title: Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I microdeletion in a patient with motor neuron disease.
abstract: An out-of-frame mutation of the mitochondrial DNA-encoded subunit I of cytochrome c oxidase (COX) was discovered during investigation of a severe isolated muscle COX deficiency in a patient with motor neuron-like degeneration. The mutation is a heteroplasmic 5-bp microdeletion located in the 5' end of the COI gene, leading to premature termination of the corresponding translation product. Western blot analysis, immunohistochemistry, and single-fiber polymerase chain reaction demonstrated a tight correlation between COX defect, COX I expression, and percentage of mutation. COX subunits II, III, and IV were decreased as well, suggesting a defective assembly of COX holoenzyme. The mutation was associated with a clinical phenotype unusual for a mitochondrial disorder, that is, an isolated motor neuron disease (MND) with some atypical findings, including early onset, preferential involvement of the upper motor neuron, and increased cerebrospinal fluid protein content. MND may arise from impaired scavenging and overproduction of free oxygen radicals, a by-product of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Our observation suggests that OXPHOS impairment could play a role in the pathogenesis of some MND cases.
authors.affiliation: Centro Dino Ferrari, Universita' degli Studi di Milano, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Comi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bordoni
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salani
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Franceschina
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sciacco
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prelle
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fortunato
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeviani
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Napoli
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bresolin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moggio
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Ausenda
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Taanman
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scarlato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017353:Gene Deletion; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016472:Motor Neuron Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D009132:Muscles / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D009692:Nucleic Acid Heteroduplexes / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D007527:Isoenzymes; D009692:Nucleic Acid Heteroduplexes; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV