title: Novel diagnostic approach to citrin deficiency: analysis of citrin protein in lymphocytes.
abstract: Citrin deficiency induces two clinical features; namely neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency (NICCD) and adult-onset type II citrullinemia. Hypercitrullinemia is the most characteristic feature, whereas there are non-citrullinemic individuals. Diagnosis of citrin deficiency is performed by genetic analysis, although the 12 known mutations in the alleles are not detected in about 15% of cases. Thus, we aimed to examine citrin protein in lymphocytes isolated from peripheral blood as an alternative diagnostic method. We examined 38 children having an episode of cholestatic liver dysfunction, 8 heterozygotes, and 11 healthy individuals. All subjects were evaluated for citrin protein by Western blotting and for the 12 known mutations by gene analysis. Citrin protein was detected in 15 of 38 children with cholestatic liver dysfunction. Fourteen of them were negative for 12 known mutations in both alleles, whereas one patient was found to have a known mutation in one allele. Citrin protein was absent in 23 of the 38 patients. Among these 23, gene analysis diagnosed citrin deficiency in 19, whereas 2 patients were later revealed to be NICCD with novel mutations. In the remaining 2 patients, who exhibit the clinical features of NICCD, a known mutation was detected in one allele but no mutation was identified in another allele. Citrin protein was also detected in the 8 heterozygotes and 11 healthy individuals. We disclosed that citrin was deficient in lymphocytes among patients with citrin deficiency. Analysis of citrin is useful to diagnose citrin deficiency even in patients without known mutations or hypercitrullinemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abenoku, Osaka 545-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tokuhara
authors.forename: Mikio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iijima
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tamamori
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohura
authors.forename: Junji
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Takaya
authors.forename: Shunichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maisawa
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Takeyori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saheki
authors.forename: Tsunekazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamano
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okano
mesh_terms: D001793:Blood Preservation; D002780:Cholestasis, Intrahepatic / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D033681:Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000097:blood* / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
chemical_list: D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D033681:Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; C119629:SLC25A13 protein, human