Hereditary angioedema with a mutation in the plasminogen gene

DAB2IP associates with hereditary angioedema: Insights into the role of VEGF signaling in HAE pathophysiology

BACKGROUND

In the recent years, there was an important improvement in the understanding of the pathogenesis of hereditary angioedema (HAE). Notwithstanding, in a large portion of patients with unknown mutation (HAE-UNK) the genetic cause remains to be identified.

OBJECTIVES

To identify new genetic targets associated with HAE, a large Argentine family with HAE-UNK spanning 3 generations was studied.

METHODS

Whole exome sequencing was performed on affected family members to identify potential genetic variants associated with HAE-UNK. In silico analyses and experimental studies were applied to assess the role of the identified gene variant.

RESULTS

A missense variant (p.D239N) in DAB2IP was identified. The variant occurred in the C2-domain, the region interacting with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2). It was found to be rare, and predicted to have a detrimental effect on the functionality of DAB2IP. Protein structure modeling predicted changes in the mutant p.D239N protein structure, impacting protein stability. The p.D239N variant affected the subcellular localization of VEGFR2. Cells transfected with the DAB2IP-239N transcript exhibited an intracellular distribution, and VEGFR2 remained associated with the cell membrane. The altered localization pattern indicated reduced colocalization of the mutant protein with VEGFR2, suggesting a diminished ability of VEGFR2 binding.

CONCLUSIONS

The study identified a novel missense variant (p.D239N) in DAB2IP in a family with HAE-UNK and highlighted the role of dysregulated VEGF-mediated signaling in altered endothelial permeability. DAB2IP loss-of-function pathogenic variants lead to the impairment of the endothelial VEGF/VEGFR2 ligand system and represent a new pathophysiologic cause of HAE-UNK.

The CC2D2B is a novel genetic modifier of the clinical phenotype in patients with hereditary angioedema due to C1 inhibitor deficiency

Hereditary angioedema due to C1 inhibitor deficiency (HAE-C1-INH) is a rare genetic disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the SERPING1 gene and characterised by swelling and a highly variable clinical phenotype. We aimed to identify novel modifying genetic factors predisposing to the clinical symptoms. We performed whole exome sequencing (WES) and comprehensive bioinformatic analysis in symptomatic and asymptomatic (three duos) family members with HAE-C1-INH. Selected variants identified using WES (present in all asymptomatic and absent in symptomatic patients) were determined using Sanger sequencing. We included 88 clinically well-characterised HAE-C1-INH patients from south-eastern Europe (nine asymptomatic) from 42 unrelated families. We identified 39 variants in 23 genes (ANKRD36C, ARGFX, CC2D2B, IL5RA, IRF2BP2, LGR6, MRPL45, MUC3A, NPIPA1, NRG1, OR5M1, OR5M3, OR5M10, OR8U3, PLCL1, PRSS3, PSKH2, PTPRA, RTP4, SEZ6, SLC25A5, VWA3A, and ZNF790). We selected variants in CC2D2B and PLCL1, which were analysed using Sanger sequencing in the entire group of HAE-C1-INH. We found significant differences in the frequencies of the CC2D2B c.190A>G (rs17383738) variant between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, where heterozygotes were more common in asymptomatic HAE-C1-INH patients in comparison to symptomatic patients (55 % vs 23%; P = 0.049, OR = 4.24, 95% CI 1.07-14.69). Our study identified novel genetic factors that modify the clinical variability of HAE-C1-INH. We further demonstrated, in a large cohort, the importance of the CC2D2B gene as a disease-modifying factor. Based on linkage disequilibrium analysis, the CCNJ and ZNF518A genes might also be involved in the clinical variability of HAE-C1-INH.

Contact System Activation and Bradykinin Generation in Angioedema: Laboratory Assessment and Biomarker Utilization

The role of contact system activation has been clearly established in the pathogenesis of hereditary angioedema due to C1 inhibitor deficiency (HAE-C1INH). C1 inhibitor (C1INH)-protease complexes, levels of functional C1INH, plasma kallikrein activation, and cleavage of high-molecular-weight kininogen have each been associated with disease activity. More recently, HAE with normal levels of C1INH (HAE-nl-C1INH) has been recognized. Six genetic mutations have been identified which are linked to HAE-nl-C1INH phenotypes. The majority of individuals with HAE-nl-C1INH fall into the unknown category. There is substantial evidence that bradykinin generation underlies the recurrent attacks of swelling in some of these cohorts.

Classification, Diagnosis, and Pathology of Angioedema Without Hives

A clear disease classification schema coupled with an understanding of the specific mechanisms involved in the different types of angioedema without hives informs the diagnostic assessment. The recommended approach involves several key steps. Foremost is the recognizing of the clinical clues which allow for the differentiation of mast cell-mediated disorders from bradykinin-mediated angioedema. Enhanced vascular permeability related to bradykinin is of critical importance to identify given the implications for disease morbidity and risk of mortality. The ability to efficiently categorize and diagnose all forms of angioedema results in improved patient outcomes.

Definition, acronyms, nomenclature, and classification of angioedema (DANCE): AAAAI, ACAAI, ACARE, and APAAACI DANCE consensus

BACKGROUND

Angioedema (AE) manifests with intermittent, localized, self-limiting swelling of the subcutaneous and/or submucosal tissue. AE is heterogeneous, can be hereditary or acquired, may occur only once or be recurrent, may exhibit wheals or not, and may be due to mast cell mediators, bradykinin, or other mechanisms. Several different taxonomic systems are currently used, making it difficult to compare the results of studies, develop multicenter collaboration, and harmonize AE treatment.

OBJECTIVE

We developed a consensus on the definition, acronyms, nomenclature, and classification of AE (DANCE).

METHODS

The initiative involved 91 experts from 35 countries and was endorsed by 53 scientific and medical societies, and patient organizations. A consensus was reached by online discussion and voting using the Delphi process over a period of 16 months (June 2021 to November 2022).

RESULTS

The DANCE initiative resulted in an international consensus on the definition, classification, and terminology of AE. The new consensus classification features 5 types and endotypes of AE and a harmonized vocabulary of abbreviations/acronyms.

CONCLUSION

The DANCE classification complements current clinical guidelines and expert consensus recommendations on the diagnostic assessment and treatment of AE. DANCE does not replace current clinical guidelines, and expert consensus algorithms and should not be misconstrued in a way that affects reimbursement of medicines prescribed by physicians using sound clinical judgment. We anticipate that this new AE taxonomy and nomenclature will harmonize and facilitate AE research and clinical studies, thereby improving patient care.

Plasminogen missense variants and their involvement in cardiovascular and inflammatory disease

Human plasminogen (PLG), the zymogen of the fibrinolytic protease, plasmin, is a polymorphic protein with two widely distributed codominant alleles, PLG/Asp453 and PLG/Asn453. About 15 other missense or non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) of PLG show major, yet different, relative abundances in world populations. Although the existence of these relatively abundant allelic variants is generally acknowledged, they are often overlooked or assumed to be non-pathogenic. In fact, at least half of those major variants are classified as having conflicting pathogenicity, and it is unclear if they contribute to different molecular phenotypes. From those, PLG/K19E and PLG/A601T are examples of two relatively abundant PLG variants that have been associated with PLG deficiencies (PD), but their pathogenic mechanisms are unclear. On the other hand, approximately 50 rare and ultra-rare PLG missense variants have been reported to cause PD as homozygous or compound heterozygous variants, often leading to a debilitating disease known as ligneous conjunctivitis. The true abundance of PD-associated nsSNPs is unknown since they can remain undetected in heterozygous carriers. However, PD variants may also contribute to other diseases. Recently, the ultra-rare autosomal dominant PLG/K311E has been found to be causative of hereditary angioedema (HAE) with normal C1 inhibitor. Two other rare pathogenic PLG missense variants, PLG/R153G and PLG/V709E, appear to affect platelet function and lead to HAE, respectively. Herein, PLG missense variants that are abundant and/or clinically relevant due to association with disease are examined along with their world distribution. Proposed molecular mechanisms are discussed when known or can be reasonably assumed.

