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The proline/citrulline ratio as a biomarker for OAT deficiency in early infancy

de Sain-van der Velden, Monique G.M. ; Rinaldo, Piero ; Elvers, Bert ; Henderson, Mick ; Walter, John H. ; Prinsen, Berthil H.C.M.T. ; Verhoeven-Duif, Nanda M. ; de Koning, Tom J. LU and van Hasselt, Peter (2012) In JIMD Reports 6. p.95-99
Abstract

Deficiency of ornithine-δ-aminotransferase (OAT) in humans results in gyrate atrophy. Early diagnosis may allow initiation of treatment before irreversible damage has occurred. However, diagnosis is commonly delayed well into adulthood because of the nonspecific character of initial symptoms. Here, we report findings in a neonate who was evaluated because of a positive family history of OAT deficiency. The reversed enzymatic flux in early infancy resulted in borderline low ornithine concentration – evoking urea cycle disturbances – and increased proline. In addition, plasma citrulline was low. Consequently, the proline/citrulline ratio in plasma was increased compared to controls. To find out whether amino acid profiling in neonatal... (More)

Deficiency of ornithine-δ-aminotransferase (OAT) in humans results in gyrate atrophy. Early diagnosis may allow initiation of treatment before irreversible damage has occurred. However, diagnosis is commonly delayed well into adulthood because of the nonspecific character of initial symptoms. Here, we report findings in a neonate who was evaluated because of a positive family history of OAT deficiency. The reversed enzymatic flux in early infancy resulted in borderline low ornithine concentration – evoking urea cycle disturbances – and increased proline. In addition, plasma citrulline was low. Consequently, the proline/citrulline ratio in plasma was increased compared to controls. To find out whether amino acid profiling in neonatal dried blood spots is suitable to detect OAT deficiency, we evaluated the original newborn dried blood spots of two affected patients and compared it with a database of >450,000 newborns tested in Minnesota since 2004. Proline concentrations (777 and 1,381 μmol/L) were above the 99 percentile (776 μmol/L) of the general population, and citrulline concentrations (4.5 and 4.9 μmol/L) only just above the 1 percentile (4.37 μmol/L). The proline/citrulline ratio was 172.9 and 281.8, respectively. This ratio was calculated retrospectively in the normal population, and the 99 percentile was 97.6. Applying this ratio for NBS could lead to early and specific detection of neonatal OAT deficiency, with no additional expense to newborn screening laboratories quantifying amino acids. Given that early diagnosis of OAT disease can lead to earlier treatment and prevent visual impairment, further studies are indicated to evaluate whether newborn screening for OAT deficiency is warranted.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Newborn screening, Orotic acid, Plasma citrulline, Proline concentration, Urea cycle
host publication
JIMD Reports
series title
JIMD Reports
volume
6
pages
5 pages
publisher
Springer Gabler
external identifiers
  • scopus:84898539397
ISSN
2192-8304
2192-8312
DOI
10.1007/8904_2011_122
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
9bcc3465-a8f4-46a8-965a-ea889434bb85
date added to LUP
2020-02-26 10:15:28
date last changed
2024-01-16 22:16:21
@inbook{9bcc3465-a8f4-46a8-965a-ea889434bb85,
  abstract     = {{<p>Deficiency of ornithine-δ-aminotransferase (OAT) in humans results in gyrate atrophy. Early diagnosis may allow initiation of treatment before irreversible damage has occurred. However, diagnosis is commonly delayed well into adulthood because of the nonspecific character of initial symptoms. Here, we report findings in a neonate who was evaluated because of a positive family history of OAT deficiency. The reversed enzymatic flux in early infancy resulted in borderline low ornithine concentration – evoking urea cycle disturbances – and increased proline. In addition, plasma citrulline was low. Consequently, the proline/citrulline ratio in plasma was increased compared to controls. To find out whether amino acid profiling in neonatal dried blood spots is suitable to detect OAT deficiency, we evaluated the original newborn dried blood spots of two affected patients and compared it with a database of &gt;450,000 newborns tested in Minnesota since 2004. Proline concentrations (777 and 1,381 μmol/L) were above the 99 percentile (776 μmol/L) of the general population, and citrulline concentrations (4.5 and 4.9 μmol/L) only just above the 1 percentile (4.37 μmol/L). The proline/citrulline ratio was 172.9 and 281.8, respectively. This ratio was calculated retrospectively in the normal population, and the 99 percentile was 97.6. Applying this ratio for NBS could lead to early and specific detection of neonatal OAT deficiency, with no additional expense to newborn screening laboratories quantifying amino acids. Given that early diagnosis of OAT disease can lead to earlier treatment and prevent visual impairment, further studies are indicated to evaluate whether newborn screening for OAT deficiency is warranted.</p>}},
  author       = {{de Sain-van der Velden, Monique G.M. and Rinaldo, Piero and Elvers, Bert and Henderson, Mick and Walter, John H. and Prinsen, Berthil H.C.M.T. and Verhoeven-Duif, Nanda M. and de Koning, Tom J. and van Hasselt, Peter}},
  booktitle    = {{JIMD Reports}},
  issn         = {{2192-8304}},
  keywords     = {{Newborn screening; Orotic acid; Plasma citrulline; Proline concentration; Urea cycle}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  pages        = {{95--99}},
  publisher    = {{Springer Gabler}},
  series       = {{JIMD Reports}},
  title        = {{The proline/citrulline ratio as a biomarker for OAT deficiency in early infancy}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/8904_2011_122}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/8904_2011_122}},
  volume       = {{6}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}