Multicenter genetic study of retinitis pigmentosa in Japan: I. Genetic heterogeneity in typical retinitis pigmentosa

A nationwide, multicenter study of typical retinitis pigmentosa (RP) was carried out in collaboration with 18 hospitals throughout Japan to obtain current information for genetic counseling. We analyzed the genetic heterogeneity of RP based on the parental consanguinity of 434 probands registered during a 6-month period in 1990. A gradual decline in the frequency of consanguineous marriage was recognized among the normal parents of RP patients. The relative frequencies of inheritance patterns were estimated as: autosomal recessive, 25.2%; autosomal dominant, 16.9%; X-linked, 1.6%; and simplex, 56.3%. A comparison of these results with previous reports in Japan revealed a decline in the relative frequency of autosomal recessive cases and an increase in simplex cases. This suggests a decrease in the incidence of autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa in Japan, as well as the necessity for exhaustive investigations aimed at identifying inheritance patterns for RP patients seeking genetic counseling.     

Genetic features of retinitis pigmentosa in Turkey

Sixty-two cases with retinitis pigmentosa from 42 index families were investigated to reveal the genetic features of the disease in Turkey. There were 42 propositi of whom 5 had a systemic syndrome associated with retinitis pigmentosa. Of the remaining 37 cases the condition was autosomal recessive in 21 (56.8%), sporadic in 12 (32.4%), autosomal dominant in 3 (8.1%) and X-linked recessive in one (2.7%). Sporadic cases may be more frequent as many hereditary cases are not brought to medical attention in rural families. Male preponderance among sporadic cases may indicate that there may be more X-linked cases. Nine out of 21 cases initially classified as sporadic displayed parental consanguinity and they were included as having autosomal recessive trait. Large families with autosomal recessive inheritance may prove valuable in linkage analysis and in defining future gene abnormalities.     

A genetic analysis of retinitis pigmentosa.

Genetic analysis of 457 patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) included categorisation of families by recognised mendelian pattern of inheritance and formal segregation analysis of all informative sibships. Of the 368 probands a surprisingly high 18% (68) had significant congenital loss of hearing and were diagnosed as having Usher syndrome. The RP probands were categorised as: 21.7% autosomal dominant, 9.0% X-linked, 16.0% autosomal recessive, 3.3% genetic type uncertain, and 50.0% simplex. Segregation analysis reflected this high proportion of simplex cases, accounting for reduced penetrance in dominant families; only 20% remain classified as sporadic (possibly nongenetic). In the matings between normal persons estimates of the segregation ratio also indicate lower values than expected. Unlike in RP sibship, segregation in the Usher syndrome is consistent with the hypothesis of recessive inheritance. Therefore RP with significant hearing loss segregates as expected, while even if a proband is classified as a dominant or recessive the recurrence risk for the RP phenotype may be below mendelian expectation.     

Prevalence of retinitis pigmentosa in Maine

Between 1976 and 1980, medical and social service sources were used to ascertain cases of retinitis pigmentosa in Maine (1980 population, I, 124,660). As of July 1, 1980, 241 clinically prevalent cases of retinitis pigmentosa were ascertained. Extensive pedigrees were collected for 185 of the subjects and medical records were obtained. One hundred fourteen cases were further evaluated by clinical examination including electroretinography. Adjusting for incorrect diagnosis (eight of 114, 7%) and underascertainment (23 of 185, 12.5%), we estimated that prevalence of retinitis pigmentosa in Maine is 236 cases, 21 per 100,000 population or 1:4,756. Excluding Usher and Bardet-Biedl syndromes, the prevalence is 1:5,193. Estimated birth incidence of persons who will become affected with non-syndrome retinitis pigmentosa is 1:3,544. Incidence of newly diagnosed cases per year is about six per 1,000,000 population. Among kindreds, 16 of 85 (19%) were autosomal dominant, 55 of 85 (65%) autosomal recessive or isolated cases, seven of 85 (8%) X-linked recessive, and seven of 85 (8%) not classified by mode of transmission.     

视网膜色素变性中视紫红质与Peripherin／RDS基因的突变筛查

目的:迄今尚未见在国人中经序列分析确定该基因突变的报道。了解国人遗传性视网膜色素变性人群中视紫红质和peripherin/RDS基因的突变情况。方法:对83例遗传性视网膜色素变性先证者视紫红质基因全部编码区和peripherin/RDS部分编码区进行PCR扩增,用异源双链-SSCP法对扩增产物进行分析,寻找有差异电泳带纹的突变样本,序列分析确定突变。结果:83例中3例有视紫红质基因突变(Va1104Phe、Lys311Glu、Pro347Leu),其中两个新突变分别见于散发病例(Va1104Phe,杂合性)和常染色体隐性遗传视网膜色素变性家系(Lys311Glu,纯合性)。在peripherin/RDS基因中未发现突变。结论:在国人视网膜色素变性患者中视紫红质基因突变为常见致病原因。眼科学报1998;14:210～214     

Prevalence of posterior subcapsular lens opacities in patients with retinitis pigmentosa.

