ALS/FTD phenotype in two Sardinian families carrying both C9ORF72 and TARDBP mutations

Background In the isolated population of Sardinia, a Mediterranean island, ∼25% of ALS cases carry either a p.A382T mutation of the TARDBP gene or a GGGGCC hexanucleotide repeat expansion in the first intron of the C9ORF72 gene. Objective To describe the co-presence of two genetic mutations in two Sardinian ALS patients. Methods We identified two index ALS cases carrying both the p.A382T missense mutation of TARDBP gene and the hexanucleotide repeat expansion of C9ORF72 gene. Results The index case of Family A had bulbar ALS and frontemporal dementia (FTD) at 43. His father, who carried the hexanucleotide repeat expansion of C9ORF72 gene, had spinal ALS and FTD at 64 and his mother, who carried the TARDBP gene p.A382T missense mutation, had spinal ALS and FTD at 69. The index case of Family B developed spinal ALS without FTD at 35 and had a rapid course to respiratory failure. His parents are healthy at 62 and 63. The two patients share the known founder risk haplotypes across both the C9ORF72 9p21 locus and the TARDBP 1p36.22 locus. Conclusions Our data show that in rare neurodegenerative causing genes can co-exist within the same individuals and are associated with a more severe disease course.