Long-term enzymatic and phenotypic correction in the phenylketonuria mouse model by adeno-associated virus vector-mediated gene transfer

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH). The accumulation of phenylalanine leads to severe mental and psychomotor retardation, and hypopigmentation of skin and hair. Low-phenylalanine diet therapy can prevent irreversible damage if instituted from birth. However, poor compliance with the strict lifelong dietary therapy leads to various neurologic and behavioral problems. To develop a safe and promising gene therapy method for PKU, we investigated whether a recombinant adeno-associated virus could be used as a PAH gene transfer vector to reduce the excessive phenylalanine level in the PKU mouse model. A recombinant adeno-associated virus vector encoding the human PAH gene (rAAV-hPAH), driven by EF1-alpha promoter, was infused into PAH-deficient mice, Pah(enu2), via the hepatic portal vein. Two weeks after injection, the plasma phenylalanine level dramatically decreased to 360 microM in male PKU mice, accompanied by the coat color changing to black. The mean plasma phenylalanine level of untreated PKU mice was 1800 microM. The PAH enzyme activities of treated mice increased to 10-17% of wild-type mice. No signs of liver toxicity were observed after gene transfer. The biochemical and phenotypic corrections were sustained for up to 25 wk (25-wk detection period). In contrast, the treatment was less effective in female PKU mice. These results indicate that recombinant adeno-associated virus vector-mediated gene therapy can be a useful therapeutic candidate for patients with PKU. Further studies are needed to clarify the differences in PKU pathogenesis in males and females, and to explore alternative administration routes besides hepatic portal vein injection.     

Determination of phenylalanine hydroxylase activity in patients with phenylketonuria and hyperphenylalaninemia.

The phenylalanine hydroxylase assay was modified by using biopterin, lysolecithin, and dithioerythritol. Liver tissue was obtained by percutaneous needle biopsies in patients with phenylketonuria (PKU) and hyperphenylalaninemia. The use of the naturally occurring cofactor biopterin is essential to measure low enzyme activities. Thirteen of 14 assay specimens in which no activity was detectable correlated with the clinical picture of classic PKU. Twelve assay specimens showed a residual activity up to 6% of normal. This group comprises patients with classic PKU and with so-called hyperphenylalaninemia. Four specimens ranged between 8.7 and 34.5% of the normal values. Patients in this group have developed normally so far without dietary treatment. It seems that patients with residual activity tolerate more phenylalanine in the diet than patients with no detectable activity. One infant with biochemical symptoms of classic PKU was found to have a normal phenylalanine hydroxylase activity.     

Population genetics of phenylketonuria

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by a large number of mutations at the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) locus, most of which are strongly associated with specific RFLP or VNTR haplotypes. One of the major questions remaining in PKU research is why this apparently maladaptive disorder has been maintained at a frequency of approximately 1 in 10000 among Caucasians. A growing number of studies have provided evidence that both the relatively high frequency of PKU and the strong mutation/haplotype associations might reflect the existence of multiple founding populations for PKU. Examples of putative founding populations for PKU in both Europe and Asia will be presented. Some PAH mutations are associated with multiple haplotypes, suggesting recurrence. Evidence for and against recurrence as the mechanism responsible for the association of the R408W mutation with RFLP haplotypes 1 and 2 will be discussed.     

Direct detection of a major mutation responsible for phenylketonuria in the population of the Federal Republic of Germany

Forty-six individuals having phenylketonuria (PKU) alleles at the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) locus were tested for the haplotype 2 PKU mutation by allele-specific hybridization following in vitro DNA amplification. Patients and carriers previously shown to have a mutant haplotype 2 PAH allele demonstrated conservation of this mutation. In vitro DNA amplification greatly facilitated this analysis and provides the possibility of population screening for 37% of the mutant German PAH alleles.     

Genetics and hyperphenylalaninemias in 1992]

Hyperphenylalaninemias result from different enzymatic impairment, the most common and best studied which is phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) deficiency. The PAH gene has been cloned, sequenced and mapped: it is a single copy. Twenty-one mutations have now been characterized, but they constitute less than half of the haploid genotypes in French patients. A study of RFLP haplotypes is informative in 90% of families, but no linkage disequilibrium exists between illness and one particular haplotype. Prediction of phenotype from genotype seems possible, and could constitute a better therapeutic approach, perhaps including gene therapy in the most serious cases. The recently produced murine model should permit further progress to be made. Some hypotheses could be put forward about the origin and high frequency of this disease, that principally affects Caucasians: there is a consensus of opinion--though there is no definitive proof--that some selective advantage exists in individuals heterozygous for a PKU allele.     

