,
,
,
From the * Department of Pediatrics, Cystic Fibrosis (CF)
Clinic, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel; and the
Department of Genetics, Hebrew University, Jerusalem; the
§ Department of Paediatrics, CF Clinic, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel
Hashomer, Israel; the
Department of Paediatrics, CF Clinic, Rambam
Medical Center, Haifa; the ¶ Department of Paediatrics, Bikur Cholim
Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel; and the # Research Institute, Hospital for
Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.
Objective. Cystic fibrosis (CF) has variable clinical presentation. Disease severity is partially associated with the type of mutation. The aim of this study was to report genotype-phenotype analysis of the G85E mutation.
Patients. The phenotype of 12 patients (8 were from the
same extended family, and 5 of them were siblings from 2 families) carrying at least one copy of the G85E mutation was evaluated and
compared with the phenotype of 40 patients carrying the two severe
mutations, W1282X and/or
F508 (group 1), and with 20 patients carrying the splicing mutation, 3849+10kb C->T, which was found to be
associated with milder disease (group 2).
Results. A high phenotypic variability was found among the patients carrying the G85E mutation. This high variability was found among patients carrying the same genotype and among siblings. All the studied chromosomes carrying the G85E mutation had the 7T variant in the polythymidine tract at the branch/acceptor site in intron 8. Of the G85E patients, 25% had pancreatic sufficiency and none had meconium ileus, compared with 0% and 32%, respectively, of patients from group 1, and 80% and 0%, respectively, from group 2. Two patients carrying the G85E mutation had sweat chloride levels <60 mmol/L whereas all the others had typically elevated levels >80 mmol/L. Compared with group 2, patients carrying the G85E mutation were diagnosed at an earlier age and had higher sweat chloride levels, with mean values similar to group 1 but significantly more variable. Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) was similar in the three groups, with no differences in the slope or in age-adjusted mean values of FEV1. The levels of transcripts lacking exon 9 transcribed from the G85E allele measured in 3 patients were 55%, 49%, and 35% and their FEV1 values were 82%, 83%, and 50% predicated, respectively.
Conclusions. The G85E mutation shows variable clinical presentation in all clinical parameters. This variability could be seen among patients carrying on the other chromosome the same CFTR mutation, and also among siblings. This variability is not associated with the level of exon 9 skipping. Thus, the G85E mutation cannot be classified either as a severe or as a mild mutation.
Key words: cystic fibrosis, genotype-phenotype correlation, genetics, pancreatic function, pulmonary function, CFTR mutation.Cystic fibrosis (CF), the most common lethal autosomal recessive disease among whites, is caused by defects in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, which encodes a chloride channel regulated by cyclic adenosine monophosphate protein. Defects in the CFTR cause abnormal chloride concentration across the apical membrane of epithelial cells in the airways, pancreas, intestine, sweat gland and duct, and in the male genital system. It therefore results in progressive lung disease, pancreatic and intestinal dysfunction, elevated sweat electrolytes, and male infertility.1 CF is characterized by a wide variability of clinical expression. The cloning of the CFTR gene and the identification of mutations in the gene, has promoted extensive research into the association between genotype and phenotype, which has contributed to our understanding the mechanisms of the remarkable clinical heterogeneity of CF. Previous studies analyzed the genotype-phenotype correlation in several mutations for which a large enough number of patients was available.2 These studies have shown that genetic factors influence the severity of the disease, and that there are two groups of mutations. One group is associated with pancreatic insufficiency (PI) (>95% of cases) and a young age at diagnosis (usually <1 year of age), high sweat chloride levels (>80 meq/L), and meconium ileus (20% to 30% of the cases). The other group of mutations is associated with a high rate of pancreatic sufficiency (PS) (70% to 80%), and a later age at diagnosis (usually >10 years of age), lower sweat chloride levels, and no meconium ileus. Severity of lung disease varies considerably among both groups of phenotypes. Pancreatic status was suggested to be the best parameter in differentiating between the two groups.17
The G85E mutation is a missense mutation resulting from a substitution of glutamic acid for glycine at amino acid 85. The result is a relatively major change replacing a polar amino acid with a negatively-charged one within the first membrane spanning domain of CFTR. It might be expected to have a significant effect on the protein. Two patients, 1 with PI and the other with PS and exceptionally mild lung disease, were previously reported.18,19 Thus, for further determination of the correlation between the G85E mutation and disease phenotype a larger cohort of patients was required. We undertook this study to analyze the genotype-phenotype correlation of this mutation among our CF patient population.
