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November 24, 2020; 95 (21) Article

Clinical spectrum of the pentanucleotide repeat expansion in the RFC1 gene in ataxia syndromes

Maria Gisatulin, Valerija Dobricic, Christine Zühlke, Yorck Hellenbroich, Vera Tadic, Alexander Münchau, Klaus Isenhardt, Katrin Bürk, View ORCID ProfileMelanie Bahlo, View ORCID ProfilePaul J. Lockhart, Katja Lohmann, Christoph Helmchen, Norbert Brüggemann
First published September 1, 2020, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000010744
Maria Gisatulin
From the Institute of Neurogenetics (M.G., V.D., V.T., K.L., N.B.), Institute of Human Genetics (C.Z., Y.H.), Institute of Systems Motor Science (A.M.), and Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (N.B.), University of Lübeck; Department of Neurology (V.T., C.H., N.B.), University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck; Department of Neurology (K.I.), Klinikum Aschaffenburg; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Kliniken Schmieder, Stuttgart, Germany; Population Health and Immunity Division (M.B.), The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research; Department of Medical Biology (M.B.), University of Melbourne; Bruce Lefroy Centre (P.J.L.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute; and Department of Pediatrics (P.J.L.), University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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Valerija Dobricic
From the Institute of Neurogenetics (M.G., V.D., V.T., K.L., N.B.), Institute of Human Genetics (C.Z., Y.H.), Institute of Systems Motor Science (A.M.), and Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (N.B.), University of Lübeck; Department of Neurology (V.T., C.H., N.B.), University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck; Department of Neurology (K.I.), Klinikum Aschaffenburg; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Kliniken Schmieder, Stuttgart, Germany; Population Health and Immunity Division (M.B.), The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research; Department of Medical Biology (M.B.), University of Melbourne; Bruce Lefroy Centre (P.J.L.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute; and Department of Pediatrics (P.J.L.), University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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Christine Zühlke
From the Institute of Neurogenetics (M.G., V.D., V.T., K.L., N.B.), Institute of Human Genetics (C.Z., Y.H.), Institute of Systems Motor Science (A.M.), and Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (N.B.), University of Lübeck; Department of Neurology (V.T., C.H., N.B.), University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck; Department of Neurology (K.I.), Klinikum Aschaffenburg; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Kliniken Schmieder, Stuttgart, Germany; Population Health and Immunity Division (M.B.), The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research; Department of Medical Biology (M.B.), University of Melbourne; Bruce Lefroy Centre (P.J.L.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute; and Department of Pediatrics (P.J.L.), University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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Yorck Hellenbroich
From the Institute of Neurogenetics (M.G., V.D., V.T., K.L., N.B.), Institute of Human Genetics (C.Z., Y.H.), Institute of Systems Motor Science (A.M.), and Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (N.B.), University of Lübeck; Department of Neurology (V.T., C.H., N.B.), University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck; Department of Neurology (K.I.), Klinikum Aschaffenburg; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Kliniken Schmieder, Stuttgart, Germany; Population Health and Immunity Division (M.B.), The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research; Department of Medical Biology (M.B.), University of Melbourne; Bruce Lefroy Centre (P.J.L.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute; and Department of Pediatrics (P.J.L.), University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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Vera Tadic
From the Institute of Neurogenetics (M.G., V.D., V.T., K.L., N.B.), Institute of Human Genetics (C.Z., Y.H.), Institute of Systems Motor Science (A.M.), and Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (N.B.), University of Lübeck; Department of Neurology (V.T., C.H., N.B.), University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck; Department of Neurology (K.I.), Klinikum Aschaffenburg; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Kliniken Schmieder, Stuttgart, Germany; Population Health and Immunity Division (M.B.), The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research; Department of Medical Biology (M.B.), University of Melbourne; Bruce Lefroy Centre (P.J.L.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute; and Department of Pediatrics (P.J.L.), University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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Alexander Münchau
From the Institute of Neurogenetics (M.G., V.D., V.T., K.L., N.B.), Institute of Human Genetics (C.Z., Y.H.), Institute of Systems Motor Science (A.M.), and Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (N.B.), University of Lübeck; Department of Neurology (V.T., C.H., N.B.), University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck; Department of Neurology (K.I.), Klinikum Aschaffenburg; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Kliniken Schmieder, Stuttgart, Germany; Population Health and Immunity Division (M.B.), The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research; Department of Medical Biology (M.B.), University of Melbourne; Bruce Lefroy Centre (P.J.L.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute; and Department of Pediatrics (P.J.L.), University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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Klaus Isenhardt