Systemic inflammation biomarkers during angioedema attacks in hereditary angioedema

Background

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare disease characterized by localized and self-limited angioedema (AE) attacks. A local increase of bradykinin (BK) mediates AE attacks in HAE, however the role of inflammation in HAE has been poorly explored We aim to analyze the role of inflammatory mediators in HAE patients during AE attacks.

Methods

Patients with a confirmed HAE diagnosis due to C1 inhibitor deficiency (HAE-C1INH) or patients F12 gene mutations (HAE-FXII) attending to our outpatient clinic between November-2019 and May-2022 were included. Demographic and clinical characteristics were analyzed. Blood samples were collected both during symptom-free periods (baseline) and during HAE attacks, and acute phase reactants (APR), such as serum amyloid A (SAA), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), D-Dimer and white blood cells were measured.

Results

Seventy-eight patients were enrolled in the study, with a predominant representation of women (76%, n=59), and a mean age of 47.8 years (range 6-88). Among them, 67% (n=52) of patients had HAE-C1INH (46 classified as type 1 and 6 as type 2) while 33% (n=26) had HAE-FXII. During attack-free periods, the majority of patients exhibited normal levels of SAA, ESR, D-dimer, ACE and WCC. However, in a subset of patients (16% for SAA, 18% for ESR, and 14.5% for D-dimer), elevations were noted at baseline. Importantly, during HAE attacks, significant increases were observed in SAA in 88% of patients (p< 0.0001 vs. baseline), in ESR in 65% (p= 0.003 vs. baseline) and D-dimer in 71% (p=0.001 vs. baseline) of the patients. A comparison between baseline and acute attack levels in 17 patients revealed significant differences in SAA AA (p<0. 0001), ESR (p<0.0001) and D-dimer (p= 0.004). No significant differences were observed in CRP (p=0.7), ACE (p=0.67) and WCC (p=0.54). These findings remained consistent regardless of HAE type, disease activity or location of angioedema.

Conclusion

The systemic increase in APR observed during HAE attacks suggests that inflammation extends beyond the localized edematous area. This finding underscores the potential involvement of inflammatory pathways in HAE and highlights the need for further investigation into their role in the pathophysiology of HAE.

Deep-GenMut: Automated genetic mutation classification in oncology: A deep learning comparative study

Early cancer detection and treatment depend on the discovery of specific genes that cause cancer. The classification of genetic mutations was initially done manually. However, this process relies on pathologists and can be a time-consuming task. Therefore, to improve the precision of clinical interpretation, researchers have developed computational algorithms that leverage next-generation sequencing technologies for automated mutation analysis. This paper utilized four deep learning classification models with training collections of biomedical texts. These models comprise bidirectional encoder representations from transformers for Biomedical text mining (BioBERT), a specialized language model implemented for biological contexts. Impressive results in multiple tasks, including text classification, language inference, and question answering, can be obtained by simply adding an extra layer to the BioBERT model. Moreover, bidirectional encoder representations from transformers (BERT), long short-term memory (LSTM), and bidirectional LSTM (BiLSTM) have been leveraged to produce very good results in categorizing genetic mutations based on textual evidence. The dataset used in the work was created by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), which contains several mutations. Furthermore, this dataset poses a major classification challenge in the Kaggle research prediction competitions. In carrying out the work, three challenges were identified: enormous text length, biased representation of the data, and repeated data instances. Based on the commonly used evaluation metrics, the experimental results show that the BioBERT model outperforms other models with an F1 score of 0.87 and 0.850 MCC, which can be considered as improved performance compared to similar results in the literature that have an F1 score of 0.70 achieved with the BERT model.

