Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) for the syndrome of pigmentary dilution and lymphohistiocytosis (Griscelli's syndrome)

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children with Griscelli syndrome type 2: a single-center report on 35 patients

In 2010, we reported the outcome of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in 11 children with Griscelli syndrome type 2 (GS2). We report here the update on this cohort to include 35 patients. Twenty-seven (77%) patients received conditioning regimen including busulfan, cyclophosphamide with etoposide. Eight (23%) were given busulfan, fludarabine. Thiotepa was added to busulfan and fludarabine regimen in two patients; one received haploidentical marrow and one unrelated cord blood. Posttransplant clinical events included veno-occlusive disease (n = 7), acute (n = 8), or chronic (n = 1) graft-versus-host disease II-IV. With a mortality rate of 37.1% (n = 13) and a median follow-up of 87.7 months of the survivors, 5-year cumulative probability of overall survival (OS) for our cohort of patients was 62.7% (±8.2%). Cumulative probability of 5-year OS was significantly better in those who did not have hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) prior to HSCT (100% vs. 53.3 ± 9.5%, P value: 0.042). Of the 16 patients with neurologic involvement before HSCT, 8 survived and 3 presented sequelae. OS at 5-year was 50 ± 12.5% and 73.3 ± 10.2% (P value: 0.320) in patients with and without CNS involvement, respectively. In conclusion, HSCT in patients with GS2 is potentially curative with long-term disease-free survival. Early HSCT before the development of the accelerated phase is associated with a better outcome.

Griscelli syndrome type-3

Griscelli syndrome (GS) is a rare autosomal recessive multisystem disorder of pigmentary dilution of skin, silver gray hair, variable immunodeficiency, neurological impairment, and abnormal accumulation of melanosomes in melanocytes. GS type 3 is characterized by hypomelanosis with no immunological and neurological manifestation. Prognosis is very good in type 3 GS and usually require no active intervention, as opposed to type 1 and 2 where early diagnosis and treatment plays a crucial role in patient's survival. The characteristic phenotypic appearance, especially the pigment dilution of the patient's hair, is emphasized here.

Evidence for defective Rab GTPase-dependent cargo traffic in immune disorders

A fully functional immune system is essential to protect the body against pathogens and other diseases, including cancer. Vesicular trafficking provides the correct localization of proteins within all cell types, but this process is most exquisitely controlled and coordinated in immune cells because of their specialized organelles and their requirement to respond to selected stimuli. More than 60 Rab GTPases play important roles in protein trafficking, but only five Rab-encoding genes have been associated with inherited human disorders, and only one of these (Rab27a) causes an immune defect. Mutations in RAB27A cause Griscelli Syndrome type 2 (GS2), an autosomal recessive disorder of pigmentation and severe immune deficiency. In lymphocytes, Munc13-4 is an effector of Rab27a, and mutations in the gene encoding this protein (UNC13D) cause Familial Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Type 3 (FHL3). The immunological features of GS2 and FHL3 include neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and immunodeficiency due to impaired function of cytotoxic lymphocytes. The small number of disorders caused by mutations in genes encoding Rabs could be due to their essential functions, where defects in these genes could be lethal. However, with the increasing use of next generation sequencing technologies, more mutations in genes encoding Rabs may be identified in the near future.

Silvery grey hair: clue to diagnose immunodeficiency

Silvery hair is a common presentation of rare group of autosomal recessive disorders called Silvery hair syndromes including Griscelli syndrome (GS), Chediak-Higashi syndrome, and Elejalde syndrome. GS is characterized by a silvery grey sheen to hair, large clumped melanosomes in hair shaft, partial albinism, and variable cellular immunodeficiency. We report two cases of GS with classical clinical features and confirmatory findings by microscopic skin and hair examination.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Griscelli syndrome type 2: a single-center report on 10 patients

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the only curative treatment for Griscelli syndrome type 2, an inherited immune disorder causing fatal hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Optimal therapeutic modalities are not yet well known. We retrospectively analyzed the outcome for 10 patients who underwent HSCT in a single center between 1996 and 2008. Seven patients (70%) were cured of the primary immune defect (mean follow-up, 5.2 years; range, 0.8-12.0 years), 4 of them without neurologic sequelae. In the 3 deceased patients, death occurred within 110 days of HSCT and was probably due to adverse reaction to HSCT in 2 patients and to HLH relapse in one patient. One patient received 2 transplants because of graft failure. Clinical events included veno-occlusive disease (n = 5), acute (n = 7) or chronic (n = 1) graft-versus-host disease II-III, and Epstein-Barr virus–induced lymphoproliferative disease (n = 2). Of the 7 patients with neurologic involvement before HSCT, 4 survived and 2 presented sequelae. Furthermore, 1 patient lacking neurologic involvement before HSCT developed long-term sequelae. These results demonstrate the efficacy of HSCT in curing the immune disorder but also show that neurologic HLH before HSCT is a major factor, given the neurologic sequelae after otherwise successful HSCT. Additional studies are required to improve treatment.

Griscelli syndrome type 2: a rare and lethal disorder

Griscelli syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder. It is characterized by pigment dilution and variable immune deficiency leading to increased susceptibility to certain infections and a tendency to develop a life-threatening hemophagocytic syndrome known as the accelerated phase. Griscelli syndrome is now classified into 3 types based on the genetic and molecular features. Primary neurological presentation without the accelerated phase is rare in type 2. In this article, the authors report a boy who was presented with seizures and diffuse white matter involvement unaccompanied by the other features of the accelerated phase. Mutation analysis in family members revealed the presence of a missense mutation in Rab27a gene. In addition to the rare presentation, this is the first case of Griscelli syndrome to be reported from Jordan.

Analysis of RAB27A gene in griscelli syndrome type 2: novel mutations including a deletion hotspot

INTRODUCTION

Griscelli syndrome type 2 is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by pigmentary dilution and occurrence of acute phases of hemophagocytosis. The disease is caused by mutations in RAB27A gene, coding a small GTPase involved in terminal phases of cytotoxic granule/melanosome exocytosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We describe the result of mutation analysis among nine patients from seven non-related Persian families. We present four novel mutations including a deletion hot spot (514del 5).

CONCLUSION

This hot spot is flanked by "direct repeats" of nucleotides, which are previously shown to be associated with areas of recurrent small deletions.

Primary Immunodeficiencies

Primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs), once considered to be very rare, are now increasingly recognized because of growing knowledge in the immunological field and the availability of more sophisticated diagnostic techniques and therapeutic modalities [161]. However in a database of >120,000 inpatients of a general hospital for conditions suggestive of ID 59 patients were tested, and an undiagnosed PID was found in 17 (29%) of the subjects tested [107]. The publication of the first case of agammaglobulinemia by Bruton in 1952 [60] demonstrated that the PID diagnosis is first done in the laboratory. However, PIDs require specialized immunological centers for diagnosis and management [33]. A large body of epidemiological evidence supports the hypothesis of the existence of a close etiopathogenetic relation between PID and atopy [73]. In particular, an elevated frequency of asthma, food allergy (FA), atopic dermatitis and enteric pathologies can be found in various PIDs. In addition we will discuss another subject that is certainly of interest: the pseudo-immunodepressed child with recurrent respiratory infections (RRIs), an event that often requires medical intervention and that very often leads to the suspicion that it involves antibody deficiencies [149].

