• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.137-141
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• 2021

Genetic causes of developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE) have been rapidly uncovered from mid-2010s. The mutations of gene enconding calcium channel, voltage-dependent, P/Q type, alpha 1A subunit (CACNA1A) are recently detected in DEE, which gene is already known well in familial hemiplegic migrine type 1 or episodic ataxia type 2. Ketogenic diet therapy (KDT) is effective in some DEE, which data is short in CACNA1A encephalopathy. A 3-month-old male with global developmental delay and multidrug-resistant focal seizures was diagnosed as epilepsy of infancy with migrating focal seizures (EIMFS). Brain magnetic resonance imaging and metabolic screening were all normal. Whole exome sequencing revealed two variants of CACNA1A: c.899A>C, and c.2808del that is from his mother. His seizures disappeared within 3 days whenever on KDT, which recurred without it. To our knowledge, this rare case of EIMFS with novel mutations of CACNA1A, is the first report in CACNA1A encephalopathy becoming seizure-free on KDT.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제54권11호
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• pp.473-476
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• 2011

Primary hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HOKPP) is an autosomal dominant disorder manifesting as recurrent periodic flaccid paralysis and concomitant hypokalemia. HOKPP is divided into type 1 and type 2 based on the causative gene. Although 2 different ion channels have been identified as the molecular genetic cause of HOKPP, the clinical manifestations between the 2 groups are similar. We report the cases of 2 patients with HOKPP who both presented with typical clinical manifestations, but with mutations in 2 different genes ($CACNA1S$ p.Arg528His and $SCN4A$ p.Arg672His). Despite the similar clinical manifestations, there were differences in the response to acetazolamide treatment between certain genotypes of $SCN4A$ mutations and $CACNA1S$ mutations. We identified p.Arg672His in the $SCN4A$ gene of patient 2 immediately after the first attack through a molecular genetic testing strategy. Molecular genetic diagnosis is important for genetic counseling and selecting preventive treatment.

• 대한조현병학회지
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.43-50
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• 2018

Objectives : Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) and meta-analyses indicate that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the a-1C subunit of the L-type voltage-dependent calcium channel (CACNA1C) gene increase the risk for schizophrenia and bipolar disorders (BDs). We investigated the association between the genetic variants on CACNA1C and schizophrenia and/or BDs in the Korean population. Methods : A total of 582 patients with schizophrenia, 336 patients with BDs consisting of 179 bipolar I disorder (BD-I) and 157 bipolar II disorder (BD-II), and 502 healthy controls were recruited. Based on previous results from other populations, three SNPs (rs10848635, rs1006737, and rs4765905) were selected and genotype-wise association was evaluated using logistic regression analysis under additive, dominant and recessive genetic models. Results : rs10848635 showed a significant association with schizophrenia (p=0.010), the combined schizophrenia and BD group (p=0.018), and the combined schizophrenia and BD-I group (p=0.011). The best fit model was dominant model for all of these phenotypes. The association remained significant after correction for multiple testing in schizophrenia and the combined schizophrenia and BD-I group. Conclusion : We identified a possible role of CACNA1C in the common susceptibility of schizophrenia and BD-I. However no association trend was observed for BD-II. Further efforts are needed to identify a specific phenotype associated with this gene crossing the current diagnostic categories.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제51권7호
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• pp.771-774
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• 2008

가족성 저칼륨성 주기성 마비는 골격근에 존재하는 ion channel의 장애로 인해 저칼륨혈증과 연관되어 나타나는 주기성 이완성 마비를 보이는 드문 유전 질환이다. 이 질환의 발생에 관여하는 유전자로는 골격근육의 1q31-32 염색체에 위치하는 칼슘 채널과 나트륨 채널의 alpha subunit을 encoding하는 CACNA1S gene과 SCN4A gene이 밝혀져 있다. 국내에서도 소아의 가족성 저칼륨성 주기성 마비가 수 예 보고된 바 있지만, 유전자 분석을 통해 변이가 확인된 예는 드물다. 이에 우리는 CACNA1S의 Arg1239His 변이에 의한 저칼륨성 주기성 마비로 진단된 12세 환아의 증례를 보고하는 바이다. 이 변이는 현재까지 알려진 CACNA1S의 변이 중 비교적 흔한 것으로 알려져 있으나, 국내에서는 보고된 바가 없다. 저자들은 경구 acetazolamide와 칼륨 복용, 유발인자를 회피할 것을 교육함으로써 이 환아를 치료했으며, 현재 환아는 주기성 마비의 빈도와 중증도의 개선을 보이며 삶의 질 역시 향상되었다.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.59-63
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• 2021

An important, albeit rare, cause of fetal bradycardia is long QT syndrome (LQTS). Congenital LQTS is an ion channelopathy caused by mutations in genes encoding cardiac ion channel proteins. Fetal onset of LQTS imposes high risk of life-threatening tachyarrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. Here, we report the case of a female newborn with fetal onset of bradycardia and a 2:1 atrioventricular (AV) block. After birth, a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed bradycardia with QT prolongation of a corrected QT (QTc) interval of 680 ms and pseudo 2:1 AV block. Genetic testing identified a heterozygous Gly402Ser (c.1204G>A) mutation in CACNA1C, confirming the diagnosis of LQTS type 8 (LQT8). The patient received propranolol at a daily dose of 2 mg/kg. Mexiletine was subsequently administered owing to the sustained prolongation of the QT interval and pseudo 2:1 AV block. One week after mexiletine inception, the ECG still showed QT interval prolongation (QTc, 632 ms), but no AV block was observed. There were no life-threatening tachyarrhythmias in a follow-up period of 13 months.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제57권10호
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• pp.445-450
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• 2014