From the Institute of Neurogenetics (M.G., V.D., V.T., K.L., N.B.), Institute of Human Genetics (C.Z., Y.H.), Institute of Systems Motor Science (A.M.), and Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (N.B.), University of Lübeck; Department of Neurology (V.T., C.H., N.B.), University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck; Department of Neurology (K.I.), Klinikum Aschaffenburg; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Kliniken Schmieder, Stuttgart, Germany; Population Health and Immunity Division (M.B.), The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research; Department of Medical Biology (M.B.), University of Melbourne; Bruce Lefroy Centre (P.J.L.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute; and Department of Pediatrics (P.J.L.), University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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Katrin Bürk
From the Institute of Neurogenetics (M.G., V.D., V.T., K.L., N.B.), Institute of Human Genetics (C.Z., Y.H.), Institute of Systems Motor Science (A.M.), and Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (N.B.), University of Lübeck; Department of Neurology (V.T., C.H., N.B.), University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck; Department of Neurology (K.I.), Klinikum Aschaffenburg; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Kliniken Schmieder, Stuttgart, Germany; Population Health and Immunity Division (M.B.), The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research; Department of Medical Biology (M.B.), University of Melbourne; Bruce Lefroy Centre (P.J.L.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute; and Department of Pediatrics (P.J.L.), University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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Melanie Bahlo
From the Institute of Neurogenetics (M.G., V.D., V.T., K.L., N.B.), Institute of Human Genetics (C.Z., Y.H.), Institute of Systems Motor Science (A.M.), and Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (N.B.), University of Lübeck; Department of Neurology (V.T., C.H., N.B.), University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck; Department of Neurology (K.I.), Klinikum Aschaffenburg; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Kliniken Schmieder, Stuttgart, Germany; Population Health and Immunity Division (M.B.), The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research; Department of Medical Biology (M.B.), University of Melbourne; Bruce Lefroy Centre (P.J.L.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute; and Department of Pediatrics (P.J.L.), University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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Paul J. Lockhart
From the Institute of Neurogenetics (M.G., V.D., V.T., K.L., N.B.), Institute of Human Genetics (C.Z., Y.H.), Institute of Systems Motor Science (A.M.), and Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (N.B.), University of Lübeck; Department of Neurology (V.T., C.H., N.B.), University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck; Department of Neurology (K.I.), Klinikum Aschaffenburg; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Kliniken Schmieder, Stuttgart, Germany; Population Health and Immunity Division (M.B.), The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research; Department of Medical Biology (M.B.), University of Melbourne; Bruce Lefroy Centre (P.J.L.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute; and Department of Pediatrics (P.J.L.), University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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Katja Lohmann
From the Institute of Neurogenetics (M.G., V.D., V.T., K.L., N.B.), Institute of Human Genetics (C.Z., Y.H.), Institute of Systems Motor Science (A.M.), and Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (N.B.), University of Lübeck; Department of Neurology (V.T., C.H., N.B.), University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck; Department of Neurology (K.I.), Klinikum Aschaffenburg; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Kliniken Schmieder, Stuttgart, Germany; Population Health and Immunity Division (M.B.), The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research; Department of Medical Biology (M.B.), University of Melbourne; Bruce Lefroy Centre (P.J.L.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute; and Department of Pediatrics (P.J.L.), University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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Christoph Helmchen
From the Institute of Neurogenetics (M.G., V.D., V.T., K.L., N.B.), Institute of Human Genetics (C.Z., Y.H.), Institute of Systems Motor Science (A.M.), and Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (N.B.), University of Lübeck; Department of Neurology (V.T., C.H., N.B.), University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck; Department of Neurology (K.I.), Klinikum Aschaffenburg; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Kliniken Schmieder, Stuttgart, Germany; Population Health and Immunity Division (M.B.), The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research; Department of Medical Biology (M.B.), University of Melbourne; Bruce Lefroy Centre (P.J.L.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute; and Department of Pediatrics (P.J.L.), University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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Norbert Brüggemann
From the Institute of Neurogenetics (M.G., V.D., V.T., K.L., N.B.), Institute of Human Genetics (C.Z., Y.H.), Institute of Systems Motor Science (A.M.), and Center of Brain, Behavior and Metabolism (N.B.), University of Lübeck; Department of Neurology (V.T., C.H., N.B.), University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck; Department of Neurology (K.I.), Klinikum Aschaffenburg; Department of Neurology (K.B.), Kliniken Schmieder, Stuttgart, Germany; Population Health and Immunity Division (M.B.), The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research; Department of Medical Biology (M.B.), University of Melbourne; Bruce Lefroy Centre (P.J.L.), Murdoch Children's Research Institute; and Department of Pediatrics (P.J.L.), University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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Citation
Clinical spectrum of the pentanucleotide repeat expansion in the RFC1 gene in ataxia syndromes
Maria Gisatulin, Valerija Dobricic, Christine Zühlke, Yorck Hellenbroich, Vera Tadic, Alexander Münchau, Klaus Isenhardt, Katrin Bürk, Melanie Bahlo, Paul J. Lockhart, Katja Lohmann, Christoph Helmchen, Norbert Brüggemann
Neurology Nov 2020, 95 (21) e2912-e2923; DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000010744

