A 71-nucleotide deletion in the periaxin gene in a Romani patient with early-onset slowly progressive demyelinating CMT.

Background: Mutations in the periaxin (PRX) gene cause autosomal recessive demyelinating neuropathy Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) type 4F. To date, 10 non-sense or frameshift PRX mutations have been reported in patients with early-onset neuropathy and further disease course consistent with either Dejerine-Sottas neuropathy or slow-progressive demyelinating CMT.

Methods: We sequenced 59 patients from 55 Czech families including four unrelated patients of Romani (Gypsy) origin with early-onset CMT displaying decreased nerve conduction velocities.

Results: We identified a novel homozygous mutation c.3286_3356del71 (K1095fsX18) in one Romani patient showing very slow disease progression. Amongst non-Romani Czech CMT patients, PRX mutations have been proven to be very rare.