Familial periodic paralysis (FPP) is inherited as a dominant trait, and the intermittent failure to maintain the skeletal muscle resting potential is due to mutations in the genes coding for the voltage-gated ion channels. Because several variants of FPP have been delineated on the bases of clinical features, the expectation was that these variants might be due to involvement of different classes of ion channels. The reality of the situation has proven to be more complicated. Mutation-induced defects in the same channel may give rise to diverse phenotypes (phenotypic heterogeneity) and, conversely, mutation in different channel genes may produce a common phenotype (genetic heterogeneity). Regardless of which type of ion channel is defective, the final common pathway is the depolarization-induced loss of muscle excitability; gain-of-function defect in voltage-gated Na channel may cause myotonia, periodic paralysis or both, clinical features of hyperkalemic periodic paralysis and paramyotonia congenita, and loss-of-function defects in voltage-gated Na and Ca channel and K channel may be responsible for periodic paralysis, cardiac arrhythmia or both in hypokalemic periodic paralysis or Andersen's syndrome, respectively. This review focuses on the clinical features, molecular genetic defects, and pathophysiologic mechanisms that underlie FPP.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Channelopathies* ; Clinical Coding ; Genetics* ; Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis ; Ion Channels ; Membrane Potentials ; Molecular Biology ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Myotonia ; Myotonic Disorders ; Paralyses, Familial Periodic* ; Paralysis ; Paralysis, Hyperkalemic Periodic ; Phenotype

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Mutations of the skeletal muscle sodium channel gene SCN4A, which is located on chromosome 17q23-25, are associated with various neuromuscular disorders that are labeled collectively as skeletal muscle sodium channelopathy. These disorders include hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HYPP), hypokalemic periodic paralysis, paramyotonia congenita (PMC), potassium-aggravated myotonia, and congenital myasthenic syndrome. This study analyzed the clinical and mutational spectra of skeletal muscle sodium channelopathy in Korean subjects. METHODS: Six unrelated Korean patients with periodic paralysis or nondystrophic myotonia associated with SCN4A mutations were included in the study. For the mutational analysis of SCN4A, we performed a full sequence analysis of the gene using the patients' DNA. We also analyzed the patients' clinical history, physical findings, laboratory tests, and responses to treatment. RESULTS: We identified four different mutations (one of which was novel) in all of the patients examined. The novel heterozygous missense mutation, p.R225W, was found in one patient with mild nonpainful myotonia. Our patients exhibited various clinical phenotypes: pure myotonia in four, and PMC in one, and HYPP in one. The four patients with pure myotonia were initially diagnosed as having myotonia congenita (MC), but a previous analysis revealed no CLCN1 mutation. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical differentiating between sodium-channel myotonia (SCM) and MC is not easy, and it is suggested that a mutational analysis of both SCN4A and CLCN1 is essential for the differential diagnosis of SCM and MC.
Channelopathies ; Diagnosis, Differential ; DNA ; Humans ; Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Mutation, Missense ; Myasthenic Syndromes, Congenital ; Myotonia ; Myotonia Congenita ; Myotonic Disorders ; Paralyses, Familial Periodic ; Paralysis ; Paralysis, Hyperkalemic Periodic ; Sequence Analysis ; Sodium ; Sodium Channels

A boy attended the hospital at the age of 1 month due to left hand tremor for 1 week. A blood test showed a reduction in serum uric acid and a cranial MRI showed encephalomalacia, atrophy, and cystic changes. The boy had microcephalus, unusual facial features (long face, long forehead, protruded forehead, long philtrum, low nasal bridge, facial swelling, and thick lower lip), hypertonia of lower extremities, and severe global developmental delay. Whole-exome sequencing performed for the boy detected a homozygous mutation, c.217C > T(p.R73W), in the
Carbon-Carbon Lyases ; China ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Metal Metabolism, Inborn Errors ; Mutation ; Uric Acid

PURPOSE: Calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystal deposition disease(CPPD) is a disease of the elderly and extremely rare in young individuals. If young people develop CPPD crystal deposition disease, it may be associated with metabolic diseases, such as hemochromatosis, hyperparathyroidism, hypophosphatasia, hypomagnesemia, Wilson's disease, hypothyroidism, and gout. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Therefore, in young-onset CPPD crystal deposition disease, an investigation of any predisposing metabolic conditions is warranted. CONCLUSION: We report a case of a young female patient who presented with idiopathic CPPD crystal deposition disease at 25 years of age.
Aged ; Calcium ; Calcium Pyrophosphate ; Chondrocalcinosis ; Diphosphates ; Female ; Gout ; Hemochromatosis ; Hepatolenticular Degeneration ; Humans ; Hyperparathyroidism ; Hypophosphatasia ; Hypothyroidism ; Metabolic Diseases

