Hereditary folate malabsorption | |
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Other names | Congenital folate malabsorption |
Hereditary folate malabsorption is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner | |
Specialty | Medical genetics |
Hereditary folate malabsorption (HFM) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by loss-of-function mutations in the proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT) gene, resulting in systemic folate deficiency and impaired delivery of folate to the brain.
Affected infants present within a few months after birth with failure to thrive and severe folate deficiency manifested as macrocytic anemia and developmental delays. There can be (i) pancytopenia, (ii) diarrhea and/or mucositis and/or (iii) immune deficiency due to T-cell dysfunction and hypoimmunoglobulinemia resulting in pneumonia usually due to Pneumocystis jirovecii . [1] Recently, several infants with the immune deficiency syndrome were described. [2] [3] [4] Untreated, or with inadequate treatment, there are progressive systemic and neurological signs with a spectrum of manifestations including seizures that are often intractable. Females with HFM are fertile and, if folate sufficient during pregnancy, have normal offspring. Subjects that carry one mutated PCFT allele are normal. The genomic and clinical features of HFM were recently reviewed. [1] [4] [5]
Extensive clinical studies established that HFM is due to (i) impaired intestinal absorption of folates and (ii) impaired transport of folates across the blood-choroid plexus-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier. [1] [6] [7] [8] Hence, patients with HFM have very low or undetectable folate blood levels. When a modest dose of a folate is given by mouth, there is impaired intestinal folate absorption without other signs of malabsorption.[ citation needed ]
The molecular basis for HFM was established in 2006 with the identification of the proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT) as the mechanism of intestinal absorption of folates and the detection of loss-of-function mutations in this transporter in subjects with a clinical diagnosis of HFM. [9] [10] Hence, beyond the characteristic clinical features, genotyping is now available to establish the diagnosis of HFM.[ citation needed ]
PCFT is located on chromosome 17q11.2 and consists of 459 amino acids, with five exons, and a MW of approximately 50kDa. [9] The secondary structure has been established and consists of twelve transmembrane domains with the N- and C- termini directed into the cytoplasm. [11] [12] The properties of this transporter and its physiological and pharmacological roles were recently reviewed. [13] [14] Elements of PCFT regulation have been described and include the minimal promoter, [15] [16] Vitamin D [17] and NRF1 [18] response elements. PCFT operates most efficiently when there is a strong transmembrane pH gradient. Under these conditions transport of a folate molecule across the cell membrane is accompanied by a sufficient number of protons to result a positive charge and current mediated by the ternary carrier complex. [9] [19] It is the pH gradient present across the apical brush-border membrane of the proximal jejunum, [20] where PCFT is highly expressed, that drives intestinal folate absorption. [20] [21] PCFT is expressed to a lesser extent elsewhere in the small and large intestine along with the canalicular membrane of the hepatic sinusoid and in the apical brush-border membrane of the proximal tubule of the kidney. However, its function at these latter sites is unclear. [22] As indicated above, PCFT is also expressed at the basolateral membrane of ependymal cells of the choroid plexus where it presumably plays a role in transport of folates into the CSF. [22]
The CSF folate level is usually undetectable at the time of diagnosis. Even when the blood folate level is corrected, or far above normal, the CSF folate level remains low, consistent with impaired transport across the choroid plexus. The normal CSF folate level in children over the first three years of life is in the 75 to 150 nM range. [23] [24] In subjects with HFM it is rarely possible to bring the CSF folate level into the normal range even with substantial doses of parenteral folate. [25]
HFM must be distinguished from cerebral folate deficiency (CFD)– a syndrome in which there is normal intestinal folate absorption, without systemic folate deficiency, but a decrease in CSF folate levels. This can accompany a variety of disorders. [26] One form of CFD is due to loss-of-mutations in folate receptor-α, (FRα), which transports folates via an endocytic process. [27] [28] [29] While PCFT is expressed primarily at the basolateral membrane of the choroid plexus, FRα is expressed primarily at the apical brush-border membrane. [30] Unlike subjects with HFM, patients with CFD present with neurological signs a few years after birth. The basis for the delay in the appearance of clinical manifestations due to loss of FRα function is not clear; the normal blood folate levels may be protective, although for a limited time.[ citation needed ]
Because HFM is a rare disorder, there are no studies that define its optimal treatment. Correction of the systemic folate deficiency, with the normalization of folate blood levels, is easily achieved with high doses of oral folates or much smaller doses of parenteral folate. [1] [6] [7] [8] This will rapidly correct the anemia, immune deficiency and GI signs. The challenge is to achieve adequate treatment of the neurological component of HFM. It is essential that the folate dose is sufficiently high to achieve CSF folate levels as close as possible to the normal range for the age of the child. [23] [24] This requires close monitoring of the CSF folate level. [25] The physiological folate is 5-methyltetrahydrofolate but the oral formulation available is insufficient for treatment of this disorder and a parenteral form is not available. The optimal folate at this time is 5-formyltetrahydrofolate which, after administration, is converted to 5-methyltetrahydrofolate. The racemic mixture of 5-formyltetrahydrofolate (leucovorin) is generally available; the active S-isomer, levoleucovorin, may be obtained as well. Parenteral administration is the optimal treatment if that is possible. Folic acid should not be used for the treatment of HFM. Folic acid is not a physiological folate. It binds tightly to, and may impede, FRα-mediated endocytosis which plays an important role in the transport of folates across the choroid plexus into the CSF (see above). [30] [22] For a further consideration of treatment see GeneReviews. [5]
