DNA recombination defects in Kuwait: Clinical, immunologic and genetic profile

Abstract

Defects in DNA Recombination due to mutations in RAG1/2 or DCLRE1C result in combined immunodeficiency (CID) with a range of disease severity. We present the clinical, immunologic and molecular characteristics of 21 patients with defects in RAG1, RAG2 or DCLRE1C, who accounted for 24% of combined immune deficiency cases in the Kuwait National Primary Immunodeficiency Disorders Registry. The distribution of the patients was as follow: 8 with RAG1 deficiency, 6 with RAG2 deficiency and 7 with DCLRE1C deficiency. Nine patients presented with SCID, 6 with OS, 2 with leaky SCID and 4 with CID and granuloma and/or autoimmunity (CID-G/AI). Eight patients [(7 SCID and 1 OS) (38%)] received hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). The median age of HSCT was 11.5months and the median time from diagnosis to HSCT was 6months. Fifty percent of the transplanted patients are alive while only 23% of the untransplanted ones are alive.

Keywords: Artemis; Combined immunodeficiency; DCLRE1C; DNA recombination; Rag; SCID.