DNA Sequence Determination and Mutation Analysis
DNA sequences spanning individual exons of the CF gene were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)20,21 with oligonucleotide primers located in the respective flanking introns of the CF gene.22 The amplified genomic DNA fragments eluted from 5% polyacrylamide gels were extracted with phenol/chloroform and were subjected to the dideoxy-chain termination sequencing method essentially as described,23 using the US Biochemicals Sequenase (Indianapolis, IN) kit with either one of the PCR primers or internal oligonucleotides as sequencing primers. After the identification of a specific mutation in an individual, the entire studied CF population was detected for this mutation using previously described methods.24Detection of the Polypyrimidine Tract Length Variants at the Acceptor/Branch Site of Exon 9
The genomic region flanking the polythymidine tract was amplified by PCR using the primers 9i-5 and 9i-3 using previously described methodology.25 Nested PCR was subsequently performed with primers TT-i5 (5
GTGTGTGTGTGTGTGTTTTT 3
) and TT-i3 (5
CTGTCCTCTTTTCTATCTTG 3
). The PCR conditions were: 94°C 6
followed
by 35 cycles of 94°C 30", 54°C 30", 74°C 40", and 74°C
6
. The PCR products were visualized on 12% nondenaturing
polyacrylamide gel (sequencing format) that were electrophoresed at
room temperature, at 600 V, for 18 hours and subsequently
silver-stained. Assignment of the splice variant alleles was performed
by analysis of available family members.
RNA Extraction and Single-strand cDNA Synthesis
Nasal epithelial cells were scraped from 3 individuals. The scraped cells were suspended in 300 µL RNAzol B buffer (BIOTEC Laboratories, Inc, Houston, TX). Total RNA was extracted from the scraped nasal cells using the acid-phenol-chloroform method according to the manufacturer's instructions. RNA was solubilized in 10 µL diethylpyrocarbonate-treated RNase-free double-distilled water. RNA was extracted from the polyp biopsies of the control individuals by the guanidinium thiocyanate method. The RNA was purified by centrifugation through a CsCl cushion.26Nondifferential PCRs of cDNA Products
Nondifferential RT-PCR reactions in which the normally spliced transcripts, containing exon 9, and the aberrantly spliced transcripts, lacking exon 9, produce products of the same size were designed. Amplification of the region between exon 3 and the junction of either exons 8/9 or 8/10 using the oligonucleotide primers 3Ri5 5
GGATAGAGAGCTGGCTTCAAAGAAA 3
, 8/9Ri3 5
AAATAATTCCCCAAATCCCTCCTCC 3
,
and 8/10Ri3 5
CATCATTAGAAGTGAAGTCTCCTCC 3
, respectively.
Hybridization to RT-PCR Products
50 µL of each differential RT-PCR reaction were subjected to electrophoresis and were subsequently blotted and hybridized to the exon 3 oligonucleotide G85E-N 5
GTTCTATGGAATCTTT 3
that identified the
normal sequence, washed at 42°C, and to G85E-M 5
GTTCTATGAAATCTTT 3
that identified the G85E mutation, washed at 40°C. The intensity of
the RT-PCR products was measured by phosphorimager.
Assessment of Disease Severity
The clinical phenotype was assessed by the following parameters: age at diagnosis and at assessment, sex, mode of presentation, history of meconium ileus, diagnostic sweat chloride levels, most recent sputum cultures, and pancreatic function as determined by a 3-day fecal fat collection. Patients in whom fecal fat loss exceeded 7% of dietary intake were considered to have PI. The patients who died before the study did not have stool fat analysis but presented with severe malabsorption responding to enzyme supplementation. Pulmonary function was assessed in all CF patients >6 years of age. Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) was measured and expressed as a percentage of predicted values for height and sex, using previously described standardized pulmonary equations.27 Current height and weight percentiles were computed using the tables of Tanner.28 Data was collected throughout 10 years and the most recent values were considered.
F508
mutations, both associated with severe disease
presentation.2,3 In the second group were 20 patients
carrying the 3849+10kb C->T mutation, which is associated with higher
frequency of PS and a milder phenotype.7,8
Statistical Analysis
Mean values of continuous variables were compared using analysis of variance and Student's t test. The F statistic was used to asses the assumption of equal variances in comparison groups.
2 analysis was used to compare
proportions and frequency distributions. In which expected values were
small, Fisher's exact test was used to compare proportions.
F508, W1282X or the 3849+10kb C
>T mutations.
