A Nepalese family with an REEP2 mutation: clinical and genetic study

Hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs) are clinically and genetically heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorders characterized by progressive weakness and spasticity in the lower limbs due to pyramidal tract dysfunction. REEP2 mutations have been identified as a cause of "pure" HSP, SPG72, with both autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive inheritance. We describe a rare Nepalese family with early-onset pure-type HSP harboring a heterozygous REEP2 missense mutation (c.119T>G, p.Met40Arg). This is only the second SPG72 family with autosomal dominant inheritance. The proband presented slow and spastic gait at age 2 years and the symptoms progressed slowly. The proband's father and uncle presented even milder symptoms of pure spastic paraplegia. Our study may provide an opportunity to further study the genotype-phenotype correlation of SPG72.