We clinically evaluated 338 patients with various genetic types of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) for the presence of posterior subscapsular (PSC) lens opacities. Of these, 180 (53%) had PSC lens changes or were bilaterally aphakic. Patients with X-linked recessive RP showed a greater prevalence and patients with autosomal dominant RP a lesser prevalence of PSC lens changes compared with autosomal recessive or isolated cases.     

Multicenter genetic study of retinitis pigmentosa in Japan: II. Prevalence of autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a group of genetically heterogeneous diseases with autosomal recessive (AR), autosomal dominant, and X-linked modes of inheritance. Autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (ARRP) is the most common form in Japan. A genetic analysis was done to determine the prevalence of ARRP indirectly, to provide an estimation of changing trends in the overall prevalence of RP. Data on the frequency of consanguinity and marriage year of normal parents of 59 ARRP patients were obtained from a nationwide multicenter survey of typical retinitis pigmentosa conducted in 1990. The gene frequency of ARRP was 0.01145 (Dahlberg's formula). In 1990, the number of young symptomatic ARRP patients decreased, while the number of patients aged 40 years and older increased. The total number of symptomatic ARRP patients in 1990 was nearly 21% higher than in 1970. Despite a dramatic decline in consanguinity in recent decades in Japan, the number of ARRP patients has increased. This increase is attributed to greater longevity and overall population growth. Our results suggest that the total number of RP patients has not decreased, and may even have increased.     

A survey of hereditary aspects of pigmentary retinal dystrophies

A study of 707 cases of retinitis pigmentosa and choroideraemia presenting over 12 years were classified according to their modes of inheritance-439 autosomal recessive (62%), 193 autosomal dominant (27%), 75 X-linked (10.7%). The patients with autosomal recessive transmission included 58 Usher syndrome, 12 Laurence-Moon-Bardet-Biedl syndrome and 33 Leber's congenital amaurosis. Another 37 had an early onset with macular degeneration and 31 were of late onset with pericentral dystrophy. Forty two were offspring of consanguineous parents. Of 193 individuals (78 families) with autosomal dominant inheritance, 20% had night blindness from early childhood. With X-linked transmission, 33 males and 31 female carriers comprised the retinitis pigmentosa group and eight males and three carrier females, choroideraemia. Almost all this X-linked group were of British ancestry. Of patients originating from the Mediterranean area, 94% had autosomal recessive disease.     

A survey of hereditary aspects of pigmentary retinal dystrophies

A study of 707 cases of retinitis pigmentosa and choroideraemia presenting over 12 years were classified according to their modes of inheritance--439 autosomal recessive (62%), 193 autosomal dominant (27%), 75 X-linked (10.7%). The patients with autosomal recessive transmission included 58 Usher syndrome, 12 Laurence-Moon-Bardet-Biedl syndrome and 33 Leber's congenital amaurosis. Another 37 had an early onset with macular degeneration and 31 were of late onset with pericentral dystrophy. Forty two were offspring of consanguineous parents. Of 193 individuals (78 families) with autosomal dominant inheritance, 20% had night blindness from early childhood. With X-linked transmission, 33 males and 31 female carriers comprised the retinitis pigmentosa group and eight males and three carrier females, choroideraemia. Almost all this X-linked group were of British ancestry. Of patients originating from the Mediterranean area, 94% had autosomal recessive disease.     

The 208delG mutation in FSCN2 does not associate with retinal degeneration in Chinese individuals

PURPOSE: The 208delG (c.72delG, p.Thr25GlnfsX120) mutation in the FSCN2 gene was reported to cause autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (ADRP) and autosomal dominant macular degeneration (ADMD). The purpose of this study was to detect the 208delG mutation in Chinese individuals, with or without hereditary retinal degeneration. METHODS: DNA fragments encompassing the 208delG mutation were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The amplicons were analyzed by sequencing or/and heteroduplex- single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. An ophthalmic evaluation was conducted in those individuals with the 208delG mutation. RESULTS: The 208delG mutation was detected in 8 of 242 unrelated probands: 175 with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), 20 with Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), and 47 with cone-rod dystrophy (CORD). Of the eight, the retinal diseases were RP in six probands, LCA in one proband, and CORD in one proband. The disease was transmitted as an autosomal dominant (one family), autosomal recessive (two families), or sporadic (five families) trait. The mutation did not cosegregate with retinal degeneration in three families, whereas five normal family members also had the mutation. In addition, this mutation was also detected in 13 of 521 unrelated control subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The 208delG mutation in FSCN2 is not associated with hereditary retinal degeneration in the Chinese individuals examined, which contradicts the original report about mutation in FSCN2 as a cause of ADRP and ADMD. This finding reminds us that great care is needed in making mutation-disease associations.     