Purpose: Familial hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HOKPP) is an autosomal dominant channelopathy characterized by episodic attacks of muscle weakness and hypokalemia. Mutations in the calcium channel gene, CACNA1S, or the sodium channel gene, SCN4A, have been found to be responsible for HOKPP; however, the mechanism that causes hypokalemia remains to be determined. The aim of this study was to improve the understanding of this mechanism by investigating the expression of calcium-activated potassium ($K_{Ca}$) channel genes in HOKPP patients. Methods: We measured the intracellular calcium concentration with fura-2-acetoxymethyl ester in skeletal muscle cells of HOKPP patients and healthy individuals. We examined the mRNA and protein expression of KCa channel genes (KCNMA1, KCNN1, KCNN2, KCNN3, and KCNN4) in both cell types. Results: Patient cells exhibited higher cytosolic calcium levels than normal cells. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that the mRNA levels of the $K_{Ca}$ channel genes did not significantly differ between patient and normal cells. However, western blot analysis showed that protein levels of the KCNMA1 gene, which encodes $K_{Ca}$1.1 channels (also called big potassium channels), were significantly lower in the membrane fraction and higher in the cytosolic fraction of patient cells than normal cells. When patient cells were exposed to 50 mM potassium buffer, which was used to induce depolarization, the altered subcellular distribution of BK channels remained unchanged. Conclusion: These findings suggest a novel mechanism for the development of hypokalemia and paralysis in HOKPP and demonstrate a connection between disease-associated mutations in calcium/sodium channels and pathogenic changes in nonmutant potassium channels.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.38-43
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• 2015

Purpose: Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are progressive neurodegenerative disorders with diverse modes of inheritance. There are several subtypes of SCAs. SCA 8, SCA 12, and SCA 17 are the less common forms of SCAs with limited information available on their epidemiological profiles in Korea. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of SCA8, SCA12, and SCA17 in Korea. Materials and Methods: Ninety-six unrelated Korean patients were enrolled and showed normal trinucleotide repeats through polymerase-chain reaction (PCR) for the genes ATXN1, ATXN2, ATXN3, CACNA1A, and ATXN7, which correspond to SCA1, SCA2, SCA3, SCA6, and SCA7, respectively. PCR products from patients were further analyzed by capillary electrophoresis using fluorescence labeled primers for the genes ATXN8OS, PPP2R2B, and TBP, which correspond to SCA8, SCA12, and SCA17. Results: Three patients had 104, 97, and 75 abnormal expanded repeats in the ATXN8OS gene, the causative gene for SCA8. None of the patients exhibited abnormal repeats in SCA12 and SCA17. Normal trinucleotide repeat ranges of the cohort in this study were estimated to be 17-34 copies (average, $24{\pm}4copies$) for SCA8, 7-18 copies (average, $13{\pm}3copies$) for SCA12, and 26-43 copies (average, $35{\pm}2copies$) for SCA17. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that SCA8, SCA12, and SCA17 are rare in Korean patients with SCA, and further genetic studies are warranted to enhance the mutation detection rate in the Korean SCA population.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제19권10호
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• pp.1484-1488
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• 2009

가족성 저칼륨성 주기성 마비란 상염색체 우성 유전 질환으로 저칼륨혈증을 동반한 간헐적인 가역적 이완성 근육 마비를 특징으로 한다. 세포내 저류된 칼륨으로 인해 저칼륨혈증이 지속되고 근세포 활성이상으로 인해 마비가 발생하는 것으로 알려져 있다. 이러한 증상발현의 분자생물학적 기전을 확인하기 위해 세포 내 칼륨이온을 세포 밖으로 이동시키는 지연성 정류형 채널 단백질의 일종인 KCNQ3와 KCNQ5를 대상으로, 정상인과 환자에서 채취한 골격근 세포를 생리적 세포외 정상 칼륨농도인 4 mM과 탈분극 유도를 위한 고칼륨농도인 50mM에 노출시켜 단백질의 양적 변화 유무를 확인하였다. 유전자 발현양상을 확인하기 위해 mRNA의 양적 변화를 확인한 결과 모든 조건에서 유의한 변화가 관찰되지 않아 정상 칼륨조건과 고칼륨조건이 두 유전자발현의 변화를 야기하지 않음을 확인하였다. 그러나 단백질 양을 관찰한 결과 환자의 골격근 세포가 50 mM의 칼륨농도에 노출되는 경우 KCNQ3 단백질은 세포질 내에서 증가하고 세포막 내에서 감소하였다. 이는 환자의 골격근 세포가 고농도의 세포외 칼륨에 의해 탈분극 되는 경우 재분극에 중요한 기능을 담당하는 KCNQ3 채널 단백질이 세포질 내로 이동하여 재분극 형성의 장애를 초래하고 이로 인해 근세포 활성이 일어나지 않게 되어 마비를 유발할 수 있음을 시사하는 결과로 본 질환의 새로운 발병 기전을 설명할 수 있는 근거로 생각된다.