Description
Serum alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) levels, AAT phenotypes, and sequences of SERPINA1 gene were examined in a Chinese child with a moderate deficit of serum AAT, who had suffered several episodes of liver disease, as well as in his first-order relatives. Results allowed the identification of PI*S-hangzhou, a novel SERPINA1 defective allele, which has been characterized by a L276R substitution (in mature AAT) , found in a SERPINA1-M3 genetic background. The index case was admitted to the hospital due to severe jaundice, with elevated plasma levels of total bilirubin (20.4 mg/dl) and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (139 U/l). IEF analysis of AAT pointed out a PiMS phenotype, with AAT concentration (81.3 mg/dl) below the reference ranges described for PiMS phenotype. Potential effects of PI*Shangzhou mutation over the AAT structure were studied by 3D homology modelling. The presence of an arginine residue at position 276 could destabilize the tertiary structure of AAT, since it occurs at a highly conserved hydrophobic cavity in the protein surface, and very close to two positively-charged amino acids: K243 and K380. Therefore, the electrostatic repulsion between R276 and K243/K380 residues could destabilize the tertiary structure of mutant AAT. Attending to the frequency of R276 variant reported in databases for individuals of East Asian ancestry, the PI*Shangzhou allele may explain the global prevalence of the PiS phenotype observed in China.
# | Sample | Method | Observation |
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Origin | Affected | Number tested | Tissue | Purpose | Method | Individuals | Allele frequency | Families | Co-occurrences |
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1 | inherited | yes | not provided | not provided | not provided | | 1 | not provided | not provided | not provided |