Hereditary angioedema with normal C1-inhibitor: Clinical and genetic characterization of 15 Portuguese unrelated families

BACKGROUND

Hereditary angioedema with normal C1-inhibitor (HAE-nC1-INH) is a rare genetic disease with similar phenotype to HAE-C1-INH but different genetic background. Currently, 6 subtypes are recognized, based on the underlying mutations. Several aspects need further clarification.

OBJECTIVE

To assess clinical features of patients with genetically characterized HAE-nC1-INH from the North of Portugal.

METHODS

Retrospective assessment of clinical data from all patients with HAE-nC1-INH followed at a HAE Reference Center.

RESULTS

A total of 41 patients were identified, 4 with no family history. The FXII mutation Thr328Lys (38 carriers) was the most prevalent. There were 3 new potentially disease-causing variants linked to HAE-nC1-INH identified (c.529+4A>G:FXII; Cys248*:Kininogen-1; and Arg261His:Plasminogen). The HAE-FXII cohort included 82% females and 71.8% symptomatic patients. Penetrance rate was significantly higher in females (81.3% vs 28.6%; P = .012). A hormonal influence was observed in 96.2% of the symptomatic females, although 62.5% remained symptomatic after oral estrogen withdrawal. Trauma and dental procedures were frequent triggers (82.6% and 45.5%, respectively). Main locations were facial (described by 96%), lips (82.1%), and eyelids (64.3%). One patient reported erythema marginatum as prodrome. Plasma-derived C1-INH was effective as short-term prophylaxis in all treated patients, but only in 80% as on-demand treatment. Icatibant was effectively used on demand in 9 patients, but with relapses in 5 (57%).

CONCLUSION

We described a large Portuguese series of patients with HAE-nC1-INH genetically characterized. Differences with others may contribute to improve current unmet needs and raise awareness of this rare disease. We highlighted the identification of 3 new variants (additional molecular studies are ongoing) and the report of erythema marginatum in HAE-nC1-INH.

Hereditary angioedema classification: Expanding knowledge by genotyping and endotyping

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) encompasses a group of diseases characterized by recurrent, genetically mediated angioedema associated with increased vascular permeability primarily due to bradykinin. The disease poses diagnostic challenges, leading to underdiagnosis and delayed therapy. Severe manifestations include laryngeal and intestinal angioedema, contributing to significant morbidity and mortality. If left undiagnosed, the estimated mortality rate of the disease ranges from 25% to 40% due to asphyxiation caused by laryngeal angioedema. There is a pressing need to enhance awareness of hereditary angioedema and its warning signs. The acronym "H4AE" may facilitate the memorization of these signs. This study comprehensively reviews clinical, laboratory, and physiopathological features of documented HAE subtypes. The study advocates for an improved HAE classification based on endotypes, building on the knowledge of angioedema pathophysiology. The proposed endotype classification of HAE offers a clear and applicable framework, encouraging advancements in disease understanding and classification.

Hereditary angioedema with normal C1 esterase inhibitor: Current paradigms and clinical dilemmas