As of June 2014 (the latest update on HFM [5] in GeneReviews) a total of 32 families had been reported with a clinical diagnosis of HFM of which there was genotypic confirmation in 24 families. Since then, another two confirmed cases have been reported [3] [4] and an additional case was reported based on a clinical diagnosis alone. [31] Most cases emerge from consanguineous parents with homozygous mutations. There are three instances of HFM from non-consanguineous parents in which there were heterozygous mutations. HFM cases are worldwide with mostly private mutations. However, a number of families of Puerto Rican ancestry have been reported with a common pathogenic variant at a splice receptor site resulting in the deletion of exon 3 and the absence of transport function. [2] [5] [9] [32] A subsequent population-based study of newborn infants in Puerto Rico identified the presence of the same variant on the island. [33] Most of the pathogenic variants result in a complete loss of the PCFT protein or point mutations that result in the complete loss of function. However, residual function can be detected with some of the point mutants. [34]
Intrinsic factor (IF), cobalamin binding intrinsic factor, also known as gastric intrinsic factor (GIF), is a glycoprotein produced by the parietal cells (in humans) or chief cells (in rodents) of the stomach. It is necessary for the absorption of vitamin B12 later on in the distal ileum of the small intestine. In humans, the gastric intrinsic factor protein is encoded by the CBLIF gene. Haptocorrin (transcobalamin I) is another glycoprotein secreted by the salivary glands which binds to vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is acid-sensitive and in binding to haptocorrin it can safely pass through the acidic stomach to the duodenum.
The choroid plexus, or plica choroidea, is a plexus of cells that arises from the tela choroidea in each of the ventricles of the brain. Regions of the choroid plexus produce and secrete most of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the central nervous system. The choroid plexus consists of modified ependymal cells surrounding a core of capillaries and loose connective tissue. Multiple cilia on the ependymal cells move to circulate the cerebrospinal fluid.
Malabsorption is a state arising from abnormality in absorption of food nutrients across the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Impairment can be of single or multiple nutrients depending on the abnormality. This may lead to malnutrition and a variety of anaemias.
An antiporter is an integral membrane protein that uses secondary active transport to move two or more molecules in opposite directions across a phospholipid membrane. It is a type of cotransporter, which means that uses the energetically favorable movement of one molecule down its electrochemical gradient to power the energetically unfavorable movement of another molecule up its electrochemical gradient. This is in contrast to symporters, which are another type of cotransporter that moves two or more ions in the same direction, and primary active transport, which is directly powered by ATP.
Folate deficiency, also known as vitamin B9 deficiency, is a low level of folate and derivatives in the body. This may result in megaloblastic anemia in which red blood cells become abnormally large, and folate deficiency anemia is the term given for this medical condition. Signs of folate deficiency are often subtle. Symptoms may include fatigue, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, feeling faint, open sores on the tongue, loss of appetite, changes in the color of the skin or hair, irritability, and behavioral changes. Temporary reversible infertility may occur. Folate deficiency anemia during pregnancy may give rise to the birth of low weight birth premature infants and infants with neural tube defects.
Thiamine transporter 1, also known as thiamine carrier 1 (TC1) or solute carrier family 19 member 2 (SLC19A2) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SLC19A2 gene. SLC19A2 is a thiamine transporter. Mutations in this gene cause thiamine-responsive megaloblastic anemia syndrome (TRMA), which is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by diabetes mellitus, megaloblastic anemia and sensorineural deafness.
Thiamine transporter 2 (ThTr-2), also known as solute carrier family 19 member 3, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SLC19A3 gene. SLC19A3 is a thiamine transporter.
Sodium/glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1) also known as solute carrier family 5 member 1 is a protein in humans that is encoded by the SLC5A1 gene which encodes the production of the SGLT1 protein to line the absorptive cells in the small intestine and the epithelial cells of the kidney tubules of the nephron for the purpose of glucose uptake into cells. Recently, it has been seen to have functions that can be considered as promising therapeutic target to treat diabetes and obesity. Through the use of the sodium glucose cotransporter 1 protein, cells are able to obtain glucose which is further utilized to make and store energy for the cell.
The major facilitator superfamily (MFS) is a superfamily of membrane transport proteins that facilitate movement of small solutes across cell membranes in response to chemiosmotic gradients.
Proton-coupled amino acid transporter 1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SLC36A1 gene.
A choroid plexus carcinoma is a type of choroid plexus tumor that affects the choroid plexus of the brain. It is considered the worst of the three grades of chord plexus tumors, having a much poorer prognosis than choroid atypical plexus papilloma and choroid plexus papilloma. The disease creates lesions in the brain and increases cerebrospinal fluid volume, resulting in hydrocephalus.
Iminoglycinuria is an autosomal recessive disorder of renal tubular transport affecting reabsorption of the amino acid glycine, and the imino acids proline and hydroxyproline. This results in excess urinary excretion of all three acids.
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The proton-coupled folate transporter is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SLC46A1 gene. The major physiological roles of PCFTs are in mediating the intestinal absorption of folate, and its delivery to the central nervous system.
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