All the studied chromosomes carrying the G85E mutation had the 7T
variant in the polythymidine tract at the branch/acceptor site in
intron 8.
|
Table 1. Clinical Data of CF Patients Carrying the G85E Mutation |
F508
mutations (Table 1, patients 7 and 8). The first child was diagnosed at an early age with typical severe course and died at an early age, whereas his subsequent brother was diagnosed at age 10 during CF
screening. After the diagnosis he was further assessed and was found to
have PS, elevated sweat chloride levels, minimal bronchiectasis, and
normal pulmonary function.
Table 2.
Comparison of Clinical Data Between CF Patients Carrying the G85E
Mutations and Patients Homozygous or Compound Heterozygous for Two
Severe Mutations (W1282X and
F508 and/or W1282X mutations previously associated with
PI and the more severe disease (group 1) or with patients carrying the
3849+10kb C->T previously associated with higher frequency of PS and a
milder disease (group 2), revealed that the mean age at diagnosis and
age at assessment in the group of patients carrying the G85E mutation
were not significantly different from those in group 1, but
significantly lower than in group 2 (P = .001 for age of diagnosis, P = .04 for age at assessment;
Table 2). Likewise, mean sweat chloride
levels in patients carrying the G85E mutation was similar to group 1, and significantly higher than group 2 (P = .001;
Table 2). Thus, it seems that patients carrying the G85E mutation have
similarly severe disease as patients carrying the
F508 and/or W1282X
mutations. However, the F test of equal variance was
significantly different between these groups: the range of age at
diagnosis and sweat chloride levels were much broader for the G85E
group than for group 1 (P < .0001), and sweat
chloride was more variable in the G85E mutation than in group 2 (P = .002).
F508) and Those Carry a Milder Mutation
(3849+10kb C
>T)
Levels of Correctly Spliced CFTR RNA Transcribed From the G85E
Allele in Respiratory Epithelium
Fig. 1.
FEV1 versus age for the three groups
showing similar distribution with wide scatter of the values in all
groups. The superimposed lines are the reference values and 1 and 2 standard deviations around the reference line of patients from Toronto
homozygous for
F508,2 showing that the spread of the
values are typical. Severe:
F508/
F508, W1282X/W1282X,
F508/W1282X. Mild: 3849+10kb C
>T.
[View Larger Version of this Image (14K GIF file)]
F508,2,6,11
W1282X,3,6 G542X,6 N1303K,4,6 and
R533X5,6 in which >95% of the patients had
PI2 whereas others like the 3849+10kb
C->T,7,8 A455E15 R117H6 in which
>65% of the patients were PS. The incidence of PS among the patients
carrying the G85E mutation (25%), suggests that it cannot be
classified either as a PI- or PS-associated mutation. Slightly
elevated, borderline, or even normal values of sweat chloride were
previously reported among patients carrying at least one copy of the
splicing mutation 3849+10kb C->T.7,8,15 Two of the
patients in our study, carrying the G85E mutation, had borderline sweat
chloride levels, whereas the others had typically high levels.
Furthermore, as shown in Table 2, it seems that the G85E patients
present to medical attention at a later age than the patients in the
severe group. However, again this is attributable to the wide range of
the age of diagnosis among the G85E patients, and not attributable to a
milder disease course. As shown in Table 1, the patients were diagnosed
either typically under 1 year of age, or at a significantly later age. Thus, the results of our analysis show that the G85E mutation is
associated with variable disease presentation in all the studied parameters. Most of the patients have typically a severe course, although approximately 25% of the patients have an atypical course. Interestingly, pulmonary disease is similar in all types of mutations, thus the atypical course is related mainly to the gastrointestinal involvement.
Received for publication Jan 10, 1997; accepted Mar 13, 1997.
Reprint requests to (E.K.) Department of Pediatrics, Pulmonary and Cystic Fibrosis Clinic, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel 91031.
CF, cystic fibrosis. CFTR, cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator. PI, pancreatic insufficiency. PS, pancreatic sufficiency. PCR, polymerase chain reaction. RT, reverse transcriptase. FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 second.
analysis of the most common mutation
(
F508).
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1990;
323:1517-1522[Abstract]
F508, R553X and
3905insT mutations.
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32:175-178[Medline]
F508 mutation are clinically indistinguishable from
F508
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Am
J Hum Genet
1992;
51:245-250[Medline]
G, produces a new
exon. High frequency in Spanish cystic fibrosis chromosomes and
association with severe phenotype.
Am J Hum Genet
1995;
56:623-629[Medline]
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