Clinical, biochemical, and mutational spectrum of peroxisomal acyl-coenzyme A oxidase deficiency.

Peroxisomal acyl-coenzyme A (acyl-CoA) oxidase deficiency is an autosomal recessive inborn error of peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation due to a deficiency of straight-chain acyl-CoA oxidase (SCOX). The biochemical hallmark of this disorder is the accumulation of very long-chain fatty acids. Although some case reports and small series of patients have been published, a comprehensive overview of the clinical, biochemical, and mutational spectrum of this disorder is still lacking.

Reinvestigation of peroxisomal 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase deficiency: identification of the true defect at the level of d-bifunctional protein.

In this report, we reinvestigate the only patient ever reported with a deficiency of peroxisomal 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase (THIO). At the time when they were described, the abnormalities in this patient, which included accumulation of very-long-chain fatty acids and the bile-acid intermediate trihydroxycholestanoic acid, were believed to be the logical consequence of a deficiency of the peroxisomal beta-oxidation enzyme THIO. In light of the current knowledge of the peroxisomal beta-oxidation system, however, the reported biochemical aberrations can no longer be explained by a deficiency of this thiolase.

Mutational spectrum in the PEX7 gene and functional analysis of mutant alleles in 78 patients with rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata type 1.

Rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata (RCDP) is a genetically heterogeneous, autosomal recessive disorder of peroxisomal metabolism that is clinically characterized by symmetrical shortening of the proximal long bones, cataracts, periarticular calcifications, multiple joint contractures, and psychomotor retardation. Most patients with RCDP have mutations in the PEX7 gene encoding peroxin 7, the cytosolic PTS2-receptor protein required for targeting a subset of enzymes to peroxisomes. These enzymes are deficient in cells of patients with RCDP, because of their mislocalization to the cytoplasm.

Human phytanoyl-CoA hydroxylase: resolution of the gene structure and the molecular basis of Refsum's disease.

Refsum's disease (RD) is an inherited neurological syndrome biochemically characterized by the accumulation of phytanic acid in plasma and tissues. Patients with RD are unable to degrade phytanic acid due to a deficient activity of phytanoyl-CoA hydroxyl-ase (PhyH), a peroxisomal enzyme catalysing the first step of phytanic acid alpha-oxidation. To enable mutation analysis of RD at the genome level, we have elucidated the genomic organization of the PHYH gene.