Unusual phenotype in patients with a hypomorphic mutation in the DCLRE1C gene: IgG hypergammaglobulinemia with IgA and IgE deficiency

Abstract

The nuclease Artemis is a enzyme for V(D)J recombination allowing for the creation of T and B lymphocytes as well as for the repair of radiation-induced DNA double strand breaks encoded by the DCLRE1C gene. Artemis-null mutations are a known cause of severe combined immunodeficiencies (SCIDs) with radiosensitivity. Hypomorphic mutations in Artemis have been reported to cause a “leaky SCID"” phenotype, typically with hypogammaglobulinemia. We present four patients, all harboring the same unique hypomorphic mutation in the DCLRE1C gene, an 8-base pair insertion (c.1299_1306dup, p.Cys436*) presenting with a relatively mild phenotype including pulmonary infectious EBV-related lymphoproliferative diseases, an autoimmune phenomenon. Non-typical findings of IgG hypergammaglobulinemia accompanied by IgA and IgE deficiency were recorded in all patients. The typical viral, fungal, and opportunistic infections were absent, and patients reached a relatively old age.