This paper summarizes the clinical features, causative genes and treatment progress of patients with rickets-like genetic diseases, including X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets (XLH), hypophosphatasia, achondroplasia, vitamin D-dependent rickets, pycnodysostosis and ectodermal dysplasia, who visited the pediatric or child health clinic due to the symptoms of rickets, including bow legs, delayed closure of the anterior fontanelle, and sparse hair. Children with XLH usually go to hospital for bow legs and short stature, and biochemical evaluation reveals significantly low serum phosphorus so it is easily diagnosed. This disease is treated using phosphate mixture and 1,25(OH)2D3, which is different from the treatment of nutritional vitamin D deficiency rickets. Hypophosphatasia is characterized by a significant decrease in serum alkaline phosphatase, as well as normal serum calcium and phosphorus. The disease is caused by mutations in TNSALP gene. Patients with achondroplasia show short-limbed dwarfism and special face in addition to bow legs, but with normal serum calcium, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase. Bone X-ray and FGFR3 gene test contribute to the diagnosis. Vitamin D-dependent rickets is an autosomal recessive disease, and active vitamin D supplement is effective in treatment of the disease. Patients with pycnodysostosis may be first seen at hospital because of large anterior fontanelle; in addition, they also show obtuse mandibular angle, dental abnormalities and dysplastic nails, which are caused by mutations in TSK gene. Children with ectodermal dysplasia may see a doctor for sparse hair, and they are easily misdiagnosed with nutritional vitamin D deficiency rickets. Ectodermal dysplasia is related to EDA, EDAR, EDARADD and WNT 10A genes.
Achondroplasia ; genetics ; therapy ; Ectodermal Dysplasia ; genetics ; therapy ; Familial Hypophosphatemic Rickets ; genetics ; therapy ; Humans ; Hypophosphatasia ; genetics ; therapy ; Pycnodysostosis ; genetics ; therapy

Skeletal mineralization is initiated in matrix vesicles (MVs), the small extracellular vesicles derived from osteoblasts and chondrocytes. Calcium and inorganic phosphate (Pi) taken up by MVs form hydroxyapatite crystals, which propagate on collagen fibrils to mineralize the extracellular matrix. Insufficient calcium or phosphate impairs skeletal mineralization. Because active vitamin D is necessary for intestinal calcium absorption, vitamin D deficiency is a significant cause of rickets/osteomalacia. Chronic hypophosphatemia also results in rickets/osteomalacia. Excessive action of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), a key regulator of Pi metabolism, leads to renal Pi wasting and impairs vitamin D activation. X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets (XLH) is the most common form of hereditary FGF23-related hypophosphatemia, and enhanced FGF receptor (FGFR) signaling in osteocytes may be involved in the pathogenesis of this disease. Increased extracellular Pi triggers signal transduction via FGFR to regulate gene expression, implying a close relationship between Pi metabolism and FGFR. An anti-FGF23 antibody, burosumab, has recently been developed as a new treatment for XLH. In addition to various forms of rickets/osteomalacia, hypophosphatasia (HPP) is characterized by impaired skeletal mineralization. HPP is caused by inactivating mutations in tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase, an enzyme rich in MVs. The recent development of enzyme replacement therapy using bone-targeting recombinant alkaline phosphatase has improved the prognosis, motor function, and quality of life in patients with HPP. This links impaired skeletal mineralization with various conditions, and unraveling its pathogenesis will lead to more precise diagnoses and effective treatments.
Absorption ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; Calcium ; Chondrocytes ; Collagen ; Diagnosis ; Durapatite ; Enzyme Replacement Therapy ; Extracellular Matrix ; Extracellular Vesicles ; Familial Hypophosphatemic Rickets ; Fibroblast Growth Factors ; Gene Expression ; Humans ; Hypophosphatasia ; Hypophosphatemia ; Metabolism ; Miners ; Osteoblasts ; Osteocytes ; Prognosis ; Quality of Life ; Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor ; Rickets ; Signal Transduction ; Vitamin D ; Vitamin D Deficiency

