Cited by 70Metabolism and Genetic DisordersHereditary Neurological DisordersGenomics and Rare Diseases

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 11 of the 11 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 5 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Peroxisomal D-bifunctional protein deficiency

Open access
Lines, Matthew A., Jobling, Rebekah, Brady, Lauren, Marshall, Christian R., Scherer, Stephen W., Rodriguez, Amadeo R., Lee, Liesly, Lang, Anthony E., Mestre, Tiago A., Wanders, Ronald J.A., Ferdinandusse, Sacha, Tarnopolsky, Mark A., On behalf of the Canadian Pediatric Genetic Disorders Sequencing Consortium (FORGE Canada)·2014·Neurology

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the causative genetic lesion in 3 adult siblings with a slowly progressive, juvenile-onset phenotype comprising cerebellar atrophy and ataxia, intellectual decline, hearing loss, hypogonadism, hyperreflexia, a demyelinating sensorimotor neuropathy, and (in 2 of 3 probands) supratentorial white matter changes, in whom numerous prior investigations were nondiagnostic. METHODS: The patients' initial clinical assessment included history and physical examination, cranial MRI, and nerve conduction studies. We performed whole-exome sequencing of all 3 probands, followed by variant annotation and selection of rare, shared, recessive coding changes to identify the gene responsible. We next performed a panel of peroxisomal investigations in blood and cultured fibroblasts, including assessment of D-bifunctional protein (DBP) stability and activity by immunoblot and enzymologic methods, respectively. RESULTS: Exome sequencing identified compound heterozygous mutations in HSD17B4, encoding peroxisomal DBP, in all 3 probands. Both identified mutations alter a conserved residue within the active site of DBP's enoyl-CoA hydratase domain. Routine peroxisomal screening tests, including very long-chain fatty acids and phytanic acid, were normal. DBP enzymatic activity was markedly reduced. CONCLUSION: Exome sequencing provides a powerful and elegant tool in the specific diagnosis of "mild" or "atypical" neurometabolic disorders. Given the broad differential diagnosis and the absence of detectable biochemical abnormalities in blood, molecular testing of HSD17B4 should be considered as a first-line investigation in patients with compatible features.

Overview

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Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

Whole-exome sequencing in 3 adult siblings with juvenile-onset cerebellar atrophy, ataxia, cognitive decline, hearing loss, hypogonadism, and demyelinating neuropathy identified compound heterozygous *HSD17B4* mutations causing peroxisomal D-bifunctional protein (DBP) deficiency. Routine peroxisomal blood tests were normal, but DBP enoyl-CoA hydratase activity was markedly reduced, supporting *HSD17B4* molecular testing as a first-line investigation in compatible patients.

Key findings

  • WES identified compound heterozygous *HSD17B4* mutations in all 3 affected siblings (2 women, 1 man); both mutations alter a conserved residue within the active site of DBP’s enoyl-CoA hydratase domain.
  • Routine peroxisomal screening was normal: phytanic acid was 1.6, 2.3, and 0.8 mmol/L (reference 0–10.0), and very long-chain fatty acids were normal; however, DBP enoyl-CoA hydratase activity was markedly reduced at 33, 32, and 32 pmol/min/mg protein (reference 115–600).
  • The phenotype included sensorineural hearing loss in middle childhood, ataxia and progressive cognitive decline from adolescence, marked cerebellar atrophy, demyelinating sensorimotor neuropathy, hypogonadism, and variable white matter lesions; the authors state this increases reported juvenile-onset DBP deficiency to 7 individuals and these are the oldest reported patients to date.
  • Patient 2 had left-sided weakness, abnormal eye movements, gadolinium-enhancing infra- and supratentorial white-matter lesions including Dawson fingers, CSF oligoclonal bands, and response to pulse steroids/immunosuppression.

