Homozygosity for disease-causing variants in AMT and GLDC in a patient with severe nonketotic hyperglycinemia

Am J Med Genet A. 2024 Aug;194(8):e63622. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.a.63622. Epub 2024 Apr 4.

Abstract

Nonketotic hyperglycinemia (NKH) is a relatively well-characterized inborn error of metabolism that results in a combination of lethargy, hypotonia, seizures, developmental arrest, and, in severe cases, death early in life. Three genes encoding components of the glycine cleavage enzyme system-GLDC, AMT, and GCSH-are independently associated with NKH. We report on a patient with severe NKH in whom the homozygous pathogenic variant in AMT (NM_000481.3):c.602_603del (p.Lys201Thrfs*75) and the homozygous likely pathogenic variant in GLDC(NM_000170.2):c.2852C>A (p.Ser951Tyr) were both identified. Our patient demonstrates a novel combination of two homozygous disease-causing variants impacting the glycine cleavage pathway at two different components, and elicits management- and genetic counseling-related challenges for the family.

Keywords: AMT; GLDC; NKH; glycine encephalopathy; inborn error of metabolism; nonketotic hyperglycinemia.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Oxidoreductases
  • Aminomethyltransferase / genetics
  • Female
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Glycine / genetics
  • Glycine Dehydrogenase (Decarboxylating) / genetics
  • Homozygote*
  • Humans
  • Hyperglycinemia, Nonketotic* / genetics
  • Hyperglycinemia, Nonketotic* / pathology
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Male
  • Multienzyme Complexes
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Phenotype
  • Transferases

Substances

  • Glycine Dehydrogenase (Decarboxylating)
  • Aminomethyltransferase
  • glycine cleavage system
  • Glycine
  • Amino Acid Oxidoreductases
  • Multienzyme Complexes
  • Transferases