Griscelli syndrome

The dermatology staff was called to evaluate abnormal hair on a 22-month-old Hispanic girl whose parents were first cousins. Her medical history was significant for leptomeningitis with subsequent neurologic devastation, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and recurrent respiratory infections. Her hospital course was complicated by sepsis, liver dysfunction, pan-cytopenia, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. She had developed normally for the first year of life. At 13 months she became progressively lethargic and developed floppy muscle tone; a delay in mental and motor milestones was recognized. Results of a metabolic workup were negative. On examination she was noted to have generalized excessively fair skin when compared with her parents. She had silver-gray hair (Figure 1) and white eyebrows and body hair. Her maternal grandfather and granduncles had silver hair since childhood, but were without health problems. A maternal family member was said to have light skin. The presumed diagnosis before pathologic examination was Chediak-Higashi syndrome. Hematoxylin and eosin stain tests revealed prominent melanocytes in the basal layer of the epidermis. The melanocytes were large and distended with a large volume of melanin (Figure 2). The adjacent keratinocytes were completely devoid of melanin. Application of Masson-Fontana ammoniac silver stain highlighted prominent melanocytic melanin and a relative paucity of melanin in the adjacent keratinocytes (Figure 3). Microscopic examination of her hair revealed clumps of melanin of various sizes and shapes irregularly distributed throughout the hair shaft. Ultrastructural examination of the epidermis showed the melanocytes were distended by an accumulation of large stage IV mature melanosomes. Peripheral blood smear failed to show abnormal granules, even after repeated examination. Based on the clinical features and the pathologic findings, a diagnosis of Griscelli syndrome type 2 was made.

Griscelli syndrome: characterization of a new mutation and rescue of T-cytotoxic activity by retroviral transfer of RAB27A gene

Griscelli syndrome (GS) is caused by mutations in the MYO5A (GS1), RAB27A (GS2), or MLPH (GS3) genes, all of which lead to a similar pigmentary dilution. In addition, GS1 patients show primary neurological impairment, whereas GS2 patients present immunodeficiency and periods of lymphocyte proliferation and activation, leading to their infiltration in many organs, such as the nervous system, causing secondary neurological damage. We report the diagnosis of GS2 in a 4-year-old child with haemophagocytic syndrome, immunodeficiency, and secondary neurological disorders. Typical melanosome accumulation was found in skin melanocytes and pigment clumps were observed in hair shafts. Two heterozygous mutant alleles of the RAB27A gene were found, a C-T transition (C352T) that leads to Q118stop and a G-C transversion on the exon 5 splicing donor site (G467+1C). Functional assays showed increased cellular activation and decreased cytotoxic activity of NK and CD8+ T cells, associated with defective lytic granules release. Myosin-Va expression and localization in the patient lymphocytes were also analyzed. Most importantly, we show that cytotoxic activity of the patient's CD8+ T lymphocytes can be rescued in vitro by RAB27A gene transfer mediated by a recombinant retroviral vector, a first step towards a potential treatment of the acute phase of GS2 by RAB27A transduced lymphocytes.

Griscelli syndrome

An eight month old male infant presented with recurrent infections and partial albinism. Initially a possibility of Chediak Higashi syndrome (CHS) was considered, but a negative investigative work up prompted us to look for an alternate diagnosis. A literature search revealed that Griscelli syndrome (GS) has overlapping symptoms and signs. The findings in skin and hair biopsies in Griscelli syndrome are distinctive.

A rare syndrome in the differential diagnosis of hepatosplenomegaly and pancytopenia: report of identical twins with Griscelli disease

White, identical twin boys aged 3 months were referred to our centre with persisting fever, mouth ulcers, hepatosplenomegaly, pancytopenia and failure to thrive. The parents were first cousins and there was a history of a sibling with similar manifestations who had died. The infants had silvery-grey hair and pigment clumps on the hair shafts, and skin biopsy showed accumulation of melanocytes on melanosomes. Bone marrow revealed hypercellularity and haemophagocytosis. HLH-94 chemotherapy (initial therapy with daily dexamethasone and etoposide, maintenance with dexamethasone pulses, etoposide and cyclosporin A) was started. Though partial haematological remission was achieved, one of the boys died on the 34th day following aspiration pneumonia. No pathogen could be identified. The second boy responded to therapy but had a haematological relapse and died 68 days after first being admitted. Genetic study revealed a 5 bp deletion in the RAB27A gene (510 del AAGCC in exon 5). Transient haematological remission can be achieved with chemotherapy but allogeneic bone marrow transplantation is the only curative therapy in Griscelli disease, as in other familial haemophagocytic syndromes. Identification of the mutation also provides an opportunity for prenatal diagnosis.

27. Transplantation immunology: organ and bone marrow

The discovery of the human MHC in 1967 launched the field of organ and tissue transplantation. More than 800,000 such transplants have been performed during this time. Although matching of donor and recipient for MHC antigens was shown to be of great importance and continues to be so, the development of pharmacologic agents and antilymphocyte antibodies that interfere with the process of graft rejection has had a crucial role in the success of organ transplantation during the past 2 decades. Enormous progress has been made in understanding the immunologic mechanisms of graft rejection and of graft-versus-host disease. The roles of antibodies, antigen-presenting cells, helper and cytotoxic T cells, immune cell surface molecules, and signaling mechanisms and the cytokines they release have been clarified. This understanding is leading to the development of newer immunosuppressive agents targeting various components of the rejection process. Combinations of these agents work synergistically, leading to lower doses and reduced toxicity. Similarly, the development of effective T-cell depletion techniques has been of great importance for bone marrow transplantation when an HLA-identical sibling is not available. The major obstacle to the performance of solid organ transplantation currently is the shortage of donor organs.

Griscelli disease: genotype-phenotype correlation in an array of clinical heterogeneity

Griscelli disease is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by diffuse pigmentary dilution and occurrence of acute phases of uncontrolled lymphocyte and macrophage activation, so-called "hemophagocytic syndrome" (HS) that leads to death. Recently, two closely linked genes located on human 15q21 region have been found to be responsible for the disease. We present clinical and laboratory findings of 13 unrelated patients with Griscelli disease as well as mutation analyses in an effort to define a genotype-phenotype correlation. Eight patients who showed RAB27A mutations presented with HS. In contrast, two patients who primarily presented with a neurological impairment in the absence of infection susceptibility or HS were found to have homozygous MYO5A mutations. No mutation in RAB27A could be detected in the other three patients. One of the latter developed HS at a rather late age, while the other two are free of HS at 12 and 15 years of age. Griscelli disease presents with a heterogeneous clinical picture that seems to reflect the involved gene defect. This genotype-phenotype correlation suggests that the natural course of the disease and outcome is dictated by the site and type of the genetic mutation.

Successful treatment of Griscelli syndrome with unrelated donor allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Griscelli syndrome (GS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder, characterized by pigmentary dilution of the skin and hair and in most patients by abnormal regulation of the immune system, which results in a syndrome of macrophage hyperactivation, known as hemophagocytic lymophohistiocytosis (HLH). Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the only curative treatment available for genetically induced HLH. Few cases of successful HSCT from a compatible donor have been reported in children with GS. We describe the first patient with GS cured with an allograft from a compatible unrelated bone marrow donor. We used a novel preparative regimen consisting of busulfan, thiotepa and fludarabine. The demonstrated curative effect of HSCT from an unrelated donor in a patient with genetically determined HLH also supports the use of a systematic diagnostic approach in these patients, in order to identify those with a worse prognosis and needing an urgent allograft in a timely manner.

Griscelli syndrome: rare neonatal syndrome of recurrent hemophagocytosis

Griscelli syndrome (GS) is a rare inherited disease characterized by immunodeficiency and partial albinism. The microscopic findings of the skin and hair are highly suggestive of the disease. The GS locus colocalizes on chromosome 15q21 with the myosin-Va gene (MYO5a), and mutations have been identified in few patients. We describe a 2-month-old Hispanic girl with severe pancytopenia secondary to hemophagocytosis. Even though a mutation at the Griscelli locus had not been identified, her clinical features and outcome were typical of GS. The purpose of this article is to alert physicians to the association between GS and hemophagocytosis. We suggest that GS should be considered in infants with hemophagocytosis because the features of partial albinism can be subtle. The relevant literature is summarized.

