Atypical pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration: Clinical description of two brothers and a review of the literature

Basal ganglia calcification and novel compound heterozygous mutations in the PANK2 gene in a Chinese boy with classic Pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration: A case report

RATIONALE

Pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN) represents an autosomal recessive hereditary disease. In this report, a PANK2 gene mutation in a Chinese child was identified, as well as detections of PKAN among his family members. Our findings exposed a world-wide novel compound heterozygous mutation.

PATIENT CONCERNS

We described a 6-year-old male patient with PKAN, exhibiting involuntary movement for a period of 1.5 years, as well as feeding difficulties for 2 weeks.

DIAGNOSIS

Due to brain computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging results, and patient behavior, the attending physician suspected a hereditary effect.

INTERVENTIONS

The patient sample underwent high-throughput sequencing. Subsequently, his parents and sister were screened for the mutations identified in the patient genome.

OUTCOMES

High-throughput sequencing revealed a novel complex heterozygous mutation of the PANK2 gene, which was detected in the second and fourth exons, c.A650G, and c.T1341G, respectively, resulting in amino acid alterations (p.D217G and p.D447E, respectively). The child's father was confirmed to possess a heterozygous c.A650G mutation, while his mother was heterozygous for the c.T1341G mutation.

LESSONS

The key finding of the study encompassed the detection of a novel PANK2 gene mutation in a child of Chinese ethnicity with PKAN. The PANK2 gene c.A650G, as well as c.T1341G, mutations may be potential mutation hotspots in children with PKAN in Mainland China.