Lessons learned from 40 novel PIGA patients and a review of the literature

Epilepsia. 2020 Jun;61(6):1142-1155. doi: 10.1111/epi.16545. Epub 2020 May 26.

Abstract

Objective: To define the phenotypic spectrum of phosphatidylinositol glycan class A protein (PIGA)-related congenital disorder of glycosylation (PIGA-CDG) and evaluate genotype-phenotype correlations.

Methods: Our cohort encompasses 40 affected males with a pathogenic PIGA variant. We performed a detailed phenotypic assessment, and in addition, we reviewed the available clinical data of 36 previously published cases and assessed the variant pathogenicity using bioinformatical approaches.

Results: Most individuals had hypotonia, moderate to profound global developmental delay, and intractable seizures. We found that PIGA-CDG spans from a pure neurological phenotype at the mild end to a Fryns syndrome-like phenotype. We found a high frequency of cardiac anomalies including structural anomalies and cardiomyopathy, and a high frequency of spontaneous death, especially in childhood. Comparative bioinformatical analysis of common variants, found in the healthy population, and pathogenic variants, identified in affected individuals, revealed a profound physiochemical dissimilarity of the substituted amino acids in variant constrained regions of the protein.

Significance: Our comprehensive analysis of the largest cohort of published and novel PIGA patients broadens the spectrum of PIGA-CDG. Our genotype-phenotype correlation facilitates the estimation on pathogenicity of variants with unknown clinical significance and prognosis for individuals with pathogenic variants in PIGA.

Keywords: PIGA; Fryns syndrome phenotype; bioinformatical comparison; genotype-phenotype correlation; mild developmental delay.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Child
  • Cohort Studies
  • Electroencephalography / methods
  • Facies
  • Genetic Variation / genetics*
  • Hernia, Diaphragmatic / diagnostic imaging*
  • Hernia, Diaphragmatic / genetics*
  • Hernia, Diaphragmatic / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Limb Deformities, Congenital / diagnostic imaging*
  • Limb Deformities, Congenital / genetics*
  • Limb Deformities, Congenital / physiopathology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics*

Substances

  • Membrane Proteins
  • phosphatidylinositol glycan-class A protein

Supplementary concepts

  • Fryns syndrome