Griscelli syndrome: report of the first peripheral blood stem cell transplant and the role of mutations in the RAB27A gene as an indication for BMT

Griscelli syndrome is characterized by partial albinism with variable immunodeficiency. Two different gene loci are responsible for this rare, autosomal recessive disease: the myosin Va gene and the RAB27A gene. As recently reported, only patients with mutations of the RAB27A gene suffer from immunodeficiency and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Thus, only patients who suffer from the Griscelli syndrome with mutations of the RAB27A gene should receive BMT/PBSCT, which is the only curative therapy. Due to the risk of early relapse or severe infections, BMT/PBSCT should be carried out as soon as possible; if patients do not have HLA-identical family members, valuable time may be lost by searching for an HLA-identical unrelated donor. We report the first peripheral blood stem cell transplant (PBSCT) with T cell depletion in a 6-month-old girl with Griscelli syndrome, and a deletion of the RAB27A gene. The donor was her phenotypically HLA-identical mother. Conditioning included busulfan, VP16 and cyclophosphamide. The patient was transfused with 15.4 x 10(6)CD34-positive cells/kg and 17.6 x 10(3) CD3-positive cells/kg recipient weight. Three months after the transplant, a curable lymphoproliferative syndrome occurred. 26 months after the transplant, the patient is doing well with stable mixed chimerism (52% donor cells).

Stem-cell transplantation for inherited immunodeficiency disorders

For patients with well-characterized, rapidly fatal, nonmalignant immunodeficiency disorders, such as SCID, the decision to proceed with allogeneic SCT is clear-cut. For patients with many other disorders, this decision can be extremely difficult. Disorders such as LAD or CGD have a variable natural history. Each patient must be considered individually, with the risk for SCT-related morbidity and mortality carefully weighed against that of the underlying disease. Significant advances during the past 10 years have made SCT a much safer procedure. Use of nonmyeloablative conditioning regimens as a means of reducing toxicity of high-dose chemotherapy and irradiation hold great promise. Highly immunosuppressive, nonchemotherapeutic agents that inhibit graft rejection or GVHD by blocking the critical costimulatory component of the T-cell receptor-antigen interaction are beginning to emerge and may be ideal for SCT of nonmalignant diseases. Therefore, the risk-benefit equation must be reassessed each year as the severity of patients' disorders is better defined and techniques of SCT improve.

Myelodysplastic syndrome associated with Griscelli syndrome

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) in children has been reported to be associated with various constitutional anomalies; however, it has not been described previously in patients with Griscelli syndrome (GS). In this report, we present a case with GS and refractory anemia with an excess of blasts. We believe that careful evaluation of peripheral blood and bone marrow could increase the number of patients who are found to have GS-associated MDS.

Partial albinism with immunodeficiency: Griscelli syndrome: report of a case and review of the literature

Partial albinism with immunodeficiency (Griscelli syndrome) is an uncommon disorder characterized by pigmentary dilution and variable immunodeficiency. Features include a silvery-gray sheen to the hair, large clumped melanosomes in hair shafts, and prominent mature melanosomes in cutaneous melanocytes with sparse pigmentation of adjacent keratinocytes. Immunologic abnormalities most often include impaired natural killer cell activity, absent delayed-type hypersensitivity, and impaired responses to mitogens. Impaired helper T cell function and hypogammaglobulinemia have also been described. The syndrome can be differentiated from Chediak-Higashi syndrome by pathognomonic light and electron microscopic features in skin and hair, and absence of consistent granulocyte abnormalities, but similarly carries a poor prognosis without bone marrow transplantation. We describe a patient with Griscelli syndrome who presented with hepatosplenomegaly, hepatitis, pancytopenia, and silvery hair in the newborn period.

