AP4 deficiency: A novel form of neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation?
Neurol Genet. 2018-01-24; 4(1): e217
DOI: 10.1212/nxg.0000000000000217
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ObjectiveTo describe the clinico-radiological phenotype of 3 patients harboring a homozygous novel AP4M1 pathogenic mutation.MethodsThe 3 patients from an inbred family who exhibited early-onset developmental delay, tetraparesis, juvenile motor function deterioration, and intellectual deficiency were investigated by magnetic brain imaging using T1-weighted, T2-weighted, T2*-weighted, fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) sequences. Whole-exome sequencing was performed on the 3 patients.ResultsIn the 3 patients, brain imaging identified the same pattern of bilateral SWI hyposignal of the globus pallidus, concordant with iron accumulation. A novel homozygous nonsense mutation was identified in AP4M1, segregating with the disease and leading to truncation of half of the adap domain of the protein.ConclusionsOur results suggest that AP4M1 represents a new candidate gene that should be considered in the neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) spectrum of disorders and highlight the intersections between hereditary spastic paraplegia and NBIA clinical presentations.