MCT8 Deficiency in Females

Monocarboxylate transporter (MCT) 8 facilitates thyroid hormone (TH) transport across the blood-brain barrier. Pathogenic variants in SLC16A2 cause MCT8 deficiency (Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome), characterized by intellectual and motor disability and abnormal thyroid function tests. MCT8 deficiency typically affects males due to its X-linked inheritance.

Here, we report 8 female patients with heterozygous pathogenic variants in SLC16A2 who presented with variable neurocognitive impairment, behavioral problems, and TH function abnormalities.

We performed X-chromosome inactivation studies in female patients in whom heterozygous pathogenic variants in SLC16A2 were identified. The effect of SLC16A2 variants on TH transport was assessed in transfected cells and patient-derived fibroblasts.

In all patients (mean age 8.6 years; range, 2.3-25 years) routine care genetic analyses identified heterozygous variants in SLC16A2 (p.(R445C), p.(N193I), p.(G276R), t(X;20), resulting in a breakpoint in intron 1, t(X;19), resulting in a breakpoint in SLC16A2, p.(I562Sfs566*), p.(G221R)). All missense variants showed substantially reduced MCT8-mediated TH uptake in transiently transfected cells. X-chromosome inactivation studies in patient cells showed skewed X-inactivation in all 7 evaluated individuals. In 5 out of 7 evaluated cases, MCT8-mediated 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) uptake in patient-derived fibroblasts was impaired to a similar degree as in fibroblasts derived from male patients with MCT8 deficiency.

Female patients with heterozygous pathogenic variants in SLC16A2 and skewed X-chromosome inactivation may present with variable neuro(psycho)logical, behavioral, and thyroid function test abnormalities. Female patients presenting with neurocognitive impairment and abnormal TH function tests (low free thyroxine and/or high total T3 concentrations) should be tested for genetic variants in SLC16A2.