In vivo studies of phenylalanine hydroxylase by phenylalanine breath test: diagnosis of tetrahydrobiopterin-responsive phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency

Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4)-responsive phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) deficiency is characterized by reduction of blood phenylalanine level after a BH4-loading test. Most cases of BH4-responsive PAH deficiency include mild phenylketonuria (PKU) or mild hyperphenylalaninemia (HPA), but not all patients with mild PKU respond to BH4. We performed the phenylalanine breath test as reliable method to determine the BH4 responsiveness. Phenylalanine breath test quantitatively measures the conversion of L-[1-13C] phenylalanine to 13CO2 and is a noninvasive and rapid test. Twenty Japanese patients with HPA were examined with a dose of 10 mg/kg of 13C-phenylalanine with or without a dose of 10 mg . kg(-1) . d(-1) of BH4 for 3 d. The phenylalanine breath test [cumulative recovery rate (CRR)] could distinguish control subjects (15.4 +/- 1.5%); heterozygotes (10.3 +/- 1.0%); and mild HPA (2.74%), mild PKU (1.13 +/- 0.14%), and classical PKU patients (0.29 +/- 0.14%). The genotypes in mild PKU cases were compound heterozygotes with mild (L52S, R241C, R408Q) and severe mutations, whereas a mild HPA case was homozygote of R241C. CRR correlated inversely with pretreatment phenylalanine levels, indicating the gene dosage effects on PKU. BH4 loading increased CRR from 1.13 +/- 0.14 to 2.95 +/- 1.14% (2.6-fold) in mild PKU and from 2.74 to 7.22% (2.6-fold) in mild HPA. A CRR of 5 to 6% reflected maintenance of appropriate serum phenylalanine level. The phenylalanine breath test is useful for the diagnosis of BH4-responsive PAH deficiency and determination of the optimal dosage of BH4 without increasing blood phenylalanine level.     

四氢生物蝶呤负荷试验诊断四氢生物蝶呤反应性苯丙氨酸羟化酶缺乏症的临床研究

目的探讨四氢生物蝶呤(BH4)反应性苯丙氨酸羟化酶(PAH)缺乏症的临床诊断方法,进一步了解其临床特征,为该型患儿应用BH4药物治疗提供科学依据。方法73例高苯丙氨酸血症(HPA)患儿,男47例,女26例,平均年龄1.93个月。所有患儿都进行口服BH4负荷试验,同时进行尿蝶呤谱分析、红细胞二氢蝶啶还原酶测定。对其中血苯丙氨酸(Phe)浓度<600μmol/L者给予口服Phe BH4联合负荷试验,对部分BH4反应性PAH缺乏症患儿,在普食条件下给予BH4片剂(10～20mg/kg)替代治疗6～7天,观察其疗效。结果(1)在BH4负荷试验中,不同类型HPA患儿的血Phe浓度表现出特征性的曲线改变,22例诊断为经典型苯丙酮尿症(PKU),39例中度PKU,12例四氢生物蝶呤缺乏症;(2)在中度PKU患儿中发现22例(56.4%)对BH4有反应;(3)6例BH4反应性PAH缺乏症患儿以BH410mg/kg治疗6～7天,其中4例血Phe浓度能控制到正常或接近正常治疗水平,另2例BH4需增加到20mg/kg使Phe浓度显著下降。结论在BH4负荷试验中,部分因苯丙氨酸羟化酶缺乏引起的中轻度PKU患儿对BH4有反应性,给予这些患儿BH4治疗可部分或全部替代低苯丙氨酸饮食治疗,拓宽了PKU的治疗方法,有助于提高患儿的生活质量。     

Correlation between polymorphic DNA haplotypes at phenylalanine hydroxylase locus and clinical phenotypes of phenylketonuria

