Objective: To explore the spectrum of genetic variants among patients with hyperphenylalaninemia (HPA) from Quanzhou area of Fujian province.
Methods: For 63 children affected with HPA, next generation sequencing was used to identify potential variants in PAH, PTS, PCBD1, QDPR, SPR and GCH1 genes.
Results: Fifty two variants underlying phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency (PAHD) and 13 variants underlying 6-pyruvoyl tetrahydropterin synthase deficiency (PTPSD) were identified. Two patients carried variants of both PAH and PTS genes. The most common variants of the PAH gene were R53H (21.69%), R241C(18.07%), R243Q(12.05%) and EX6-96A to G (7.23%), which were mainly located in exons 7 (32.53%), 2 (21.69%), 6 (9.64%) and 12 (9.64%). The L227M variant of the PAH gene was unreported previously. N52S (35.00%), P87S (25.00%), IVS1-291A to G (10.00%) and T67M (10.00%) variants were the most common variants for the PTS gene and were mainly located in exons 2 (35.00%) and 5 (35.00%).
Conclusion: The variant spectrum underlying HPA in Quanzhou area showed a geographical specificity. A novel variant of the PAH gene (L227M) has been detected.