We identified 6 patients with an ALPS (n = 2) or ALPS-like (n = 4) phenotype, carrying I406L (n = 1),V410l (n = 2),Y446C (n = 1) heterozygous CASP10 variants or the L522l polymorphisms (n = 2) associated with another polymorphic homozygote variant on CASP8 or a compound heterozygous mutation on TNFRSF13C.
Additionally mutations in the genes encoding Fas-ligand (FASLG), caspase 10 (CASP10) and caspase 8 (CASP8), NRAS and KRAS have been identified in a small number of patients with ALPS and related disorders.
CASP10 is known as a causative gene for autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) type IIa, another childhood syndrome of lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly associated with autoimmune haemolytic anaemia and thrombocytopenia.
Studies of patients with autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) or caspase-8 deficiency state (CEDS) demonstrated the ability of gene expression microarray analyses and small interfering RNAs (siRNA) to establish the physiologically important roles of NRAS, caspase-10, and caspase-8 for normal lymphocyte apoptosis and activation.
However, other mutations, namely of the FasL gene (ALPS-Ib) and the caspase-10 gene (ALPS-II) are occasionally detected, whereas some patients do not present any known mutations (ALPS-III).
Moreover, an association analysis suggested protection from severe disease by caspase-10V410I in 63 families with ALPS Ia due to dominant Fas mutations (P<0.05).
Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome (ALPS) is generally the result of a mutation in genes associated with apoptosis, like Fas, Fas ligand, Casp 8 and Casp 10.
A recent report described that inherited CASP10 gene mutations underlie defective lymphocyte and dendritic cell apoptosis in autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS).
Heterozygous mutations in CD95, CD95 ligand or caspase-10 underlie most cases of autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS), a human disorder that is characterized by defective lymphocyte apoptosis, lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly and autoimmunity.
In vitro expression studies, the M147T and Q257stop mutants severely impaired caspase-10-mediated apoptosis, whereas the V410I which was the same mutation detected in ALPS patient had a significant, albeit less severe, effect on apoptosis.
We report here two kindreds with autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) type II, characterized by abnormal lymphocyte and dendritic cell homeostasis and immune regulatory defects, that harbor independent missense mutations in Caspase 10.