Neonatal Intrahepatic Cholestasis Caused By Citrin Deficiency Patients Research Articles

Serum procalcitonin as a marker of neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (NICCD)

BackgroundNeonatal Intrahepatic Cholestasis (NICCD), as the early-age stage of Citrin deficiency involving liver dysfunction, lacks efficient diagnostic markers. Procalcitonin (PCT) has been identified as a biomarker for infection as well as various organ damage. This study aimed to explore the potential of PCT as a biomarker for NICCD. MethodsIn a single-center retrospective case-control study. Serum PCT concentrations before and after treatment of 120 NICCD patients, as the study group, were compared to the same number of cholestatic hepatitis patients, as the control group. The potential value of PCT to discriminate NICCD from control disease was further explored using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and compared to those of other inflammatory markers. ResultsThere was a significantly higher level of PCT in NICCD patients than in the control group. PCT concentrations were only weakly correlated with neutrophil counts and CRP levels (p ˂ 0.05). At a cut-off value of 0.495 ng/mL, PCT exhibited a significantly higher diagnostic value compared to other inflammatory markers for discriminating NICCD from the control, with a sensitivity of 90.8 % and specificity of 98.3 %. ConclusionPCT might be used as an initial biomarker to discriminate children with NICCD from another hepatitis disease.

The prognosis of citrin deficiency differs between early-identified newborn and later-onset symptomatic infants.

The prognosis for patients with citrin deficiency is not always benign. This study examined the differences between patients identified early by newborn screening and patients identified later with cholestasis/hepatitis. This retrospective study included 42 patients with genetically confirmed SLC25A13 mutations who were born between May 1996 and August 2019. Fifteen patients were identified during newborn screening (NBS group) and 27 patients were identified through the onset of cholestasis/hepatitis in infancy (clinical group). Overall, 90% of the patients presented with cholestasis, among whom 86% (31/36) recovered at a median age of 174 days. Compared with patients in the clinical group, patients in the NBS group were significantly younger at diagnosis and at cholestasis-free achievement; they also had significantly lower levels of peak direct bilirubin and liver enzymes. At the median follow-up age of 11.8 years, 21% of the patients had dyslipidemia, whereas 36% of the patients had failure to thrive. The overall mortality rate was 2.4%. Variant c.851_854del was the most frequent, constituting 44% of the mutant alleles. Patients identified early by NBS had a better prognosis, demonstrating the importance of a timely diagnosis of NICCD and the need for careful follow-up. Some cases of neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (NICCD) are not benign. Compared with patients identified later based on the presence of cholestasis/hepatitis, patients identified early by newborn screening have less severe cholestasis and are cholestasis-free at a significantly younger age. A timely diagnosis is needed, along with follow-up examinations that assess metabolic profile and body weight, to improve the long-term prognosis of NICCD patients.

Clinical characteristics and genetic analysis of neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency in comparison with idiopathic neonatal cholestasis.

To compare the clinical and genetic characteristics of patients with neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (NICCD) and idiopathic neonatal cholestasis (INC). The clinical data of 30 patients with NICCD and 30 patients with INC admitted in Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University during September 2012 and December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical manifestations, biochemical indicators and genetic characteristics were compared between two groups. Patients in both groups presented similar clinical manifestations, however the chubby face and clay-colored stool were more common in NICCD patients (both <0.01). Comparing with INC group, NICCD group showed significantly decreased blood levels of glucose, prealbumin, albumin, total protein, fibrinogen, and aminotransferases (<0.05 or <0.01), while significantly increased blood levels of indirect bilirubin, total bile acid, alkaline phosphatase, lactic dehydrogenase, ammonium, alpha fetoprotein, and markers of coagulation function (<0.05 or <0.01). In addition, NICCD patients showed remarkably increased blood levels of citrulline, methionine, tyrosine, arginine, and threonine; as well as significantly increased urine levels of 4-hydroxyphenyllactic acid, 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid and phenyllactic acid, while those indicators in INC patients were normal (all <0.01). All the patients with NICCD had mutation including 8 homozygotes, 9 compound heterozygotes, and 13 single heterozygotes. Among all mutations, c.851_854del was most common (53.19%), c.1196T>A and c.919G>T were two novel mutations. The manifestations of chubby face and clay-colored stool may provide clue for early diagnosis of NICCD along with the elevated biochemical parameters, such as ammonium, alpha-fetal protein, citrulline in blood and 4-hydroxyphenyllactic acid, 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid, phenyllactic acid in urine. Target gene trapping and high-throughput sequencing have the key values in diagnosis and differential diagnosis of NICCD.

Analysis of islet beta cell functions and their correlations with liver dysfunction in patients with neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (NICCD).

Neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (NICCD) primarily manifests in neonates or infants with hepatomegaly, liver dysfunction, and hypoglycemia. This study investigated the functions of islet beta cells and their correlations with liver dysfunction in NICCD patients.We retrospectively analyzed clinical data on liver function and islet beta cell functions for 36 patients diagnosed with NICCD and 50 subjects as the control group. The NICCD group had significantly higher total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels and albumin/globulin ratio (A/G) (P < .05), and lower ALB and GLB levels than the control group (P < .05). The differences in fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting insulin, C-peptide (C-P), the homeostasis model of assessment for the insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), fasting beta cell function (FBCI), and the HOMA beta cell function index (HBCI) between the NICCD and control groups were not significant (P > .05). A linear correlation was found between FBG and fasting insulin (P < .001) and between FBG and C-P in the NICCD patients (P = .001). Fasting insulin (P = .023), HOMA-IR (P = .023), FBCI (P = .049), and HBCI (P = .048) were positively correlated with increases in the ALT level. There was no difference in islet beta cell functions between the NICCD and control groups. The liver dysfunction may be correlated with islet beta cell functions in NICCD patients.

Blood glucose and insulin and correlation of SLC25A13 mutations with biochemical changes in NICCD patients.

Neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (NICCD) is a hereditary metabolic disease arising from biallelic mutations of SLC25A13. This study aimed to explore the characteristics of fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting insulin (FINS) and C-peptide (C-P) levels in NICCD infants, analyze their SLC25A13 genetic mutations and further discuss the correlation between SLC25A13 genetic mutations and biochemical changes. Seventy-two cases of infants with cholestasis disease were gathered. Among them, 36 cases with NICCD diagnosis were case group. Meanwhile, 36 cases with unknown etiology but excluded NICCD were control group. FBG, FINS, C-P, ALT, AST, GGT, ALP, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C and Non-HDL-C were collected from all subjects, and DNA was extracted from venous blood for SLC25A13 mutations detection. The incidence of hypoglycemia was 3% in NICCD group. There were no significant statistical difference of FBG, FINS and C-P between NICCD and INC groups ( P > 0.05). ALT, LDL-C and Non-HDL-C levels in NICCD group were lower than the INC group, while SLC25A13 mutations were associated with the level of GGT ( P < 0.05). Ten different SLC25A13 genetic mutations were detected, among which, 851del4, IVS16ins3kb, IVS6+5 G > A and 1638ins23 mutations made up 82% of all mutations. The incidence of hypoglycemia may be higher in small gestational age infants with NICCD. Low LDL-C may be one of the characteristics of dyslipidemia in NICCD infants. There was a correlation between SLC25A13 gene mutations distribution and the GGT level, but the meaning of this finding remains to be further in-depth study. Impact statement This study aims to compare FBG, FINS, C-P, other biochemical and clinical manifestations between NICCD and non-NICCD infants, and discuss differential diagnosis of NICCD and INC beyond the genetic analysis. And investigate the correlation between SLC25A13 genetic mutations and biochemical changes. This work presented that incidence of hypoglycemia may be higher in small gestational age infants with NICCD. Low LDL-C may be one of the characteristics of dyslipidemia in NICCD infants. There was a correlation between SLC25A13 gene mutations distribution and the GGT level.

Clinical research of neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by Citrin deficiency in Hubei Province

Objective To explore the clinical manifestations and the characteristics of neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by Citrin deficiency(NICCD) in Hubei province. Methods The biochemical indicators including liver function, blood lipid, lactic acid, blood ammonia, total bile acid, alpha feto protein, coagulogram, blood amino spectrum, acylcrnitine spectrum, urine organic acid and SLC25A13 gene analysis of 20 cases with NICCD, who came from Wuhan Children's Hospital, during September 2010 to January 2013, were collected before treatment, then followed up for 1 year. Results Laboratory results of NICCD patients showed high blood bilirubin, elevated liver enzymes and bile acid, hyperlipidemia, high alpha feto protein, high lactic acidosis, high ammonia, hypoalbuminemia, hypoglycemia, disorder of blood coagulation mechanism, variety of amino acids increase, mainly citrulline rose.Mainly long-chain acyl carnitine increased among acyl of carnitine.Abnormal increase of urine 4-hydroxy benzene acetic acid, 4-hydroxy benzene lactic acid and 4-hydroxy benzene pyruvic acid.Six mutations were detected in SLC25A13 gene analysis, and L477R, G639S of them were novel mutations, 851del4, 1638ins23, IVS6+ 5G>A were hot mutation.All the patients were eased in jaundice before they were 1 year old. Conclusions The early clinical criterion of the patients is disorder.Hyperlipidemia has been detected in the early course of the disease, and L477R, G639S are the novel mutations. Key words: Citrin deficiency; Neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency; SLC25A13

SLC25A13 Gene Analysis in Citrin Deficiency: Sixteen Novel Mutations in East Asian Patients, and the Mutation Distribution in a Large Pediatric Cohort in China

BackgroundThe human SLC25A13 gene encodes citrin, the liver-type mitochondrial aspartate/glutamate carrier isoform 2 (AGC2), and SLC25A13 mutations cause citrin deficiency (CD), a disease entity that encompasses different age-dependant clinical phenotypes such as Adult-onset Citrullinemia Type II (CTLN2) and Neonatal Intrahepatic Cholestasis caused by Citrin Deficiency (NICCD). The analyses of SLC25A13 gene and its protein/mRNA products remain reliable tools for the definitive diagnoses of CD patients, and so far, the SLC25A13 mutation spectrum in Chinese CD patients has not been well-characterized yet.Methods and ResultsBy means of direct DNA sequencing, cDNA cloning and SNP analyses, 16 novel pathogenic mutations, including 9 missense, 4 nonsense, 1 splice-site, 1 deletion and 1 large transposal insertion IVS4ins6kb (GenBank accession number KF425758), were identified in CTLN2 or NICCD patients from China, Japan and Malaysia, respectively, making the SLC25A13 variations worldwide reach the total number of 81. A large NICCD cohort of 116 Chinese cases was also established, and the 4 high-frequency mutations contributed a much larger proportion of the mutated alleles in the patients from south China than in those from the north (χ2 = 14.93, P<0.01), with the latitude of 30°N as the geographic dividing line in mainland China.ConclusionsThis paper further enriched the SLC25A13 variation spectrum worldwide, and formed a substantial contribution to the in-depth understanding of the genotypic feature of Chinese CD patients.

Neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency: prevalence and SLC25A13mutations among thai infants

BackgroundThe most common causes of cholestatic jaundice are biliary atresia and idiopathic neonatal hepatitis (INH). Specific disorders underlying INH, such as various infectious and metabolic causes, including neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (NICCD) especially, in East Asian populations are increasingly being identified. Since most NICCD infants recovered from liver disease by 1 year of age, they often are misdiagnosed with INH, leading to difficulty in determining the true prevalence of NICCD. Mutation(s) of human SLC25A13 gene encoding a mitochondrial aspartate/glutamate carrier isoform 2 (AGC2), can lead to AGC2 deficiency, resulting in NICCD and an adult-onset fatal disease namely citrullinemia type II (CTLN2). To study the prevalence of NICCD and SLC25A13 mutations in Thai infants, and to compare manifestations of NICCD and non-NICCD, infants with idiopathic cholestatic jaundice or INH were enrolled. Clinical and biochemical data were reviewed. Urine organic acid and plasma amino acids profiles were analyzed. PCR-sequencing of all 18 exons of SLC25A13 and gap PCR for the mutations IVS16ins3kb and Ex16+74_IVS17-32del516 were performed. mRNA were analyzed in selected cases with possible splicing error.ResultsFive out of 39 (12.8%) unrelated infants enrolled in the study were found to have NICCD, of which three had homozygous 851del4 (GTATdel) and two compound heterozygous 851del4/IVS16ins3kb and 851del4/1638ins23, respectively. Two missense mutations (p.M1? and p.R605Q) of unknown functional significance were identified. At the initial presentation, NICCD patients had higher levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and lower level of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) than those in non-NICCD patients (p< 0.05). NICCD patients showed higher citrulline level and threonine/serine ratio than non-NICCD infants (p< 0.05). Fatty liver was found in 2 NICCD patients. Jaundice resolved in all NICCD and in 87.5% of non-NICCD infants at the median age of 9.5 and 4.0 months, respectively.ConclusionNICCD should be considered in infants with idiopathic cholestasis. The preliminary estimated prevalence of NICCD was calculated to be 1/48,228 with carrier rate of 1/110 among Thai infants. However, this number may be underestimated and required further analysis with mutation screening in larger control population to establish the true prevalence of NICCD and AGC2 deficiency.

Utilization of high-resolution melting analysis to screen patients with neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency

To assess the feasibility of high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis for screening patients with neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (NICCD). Based on previous studies on SLC25A13 gene in Chinese patients with NICCD, four hotspot mutations (851del4, 1638ins23, IVS6+5G>A and IVS16ins3kb) were selected. Results of the HRM analysis was validated using 50 negative controls and 20 patients with NICCD whose genotypes were confirmed previously by direct sequencing. With the established protocol, 171 suspected patients were enrolled. Samples with abnormal melting curves were further validated by DNA sequencing. HRM analysis can accurately determine the genotypes of all negative controls and patients. The sensitivity and specificity of the technique reached 100% (70/70). The melting curves of samples with the same genotype were highly reproducible. In 171 suspected patients, seven NICCD patients were detected by HRM. Identified mutations have included one case of 851del4 homozygote, one case of IVS6+5G>A heterozygote, 3 cases of 851del4 heterozygotes, one case of [IVS6+5G>A]+[ 851del4] and one case of [1638ins23+IVS16ins3kb]+[1638ins23]. All mutations were subsequently confirmed by DNA sequencing. HRM analysis is a convenient, high-throughput and rapid technique for the screening of NICCD patients.

Biochemical characteristics of neonatal cholestasis induced by citrin deficiency

To explore differences in biochemical indices between neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (NICCD) and that with other etiologies. Patients under 6 mo of age who were referred for investigation of conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia from June 2003 to December 2010 were eligible for this study. After excluding diseases affecting the extrahepatic biliary system, all patients were screened for the two most common SLC25A13 mutations; the coding exons of the entire SLC25A13 gene was sequenced and Western blotting of citrin protein performed in selected cases. Patients in whom homozygous or compound heterozygous SLC25A13 mutation and/or absence of normal citrin protein was detected were defined as having NICCD. Cases in which no specific etiological factor could be ascertained after a comprehensive conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia work-up were defined as idiopathic neonatal cholestasis (INC). Thirty-two NICCD patients, 250 INC patients, and 39 infants with cholangiography-confirmed biliary atresia (BA) were enrolled. Laboratory values at their first visit were abstracted from medical files and compared. Compared with BA and INC patients, the NICCD patients had significantly higher levels of total bile acid (TBA) [all measures are expressed as median (inter-quartile range): 178.0 (111.2-236.4) μmol/L in NICCD vs 112.0 (84.9-153.9) μmol/L in BA and 103.0 (70.9-135.3) μmol/L in INC, P = 0.0001]. The NICCD patients had significantly lower direct bilirubin [D-Bil 59.6 (43.1-90.9) μmol/L in NICCD vs 134.0 (115.9-151.2) μmol/L in BA and 87.3 (63.0-123.6) μmol/L in INC, P = 0.0001]; alanine aminotransferase [ALT 34.0 (23.0-55.0) U/L in NICCD vs 108.0 (62.0-199.0) U/L in BA and 84.5 (46.0-166.0) U/L in INC, P = 0.0001]; aspartate aminotransferase [AST 74.0 (53.5-150.0) U/L in NICCD vs 153.0 (115.0-239.0) U/L in BA and 130.5 (81.0-223.0) U/L in INC, P = 0.0006]; albumin [34.9 (30.7-38.2) g/L in NICCD vs 38.4 (36.3-42.2) g/L in BA and 39.9 (37.0-42.3) g/L in INC, P = 0.0001]; glucose [3.2 (2.0-4.4) mmol/L in NICCD vs 4.1 (3.4-5.1) mmol/L in BA and 4.0 (3.4-4.6) mmol/L in INC, P = 0.0014] and total cholesterol [TCH 3.33 (2.97-4.00) mmol/L in NICCD vs 4.57 (3.81-5.26) mmol/L in BA and 4.00 (3.24-4.74) mmol/L in INC, P = 0.0155] levels. The D-Bil to total bilirubin (T-Bil) ratio was significantly lower in NICCD patients [all measures are expressed as median (inter-quartile range): 0.54 (0.40-0.74)] than that in BA patients [0.77 (0.72-0.81), P = 0.001] and that in INC patients [0.74 (0.59-0.80), P = 0.0045]. A much higher AST/ALT ratio was found in NICCD patients [2.46 (1.95-3.63)] compared to BA patients [1.38 (0.94-1.97), P = 0.0001] and INC patients [1.48 (1.10-2.26), P = 0.0001]. NICCD patients had significantly higher TBA/D-Bil ratio [3.36 (1.98-4.43) vs 0.85 (0.72-1.09) in BA patients and 1.04 (0.92-1.14) in INC patients, P = 0.0001], and TBA/TCH ratio [60.7 (32.4-70.9) vs 24.7 (19.8-30.2) in BA patients and 24.2 (21.4-26.9) in INC patients, P = 0.0001] compared to the BA and INC groups. NICCD has significantly different biochemical indices from BA or INC. TBA excretion in NICCD appeared to be more severely disturbed than that of bilirubin and cholesterol.

Studies on the clinical manifestation and SLC25A13 gene mutation of Chinese patients with neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency

To investigate the clinical and laboratory features of neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (NICCD) and to characterize the molecular basis and prognosis of this disease. Twenty-six patients with NICCD were collected because of idiopathic intrahepatic cholestasis and jaundice. The diagnosis was made by routine laboratory data collection, tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analyses. SLC25A13 gene mutation was analyzed by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), direct DNA sequencing and restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses. The patients were followed up for nearly 2 years. The NICCD patients showed low birth weight and the average onset of jaundice was 29 days. Laboratory data showed liver dysfunction, hyperbilirubinemia, hypoproteinemia, high levels of alpha-fetoprotein, prolonged prothrombin time, hypoglycemia and hyperammonemia. MS-MS analysis of the blood samples revealed specific elevation of citrulline, methionine, threonine, tyrosine and elevation of free carnitine, short-chain and long-chain acylcarnitines. GC-MS analysis of the urine samples showed elevated 4-hydroxyl phenyllactic acid and 4-hydroxyl phenylpyruvic acid. Twelve different mutations were identified, including 4 novel mutations, i.e., G386V, R467X, K453R and 1192-1193delT. Forty-four mutated alleles were identified in the 52 alleles (84.6% ). Among them, 851del4, 1638ins23 and IVS6+5G>A mutations were the most frequent mutations, accounting for 40.9%, 20.5% and 11.4% of the total alleles examined respectively. Five of the 26 patients have not been recovered, including 4 died and 1 accepted liver transplantation. No obvious relationship was found between the genotype and phenotype in NICCD. The 851del4, 1638ins23 and IVS6+5G>A mutations are the hot-spot mutations in Chinese NICCD patients. Some NICCD patients have poor prognosis.

Six cases of citrin deficiency in Korea

Citrin deficiency resulting from mutations of the SLC25A13 gene is associated with two major clinical phenotypes; neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (NICCD) and adult-onset type 2 citrullinemia (CTLN2). In Korea, 6 cases of citrin deficiency were diagnosed based on biochemical and molecular findings. Four NICCD patients (2 boys and 2 girls) presented high citrulline levels on a newborn screening test or neonatal cholestasis. They were associated with conjugated hyperbilirubinemia, elevated liver enzymes, hypoalbuminemia, mild hyperammonemia, elevated citrulline, methionine and threonine. All of the hepatic manifestations were resolved spontaneously at the age of 5-9 months. Mutation analysis identified them as compound heterozygotes carrying each of the c.851del4, IVS11+1G>A, IVS13+1G>A, G393S, and IVS16ins3kb mutant alleles. Two adult male CTLN2 patients were identified. They were aged 24 and 37 years, and presented sudden loss of consciousness, hyperammonemia and citrullinemia. They were compound heterozygotes with IVS13+1G>A and IVS16ins3kb, and with c.851del4 and IVS11+1G>A mutant alleles. This report describes the clinical characteristics, biochemical findings and molecular analysis of the SLC25A13 gene of patients with citrin deficiency in Korea.