Background: A diagnosis of hereditary angioedema (HAE) with normal C1 esterase inhibitor (HAE-nl-C1-INH) can be challenging and pharmacologic management is not well defined. Objective: The objective was to discuss practical considerations in the clinical management of HAE-nl-C1-INH by using illustrative clinical vignettes to highlight and/or address select challenges. Methods: This was a narrative review. Results: Symptoms of HAE-nl-C1-INH overlap with HAE types I and II; the heterogeneity of presentation and symptom burden are diagnostic challenges. A patient history, with particular attention to whether urticaria or other symptoms of mast cell mediator release are present, is important because such symptoms would strongly suggest a mast cell-mediated pathway. A family history of angioedema is informative but a lack thereof does not rule out diagnosis. Expected laboratory findings would be normal for C4, C1-INH level and function, and Complement 1q; a genetic mutational analysis may be helpful, but current assays do not include all known mutations; most cases are categorized as unknown. To align with guideline-directed treatment approaches, the following stepwise approach is suggested for suspected HAE-nl-C1-INH: (1) thoroughly investigate the possibility of response to histaminergic and/or mast cell-targeting treatments; (2) if patients with normal C4, C1-INH level and/or function fail adequate trials with histamine/mast cell-directed therapy or have a mutation that suggests bradykinin pathway involvement, follow HAE type I and II treatment guidelines. Response to medications approved for HAE types I/II provides compelling support for a high clinical suspicion of HAE-nl-C1-INH. De-labeling an HAE-nl-C1-INH diagnosis may be appropriate if the initial diagnosis was made without adequate evaluation or if new information and/or testing indicates that the patient does not actually have HAE. Conclusion: Key unmet needs in HAE-nl-C1-INH include lack of confirmatory biomarker(s) for diagnosis and lack of prospective controlled clinical studies of pharmacologic products in this patient population.

Hereditary angioedema with normal C1 inhibitor associated with carboxypeptidase N deficiency

Background

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a potentially life-threatening disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of subcutaneous or submucosal swelling. HAE with normal C1 inhibitor (HAE-nC1-INH) is an underdiagnosed condition. Although the association with genetic variants has been identified for some families, the genetic causes in many patients with HAE-nC1-INH remain unknown. The role of genes associated with bradykinin catabolism is not fully understood.

Objective

We sought to investigate the biological parameters and the genes related to kallikrein-kinin system in families with a clinical phenotype of HAE-nC1-INH and presenting with a carboxypeptidase N (CPN) deficiency.

Methods

This study includes 4 families presenting with HAE-nC1-INH and CPN deficiency. Patients' clinical records were examined, biological parameters of kallikrein-kinin system were measured, and genetics was analyzed by next-generation sequencing and Sanger sequencing. Predictive algorithms (Human Splicing Finder, Sorting Intolerant From Tolerant, Polymorphism Phenotyping v2, MutationTaster, and ClinPred) were used to classify variants as affecting splicing, as benign to deleterious, or as disease-causing.

Results

Patients presented with angioedema and urticaria, mainly on face/lips, but also with abdominal pain or laryngeal symptoms. Affected patients displayed low CPN activity-30% to 50% of median value in plasma. We identified 3 variants of the CPN1 gene encoding the catalytic 55-kDa subunit of CPN: c.533G>A, c.582A>G, and c.734C>T. CPN deficiency associated with genetic variants segregated with HAE-nC1-INH symptoms in affected family members.

Conclusions

CPN1 gene variants are associated with CPN deficiency and HAE-nC1-INH symptoms in 4 unrelated families. Genetic CPN deficiency may contribute to bradykinin and anaphylatoxin accumulation, with synergistic effects in angioedema and urticarial symptoms.

Complex analysis of the national Hereditary angioedema cohort in Slovakia - Identification of 12 novel variants in SERPING1 gene

Background

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare autosomal dominant genetic disease characterised by acute episodes of non-pruritic skin and submucosal swelling caused by increase in vascular permeability.

Objective

Here we present the first complex analysis of the National HAE Slovakian cohort with the detection of 12 previously un-published genetic variants in SERPING1 gene.

Methods

In patients diagnosed with hereditary angioedema caused by deficiency or dysfunction of C1 inhibitor (C1-INH-HAE) based on clinical manifestation and complement measurements, SERPING1 gene was tested by DNA sequencing (Sanger sequencing/massive parallel sequencing) and/or multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification for detection of large rearrangements.

