Biomaterial Database

Aberrant phenylalanine metabolism in phenylketonuria heterozygotes. 1998

P Guldberg, and K F Henriksen, and H C Lou, and F Güttler

John F. Kennedy Institute, Glostrup, Denmark.

The wide variation in phenylalanine hydroxylating capacity observed among patients with phenylketonuria (PKU) is primarily due to allelic heterogeneity at the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) locus. In this study, we examined phenylalanine metabolism after an oral phenylalanine load in 148 carriers of known PAH gene mutations. As a group, heterozygotes formed less tyrosine than normozygotes (p < 0.001), and there was a tendency that carriers of a severe PAH mutation formed less tyrosine than carriers of a mild mutation. Nevertheless, the interindividual variation was extensive, and we identified a group of individuals who formed no or very little tyrosine after the phenylalanine load. This tyrosine response was accompanied by a decreased ability to eliminate the phenylalanine test dose but did not correlate with the intrinsic severity of the mutant PAH allele. Examination of the entire coding region of the PAH gene revealed no additional sequence alterations in these subjects. Our data suggest that a subset of PKU heterozygotes have reduced phenylalanine hydroxylating capacity approaching or equalling the levels observed in genetic compounds with non-PKU mild hyperphenylalaninaemia (MHP). Awareness of this phenotypic overlap between PKU carriers and genetic compounds with two mutant alleles may be useful for clinicians and paediatricians involved in diagnosis and genetic counselling.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D010649	Phenylalanine	An essential aromatic amino acid that is a precursor of MELANIN; DOPAMINE; noradrenalin (NOREPINEPHRINE), and THYROXINE.	Endorphenyl,L-Phenylalanine,Phenylalanine, L-Isomer,L-Isomer Phenylalanine,Phenylalanine, L Isomer
D010651	Phenylalanine Hydroxylase	An enzyme of the oxidoreductase class that catalyzes the formation of L-TYROSINE, dihydrobiopterin, and water from L-PHENYLALANINE, tetrahydrobiopterin, and oxygen. Deficiency of this enzyme may cause PHENYLKETONURIAS and PHENYLKETONURIA, MATERNAL. EC 1.14.16.1.	Phenylalanine 4-Hydroxylase,Phenylalanine 4-Monooxygenase,4-Hydroxylase, Phenylalanine,4-Monooxygenase, Phenylalanine,Hydroxylase, Phenylalanine,Phenylalanine 4 Hydroxylase,Phenylalanine 4 Monooxygenase
D010661	Phenylketonurias	A group of autosomal recessive disorders marked by a deficiency of the hepatic enzyme PHENYLALANINE HYDROXYLASE or less frequently by reduced activity of DIHYDROPTERIDINE REDUCTASE (i.e., atypical phenylketonuria). Classical phenylketonuria is caused by a severe deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase and presents in infancy with developmental delay; SEIZURES; skin HYPOPIGMENTATION; ECZEMA; and demyelination in the central nervous system. (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p952).	Biopterin Deficiency,Dihydropteridine Reductase Deficiency Disease,Hyperphenylalaninemia, Non-Phenylketonuric,Phenylalanine Hydroxylase Deficiency Disease,BH4 Deficiency,DHPR Deficiency,Deficiency Disease, Dihydropteridine Reductase,Deficiency Disease, Phenylalanine Hydroxylase,Deficiency Disease, Phenylalanine Hydroxylase, Severe,Dihydropteridine Reductase Deficiency,Folling Disease,Folling's Disease,HPABH4C,Hyperphenylalaninaemia,Hyperphenylalaninemia Caused by a Defect in Biopterin Metabolism,Hyperphenylalaninemia, BH4-Deficient, C,Hyperphenylalaninemia, Tetrahydrobiopterin-Deficient, Due To DHPR Deficiency,Non-Phenylketonuric Hyperphenylalaninemia,Oligophrenia Phenylpyruvica,PAH Deficiency,PKU, Atypical,Phenylalanine Hydroxylase Deficiency,Phenylalanine Hydroxylase Deficiency Disease, Severe,Phenylketonuria,Phenylketonuria I,Phenylketonuria II,Phenylketonuria Type 2,Phenylketonuria, Atypical,Phenylketonuria, Classical,QDPR Deficiency,Quinoid Dihydropteridine Reductase Deficiency,Tetrahydrobiopterin Deficiency,Atypical PKU,Atypical Phenylketonuria,Biopterin Deficiencies,Classical Phenylketonuria,Deficiency, BH4,Deficiency, Biopterin,Deficiency, DHPR,Deficiency, Dihydropteridine Reductase,Deficiency, PAH,Deficiency, Phenylalanine Hydroxylase,Deficiency, QDPR,Deficiency, Tetrahydrobiopterin,Disease, Folling,Disease, Folling's,Hyperphenylalaninemia, Non Phenylketonuric,Non Phenylketonuric Hyperphenylalaninemia,Non-Phenylketonuric Hyperphenylalaninemias
D005260	Female		Females
D006579	Heterozygote	An individual having different alleles at one or more loci regarding a specific character.	Carriers, Genetic,Genetic Carriers,Carrier, Genetic,Genetic Carrier,Heterozygotes
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328	Adult	A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available.	Adults
D014443	Tyrosine	A non-essential amino acid. In animals it is synthesized from PHENYLALANINE. It is also the precursor of EPINEPHRINE; THYROID HORMONES; and melanin.	L-Tyrosine,Tyrosine, L-isomer,para-Tyrosine,L Tyrosine,Tyrosine, L isomer,para Tyrosine
D018740	Genetic Heterogeneity	The presence of apparently similar characters for which the genetic evidence indicates that different genes or different genetic mechanisms are involved in different pedigrees. In clinical settings genetic heterogeneity refers to the presence of a variety of genetic defects which cause the same disease, often due to mutations at different loci on the same gene, a finding common to many human diseases including ALZHEIMER DISEASE; CYSTIC FIBROSIS; LIPOPROTEIN LIPASE DEFICIENCY, FAMILIAL; and POLYCYSTIC KIDNEY DISEASES. (Rieger, et al., Glossary of Genetics: Classical and Molecular, 5th ed; Segen, Dictionary of Modern Medicine, 1992)	Heterogeneity, Genetic,Genetic Heterogeneities,Heterogeneities, Genetic