ages 1–18 years. Maternal prenatal symptoms were not reported, and most newborns remained asymptomatic. Cardiomyopathy was uncommon in the cohort, diagnosed in 2/52 cases. Elevations in creatine kinase were a common finding, and usually first occurred during the toddler period (1–3 years of age). Diagnostic evaluations required several testing modalities, most commonly plasma acylcarnitine profiles and molecular testing. Functional testing, including fibroblast acylcarnitine profiling and white blood cell or fibroblast enzyme assay, is a useful diagnostic adjunct if uncharacterized mutations are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Very long chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (VLCAD) deficiency is an inherited metabolic disorder of fatty acid oxidation. Treatment practices of the disorder have changed over the past 10–15 years since this disorder was included in newborn screening programs and patients were diagnosed pre-symptomatically. A genotype-phenotype correlation has been suggested but the discovery of novel mutations make this knowledge limited. Herein, we describe our experience in treating patients (n = 22) diagnosed through newborn screening and mutational confirmation and followed up over a median period of 104 months. We report five novel mutations. In 2013 we formalised our treatment protocol, which essentially follows a European consensus paper from 2009 and our own experience. The prescribed low natural fat diet is relaxed for patients who are asymptomatic when reaching age 5 years but medium-chain triglyceride oil is recommended before and after physical activity regardless of age. Metabolic stability, growth, development and cardiac function are satisfactory in all patients. There were no episodes of encephalopathy or hypoglycaemia but three patients had episodes of muscle pain with our without rhabdomyolysis. Body composition studies showed a negative association between dietary protein intake and percent body fat. Larger patient cohort and longer follow up time are required for further elucidation of genotype-phenotype correlations and for establishing the role of dietary protein in metabolic stability and long-term healthier body composition in patients with VLCAD deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) is a mitochondrial enzyme that catalyzes the first step of mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation (mFAO) pathway. Its deficiency is the most common genetic disorder of mFAO. Many of the MCAD disease-causing variants, including the most common p.K304E variant, show loss of function due to protein misfolding. Herein, we used molecular dynamics simulations to provide insights into the structural stability and dynamic behavior of MCAD wild-type (MCADwt) and validate a structure that would allow reliable new studies on its variants. Our results revealed that in both proteins the flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) has an important structural role on the tetramer stability and also in maintaining the volume of the enzyme catalytic pockets. We confirmed that the presence of substrate changes the dynamics of the catalytic pockets and increases FAD affinity. A comparison between the porcine MCADwt (pMCADwt) and human MCADwt (hMCADwt) structures revealed that both proteins are essentially similar and that the reversion of the double mutant E376G/T255E of hMCAD enzyme does not affect the structure of the protein neither its behavior in simulation. Our validated hMCADwt structure is crucial for complementing and accelerating the experimental studies aiming for the discovery and development of potential stabilizers of MCAD variants as candidates for the treatment of MCAD deficiency (MCADD). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pearson syndrome (PS) is a rare, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletion disorder mainly affecting hematopoietic system and exocrine pancreas in early infancy, which is characterized by multi-organ involvement, variable manifestations and poor prognosis. Since the clinical complexity and uncertain outcome of PS, the ability to early diagnose and anticipate disease progression is of great clinical importance. We described a patient with severe anemia and hyperglycinemia at birth was diagnosed with neonatal diabetes mellitus, and later with PS. Genetic testing revealed that a novel mtDNA deletion existed in various non-invasive tissues from the patient. The disease course was monitored by mtDNA deletion heteroplasmy and mtDNA/nucleus DNA genome ratio in different tissues and at different time points, showing a potential genotype–phenotype correlation. Our findings suggest that for patient suspected for PS, it may be therapeutically important to first perform detailed mtDNA analysis on non-invasive tissues at the initial diagnosis and during disease progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlabelled: Pearson marrow-pancreas syndrome (PS) is a rare mitochondrial disorder. Impaired mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes (MRCC) differ among individuals and organs, which accounts for variable clinical pictures. A subset of PS patients develop 3-methylglutaconic aciduria (3-MGA-uria), but the characteristic symptoms and impaired MRCC remain unknown. Our patient, a girl, developed pancytopenia, hyperlactatemia, steatorrhea, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, liver dysfunction, Fanconi syndrome, and 3-MGA-uria. She died from cerebral hemorrhage at 3 years of age. We identified a novel 5.4-kbp deletion of mitochondrial DNA. The enzymatic activities of MRCC I and IV were markedly reduced in the liver and muscle and mildly reduced in skin fibroblasts and the heart. To date, urine organic acid analysis has been performed on 29 PS patients, including our case. Eight patients had 3-MGA-uria, while only one patient did not. The remaining 20 patients were not reported to have 3-MGA-uria. In this paper, we included these 20 patients as PS patients without 3-MGA-uria. PS patients with and without 3-MGA-uria have similar manifestations. Only a few studies have examined the enzymatic activities of MRCC.Conclusion: No clinical characteristics distinguish between PS patients with and without 3-MGA-uria. The correlation between 3-MGA-uria and the enzymatic activities of MRCC remains to be elucidated.What Is Known: • The clinical characteristics of patients with Pearson marrow-pancreas syndrome and 3-methylglutaconic aciduria remain unknown.What Is New: • No clinical