OBJECTIVE: To carry out preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic/single gene disorders (PGT-M) for a Chinese family affected with Molybdenum co-factor deficiency due to pathogenic variant of MOCS2 gene. METHODS: A family with molybdenum co-factor deficiency who attended to the Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in April 2020 was selected as the research subject. Trophoblast cells were biopsied from blastocysts fertilized by intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Embryos carrying the MOCS2 gene variant and chromosome copy number variation (CNV) of more than 4 Mb were detected by single-cell whole genome amplification, high-throughput sequencing and single nucleotide polymorphism typing. Embryos without or carrying the heterozygous variant and without abnormal chromosome CNV were transplanted. During mid-pregnancy, amniotic fluid sample was collected for prenatal diagnosis to verify the results of PGT-M. RESULTS: Eleven oocytes were obtained, among which three blastocysts were formed through culturing. Results of genetic testing suggested that one embryo was heterozygous for the maternally derived MOCS2 gene variant and without chromosomal CNV. Following embryo transfer, intrauterine singleton pregnancy was attained. Prenatal diagnosis by amniocentesis at 18 weeks of gestation revealed that the MOCS2 gene variant and chromosomal analysis results were both consistent with that of PGT-M, and a healthy male infant was born at 37⁺⁵ weeks of gestation. CONCLUSION PGT-M has helped the couple carrying the MOCS2 gene variant to have a healthy offspring, and may become an important method for couples carrying other pathogenic genetic variants.
Female ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Aneuploidy ; China ; DNA Copy Number Variations ; Genetic Testing/methods* ; Preimplantation Diagnosis/methods* ; Metal Metabolism, Inborn Errors/genetics*

Rickets is a syndrome, characterised pathophysiologically by a failure of normal mineralization of bone and epiphyseal cartilage and clinically by skeletal deformity in growing children. The four principal causes of rickets are; vitamin D deficency, renal tubular insufficiency, chronic renal insufficiency, and hypophosphatasia. Of these, vitamin D resistant rickets may result from primary defect in function of the renal tubular reabsorption for phosphorus, later accompsnied with secondary hyperparathyroidism. We experiened a rare case of hypophosphstemic vitamin D resistant rickets accompanied with secondary hyperparathyroidism in adolescence.
Adolescent ; Child ; Congenital Abnormalities ; Familial Hypophosphatemic Rickets ; Growth Plate ; Humans ; Hyperparathyroidism, Secondary ; Hypophosphatasia ; Miners ; Phosphorus ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Rickets ; Vitamin D ; Vitamins

Chronic hypophosphatemia caused by decreased intestinal absorption or increased renal clearance, may lead to rickets or osteomalacia independently of other predisposing abnormalities. The conditions commonly associated with increased renal clearance of phosphate are X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets, tumor associated rickets/osteomalacia, RTA and Fanconi syndrome. Recently we experienced 3 men with adult-onset, histologically proven osteomalacia associated with increased renal clearance of phosphate. None of them had a family history of bone disease, tumors or other tubular defects. All of these had remarkable biochemical and clinical improvement with medical treatment such as 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D and phosphate supplementation. Although we did not find tumors yet, we could not rule out the possibility of tumor-associated osteomalcia since it often takes several years to make a diagnosis because of small size, benign nature and unusual location of tumors. Thus, careful long-term follow up for tumor occurrence will be maintained in these patients with sporadic nonfamilial hypophosphatemic osteomalacia.
Bone Diseases ; Diagnosis ; Familial Hypophosphatemic Rickets ; Fanconi Syndrome ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypophosphatemia ; Intestinal Absorption ; Male ; Osteomalacia ; Rickets

Hyperkalemic periodic paralysis and paramyotona congenita share common clinical manifestations, such as autosomal dominant diseases with missense mutations at a gene encoding alpha-subunit of skeletal muscle voltage sensitive sodium channel (SCN4A). Exercise and cold provocation tests are physiological phenomena of clinical characteristics of these diseases. The authors experienced a case with hyperkalemic periodic paralysis and performed these tests comparing them with a patient with hypokalemic periodic paralysis and a normal person. Significant decremental changes of CMAPs were found by both tests in the case with hyperkalemic periodic paralysis, compared with those in a case of hypokalemic periodic paralysis or normal control. In conclusion, we suggest that exercise and cold provocation tests may be useful for the differential diagnosis between hyperkalemic periodic paralysis and hypokalemic periodic paralysis.
Diagnosis, Differential ; Electrodiagnosis ; Genes, vif ; Humans ; Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Mutation, Missense ; Paralysis ; Paralysis, Hyperkalemic Periodic* ; Physiological Phenomena ; Sodium Channels