Methods

  • Clinical assessment included history and physical examination, cranial MRI, and nerve conduction studies in 3 adult siblings of nonconsanguineous Italian background.
  • Whole-exome sequencing of all 3 probands used Agilent SureSelect Human All Exon 50 Mb capture and Illumina Hi-Seq 2000 100-bp paired-end sequencing; variants were annotated and filtered against dbSNP, 1000 Genomes, the NHLBI Exome Variant Server, and 130 local control exomes, then confirmed by Sanger sequencing.
  • Peroxisomal investigations in blood and cultured fibroblasts included very long-chain fatty acids, phytanic acid, bile acids, peroxisomal substrate oxidation, and DBP enoyl-CoA hydratase activity, with DBP stability and activity assessed by immunoblot and enzymologic methods per the abstract.

Limitations

  • Stated: no proven treatment exists for the underlying biochemical defect; reported patients are too few to permit clinical trials; phytanic acid concentrations in CSF and brain tissue are unknown; whether CSF oligoclonal bands represent coincidence or an autoimmune component is unclear.
  • Evident from the text: findings rest on only 3 affected siblings from a single family, limiting generalizability; the study reports clinical and biochemical characterization plus mutation identification, but no functional rescue or treatment trial.

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Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1212/wnl.0000000000000219

Cites

11 of 11 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

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Verification

Claims the paper makes

12 Own result · 4 Sources not found · 2 Own interpretation · 1 No basis given

Show all 13 claims

  • It may state two separate claims as one. 3
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 3
6 of 6
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    All reported diagnoses of juvenile DBP deficiency to date have been accomplished by whole-exome sequencing, rather than by conventional clinical means.

    “All reported diagnoses of juvenile DBP deficiency to date have been accomplished by whole-exome sequencing, rather than by conventional clinical means.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The pretest probability for each of the disorders in the differential diagnosis is low.

    “Given the low pretest probability for each of these disorders”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    White matter disease has not previously been reported in later (juvenile)-onset DBP deficiency patients.

    “As far as we are aware, white matter disease has not previously been reported in later (juvenile)-onset patients.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    No proven treatments exist to address the underlying biochemical defect in DBP deficiency.

    “No proven treatments exist to address the underlying biochemical defect in this disorder”
4 of 4

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Metadata

Authors
Lines, M. A., Jobling, R., Brady, L., Marshall, C. R., Scherer, S. W., Rodriguez, A. R., Lee, L., Lang, A. E., Mestre, T. A., Wanders, R. J. A., Ferdinandusse, S., Tarnopolsky, M. A., & On behalf of the Canadian Pediatric Genetic Disorders Sequencing Consortium (FORGE Canada)
Affiliations
Sunnybrook Health Science Centre (CA)
Venue
Neurology
Published
2014-03-18
Volume
82
Issue
11
Pages
963-968
ISSN
  • 0028-3878 (ISSN-L)
  • 1526-632X
OpenAlex
W2069769433
Cited by
70
References
10
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 10
FWCI
5.16
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neurology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (submittedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (submittedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
  • Pure Amsterdam UMC (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Clinical Biochemistry › Metabolism and Genetic Disorders
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Hereditary Neurological Disorders
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genomics and Rare Diseases
Keywords
HSD17B4, compound heterozygosity, enoyl-CoA hydratase, peroxisomal disorders, cerebellar atrophy, ataxia, intellectual decline, hearing loss, hypogonadism, white matter changes, exome sequencing, genetic diagnosis, neurometabolic disorders
MeSH terms
Adult, Cells, Cultured, DNA Mutational Analysis, Fatty Acids, Female, Fibroblasts, Humans, Male, Protein Deficiency, Siblings, Exome, Peroxisomal Multifunctional Protein-2

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Peroxisomal D-bifunctional protein deficiency. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1212/wnl.0000000000000219
The paper
Lines, M. A., Jobling, R., Brady, L., Marshall, C. R., Scherer, S. W., Rodriguez, A. R., Lee, L., Lang, A. E., Mestre, T. A., Wanders, R. J. A., Ferdinandusse, S., Tarnopolsky, M. A., & On behalf of the Canadian Pediatric Genetic Disorders Sequencing Consortium (FORGE Canada). (2014). Peroxisomal D-bifunctional protein deficiency. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000000219