Compound heterozygosity of novel missense mutations in the gamma-glutamyl-carboxylase gene causes hereditary combined vitamin K-dependent coagulation factor deficiency

Blood. 2006 Sep 15;108(6):1925-31. doi: 10.1182/blood-2005-12-010660. Epub 2006 May 23.

Abstract

Hereditary combined vitamin K-dependent (VKD) coagulation factor deficiency is an autosomal recessive bleeding disorder associated with defects in either the gamma-carboxylase, which carboxylates VKD proteins to render them active, or the vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKORC1), which supplies the reduced vitamin K cofactor required for carboxylation. Such deficiencies are rare, and we report the fourth case resulting from mutations in the carboxylase gene, identified in a Tunisian girl who exhibited impaired function in hemostatic VKD factors that was not restored by vitamin K administration. Sequence analysis of the proposita did not identify any mutations in the VKORC1 gene but, remarkably, revealed 3 heterozygous mutations in the carboxylase gene that caused the substitutions Asp31Asn, Trp157Arg, and Thr591Lys. None of these mutations have previously been reported. Family analysis showed that Asp31Asn and Thr591Lys were coallelic and maternally transmitted while Trp157Arg was transmitted by the father, and a genomic screen of 100 healthy individuals ruled out frequent polymorphisms. Mutational analysis indicated wild-type activity for the Asp31Asn carboxylase. In contrast, the respective Trp157Arg and Thr591Lys activities were 8% and 0% that of wild-type carboxylase, and their compound heterozygosity can therefore account for functional VKD factor deficiency. The implications for carboxylase mechanism are discussed.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Base Sequence
  • Blood Coagulation Disorders, Inherited / enzymology
  • Blood Coagulation Disorders, Inherited / genetics
  • Carbon-Carbon Ligases / deficiency*
  • Carbon-Carbon Ligases / genetics*
  • Child
  • Coagulation Protein Disorders / enzymology*
  • Coagulation Protein Disorders / genetics*
  • Conserved Sequence
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Female
  • Heterozygote
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Mixed Function Oxygenases / genetics
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation, Missense
  • Pedigree
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Vitamin K / metabolism*
  • Vitamin K Epoxide Reductases

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • Vitamin K
  • Mixed Function Oxygenases
  • VKORC1 protein, human
  • Vitamin K Epoxide Reductases
  • Carbon-Carbon Ligases
  • glutamyl carboxylase