Cited by 676Adrenal Hormones and DisordersSexual Differentiation and DisordersMetabolism and Genetic Disorders

The pathophysiology and genetics of congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia

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Bose, Himangshu S., Sugawara, Teruo, Strauss, Jerome F., Miller, Walter L.·1996·New England Journal of Medicine

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia results in severe impairment of steroid biosynthesis in the adrenal glands and gonads that is manifested both in utero and postnatally. We recently found mutations in the gene for the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein in four patients with this syndrome, but it was not clear whether all patients have such mutations or why there is substantial clinical variation in these patients. METHODS: We directly sequenced the gene for steroidogenic acute regulatory protein in 15 patients with congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia from 10 countries. Identified mutations were confirmed and recreated in expression vectors, transfected into cultured cells, and assayed for the presence and activity of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein. RESULTS: Fifteen different mutations in the gene for steroidogenic acute regulatory protein were found in 14 patients; the mutation Gln258Stop was found in 80 percent of affected alleles from Japanese and Korean patients, and the mutation Arg182Leu was found in 78 percent of affected alleles from Palestinian patients. We developed diagnostic tests for these and eight other mutations. Thirteen of the 15 mutations were in exons 5, 6, or 7, and all rendered the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein inactive in functional assays. Some mutants with amino acid replacements were capable of normal mitochondrial processing, indicating that the activity of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein is not associated with its translocation into mitochondria. Steroidogenic cells lacking the protein retained low levels of steroidogenesis. This explains the secretion of some steroid hormones by the ovaries after puberty before affected cells accumulate large amounts of cholesterol esters. CONCLUSIONS: The congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia phenotype is the result of two separate events, an initial genetic loss of steroidogenesis that is dependent on steroidogenic acute regulatory protein and a subsequent loss of steroidogenesis that is independent of the protein due to cellular damage from accumulated cholesterol esters.

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Crossref · 10.1056/nejm199612193352503

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  • Infants with untreated lipoid CAH can survive without treatment for several months, whereas patients with other forms of salt wasting CAH do not.

    “This, in turn, explains why infants with untreated lipoid CAH can survive without treatment for several months2,4,10), whereas patients with other forms of salt wasting CAH do not.”

    From Congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia (2014) · cites this paper as [4]

    The Discussion (page unavailable) reports that four infants with lipoid CAH survived at least three months without hormone-replacement therapy. The passages found do not establish the claimed contrast with untreated patients who have other salt-wasting forms of CAH. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • Lipoid CAH has been reported in most ethnic groups but is common among the Japanese, Korean, and Palestinian Arab populations.

    “Lipoid CAH has been reported in most ethnic groups but is common among the Japanese, Korean, and Palestinian Arab populations1,3,4,10,11,13,29,30,31,32).”

    From Congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia (2014) · cites this paper as [4]

    The Gln258Stop Mutations section says lipoid CAH is less rare in Japan and Korea than in the United States, and the Patients section documents cases from varied backgrounds. The paper also describes Palestinian patients, but the passages do not establish that the disease is common among Palestinian Arabs or has been reported in most ethnic groups. Its 70–80 percent figure concerns mutations among affected patients, not disease prevalence. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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  • Lipoid CAH is common in Japan and Korea.

    “Lipoid CAH is the most fatal form of CAH and is common in Japan and Korea.”

    From Congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia (2014) · cites this paper as [4]

    The Gln258Stop Mutations section says congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia is “not so rare” in Japan and Korea as it is in the United States. That supports a relative difference in frequency, but not the unqualified claim that it is common in those countries. No page number is provided in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • The second hit disrupts the low levels of StAR-independent steroidogenesis, leading to undetectable levels of steroid in older children with lipoid CAH.

    “This second hit disrupts the low levels of StAR-independent steroidogenesis, leading to undetectable levels of steroid in older children with lipoid CAH4).”

    From Congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia (2014) · cites this paper as [4]

    The Discussion (page unavailable) describes a second hit in which accumulated cholesterol esters damage cells and eventually disrupt StAR-independent basal steroidogenesis. It also says residual adrenal steroidogenesis is ultimately destroyed, but does not establish undetectable steroid levels in older children generally; it describes some ovarian steroid production after puberty. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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  • These tropic hormones stimulate cellular uptake of LDL-cholesterol and increase production of cholesterol from acetate, resulting in accumulation of cholesterol esters, which finally destroy cells either via physical enlargement with droplets of cholesterol esters or by chemical action of cholesterol oxidation products, or both.

    “These tropic hormones stimulate cellular uptake of low density lipoprotein-cholesterol and increase production of cholesterol from acetate, resulting in the accumulation of cholesterol esters, which finally destroy cells either via physical enlargement with droplets of cholesterol esters or by a chemical action of cholesterol oxidation products, or both4).”

    From Congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia (2014) · cites this paper as [4]

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Research works printed but not linked: 3

  1. [2]2. Prader A, Gurtner HP. Das Syndrom des Pseudohermaphroditismus masculinus bei kongenitaler Nebennierenrinden-Hyperplasie ohne Andro- genüberproduktion (adrenaler Pseudohermaphroditismus masculinus). Helv Paed Acta 1955;10:397-412.
  2. [23]23. Kondo T, Saito H, Nagahara S, Kobayashi Y. Clinical findings and go- nadal pathology in three cases of congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia (Prader syndrome). Clin Endocrinol 1986;34:322-5. (In Japanese.)
  3. [33]33. Stocco DM, Clark BJ. Regulation of the acute production of steroids in steroidogenic cells. Endocr Rev 1996;17:221-44.

Cited by

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Authors
Bose, H. S., Sugawara, T., Strauss, J. F., & Miller, W. L.
Affiliations
  • University of California, San Francisco (US)
  • University of Pennsylvania (US)
Venue
New England Journal of Medicine
Published
1996-12-19
Volume
335
Issue
25
Pages
1870-1879
ISSN
  • 0028-4793 (ISSN-L)
  • 1533-4406
OpenAlex
W2323979349
Cited by
676
References
31
Citations by year
2026: 13 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 27 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 32 · 2013: 30 · 2012: 22
FWCI
18.09
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • New England Journal of Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Texas Tech University
  • Hospital for Sick Children
  • National Institutes of Health (5r01dk042154-09)
  • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (DK-37922, DK 42154, R01DK037922)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Adrenal Hormones and Disorders
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Sexual Differentiation and Disorders
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Clinical Biochemistry › Metabolism and Genetic Disorders
Keywords
congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia, steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, steroidogenesis, cholesterol esters, mitochondrial protein translocation, adrenal gland, gonads, genotype-phenotype correlation, ovarian steroid secretion
MeSH terms
Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein, Adrenal Glands, Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital, Female, Genetic Testing, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Male, Mutation, Phenotype, Phosphoproteins, Frameshift Mutation

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