Here, we identify homozygous nonsense and missense mutations in the orphan gene C20orf72 in three families with a mitochondrial syndrome characterized by external ophthalmoplegia, emaciation and respiratory failure.
An MYH2 mutation p.(Glu706Lys) was originally described in a family with autosomal dominant inheritance, where the affected family members presented with multiple congenital contractures and ophthalmoplegia, progressing to a proximal myopathy in adulthood.
This is the case in several syndromes caused by impaired mtDNA maintenance, such as Sensory Ataxic Neuropathy, Dysarthria and Ophthalmoplegia (SANDO) due to recessive mutations in the POLG gene, which encodes the catalytic subunit of mtDNA polymerase (DNA polymerase gamma), or Mitochondrial Neuro-Gastro-Intestinal Encephalomyopathy (MNGIE), due to recessive mutations in the TYMP gene, which encodes thymidine phosphorylase.
We conclude that mild muscle weakness and ophthalmoplegia in combination with muscle biopsy demonstrating small or absent type 2A muscle fibers are the hallmark of recessive myopathy associated with MYH2 mutations.
The myopathy associated with mutations in the nuclear-encoded mitochondrial DNA maintenance gene POLG, coding for the catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase, is typically proximal with early ophthalmoplegia.
Dominant or recessive mutations affecting the type IIa MyHC (MYH2) are associated with early-onset myopathies with variable muscle weakness and ophthalmoplegia as a consistent finding.
Clinical features associated with the severe neonatal presentation of RYR1-associated myopathy included decreased fetal movement, hypotonia, poor feeding, respiratory involvement, arthrogryposis, and ophthalmoplegia in 3 patients, and femur fractures or hip dislocation at birth.
Depending on the location and inheritance, mutations in POLG1, the catalytic subunit, can cause symptoms including severe infantile epilepsy, metabolic strokes, chronic ataxia, neuropathy, and ophthalmoplegia.
In addition, recessive POLG1 mutations are responsible for sensory-atactic neuropathy, dysarthria and ophthalmoplegia (SANDO), juvenile spino-cerebellar ataxia-epilepsy syndrome (SCAE) and Alpers-Huttenlocher hepatopathic poliodystrophy.
A homozygous splicing mutation causing a depletion of skeletal muscle RYR1 is associated with multi-minicore disease congenital myopathy with ophthalmoplegia.
Mutation of OPA1 causes dominant optic atrophy with external ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, deafness and multiple mitochondrial DNA deletions: a novel disorder of mtDNA maintenance.
We previously described a unique syndrome of optic atrophy, sensorineural hearing loss, ptosis, and ophthalmoplegia in two unrelated families associated with an R445H mutation in OPA1.
The chromosome 22 disorder, due to mutations in the nuclear gene TYMP encoding thymidine phosphorylase (TP), leads to the accumulation of thymidine and deoxyuridine, with mitochondrial dysfunction.This report describes a patient with an MNGIE-like syndrome with a heterozygous TYMP mutation who showed marked, but transient improvement postallogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).The patient, showing ptosis and ophthalmoplegia, was initially managed for myasthenia gravis.
This is the case in several syndromes caused by impaired mtDNA maintenance, such as Sensory Ataxic Neuropathy, Dysarthria and Ophthalmoplegia (SANDO) due to recessive mutations in the POLG gene, which encodes the catalytic subunit of mtDNA polymerase (DNA polymerase gamma), or Mitochondrial Neuro-Gastro-Intestinal Encephalomyopathy (MNGIE), due to recessive mutations in the TYMP gene, which encodes thymidine phosphorylase.