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Article
Transcobalamin II Deficiency at Birth
Molecular Genetics and Metabolism
  • Rene Ratschmann, University Children’s Hospital, Vienna, Austria
  • Milen Minkov, St. Anna Children’s Hospital, Vienna, Austria
  • Ana Kis, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
  • Christina Hung, Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
  • Tony Rupar, University of Western Ontario
  • Adolf Mühl, University Children’s Hospital, Vienna, Austria
  • Brian Fowler, University Children’s Hospital, Basel, Switzerland
  • Ebba Nexo, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
  • Olaf A. Bodamer, University Children’s Hospital, Vienna, Austria
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-1-2009
URL with Digital Object Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ymgme.2009.06.003
Disciplines
Abstract

Transcobalamin II deficiency (# MIM 275350) is a rare, recessively inherited disorder of cobalamin transport that leads to intracellular cobalamin depletion with secondary impairment of methionine synthetase and methyl-malonyl CoA mutase activities. Affected individuals may suffer from long-term neurological sequelae if therapy with intramuscular hydroxocobalamin is not initiated promptly. We report two sisters with complete absence of transcobalamin due to homozygosity for a novel mutation (c.insC110) in the TCN2 gene that leads to a premature stop codon and non-functional protein. The older sister, now 4.5 years old, presented at 6 weeks of age with pancytopenia, protein losing enteropathy and a rapidly declining clinical course. Prompt therapy with 1mg hydroxocobalamin/day led to full recovery within days. Her now 1.5 year old sister was diagnosed shortly after birth and was started on hydroxocobalamin prior to onset of clinical symptoms. Interestingly, urinary methylmalonic acid excretion was increased significantly during the first days of life suggesting that functional cobalamin deficiency is present also during fetal life, although not giving rise to clinical symptoms until well after birth.

Citation Information
Rene Ratschmann, Milen Minkov, Ana Kis, Christina Hung, et al.. "Transcobalamin II Deficiency at Birth" Molecular Genetics and Metabolism Vol. 98 Iss. 3 (2009) p. 285 - 288
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/tony-rupar/3/