Retinitis pigmentosa in a man's right eye and corneal opacity, corneoiridal adhesion, and normal retina in the left eye

A 45-year-old-man, the product of a first-cousin relationship, complained of night blindness. His right eye has signs of early-stage retinitis pigmentosa. His left eye, which had suffered a corneal infection in childhood, had poor visual acuity, corneal opacity, corneoiridal adhesion, normal retina, and a normal electroretinographic response. The retinitis pigmentosa is likely an autosomal recessive trait, and the retinal lesion in the left eye may have been delayed by light deprivation produced by the corneal abnormalities.     

Sutural cataract,retinitis pigmentosa,microcephaly and psychomotor retardation a new autosomal recessive disorder?

We report four children (three sibs and one sporadic case) with congenital sutural cataract (opacity of the sutures of the crystalline lens), retinitis pigmentosa (leading to diminished visual acuity), microcephaly, and moderate to severe psychomotor retardation.

The three sibs (two F and one M) were born to healthy, consanguineous Moroccan parents; the sporadic case is an 11-year-old Dutch girl who presented at the age of nine months with a small head circumference (third percentile) and sutural cataract. Psychomotor development was retarded in all cases, retinitis pigmentosa became evident during middle or late childhood.

Congenital cataract has been described in association with a large number of various congenital abnormalities, such as renal, nervous system, skeletal, dermal and ocular (including retinal) defects.

A computer-assisted literature search has not revealed similar cases to those presented here. The cases described here appear to have a previously undescribed combination of ophthalmological and cerebral abnormalities.

The inheritance of the condition appears to be autosomal recessive as a brother and two sisters (offspring of normal consanguineous parents) are affected. The differential diagnosis is discussed.     

The incidence of HLA-SD antigens in recessive retinitis pigmentosa.

Eighteen patients with recessive retinitis pigmentosa were tissue typed for HLA-SD antigens. There was no evidence that a particular HLA-SD antigen was associated with autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa.     

Analysis of genes coding for S-antigen, interstitial retinol binding protein, and the alpha-subunit of cone transducin in patients with retinitis pigmentosa

We screened 526 unrelated patients with autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, or simplex retinitis pigmentosa for evidence of mutations of the genes encoding S-antigen (S-Ag), interstitial retinol binding protein (IRBP), and the alpha-subunit of cone-specific transducin. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) were identified at each of these loci. Within each set of patients with a particular genetic type of retinitis pigmentosa, RFLP alleles at each of these loci showed no departure from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. No gene deletions or rearrangements could be detected in any patient. Furthermore, in each of six pedigrees (one autosomal dominant, one autosomal recessive, three Usher's syndrome type I, and one Laurence-Moon-Bardet-Biedl syndrome) there was no co-segregation of the disease with alleles determined by RFLPs at the locus for S-antigen. At the IRBP locus, lack of co-segregation was seen in one autosomal dominant, two autosomal recessive, and three Usher's syndrome type I pedigrees. Finally, one pedigree with autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa showed no co-segregation of the disease with alleles at the locus for the alpha-subunit of the cone-specific transducin. These data support the idea that the genes coding for S-Ag, IRBP, and the alpha-subunit of the cone-specific transducin do not play an etiologic role in the families with retinitis pigmentosa so far studied.     

Genetic study of retinitis pigmentosa in China

A total of 190 patients (379 eyes), from 169 families, with retinitis pigmentosa were studied in four genetic aspects in China. A large percentage (58.9%) of affected patients appear to be sporadic cases with no family history of disease. In dermatoglyphic analysis, comparing with the controls, the increment of eight or more whorls, the increase of the number of simian and the value of atd angle in 110 patients with retinitis pigmentosa were statistically significant. In addition, the incidence of G6PD deficiency in retinitis pigmentosa (7.89%) is higher than that (3.5%) of a nonaffected population in the same area. However, there is no significant difference of ABO blood typing between 176 patients with retinitis pigmentosa and the normal population of China.     

