Clinicopathological phenotype of codon 129 valine homozygote sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

The naturally occurring polymorphism at codon 129 of the human prion protein gene (PRNP) influences susceptibility to sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD); the majority of the patients are methionine homozygotes at this locus, while valine homozygotes represent only 10% of cases. The aim was to study the clinical and neuropathological phenotype of sporadic CJD in valine homozygotes, to estimate the reliability of current clinical diagnostic criteria, and to identify any consistent and distinct features. Twelve cases of sporadic CJD with a codon 129 valine homozygote genotype were identified at the National CJD Surveillance Unit in Edinburgh. In addition to a retrospective clinical analysis, tissue blocks were stained by conventional techniques and by immunocytochemistry for prion protein. Frozen brain tissue was available from five cases for Western blot analysis of PrPRES, which in all cases showed a type 2 mobility. The cases included four males and eight females, average age 63.6 years, with a mean duration of illness of 6 months. Eleven patients presented with ataxia, and none had the characteristic EEG changes found in sporadic CJD. The neuropathological phenotype comprised spongiform change and prion protein immunopositivity most marked in the subcortical grey matter and cerebellum, prion protein positive plaque-like deposits in all regions, laminar deposition of prion protein in the cerebral cortex, and hippocampal involvement (which is seldom reported in sporadic CJD). In conclusion, these cases exhibited a fairly uniform phenotype, which is relatively distinct from sporadic CJD in methionine homozygotes, and thus diagnosis may be difficult using existing clinical criteria.     

Prion protein genotype and pathological phenotype studies in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

A comparative semi-automated morphometric study was performed on the distribution of prion protein, spongiform change and astrocytosis in the brains of nine cases of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease of differing genotype at the methionine-valine polymorphism at codon 129 of the prion protein gene. Custom-designed image analysis software was used to produce objective figures for each of the different pathological features throughout 13 different areas of the brain used for analysis. A significant positive correlation was observed between prion protein deposition and astrocytosis in all cases and no significant correlation was observed between spongiform change and prion protein deposition. Different patterns of pathology were found to relate to codon 129 genotype; valine homozygosity favoured the targeting of pathology to deep grey matter structures, while methionine homozygosity favoured cortical targeting of pathology. These results provide evidence that prion protein deposition is closely associated with an astrocytic reaction and suggest that codon 129 genotype may influence the pathological phenotype.     

散发型克-雅病的临床特点分析

目的探讨散发型克-雅病(sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease,s CJD)的临床特点,以期更好地指导临床医师早期发现该病。方法纳入s CJD患者17例,分析其临床特点、早期症状、辅助检查结果以及生存期等。结果男女比例为1:1.83,平均发病年龄为(60±8.8)岁,首发症状以行走不稳(82.4%)、记忆力减退(64.7%)为主,其中,肌阵挛、磁共振"绸带征"、基底节异常信号、脑电图三相波、脑脊液14-3-3蛋白的阳性率分别为82.4%、76.5%、58.8%、82.4%、70%。随访过程中,12例患者已死亡,平均生存期为(12±7.7)个月。结论本研究中,s CJD患者多数中老年发病,首发症状无特异性,磁共振"绸带征"及脑电图三相波阳性出现的几率较高。     

Diffusion-weighted MRI in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

Conventional MRI with T1, T2 and FLAIR sequences has an important role for the diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, but the usual examination does not exclude the disease. The objective of this study is to report on the role of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the diagnostic strategy. From 2002 to 2006, four patients with a suspected diagnosis of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which was retrospectively confirmed, underwent DWI. In all patients, MRI demonstrated high-signal intensities on FLAIR sequences and on spin-echo T2-weighted MRI, with restricted diffusion of caudate and lenticular nuclei. In one patient, DWI revealed cortical high-signal intensities that were not visualized on either FLAIR or T2-weighted MRI. In two other patients, MRI showed restricted thalamic diffusion, which is a classic sign of the new variant of the disease. Thus, thalamic involvement can be found in the sporadic form of the disease. It can be revealed on DWI and by apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) mapping or detected only by ADC measurement.     

散发性Creutzfeldt-Jakob病头部磁共振表现

目的 探讨散发性Creutzfeldt-Jakob病(sCJD)头部磁共振的表现及其与临床的关系。方法 对10例sCJD于病后第2—12个月进行头部磁共振扫描，其中脑活检证实6例，14-3-3蛋白检测8例，脑电特异性改变8例及朊蛋白基因分析8例。结果5例双侧尾状核、壳核于T2，加权像或Flair像呈对称性高信号，苍白球与丘脑正常，T1加权像无改变；2例脑萎缩，1例少许脑腔隙梗死，另有2例正常。结论 (1)4例甲硫氨酸纯合型(129Met／Met)底节T2异常信号发现时间平均2．5个月，存活时间平均10．5个月；1例甲硫氨酸杂合型(129Met／Val)底节异常信号发现时间为12个月，存活时间为16个月；(2)底节T2异常信号者平均病程为12．2个月，长于底节无异常信号者(平均5．5个月)；(3)双侧尾核、壳核T2加权像对称性高信号是sCJD重要影像学改变，在特定的临床背景下为sCJD临床诊断依据之一。     

NMDA receptor autoantibodies in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

Journal of Neurology -     

A case of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease with a Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker phenotype but no alterations in the PRNP gene

We report here an unusual sporadic case of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) characterized by an abundance of prion protein (PrP)-immunopositive kuru and multicentric but not florid plaques. Molecular genetic analysis of the PRNP open reading frame region spanning codons 8–221 was performed. Neither deletion nor insertion mutations were detected in the repeat area of the PRNP. No pathogenic mutation was found in the sequenced region between codon 108–221. Restriction analysis of the amplified fragment using restriction endonucleases DdeI, PvuII and AluI did not show any of the previously described pathogenic mutations at codon 102, 105, and 117 associated with Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker (GSS). The patient was heterozygous for the methionine/valine coding triplet at polymorphic codon 129 of the PRNP gene by sequence, restriction endonuclease analysis and hybridization with allele-specific nucleotides. Furthermore, hybridization with ³²P-labeled allele-specific oligonucleotides confirmed the absence of pathogenic mutations at codons 102, 200 and 178. Such a case may present a missing “link” between sporadic CJD and familial GSS.     

散发性Creutzfeldt-Jakob病的临床和影像学特点

目的探讨散发性Creutzfeldt-Jakob病(sCJD)的临床和影像学特点。方法回顾性分析4例sCJD患者的临床资料。结果4例sCJD患者均表现为亚急性起病,进行性痴呆,伴有肌阵挛;头颅MRI显示对称性或非对称性大脑皮质彩带样和(或)基底节弥散加权成像(DWI)高信号。结论sCJD的临床特点为进展性痴呆伴肌阵挛,头颅MRI特别是DWI出现高信号为其病变特点。     

Basis of phenotypic variability in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

OBJECTIVE: To determine the correlation of clinical and pathologic features with prion protein (PrP) gene polymorphism at codon 129 and with biochemical characteristics of the protease-resistant PrP (PrPres) in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). METHODS: Clinical data acquisition, determination of the codon 129 genotype of the PrP gene, brain pathologic study, and immunoblot analysis of crude brain extracts were carried out in 14 patients. RESULTS: The first group of 10 subjects showed the classic clinical triad, with dementia, myoclonus, and periodic sharp waves on EEG. None of the subjects had amyloid plaques, but PrP immunoreactivity was of diffuse synaptic type in the cerebellar cortex. All subjects were methionine-methionine at codon 129 and the PrPres had a biochemical profile of type 1 (unglycosylated band of 21.5 kD). A second group of three patients showed cerebellar ataxia and later dementia. Periodic sharp waves on EEG were absent. PrP amyloid plaques predominated in the cerebellar cortex, along with diffuse PrP immunoreactivity. These subjects were valine-valine at codon 129 and had a type 2 PrPres (unglycosylated band of 19.4 kD). In the last patient cerebellar ataxia and dementia appeared simultaneously. Many Kuru-type plaques were present in the cerebellar cortex; many PrP amyloid plaques were present in the basal ganglia. This patient was methionine-valine at codon 129 and the PrPres was of type 1. CONCLUSIONS: The codon 129 genotype is only one of the factors determining CJD phenotype, and the biochemical pattern of PrP has no direct correlation with this phenotype.     

克-雅氏病5例临床分析

目的提高对克-雅氏病(Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease,CJD)的认识及重视。方法回顾性分析5例散发性CJD的临床资料。结果本组亚急性起病2例,慢性起病3例。主要的临床症状和体征有进行性痴呆、精神行为异常、共济失调、肌阵挛、头晕、锥体外系征、锥体束征、言语笨拙、癫痫等。头部MRI弥散加权像3例表现为基底节区病变,4例表现为皮质异常信号。脑电图均有异常,2例存在背景脑电α节律解体,4例发作间期出现较多尖慢波,1例发作间期出现欠规则三相波。4例脑脊液14-3-3蛋白为阳性。结论 CJD多为亚急性或慢性起病,病程进展迅速,以快速进行性痴呆为特征临床表现,头部MRI、脑电图、脑脊液14-3-3蛋白为主要辅助检查。     

A sporadic case of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease with peculiar neuropathological lesions]

The authors report a case of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in a man aged 60 years from a family without a history of similar disease. The disease extended over 11 months. In the clinical picture initially equilibrium disturbances and dementia with psychotic symptoms predominated, EEG pattern was not typical of CJD. Neuropathological examination revealed extensive spongiform lesions in the cortex of all cerebral lobes, in striatum and substantia nigra, moreover a considerable number of kuru plaques was found in cerebellar cortex. The authors consider that the case meets the criteria accepted for the sporadic form of CJD but believe that the final differentiation from the Gerstmann-Streussler-Scheinker syndrome should be based on genetic studies.