Different mutations in three prime repair exonuclease 1 and ribonuclease H2 genes affect clinical features in Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome

J Child Neurol. 2012 Jan;27(1):51-60. doi: 10.1177/0883073811413582. Epub 2011 Aug 23.

Abstract

Aicardi-Goutières syndrome is a rare encephalopathy of mutational origin characterized by increased levels of interferon alpha in cerebrospinal fluid. The aim of this study was to explore the influence of different Aicardi-Goutières syndrome genotypes on the clinical course of patients, seeking to identify specific gene expression profiles able to explain Aicardi-Goutières syndrome phenotype differences. We detected the occurrence of Aicardi-Goutières syndrome mutations in 21 patients and compared microarray gene-expression data of cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytes with clinical variables. The levels of interferon alpha in cerebrospinal fluid were high in all patients; we found differences in the expression of genes encoding for Toll-like receptor, endogenous RNases, T lymphocyte activation, angiogenesis inhibition, and peripheral interferon alpha production. These results indicate that further to interferon alpha production in the central nervous system, a variety of other pathogenic mechanisms is activated in Aicardi-Goutières syndrome to various degrees in different patients, thus explaining the interindividual difference in Aicardi-Goutières syndrome course.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System / genetics*
  • Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System / pathology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • DNA Repair Enzymes / genetics*
  • Exodeoxyribonucleases / genetics*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression
  • Genotype
  • Humans
  • Interferon-alpha / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Lymphocytosis / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Male
  • Microarray Analysis / methods
  • Mutation / genetics*
  • Nervous System Malformations / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Nervous System Malformations / genetics*
  • Nervous System Malformations / pathology
  • Ribonuclease H / genetics*
  • Toll-Like Receptors / metabolism

Substances

  • Interferon-alpha
  • Toll-Like Receptors
  • EXO1 protein, human
  • Exodeoxyribonucleases
  • ribonuclease HII
  • Ribonuclease H
  • DNA Repair Enzymes

Supplementary concepts

  • Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome