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Deletion of mitochondrial DNA in patients with combined features of kearns‐sayre and MELAS syndromes
Author(s) -
Zupanc Mary L.,
Moraes Carlos T.,
Shanske Sara,
Langman Craig B.,
Ciafaloni Emma,
DiMauro Salvatore
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410290619
Subject(s) - kearns–sayre syndrome , mitochondrial dna , melas syndrome , mitochondrial myopathy , medicine , genetics , biology , gene
A 9‐year‐old girl and an 11‐year‐old boy had ptosis, progressive external ophthalmoplegia, pigmentary retinopathy, and sensorineural hearing loss. The girl had diabetes mellitus and the boy had hypoparathyroidism. Both children also developed recurrent vomiting and cerebral infarcts with lactic acidosis. Muscle biopsy specimens showed ragged‐red fibers and Southern analysis demonstrated a distinct heteropolasmic deletion of muscle mitochondrial DNA in each patient but no evidence of the point mutation in the transfer RNA Leu(UUR) generecently identified in mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke‐like episodes (MELAS). These 2 children had combined features of Kearns‐Sayre syndrome and MELAS, suggesting that mitochondrial DNA deletions occasionally can have pleomorphic clinical expression.