视网膜色素变性的实验研究进展

视网膜色素变性是一种遗传性眼病,遗传方式包括常染色体显性遗传、常染色体隐性遗传及性连锁隐性遗传等,目前已知的突变位点超过3 000个,造成本病临床治疗困难。眼科学者致力于探索视网膜色素变性的治疗方式,进行了大量实验研究,主要有药物治疗、细胞移植、基因治疗等治疗方式。药物治疗包括中药、抗氧化剂、抗凋亡剂、神经营养因子等,与其它治疗方式相比,无侵入性,且方便价廉,但其作用机制尚需更深入的研究。细胞移植被认为是治疗视网膜色素变性的有效方法,但有可能引起视网膜前膜及黄斑皱褶。基因治疗虽然存在一定的局限性,但随着基因编辑技术和新型基因递送载体的发展,未来会成为视网膜色素变性最有希望的治疗方式之一。本文对近年来视网膜色素变性的实验研究进行了综述与展望。     

Correlation between Goldmann perimetry and maximal electroretinogram response in retinitis pigmentosa

To evaluate the relationship between Goldmann perimetry and maximal electroretinographic responses in patients with retinitis pigmentosa, analyses were performed on 220 affected subjects and separately on two subgroups with autosomal dominant (n = 35) and autosomal recessive (n = 29) inheritance. Electroretinograms were recorded averaging 100 iterations elicited with a 20-lux/s, 0.5-Hz white flash ganzfeld stimulation. The peripheral isopters of the visual fields were delimited with I4e, IIIe and V4e targets, measured on conventional perimetry charts with a light pen and expressed in square centimeters. Unlike most previously published reports, this investigation showed a definite correlation (p = 0.0001) between maximal electroretinographic response amplitude and visual field areas. This correlation was more evident for I4e and IIIe isopters (r = 0.89 and 0.87, respectively) than for V4e isopter (r = 0.69). This phenomenon appears to be related to distortion occurring on standard isometric charts and to spatial summation effects in the peripheral field. Such correlations held for both the autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive subgroups. It appears that, if enough accuracy is provided, maximal electroretinographic responses and Goldmann visual fields are both good measures of the remaining functioning retina in nonsyndromic retinitis pigmentosa, irrespective of inheritance models and dystrophic patterns.Abbreviations ADRP autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa - ARRP autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa - RP retinitis pigmentosa - VF visual field     

Analysis of the DNA of patients with retinitis pigmentosa with a cellular retinaldehyde binding protein cDNA

We used a cDNA fragment corresponding to the human cellular retinaldehyde binding protein (CRALBP) gene to search for mutations at this locus in patients with autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, or isolate retinitis pigmentosa, and Usher's syndrome, type I. No gene deletions or rearrangements could be detected in any patient by Southern blotting. We identified a Pvu II restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) defining two alleles at the CRALBP locus in the normal population. We used this RFLP to analyze the genomic DNA of large sets of unrelated patients with autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, or isolate retinitis pigmentosa. Within each of these groups, RFLP alleles at the CRALBP locus showed no linkage disequilibrium (departure from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium). In addition, two autosomal dominant, two autosomal recessive, and three Usher's syndrome, type I pedigrees each showed no cosegregation of the CRALBP locus and the disease locus. We could find no evidence that mutations of the CRALBP gene are associated with the common forms of retinitis pigmentosa or Usher's syndrome, type I.     

Molecular Epidemiology in 591 Italian Probands With Nonsyndromic Retinitis Pigmentosa and Usher Syndrome

PurposeTo describe the molecular epidemiology of nonsyndromic retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and Usher syndrome (US) in Italian patients.MethodsA total of 591 probands (315 with family history and 276 sporadics) were analyzed. For 155 of them, we performed a family segregation study, considering a total of 382 relatives. Probands were analyzed by a customized multigene panel approach. Sanger sequencing was used to validate all genetic variants and to perform family segregation studies. Copy number variants of selected genes were analyzed by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification. Four patients who tested negative to targeted next-generation sequencing analysis underwent clinical exome sequencing.ResultsThe mean diagnostic yield of molecular testing among patients with a family history of retinal disorders was 55.2% while the diagnostic yield including sporadic cases was 37.4%. We found 468 potentially pathogenic variants, 147 of which were unpublished, in 308 probands and 66 relatives. Mean ages of onset of the different classes of RP were autosomal dominant RP, 19.3 ± 12.6 years; autosomal recessive RP, 23.2 ± 16.6 years; X-linked RP, 13.9 ± 9.9 years; and Usher syndrome, 18.9 ± 9.5 years. We reported potential new genotype-phenotype correlations in three probands, two revealed by TruSight One testing. All three probands showed isolated RP caused by biallelic variants in genes usually associated with syndromes such as PERCHING and Senior-Loken or with retinal dystrophy, iris coloboma, and comedogenic acne syndrome.ConclusionsThis is the largest molecular study of Italian patients with RP in the literature, thus reflecting the epidemiology of the disease in Italy with reasonable accuracy.