Eight polymorphic sites for seven restriction endonucleases have been reported at the human phenylalanine hydroxylase locus. The composite profile of the presence or absence for each of the eight polymorphic sites within an allele defines the haplotype of the corresponding allele. Twelve such haplotypes associated with normal and mutant phenylalanine hydroxylase alleles have been identified in 33 Danish families with children with phenylketonuria. Of the 66 mutant alleles analyzed, 59 (89%) were associated with only four haplotypes. The identification of individual phenylalanine hydroxylase alleles by haplotype analysis enables correlation of the hyperphenylalaninemic phenotypes of the patients with their genotypes. Patients who were either homozygous or heterozygous for the mutant alleles of haplotypes 2 and 3 had a severe clinical course. Patients who had a mutant allele of either haplotype 1 or 4 usually had a less severe clinical phenotype. The recent demonstration that the mutation responsible for classic phenylketonuria associated with haplotype 3 is not present in mutant alleles of other haplotypes provides unambiguous evidence that there are multiple mutations in the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene and supports the hypothesis that different combinations of mutant alleles may be responsible for the clinical diversity of phenylketonuria.     

Molecular analysis of PKU in Ireland

Classical phenylketonuria (PKU: McKusick No. 261600) is caused by mutations occurring at the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) locus on chromosome 12 and has a prevalence in Ireland of 1 in 4500. We examined 304 independent alleles from 350 patients for the presence of six mutations and have characterized VNTR alleles within the minisatellite region 3' to the PAH gene in patients carrying the most prevalent mutation. R408W was the most common mutation found, with a relative frequency of 42%. All other mutations had relative frequencies of <10%. VNTR analysis showed that the R408W mutation is associated with the VNTR-8 allele in the Irish population, indicating that R408W is associated with RFLP haplotype 1. This differs from that reported from eastern Europe where R408W is associated with RFLP haplotype 2/VNTR-3; an observation which has led several groups to propose a Balto-Slavic origin for this mutation. These results support the hypothesis of a second, independent founding event for the R408W mutation on an RFLP haplotype 1 VNTR-8 chromsome background in the Irish/Celtic population.     

DNA diagnosis of monogene hereditary diseases exemplified by phenylketonuria and mucoviscidosis

In 170 inherited diseases there exists the possibility for diagnosis at the DNA level. Using phenylketonuria (PKU) and cystic fibrosis (CF) as examples we demonstrate the capability of direct and indirect DNA-diagnosis through the use of DNA markers and allelespecific oligonucleotide hybridization respectively. In 88% of our PKU-patients and in 98% of the CF-patients DNA linkage analysis and therefore prenatal diagnosis on the DNA level can be carried out in affected families. The reliability of DNA-diagnosis is 99.0% for PKU and between 96.0-99.99% for CF depending on where the DNA-markers are localized. In contrast to CF, the PKU gene has been isolated and distinct mutations within the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene have been characterized. There is evidence for a correlation between genotype and clinical and biochemical phenotype. Also in CF it is indicated that certain DNA haplotypes correlate with the severity of the disease: less frequent haplotypes seem to be more often associated with a milder course than haplotype "B/B" which represents 85% of the CF chromosomes. Therefore DNA diagnostic methods not only make a major contribution to improved genetic counseling but also offer the possibility for a better future understanding of the heterogeneity of genetic diseases.     

四氢生物蝶呤反应性苯丙氨酸羟化酶缺乏症

目的：四氢生物蝶呤(BH4)可以使BH4缺乏症病人的血液苯丙氨酸水平正常化,但是对苯丙酮酸尿症(PKU)病人无效。最近在新生儿PKU筛查中发现了对BH4有反应的轻度PKU患者。本研究将探讨BH4和苯丙氨酸羟化酶(PAH)基因突变在对BH4有反应的轻度PKU和轻度高苯丙酸血症(HPA)患者中的作用。方法：对经新生儿PKU筛查中发现的生物蝶呤代谢正常的轻度HPA患者,进行单次(10mg/kg)、4次、1周[20 mg/(kg·d)]的BH4口服负荷试验及长期BH4治疗,评估其对BH4口服负荷试验的反应性。结果：在单剂量BH4口服负荷试验中,典型PKU患者的血苯丙氨酸水平没有降低。在单剂量BH4口服负荷试验中血苯丙氨酸水平下降超过20%的患者,在4次BH4口服负荷试验中下降亦超过20%。1周BH4负荷试验确认在单剂量和4次BH4负荷试验中表现出弱反应性的病人对BH4有反应。许多患轻度PKU和轻度HPA且有R241C基因位点的病人,都对BH4治疗有反应。在无BH4反应性的典型PKU病人中未发现R241C、P407S和A373T基因突变。结论：1周BH4负荷试验用于诊断BH4反应性PAH缺乏症最为有效。等位基因R241C、P407S和A373T与轻度HPA和轻度PKU病人具有H4反应性有关。BH4治疗是针对轻度HPA和轻度PKU的一种新颖、有效的药物治疗,有望代替限制苯丙氨酸饮食的方法。     