Results

The Slovakian national cohort consisted of 132 living patients with confirmed HAE. We identified 51 index cases (32 families, 19 sporadic patients/112 adults, 20 children). One hundred seventeen patients had HAE caused by deficiency of C1 inhibitor (C1-INH-HAE-1) and 15 patients had HAE caused by dysfunction of C1 inhibitor (C1-INH-HAE-2). The prevalence of HAE in Slovakia has recently been calculated to 1:41 280 which is higher than average calculated prevalence. The estimated incidence was 1:1360 000. Molecular-genetic testing of the SERPING1 gene found 22 unique causal variants in 26 index cases, including 12 previously undescribed and unreported.

Conclusion

The first complex report about epidemiology and genetics of the Slovakian national HAE cohort expands the knowledge of the C1-INH-HAE genetics. Twelve novel causal variants were present in the half of the index cases. A higher percentage of inframe variants comparing to other studies was observed. Heterozygous deletion of exon 3 found in a large C1-INH-HAE-1 family probably causes the dysregulation of the splicing isoforms balance and leads to the decrease of full-length C1-INH level.

A mechanism for hereditary angioedema caused by a methionine-379-to-lysine substitution in kininogens

ABSTRACT

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is associated with episodic kinin-induced swelling of the skin and mucosal membranes. Most patients with HAE have low plasma C1-inhibitor activity, leading to increased generation of the protease plasma kallikrein (PKa) and excessive release of the nanopeptide bradykinin from high-molecular-weight kininogen (HK). However, disease-causing mutations in at least 10% of patients with HAE appear to involve genes for proteins other than C1-inhibitor. A point mutation in the Kng1 gene encoding HK and low-molecular weight kininogen (LK) was identified recently in a family with HAE. The mutation changes a methionine (Met379) to lysine (Lys379) in both proteins. Met379 is adjacent to the Lys380-Arg381 cleavage site at the N-terminus of the bradykinin peptide. Recombinant wild-type (Met379) and variant (Lys379) versions of HK and LK were expressed in HEK293 cells. PKa-catalyzed kinin release from HK and LK was not affected by the Lys379 substitutions. However, kinin release from HK-Lys379 and LK-Lys379 catalyzed by the fibrinolytic protease plasmin was substantially greater than from wild-type HK-Met379 and LK-Met379. Increased kinin release was evident when fibrinolysis was induced in plasma containing HK-Lys379 or LK-Lys379 compared with plasma containing wild-type HK or LK. Mass spectrometry revealed that the kinin released from wild-type and variant kininogens by PKa is bradykinin. Plasmin also released bradykinin from wild-type kininogens but cleaved HK-Lys379 and LK-Lys379 after Lys379 rather than Lys380, releasing the decapeptide Lys-bradykinin (kallidin). The Met379Lys substitutions make HK and LK better plasmin substrates, reinforcing the relationship between fibrinolysis and kinin generation.

Functional Characterization of Two Novel Intron 4 SERPING1 Gene Splice Site Pathogenic Variants in Families with Hereditary Angioedema

Variants that affect splice sites comprise 14.3% of all pathogenic variants in the SERPING1 gene; more than half of them are located outside the canonical sites. To make a clinical decision concerning patients with such variants, it is essential to know the exact way in which the effect of the variant would be realized. The optimal approach to determine the consequences is considered to be mRNA analysis. In the current study, we present the results of functional analysis of two previously non-described variants in the SERPING1 gene (NM_000062.3) affecting intron 4: c.686-1G>A and c.685+4dup, which were detected in members of two Russian families with autosomal dominant inheritance of angioedema type 1. Analysis of the patients' mRNA (extracted from whole blood) showed that the SERPING1(NM_000062.3):c.685+4dup variant leads to the loss of the donor splice site and the activation of the cryptic site in exon 4: r.710_745del (p.Gly217_Pro228del), while the SERPING1(NM_000062.3):c.686-1G>A variant leads to the skipping of exon 5: r.746_949del (p.Asp229_Ser296del).

