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MELAS phenotype associated with m.3302A>G mutation in mitochondrial tRNA(Leu(UUR)) gene
Masahide Goto1, Hirofumi Komaki1, Takashi Saito1
1Department of Child Neurology, National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Tokyo, Japan.
Abstract:
The m.3302A>G mutation in the mitochondrial tRNA(Leu(UUR)) gene has been identified in only 12 patients from 6 families, all manifesting adult-onset slowly progressive myopathy with minor central nervous system involvement. An 11-year-old boy presented with progressive proximal-dominant muscle weakness from age 7years. At age 10, he developed recurrent stroke-like episodes. Mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, plus stroke-like episodes (MELAS) was diagnosed by clinical symptoms and muscle biopsy findings. Mitochondrial gene analysis revealed a heteroplasmic m.3302A>G mutation. Histological examination showed strongly SDH reactive blood vessels (SSVs), not present in previous cases with myopathies due to the m.3302A>G mutation. These findings broaden the phenotypic spectrum of this mutation.
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