Human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6)-associated necrotizing encephalitis in Griscelli's syndrome

We report a male caucasian German pediatric patient of no Arab or Mediterranean ancestry with virus associated CNS lesions in Griscelli's syndrome (GS; McKusick No. 214450). The boy presented with recurrent infections, and meningitis with subsequent progressive signs of increased intracranial pressure leading to death at 32 weeks of age. At autopsy, various sites of the CNS revealed necroses in gray and white matter. CNS histology revealed numerous and massive predominantly perivascular CD8 positive lymphohistiocytic infiltrates. These findings were associated strictly with the presence of human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) genome or the HHV-6 specific late antigen H-AR 3, found in neurons, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes. The search for HHV-6 replication dependent antigen, HHV-7 DNA, CMV, adenovirus, Coxsackie B1, B2, and B4-antigens, and mycobacteria was not successful. Detection of viruses was attempted using immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization or nested polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Lymphocyte typing was carried out immunohistochemically. In GS, virus induced CNS damage does not seem to require necessarily active virus replication. It may also appear as a consequence of an immune reaction triggered by antigen expression.

Immunodeficiency as a component of recognizable syndromes

Immunodeficiency occurs in numerous genetic syndromes. While it is the dominant manifestation in primary immunodeficiencies, immune deficits may also be seen in a variety of other recognizable syndromes. Immunodeficiency has been reported in 64 such conditions, adding to the 45 recognized primary immunodeficiencies. These uncommon syndromes with immune defects can present with: (a) growth deficiency (11 syndromes with disproportionate or proportionate short stature), (b) specific organ system dysfunction (18 with gastrointestinal, dermatologic, or neurologic abnormalities), (c) inborn errors of metabolism (13), (d) miscellaneous anomalies (10), or (e) chromosome anomalies (12). In most of the disorders, only some of the affected patients have immune defects. However, in 27 syndromes, immunodeficiency is a constant finding. We briefly review the clinical manifestations of each syndrome and delineate the specific associated immune defects. In most syndromes, the connection between the immune and other defects is unknown. Recognition of these conditions involving both the immune and other organ systems may facilitate accurate diagnosis and management as well as yield information regarding genes critical for the development of the involved systems.

Griscelli syndrome: report of three cases

The clinical features of three children with Griscelli syndrome and autopsy findings of two are presented. The patients were 5 years, 9 months, and 3 months old, respectively. Clinical features included partial albinism, hepatosplenomegaly, and various neurological symptoms. Light and electron microscopic studies of the skin were compatible with Griscelli syndrome. Postmortem examination of the viscera and central nervous system revealed lymphohistiocytic infiltration with erythrophagocytosis. Bilateral diffuse involvement of the central nervous system, cranial nerve, and spinal cord was detected in both cases.

Partial albinism with immunodeficiency (Griscelli syndrome)

Partial albinism with immunodeficiency is a rare and fatal immunologic disorder characterized by pigmentary dilution and variable cellular immunodeficiency. To define the phenotype, therapy, and outcome, we retrospectively analyzed seven consecutive patients. Primary abnormalities included a silvery-grayish sheen to the hair, large pigment agglomerations in hair shafts, and an abundance of mature melanosomes in melanocytes, with reduced pigmentation of adjacent keratinocytes. Clinical onset occurred between the ages of 4 months and 4 years and was characterized by accelerated phases (lymphohistiocytic infiltration of multiple organs, including the brain and the meninges), triggered by viral and bacterial infections. Characteristic laboratory features included pancytopenia, hypofibrinogenemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypoproteinemia. Consistent immunologic abnormalities were characterized by absent delayed-type cutaneous hypersensitivity and impaired natural killer cell function. Some patients had secondary hypogammaglobulinemia, impaired major histocompatibility complex-mediated cytotoxic effects, a decreased capacity of lymphocytes to trigger a mixed lymphocyte reaction, or various functional granulocytic abnormalities. The disease seems to be invariably lethal without bone marrow transplantation; the mean age at the time of death was 5 years. Bone marrow transplantation has been performed in three cases; two patients died in the immediate posttransplantation period of infectious complications, but one patient is cured after a follow-up of 5 years. We conclude that partial albinism with immunodeficiency (Griscelli syndrome) can be differentiated from Chédiak-Higashi syndrome by pathognomonic histologic features. One of the underlying immunologic defects may be a defective function of natural killer cells, predisposing the patient to virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome or accelerated phases. The prognosis is very poor unless early bone marrow transplantation is carried out.