Mitochondrial DNA complex I and III mutations associated with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy

Four new missense mutations have been identified through restriction analysis and sequencing of the mitochondrial DNAs (mtDNA) from Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) patients who lacked the previously identified 11778 mutation. Each altered a conserved amino acid and correlated with the LHON phenotype in population and phylogenetic analyses. The nucleotide pair (np) 13708 mutation (G to A, ND5 gene) changed an alanine to a threonine and was found in 6/25 (24%) of non-11778 LHON pedigrees and in 5.0% of controls, the np 15257 mutation (G to A, cytochrome b gene) changed an aspartate to an asparagine and was found in 4 of the 13708-positive pedigrees and 0.3% of controls, the np 15812 mutation (G to A, cytochrome b gene) changed a valine to a methionine and was detected in two of the 15257-positive pedigrees and 0.1% of controls and the np 5244 mutation (G to A, ND2 gene) changed a glycine to a serine and was found in one of the 15812-positive patients and none of 2103 controls. The 15257 mutation altered a highly conserved amino acid in an extramembrane domain of cytochrome b that is associated with the ligation of the low potential b566 heme and the 5244 mutation altered a strongly evolutionarily conserved region of the ND2 polypeptide. The 13708 and 15812 mutations changed moderately conserved amino acids. Haplotype and phylogenetic analysis of the four np 15257 mtDNAs revealed that all harbored the same rare Caucasian haplotype and that the np 13708, np 15257, np 15812 and np 5244 mutations were added sequentially along this mtDNA lineage. Since the percentage of sighted controls decreases as these mutations accumulate, it appears that they interact synergistically, each increasing the probability of blindness. The involvement of both mitochondrial complex I (np 5244, 11778, 13708) and complex III (np 15257, 15812) mutations in LHON indicates that the clinical manifestations of this disease are the product of an overall decrease in mitochondrial energy production rather than a defect in a specific mitochondrial enzyme.