Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0033377 (prolapse)
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MELAS (mitochondrial encephalopathy with lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes) is a maternally inherited disorder characterized by recurrent cerebral infarctions that do not conform to discreet vascular territories. Here we report on a patient who presented at 7 years of age with loss of consciousness and severe metabolic acidosis following vomiting and dehydration. She developed progressive sensorineural hearing loss, myopathy, ptosis, short stature, and mild developmental delays after normal early development. Biochemical testing identified metabolites characteristic of medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) deficiency (hexanoylglycine and suberylglycine), but also severe lactic acidemia (10-25 mM) and, in urine, excess of lactic acid, intermediates of the citric cycle, and marked ketonuria, suggesting mitochondrial dysfunction. She progressed rapidly to develop temporary cortical blindness. Brain imaging indicated generalized atrophy, more marked on the left side, in addition to white matter alterations consistent with a mitochondrial disorder. Magnetic resonance angiography indicated occlusion of the left cerebral artery with development of collateral circulation (Moyamoya syndrome). This process worsened over time to involve the other side of the brain. A muscle biopsy indicated the presence of numerous ragged red fibers. Molecular testing confirmed compound heterozygosity for the common mutation in the MCAD gene (985A>G) and a second pathogenic mutation (233T>C). MtDNA testing indicated that the muscle was almost homoplasmic for the 3243A>T mutation in tRNALeu, with a lower mutant load (about 50% heteroplasmy) in blood and skin fibroblasts. These results indicate that mitochondrial disorders may be associated with severe vascular disease resulting in Moyamoya syndrome. The contribution of the concomitant MCAD deficiency to the development of the phenotype in this case is unclear.
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PMID:Progressive cerebral vascular degeneration with mitochondrial encephalopathy. 1820 88

An 11-year-old girl and a 25-year-old woman were both initially referred to a neurologist with 'common' neurological problems: The girl suffered from tics, and later epilepsy, and her serum lactate concentration was elevated. She had unilateral hyperintensity of the left cerebral cortex and later developed diabetes mellitus. The woman had muscle weakness, diabetes mellitus and ptosis. In both patients, the problems turned out to be an expression of MELAS (mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes). The first patient died at 18 years of age during an epileptic seizure with severe metabolic disturbances. The second patient developed bilateral perceptive hearing loss, epilepsy and cardiomyopathy and she was repeatedly admitted to hospital with stroke-like episodes. She died at 46 years of age. Both patients had the MELAS A3243G point mutation. MELAS is a maternally inherited mitochondrial disorder. The age of onset and symptoms are highly variable, even within one family. To date there are no curative treatment options for the disease. Diagnosing MELAS is important though, for optimising the treatment of the individual symptoms and genetic counselling.
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PMID:[Unexceptional symptoms as expression of MELAS]. 2108 56