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Published in: Metabolic Brain Disease 3/2016

01-06-2016 | Short Communication

EARS2 mutations cause fatal neonatal lactic acidosis, recurrent hypoglycemia and agenesis of corpus callosum

Authors: Katharina Danhauser, Tobias B. Haack, Bader Alhaddad, Marlen Melcher, Annette Seibt, Tim M. Strom, Thomas Meitinger, Dirk Klee, Ertan Mayatepek, Holger Prokisch, Felix Distelmaier

Published in: Metabolic Brain Disease | Issue 3/2016

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Abstract

Mitochondrial aminoacyl tRNA synthetases are essential for organelle protein synthesis. Genetic defects affecting the function of these enzymes may cause pediatric mitochondrial disease. Here, we report on a child with fatal neonatal lactic acidosis and recurrent hypoglycemia caused by mutations in EARS2, encoding mitochondrial glutamyl-tRNA synthetase 2. Brain ultrasound revealed agenesis of corpus callosum. Studies on patient-derived skin fibroblasts showed severely decreased EARS2 protein levels, elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and altered mitochondrial morphology. Our report further illustrates the clinical spectrum of the severe neonatal-onset form of EARS2 mutations. Moreover, in this case the live-cell parameters appeared to be more sensitive to mitochondrial dysfunction compared to standard diagnostics, which indicates the potential relevance of fibroblast studies in children with mitochondrial diseases.
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Metadata
Title
EARS2 mutations cause fatal neonatal lactic acidosis, recurrent hypoglycemia and agenesis of corpus callosum
Authors
Katharina Danhauser
Tobias B. Haack
Bader Alhaddad
Marlen Melcher
Annette Seibt
Tim M. Strom
Thomas Meitinger
Dirk Klee
Ertan Mayatepek
Holger Prokisch
Felix Distelmaier
Publication date
01-06-2016
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Metabolic Brain Disease / Issue 3/2016
Print ISSN: 0885-7490
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7365
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-016-9793-2

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