Molecular characterization of ADAMTS13 gene mutations in Japanese patients with Upshaw-Schulman syndrome

Blood. 2004 Feb 15;103(4):1305-10. doi: 10.1182/blood-2003-06-1796. Epub 2003 Oct 16.

Abstract

We report here 7 new mutations in the ADAMTS13 gene responsible for Upshaw-Schulman syndrome (USS), a catastrophic phenotype of congenital thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, by analyzing 5 Japanese families. There were 3 mutations that occurred at exon-intron boundaries: 414+1G>A at intron 4, 686+1G>A at intron 6, and 1244+2T>G at intron 10 (numbered from the A of the initiation Met codon), and we confirmed that 2 of these mutations produced aberrantly spliced messenger RNAs (mRNAs). The remaining 4 mutations were missense mutations: R193W, I673F, C908Y, and R1123C. In expression experiments using HeLa cells, all mutants showed no or a marginal secretion of ADAMTS13. Taken together with the findings in our recent report we determined the responsible mutations in a total of 7 Japanese patients with USS with a uniform clinical picture of severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, and in their family members, based on ADAMTS13 gene analysis. Of these patients, 2 were homozygotes and 5 were compound heterozygotes. The parents of one homozygote were related (cousins), while those of the other were not. Molecular models of the metalloprotease, fifth domain of thrombospondin 1 (Tsp1-5), and Tsp1-8 domains of ADAMTS13 suggest that the missense mutations could cause structural defects in the mutants.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • ADAM Proteins
  • ADAMTS13 Protein
  • Adult
  • Alternative Splicing*
  • Anemia, Hemolytic / genetics*
  • Exons
  • Family Health
  • Female
  • Gene Expression
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Introns
  • Japan
  • Jaundice, Neonatal / genetics
  • Male
  • Metalloendopeptidases / chemistry
  • Metalloendopeptidases / genetics*
  • Mutation, Missense*
  • Pedigree
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Thrombocytopenia / genetics*
  • Thrombospondin 1 / chemistry

Substances

  • Thrombospondin 1
  • ADAM Proteins
  • Metalloendopeptidases
  • ADAMTS13 Protein
  • ADAMTS13 protein, human