Long-term treatment and diagnosis of tetrahydrobiopterin-responsive hyperphenylalaninemia with a mutant phenylalanine hydroxylase gene

A novel therapeutic strategy for phenylketonuria (PKU) has been initiated in Japan. A total of 12 patients who met the criteria for tetrahydrobiopterin (BH(4))-responsive hyperphenylalaninemia (HPA) with a mutant phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) (EC 1.14.16.1) gene were recruited at 12 medical centers in Japan between June 1995 and July 2001. Therapeutic efficacy of BH(4) was evaluated in single-dose, four-dose, and 1-wk BH(4) loading tests followed by long-term BH(4) treatment, and also examined in relation to the PAH gene mutations. The endpoints were determined as the percentage decline in serum phenylalanine from initial values after single-dose (>20%), four-dose (>30%), and 1-wk BH(4) (>50%) loading tests. Patients with mild PKU exhibiting decreases in blood phenylalanine concentrations of >20% in the single-dose test also demonstrated decreases of >30% in the four-dose test. The 1-wk test elicited BH(4) responsiveness even in patients with poor responses in the shorter tests. Patients with mild HPA, many of whom carry the R241C allele, responded to BH(4) administration. No clear correlation was noted between the degree of decrease in serum phenylalanine concentrations in the single- or four-dose tests and specific PAH mutations. The 1-wk test (20 mg/kg of BH(4) per day) is the most sensitive test for the diagnosis of BH(4)-responsive PAH deficiency. Responsiveness apparently depends on mutations in the PAH gene causing mild PKU, such as R241C. BH(4) proved to be an effective therapy that may be able to replace or liberalize the phenylalanine-restricted diets for a considerable number of patients with mild PKU.     

Relation between genotype and phenotype in Swedish phenylketonuria and hyperphenylalaninemia patients

Phenylketonuria (PKU) and hyperphenylalaninemia (HPA) are caused mostly by an inherited (autosomal recessive) deficiency in hepatic phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) activity. More than 50 PAH mutations have ben reported. The goal of the present study was to examine the molecular basis for the clinical heterogeneity of Swedish PKU and HPA patients. Mutations were identified through allele-specific oligonucleotide hybridization or DNA sequencing on 128 of the 176 mutant alleles (73%). Three mutations (R408W, Y414C and IVS12) together accounted for 56% of all mutant alleles and ten relatively infrequent mutations were found on another 17% of all mutant alleles. Patients from 50 of the 88 families (57%) had identified mutations in both PAH genes and allowed use to compare the clinical effects of different combinations of PAH mutations. The in vitro activity of all of these mutations, including the newly identified G272X and L364, have been tested in a eukaryotic expression system. There was a strong relationship between the average in vitro PAH activity of the two mutant enzymes and both the phenylalanine tolerance and the neonatal pretreatment serum phenylalanine concentration. This confirms previous observations in Danish and German PKU patients that disease phenotype is a consequence of the nature of the mutations at the PAH locus and not significantly influenced by other loci. The sample population in the previous study did not, however, include mild HPA patients, and the observed correlation is thus restricted to severe and moderate mutant alleles. Since a comparatively high proportion of the Swedish patients were mildly affected, we have provided additional evidence that this correlation is valid throughout a continuous spectrum of clinical varieties. PAH genotyping could therefore help predict prognosis of a recently diagnosed PKU or HPA child.     

A prevalent missense mutation in Northern Europe associated with hyperphenylalaninaemia

A missense mutation has been identified in the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene of a Danish patient with hyperphenylalaninaemia (HPA). An A-to-G transition at the second base of codon 414 results in the substitution of Cys for Tyr in the mutant PAH protein. In in vitro expression studies, the Tyr⁴¹⁴-to-Cys⁴¹⁴ mutant construct produced a protein which exhibited a significant amount of normal PAH enzyme activity, which is consistent with both in vitro and in vivo measurements of PAH activity in HPA patients. Population genetic studies reveal that this mutation is present on 50% of mutant haplotype 4 chromosomes in the Danish population. Together with the previously reported codon 158 mutation, these two mutant alleles comprise over 90% of all mutant haplotype 4 chromosomes in the Northern Europcan population. Thus, two allele-specific oligonucleotide probes can detect most mutant haplotype 4 chromosomes in Northern Europe.     

宁夏苯丙酮尿症患儿苯丙氨酸羟化酶基因外显子7突变分析

目的 探讨宁夏地区苯丙酮尿症（PKU）患儿苯丙氨酸羟化酶（PAH）基因外显子7 突变类型及频率,为该地区PKU 的基因诊断和产前诊断提供依据。方法 应用PCR 产物直接测序方法,对宁夏73 例经典型PKU 患儿（回族39 例,汉族34 例）的146 个PAH 等位基因外显子7 及其旁侧内含子区域进行序列分析。结果 共检测出6 种突变基因型,分别是R243Q（14.4%）、R241C（6.8%）、IVS7+2T → A（2.7%）、L255S（0.7%）、G247V（0.7%）和G247R（0.7%）。外显子7 突变基因总频率为26.0%（38/146）,包括错义突变和剪接位点突变两种。回族患儿R241C 等位基因突变检出率高于汉族（10% vs 3%,P<0.05）。结论 宁夏地区PKU 患儿PAH 基因外显子7 突变频率最高的是R243Q,其次为R241C;回族和汉族PKU 患儿R241C 等位基因突变率不同。     

Gene therapy for phenylketonuria

Classical phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by a deficiency of hepatic phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH). Three different vector systems have been developed to examine the potential of somatic gene therapy for the treatment of PKU. Recombinant retroviral vectors and DNA/protein complexes can efficiently transduce PAH-deiicient hepatocytes in vitro, but their present phenylketonuria, retrovirus application is limited by their low transduction efficiency in vivo. In contrast, infusion of a recombinant adenoviral vector expressing the human PAH cDNA into the portal circulation of PAH-deficient mice restores 10-80% of normal hepatic PAH activity and completely normalizes serum phenylalanine levels. At present, this effect is transient and re-administration has no further effect. However, this result suggests that PKU can be completely corrected by somatic gene therapy as more persistent vectors are developed.     

Atypical cases of phenylketonuria

Conclusion Neonatal HPA can be caused by deficiency of PAH or of its cofactor. At present, conventional methods are not able to delineate the molecular basis of the mutations in PKU patients. DNA analysis might in future visualize the different genotypes, but might not solve the problem of therapeutic decision.All infants with HPA should be screened for THB deficiency. Diagnostic tools are now available for the recognition of these variants among hyperphenylalaninemic infants. The most important question-which infants can achieve normal development if treated early-remains tobe answered. Efforts have to be directed toward better characterization of individual residual capacity to synthesize THB and toward and definition of protocols for the follow-up of neurotransmitter replacement therapy.Abbreviations PKU phenylketonuria - HPA hyperphenylalaninemia - PAH phenylalanine hydroxylase - DHPR dihydropteridine reductase - BS biopterin synthetase - THB tetrahydrobiopterin - GTP guanosine triphosphate - GTP-ch GTP-cyclohydrolase - N/B ratio neopterin/biopterin ratio     

Science, medicine and phenylketonuria

Science addresses ignorance; medicine uses facts. The scientific approach to phenylketonuria (PKU) led to the discovery of its causes, both ultimate (allelic heterogeneity at the PAH locus) and proximate (dietary phenylalanine), the proximal phenotype (phenylalanine hydroxylase deficiency), the associated metabolic phenotype and the major distal phenotype (impaired cognitive development and neuropsychological function) for which the pathogenesis is still being investigated. By applying knowledge through newborn screening, early diagnosis and treatment, the brain disease of PKU has been greatly ameliorated. The population approach, which converted incidence into cases, revealed genetic heterogeneity in hyperphenylalaninemia involving four other loci, controlling cofactor (BH₄) synthesis and recycling, and non-random geographic distribution of mutant PAH alleles of which more than 170 were known in April 1994. Various mechanisms including founder effect, genetic drift, hypermutability and selection (perhaps) explain the polymorphic aggregate frequency (∼ 0.01) and spectrum of PKU mutations in human populations.