Case Report
Genetic Analysis of Undiagnosed Juvenile GM1-Gangliosidosis
by Microarray and Exome Sequencing
Ahmed Bouhouche ,
1,2
Houyam Tibar,
1
Yamna Kriouale,
3
Mohammed Jiddane,
4
Imane Smaili ,
1
Naima Bouslam,
1
Ali Benomar,
1,2
Mohamed Yahyaoui,
1
and Elmostafa El Fahime
2,5
1
Research Team in Neurology and Neurogenetics, Genomics Center of Human Pathologies,
Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Mohammed V, Rabat, Morocco
2
Genetics Center of the Cheikh Zayed Foundation, Abulcasis International University of Health Sciences, Rabat, Morocco
3
Department of Neuropediatrics and Metabolism Diseases, Hˆ opital d’Enfant, CHU Ibn Sina, Rabat, Morocco
4
Department of Neuroradiology, Hˆ opital des Sp´ ecialit´ es, CHU Ibn Sina, Rabat, Morocco
5
Assistance Units for Scientifc and Technical Research (UATRS), National Center for Scientifc and Technical Research (CNRST),
Rabat, Morocco
Correspondence should be addressed to Ahmed Bouhouche; a.bouhouche@um5s.net.ma
Received 3 September 2018; Accepted 5 November 2018; Published 15 November 2018
Academic Editor: Monika Dmitrzak-Weglarz
Copyright © 2018 Ahmed Bouhouche et al. Tis is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution
License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly
cited.
GM1 gangliosidosis is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder due to mutations in the lysosomal acid 3-galactosidase
gene, GLB1. It is usually classifed into three forms, infantile, juvenile, or adult, based on age at onset and severity of central nervous
system involvement. Because of their broad clinical spectrum and their similarity to many other aetiologies, including inherited
neurodegenerative and metabolic diseases, it is ofen difcult to diagnose such diseases. Recently, whole exome sequencing (WES)
has become increasingly used when a strong hypothesis cannot be formulated based on the clinical phenotype. Here, we present
three patients belonging to a consanguineous Moroccan family with a GM1-gangliosidosis with unusual clinical onset and atypical
radiological presentation that had eluded diagnosis for over a decade. To identify the disease-causing mutation, we performed
a whole exome sequencing and a chromosomal microarray genotyping in order to reduce the number of genetic variants to be
interpreted, by focusing the data analysis only on the linked loci. Te already known pathogenic missense mutation c.601G>A in
GLB1 (p.R201C) was found at homozygous state in the proband V.1 and at heterozygous state in his father IV.1. Te mutation was
validated by Sanger sequencing and segregated in all the family members according to a recessive mode of inheritance. Outside of
the linked loci, we found the EXOSC8 p.Ser272Tr mutation at heterozygous state in all the patients and their mother IV.2. Tis
mutation was reported to cause pontocerebellar hypoplasia type 1C and could act as a modifying factor that exacerbates the brain
atrophy of patients. Our study identifed the frst GLB1 mutation in North Africa in patients with unexpected brain-MRI outcomes
extending the clinical spectrum of the GM1-gangliosidosis.
1. Introduction
GM1 gangliosidosis is an autosomal recessive storage disor-
der, which occurs in 1 per 100,000 to 200,000 newborns [1].
It is caused by a defciency of beta-galactosidase (GLB1), a
lysosomal hydrolase that may be defective with respect to ker-
atan sulfate in Morquio B disease (MBD) or to gangliosides,
lactosylceramide, asialofetuin, and oligosaccharides carrying
terminal beta-linked galactose and keratan sulfate in GM1-
gangliosidosis [2]. Tis defciency leads to the accumulation
of keratan sulfate, glycolipids, and GM1 gangliosides in
diferent tissues, especially in peripheral and central nervous
system [3]. Tis disease can be divided into 3 clinical forms
(type I, type II, and type III) based on the age of onset and the
severity of the phenotype.
Hindawi
Case Reports in Genetics
Volume 2018, Article ID 8635698, 8 pages
https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/8635698