Case report of a de novo mutation of PCDH19 in Saudi family limited to females

Up to date more than 60 different mutations in PCDH19 have been identified. Most of PCDH19 gene is located in Xq22 and produces nonclustered delta protocadherin. This disorder primarily manifests in heterozygote females due to random X chromosome inactivation leading to somatic mosaicism and abnormal cellular interference between cells with and without delta-protocadherin., but we a heterozygous nucleotide mutation causing amino acid 561 to change from Pro to Ser (p.Pro561Ser). This mutation was de novo, and this alteration was not found in her parents. PCDH19-related epilepsy is a distinct childhood-onset epilepsy syndrome characterized by brief clusters of febrile and afebrile seizures with onset primarily before the age of three years, cognitive impairment, autistic traits, and behavioral abnormalities. We describe the features of a de novo mutation in 3 sibling, presented with early onset of seizure, two of them were controlled and wean off medication was at age of six year and her sister at age of 10 year .The youngest sister still partially controlled on medication, she had seizure only during febrile illness.

Case Report of a de Novo Mutation of PCDH19 in Saudi Family Limited to Females

Up to date more than 60 different mutations in PCDH19 have been identified. Most of PCDH19 gene is located in Xq22 and produces nonclustered delta protocadherin. This disorder primarily manifests in heterozygote females due to random X chromosome inactivation leading to somatic mosaicism and abnormal cellular interference between cells with and without delta-protocadherin., but we a heterozygous nucleotide mutation causing amino acid 561 to change from Pro to Ser (p.Pro561Ser). This mutation was de novo, and this alteration was not found in her parents. PCDH19-related epilepsy is a distinct childhood-onset epilepsy syndrome characterized by brief clusters of febrile and afebrile seizures with onset primarily before the age of three years, cognitive impairment, autistic traits, and behavioral abnormalities. We describe the features of a de novo mutation in 3 sibling, presented with early onset of seizure, two of them were controlled and wean off medication was at age of six year and her sister at age of 10 year .The youngest sister still partially controlled on medication, she had seizure only during febrile illness.

Clinical Characteristics and Treatment Experience of Individuals with SCN8A Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy (SCN8A-DEE): Findings from an Online Caregiver Survey

ABSTRACT Purpose: SCN8A developmental epileptic encephalopathy (SCN8A-DEE) is a rare and severe genetic epilepsy syndrome characterized by early-onset developmental delay, cognitive impairment, and intractable seizures. Variants in the SCN8A gene are associated with a broad phenotypic spectrum and variable disease severity. A caregiver survey, solicited by the advocacy group The Cute Syndrome Foundation (TCSF), was conducted to gather information on the demographics/disease presentation, seizure history, and treatment of patients with SCN8Arelated epilepsies. Methods: A 36-question online survey was developed to obtain de-identified data from caregivers of children with SCN8A-related epilepsy. The survey included questions on genetic diagnosis, disease manifestations/comorbidities, seizure severity/type, current/prior use of antiseizure medicines (ASMs), and best/worst treatments per caregiver perception. Results: In total, 116 survey responses (87 USA, 12 Canada, 12 UK, 5 Australia) were included in the quantitative analysis. Generalized tonic/clonic was the most common seizure type at onset and time of survey; absence and partial/focal seizures were also common. Most patients (77%) were currently taking ≥2 ASMs; 50% had previously tried and stopped ≥4 ASMs. Sodium channel blockers (oxcarbazepine, phenytoin, lamotrigine) provided the best subjective seizure control and quality of life. Conclusion: The SCN8A-DEE patient population is heterogeneous and difficult to treat, with high seizure burden and multiple comorbidities. The high proportion of patients who previously tried and stopped ASMs indicates a large unmet treatment need. Further collaboration between families, caregivers, patient advocates, clinicians, researchers, and industry can increase awareness and understanding of SCN8A-related epilepsies, improve clinical trial design, and potentially improve patient outcomes.

PURA-Related Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy

Background and ObjectivesPurine-rich element-binding protein A (PURA) gene encodes Pur-α, a conserved protein essential for normal postnatal brain development. Recently, a PURA syndrome characterized by intellectual disability, hypotonia, epilepsy, and dysmorphic features was suggested. The aim of this study was to define and expand the phenotypic spectrum of PURA syndrome by collecting data, including EEG, from a large cohort of affected patients.MethodsData on unpublished and published cases were collected through the PURA Syndrome Foundation and the literature. Data on clinical, genetic, neuroimaging, and neurophysiologic features were obtained.ResultsA cohort of 142 patients was included. Characteristics of the PURA syndrome included neonatal hypotonia, feeding difficulties, and respiratory distress. Sixty percent of the patients developed epilepsy with myoclonic, generalized tonic-clonic, focal seizures, and/or epileptic spasms. EEG showed generalized, multifocal, or focal epileptic abnormalities. Lennox-Gastaut was the most common epilepsy syndrome. Drug refractoriness was common: 33.3% achieved seizure freedom. We found 97 pathogenic variants in PURA without any clear genotype-phenotype associations.DiscussionThe PURA syndrome presents with a developmental and epileptic encephalopathy with characteristics recognizable from neonatal age, which should prompt genetic screening. Sixty percent have drug-resistant epilepsy with focal or generalized seizures. We collected more than 90 pathogenic variants without observing overt genotype-phenotype associations.

Molecular Modelling of nsSNPs in GABRA2 Gene in Epilepsy and Study of Their Impact On Structure and Stability of GABRA2 Protein

Epilepsy is a neurological condition characterized by abrupt, unprovoked, and recurrent seizures that are unpredictable in frequency. The objective of this analysis was to identify novel non-synonymous polymorphisms in the GABRA2 gene and determine their effect on protein structure and stability. Most pathogenic/deleterious nsSNPs were predicted using six different bioinformatic tools. Mutpred2, Mupro was used to check the impact of identified nsSNPS on protein structure and stability. The pathogenic score of SNPs was predicted using the FATHMM tool. The CONSURF webserver was used for conservation analysis of pathogenic SNPs.3-D structure of the protein was realized using SWISS-MODEL and residue position in protein visualized by Lite Mol. GeneMANIA and STRING databases were used to predict the function of interlinked gene interactions. Out of 228 nsSNPs retrieved from the dbSNP database, we identified a novel missense variant, F285S (rs41310789), as most deleterious and its possible association with epilepsy syndrome focal epilepsy. Stability and conservation analysis results interpret rs41310789 present in evolutionarily conserved regions of a gene and affect its structure. This analysis provides information regarding the impact of nsSNPs that might affect the structure and activity of GABRA2 protein. Thus, these coding variants should be taken into scrutiny while genetic screening of epileptic patients.