From genotype to outcome: Zygosity-specific insights in 63 cases of CLPB-related mitochondrial disease

CLPB-related mitochondrial disease causes congenital neutropenia, developmental delay/intellectual disability, progressive brain atrophy, movement disorders, cataracts, and 3-methylglutaconic aciduria. Both monoallelic and biallelic forms exist. This retrospective cohort study compared clinical outcomes and genotype-structure-phenotype correlations across zygosity groups.

Sixty-three individuals (41 biallelic, 22 monoallelic; 6 unpublished) with disease-causing CLPB variants were identified via literature review and a multicenter survey. In silico modeling assessed structural impact. A modified CLPB Disease Burden Index (DBI) quantified severity.

Median age at last follow-up was 4.0 years (IQR: 0.25-12.6) in biallelic and 12.0 years (IQR: 5.3-21.0) in monoallelic cases. Death occurred in 66% of biallelic and 23% of monoallelic individuals, with earlier median age at death in biallelic cases (6 months vs 2.4 years). Biallelic cases had significantly higher DBI scores and poorer survival (4-year survival: 50% vs 82%). Stop/stop genotypes were associated with greater disease burden than missense combinations. Structural predictions-particularly variants causing nonsense-mediated decay or ankyrin domain disruption-were stronger survival predictors than zygosity or age of onset. Early-onset disease (<12 months) correlated with more severe progression. Later onset often resulted in milder phenotypes. Hematologic and neurologic features overlapped across zygosity; cataracts and dystonia were more common in biallelic cases. Milestone attainment was poor, with <50% walking or speaking, and only 10-20% doing so on time. Four monoallelic patients received hematopoietic stem cell transplants with mixed outcomes. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor was associated with improved survival.

This is the largest cohort study to date comparing biallelic and monoallelic CLPB deficiency. Structural variant impact-particularly ankyrin domain disruption-emerged as a key prognostic factor.