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Abstract

Objective To determine the clinical significance of an intronic biallelic pentanucleotide repeat expansion in the gene encoding replication factor C subunit 1 (RFC1) in patients with late-onset cerebellar ataxia, neuropathy, and vestibular areflexia syndrome (CANVAS), in patients with other ataxias, and in healthy controls by comprehensive genetic analyses.

Methods In this case-control study, we included 457 individuals comprising 26 patients with complete or incomplete CANVAS, 70 patients with late-onset cerebellar ataxia, 208 healthy controls, and 153 individuals from 39 multigenerational families without ataxia to determine repeat stability. All 96 patients were screened for the repeat expansion by duplex PCR. To further characterize the repeat type and lengths, we used fragment length analysis, repeat-primed PCR, Sanger sequencing, and Southern blotting. Expression of RFC1 and the neighboring gene WDR19 were determined by quantitative PCR.

Results Massive biallelic pentanucleotide expansions were found in 15/17 patients with complete CANVAS (88%), in 2/9 patients with incomplete CANVAS (22%), in 4/70 patients with unspecified, late-onset cerebellar ataxia (6%), but not in controls. In patients, the expansion comprised 800–1,000 mostly AAGGG repeats. Nonmassively expanded repeat numbers were in the range of 7–137 repeats and relatively stable during transmission. Expression of RFC1 and WDR19 were unchanged and RFC1 intron retention was not found.

Conclusions A biallelic pentanucleotide repeat expansion is a frequent cause of CANVAS and found in a considerable number of patients with an incomplete clinical presentation or other forms of cerebellar ataxia. The mechanism by which the repeat expansions are causing disease remains unclear and warrants further investigations.

Glossary

BAFME=
benign adult familial myoclonic epilepsy;
CANVAS=
cerebellar ataxia, neuropathy, and vestibular areflexia syndrome;
HIT=
head impulse test;
MSA-C=
multiple system atrophy of the cerebellar subtype;
qPCR=
quantitative PCR;
RP-PCR=
repeat primed PCR;
SCA=
spinocerebellar ataxia;
SDS=
sodium dodecyl sulfate;
SSC=
standard sodium citrate;
vHIT=
video head impulse test;
VOR=
vestibulo-ocular reflex

Footnotes

  • Go to Neurology.org/N for full disclosures. Funding information and disclosures deemed relevant by the authors, if any, are provided at the end of the article.

  • ↵* These authors contributed equally as co–first authors.

  • ↵† These authors contributed equally as co–last authors.

  • Received January 13, 2020.
  • Accepted in final form June 25, 2020.
  • © 2020 American Academy of Neurology
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