characteristics distinguish between Pearson marrow-pancreas syndrome patients with and without 3-methylglutaconic aciduria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The detection of sideroblastic anemia in a newborn may suggest developing Pearson syndrome. The prognosis of these patients is severe and death occurs in the first 3 years of life, so it is important to find new ways of diagnosis. Case Presentation: In the case of our patient the diagnosis was supported only at the age of 5 months, highlighting the difficulties of diagnosis at this age. Conclusions: The diagnosis of Pearson syndrome with neonatal onset is difficult to sustain or even impossible at that age. This diagnosis can be confirmed and supported during disease progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medium-chain triglycerides (MCT) are widely applied in the treatment of long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorders. Previously it was shown that long-term MCT supplementation strongly affects lipid metabolism in mice. We here investigate sex-specific effects in mice with very-long-chain-acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (VLCAD) deficiency in response to a long-term MCT modified diet. We quantified blood lipids, acylcarnitines, glucose, insulin and free fatty acids, as well as tissue triglycerides in the liver and skeletal muscle under a control and an MCT diet over 1 year. In addition, visceral and hepatic fat content and muscular intramyocellular lipids (IMCL) were assessed by in vivo 1 H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) techniques. The long-term application of an MCT diet induced a marked alteration of glucose homeostasis. However, only VLCAD −/− female mice developed a severe metabolic syndrome characterized by marked insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, severe hepatic and visceral steatosis, whereas VLCAD −/− males seemed to be protected and only presented with milder insulin resistance. Moreover, the highly saturated MCT diet is associated with a decreased hepatic stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) activity in females aggravating the harmful effects of a saturated MCT diet. Long-term MCT supplementation deeply affects lipid metabolism in a sexual dimorphic manner resulting in a severe metabolic syndrome only in female mice. These findings are striking since the first signs of insulin resistance already occur in female VLCAD −/− mice during their reproductive period. How these metabolic adaptations are finally regulated needs to be determined. More important, the relevance of these findings for humans under these dietary modifications needs to be investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pearson marrow-pancreas syndrome (PS) is a progressive multi-organ disorder caused by deletions and duplications of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). PS is often fatal in infancy, and the majority of patients with PS succumb to the disease before reaching three-years-of-age, due to septicemia, metabolic acidosis or hepatocellular insufficiency. The present report describes the case of a four-month-old infant with severe normocytic normochromic anemia, vacuolization of hematopoietic precursors and metabolic acidosis. After extensive clinical investigation, the patient was diagnosed with PS, which was confirmed by molecular analysis of mtDNA. The molecular analysis detected a novel large-scale (5.712 kb) deletion spanning nucleotides 8,011 to 13,722 of mtDNA, which lacked direct repeats at the deletion boundaries. The present report is, to the best of our knowledge, the first case reported in South Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Progressive external ophthalmoplegia (PEO), Kearns-Sayre syndrome (KSS) and Pearson syndrome are the three sporadic clinical syndromes classically associated with single large-scale deletions of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). PEO plus is a term frequently utilized in the clinical setting to identify patients with PEO and some degree of multisystem involvement, but a precise definition is not available. The purpose of the present study is to better define the clinical phenotypes associated with a single mtDNA deletion, by a retrospective study on a large cohort of 228 patients from the database of the 'Nation-wide Italian Collaborative Network of Mitochondrial Diseases'. In our database, single deletions account for about a third of all patients with mtDNA-related disease, more than previously recognized. We elaborated new criteria for the definition of PEO and 'KSS spectrum' (a category of which classic KSS represents the most severe extreme). The criteria for 'KSS spectrum' include the resulting multisystem clinical features associated with the KSS features, and which therefore can predict their presence or subsequent development. With the new criteria, we were able to classify nearly all our single-deletion patients: 64.5 % PEO, 31.6 % KSS spectrum (including classic KSS 6.6 %) and 2.6 % Pearson syndrome. The deletion length was greater in KSS spectrum than in PEO, whereas heteroplasmy was inversely related with age at onset. We believe that the new phenotype definitions implemented here may contribute to a more homogeneous patient categorization, which will be useful in future cohort studies of natural history and clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of infant girl born at 40 weeks of gestation who was diagnosed with Very long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (VLCADD). Topics discussed include detection of VLCADD with newborn screening (NBS); and diagnosis of infant with alveobronchiolitis, bloodstream infection, and inherited metabolic disease; and VLCADD as a result of mutations in acyl-CoA dehydrogenase Very long-chain (ACADVL) genes.

The article presents a case study of an infant with Pearson syndrome that includes assessment of changes in haemoglobin along with white blood cell count; observation of hypercellularity in bone marrow examination; and consideration of the disease as rare mitochondrial disorder.

The author discusses the presumption that Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) must be tested for mitochondrial DNA during the initial genetic evaluation of patients with Pearson marrow-pancreas syndrome (PS). The author states that only a bone marrow test can distinguish DBA from PS. Also discussed is the need for patients to have genetic counseling with regards to their risk of solid tumors or leukemia.