A combination of two novel VARS2 variants causes a mitochondrial disorder associated with failure to thrive and pulmonary hypertension

Hui Lin Chin*, Denise Li Meng Goh, Furene Sijia Wang, Stacey Kiat Hong Tay, Chew Kiat Heng, Claudia Donnini, Enrico Baruffini, Ophry Pines

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

Abstract: The VARS2 gene encodes a mitochondrial valyl-transfer RNA synthetase which is used in mitochondrial translation. To date, several patients with VARS2 pathogenic variants have been described in the literature. These patients have features of lactic acidosis with encephalomyopathy. We present a case of an infant with lactic acidosis, failure to thrive, and severe primary pulmonary hypertension who was found to be a compound heterozygote for two novel VARS2 variants (c.1940C>T, p.(Thr647Met) and c.2318G>A, p.(Arg773Gln)). The patient was treated with vitamin supplements and a carbohydrate-restricted diet. The lactic acidosis and failure to thrive resolved, and he showed good growth and development. Functional studies and molecular analysis employed a yeast model system and the VAS1 gene (yeast homolog of VARS2). VAS1 genes harboring either one of two mutations corresponding to the two novel variants in the VARS2 gene, exhibited partially reduced function in haploid yeast strains. A combination of both VAS1 variant alleles in a diploid yeast cell exhibited a more significant decrease in oxidative metabolism-dependent growth and in the oxygen consumption rate (reminiscent of the patient who carries two mutant VARS2 alleles). Our results demonstrate the pathogenicity of the biallellic novel VARS2 variants. Key messages: • A case of an infant who is a compound heterozygote for two novel VARS2 variants. • This infant displayed lactic acidosis, failure to thrive, and pulmonary hypertension. • Treatment of the patient with a carbohydrate-restricted diet resulted in good growth and development. • Studies with the homologous yeast VAS1 gene showed reduced function of corresponding single mutant in haploid yeast strains. • A combination of both VAS1 variant alleles in diploid yeast exhibited a more significant decrease in function, thereby confirming the pathogenicity of the biallellic novel VARS2 variants.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1557-1566
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Molecular Medicine
Volume97
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Nov 2019

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

Keywords

  • Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase
  • Failure to thrive
  • Mitochondrial disorder
  • OXPHOS defect
  • Pulmonary hypertension
  • VARS2
  • VAS1
  • Yeast model system

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