Multisystem disorders, severe developmental delay and seizures in two affected siblings, expanding the phenotype of

Linda Pons1, Isabelle Sabatier2, Eudeline Alix3

  • 1Service Génopsy, Pôle ADIS, Centre Hospitalier le Vinatier, France.

Insights

Mutations in the PIGC gene cause a severe developmental disorder. This study details a recognizable PIGC deficiency phenotype including multisystem disorders, developmental delay, and seizures.

Area of Science:

  • Genetics
  • Biochemistry
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • The PIGC gene encodes a protein essential for glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor biosynthesis.
  • Mutations in PIGC have been linked to severe global developmental delay, intellectual disability, and seizures.

Observation:

  • This study describes two siblings with severe psychomotor delay, seizures, organomegaly, cardiopulmonary anomalies, and facial dysmorphism.
  • Exome sequencing identified a homozygous PIGC gene variant (c.12_13insTTGTGACTAACA) in both affected siblings.

Findings:

  • The identified PIGC variant leads to a premature stop codon (p.(Gln4_Pro5insLeu*)).
  • This genetic finding confirms PIGC deficiency as the cause of the observed multisystem disorder in these related patients.

Implications:

  • PIGC deficiency can present with a recognizable, severe phenotype encompassing multisystem involvement, not just developmental delay and seizures.
  • This expands the clinical spectrum of PIGC-related disorders and aids in diagnosing similar cases.

Related Concept Videos

Pleiotropy01:33

Pleiotropy

Pleiotropy is the phenomenon in which a single gene impacts multiple, seemingly unrelated phenotypic traits. For example, defects in the SOX10 gene cause Waardenburg Syndrome Type 4, or WS4, which can cause defects in pigmentation, hearing impairments, and an absence of intestinal contractions necessary for elimination. This diversity of phenotypes results from the expression pattern of SOX10 in early embryonic and fetal development. SOX10 is found in neural crest cells that form melanocytes,...
42.9K
Inborn Errors of Metabolism01:20

Inborn Errors of Metabolism

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a protein metabolism disorder characterized by high blood levels of the amino acid phenylalanine. This results from a mutation in the gene responsible for phenylalanine hydroxylase, an enzyme that converts phenylalanine into tyrosine. When this enzyme is deficient, phenylalanine builds up in the blood, leading to symptoms such as vomiting, rashes, seizures, growth deficiency, and severe mental retardation. An early diagnosis and a diet restricting phenylalanine intake...
615
Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance02:30

Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance

Diploid organisms inherit genetic material through chromosomes from both parents. Copies of the same gene are known as alleles. In most cases, both alleles are simultaneously expressed and allow various cellular processes to function optimally. If one of the alleles is missing or mutated, the expression of the other allele can compensate; however, this is not true for all genes.
The expression of some genes depends on which parent passed the gene to the offspring, through a phenomenon known as...
36.5K