Concomitant medication in patients with bradykinin-mediated angioedema - there's more than ACE inhibitors

Bradykinin-mediated angioedema is a rare, non-allergic, potentially life-threatening disease. ACE inhibitor-induced angioedema and hereditary angioedema (HAE) are the two most common presentations. Therapeutic options, pathophysiology and diagnosis continue to be investigated, with considerable progress in HAE over the last few decades. For all patients with bradykinin-mediated angioedema, there are several medications that should be avoided or administered with caution. Some of the triggering medications are well known, while others are suspected or of unknown significance. A common denominator is that there is no approved therapy for bradykinin-mediated angioedema as a drug side effect. Some medications, such as tissue plasminogen activator, have a higher incidence of angioedema with potential airway compromise than ACE inhibitors, although this fact is widely underappreciated. In this review, we aim to summarize what is currently known and recommended about concomitant medication in HAE patients and the interaction of other bradykinin-influencing drugs.

Medikamente als Auslöser Bradykinin-vermittelter Angioödeme - mehr als ACE-Hemmer

Bradykinin‐vermittelte Angioödeme sind seltene, nichtallergische und potenziell lebensbedrohliche Krankheiten. Die beiden bekanntesten Formen sind das ACE‐Hemmer‐induzierte Angioödem und das hereditäre Angioödem (HAE). Die therapeutischen Möglichkeiten, die Pathophysiologie und die Diagnostik werden weiter erforscht, wobei beim HAE in den letzten Jahrzehnten erhebliche Fortschritte erzielt wurden. Für alle Patienten mit Bradykinin‐vermittelten Angioödemen gibt es Medikamente, die vermieden oder mit Vorsicht verabreicht werden sollten. Einige dieser auslösenden Medikamente sind gut bekannt, bei anderen wird ein Zusammenhang vermutet oder ihre Bedeutung ist unbekannt. Ein gemeinsamer Nenner ist, dass es keine zugelassene Therapie für das Bradykinin‐vermittelte Angioödem als Arzneimittelnebenwirkung gibt. Bei einigen Medikamenten, wie dem gewebespezifischen Plasminogenaktivator, ist die Inzidenz von Angioödemen mit möglicher Beeinträchtigung der Atemwege höher als bei ACE‐Hemmern, wobei diese Tatsache weitgehend unterschätzt wird. In dieser Übersichtsarbeit fassen wir zusammen, was derzeit über die Begleitmedikation bei HAE‐Patienten und die Interaktion mit anderen Bradykinin‐beeinflussenden Medikamenten bekannt ist und empfohlen wird.

Isolated angioedema due to face mask and other cases of isolated angioedema

Isolated angioedema can be divided into two groups as mast cell-mediated angioedema and bradykinin-mediated angioedema according to the known mechanisms of occurrence. However, angioedema can also occur with mechanisms whose cause is unknown. Treatment varies according to the mechanism of angioedema formation. In this prospective study, we present the causes of 80 isolated angioedema cases admitted to our clinic during the pandemic period. We would like to emphasize the causes that we found in our cases but which are rare in the literature. For example: angioedema due to allergy to nickel in the mask used during the pandemic period, T cell-mediated angioedema, alpha adrenergic receptor blocker use, and patients diagnosed with collagen tissue disease presenting with angioedema as the first clinical finding.

Pathophysiology of bradykinin and histamine mediated angioedema

Angioedema is characterized by swelling localized to the subcutaneous and submucosal tissues. This review provides an overview of angioedema, including the different types, triggers, and underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms. Hereditary and acquired angioedema are caused by dysregulation of the complement and kinin pathways. In contrast, drug-induced and allergic angioedema involve the activation of the immune system and release of vasoactive mediators. Recent advances in the understanding of the pathophysiology of angioedema have led to the development of targeted therapies, such as monoclonal antibodies, bradykinin receptor antagonists, and complement inhibitors, which promise to improve clinical outcomes in patients with this challenging condition. To accurately diagnose and manage angioedema, an understanding of this condition's complex and varied pathophysiology is both necessary and critical.

Urticaria and mimickers of urticaria

Urticaria is a common skin condition encountered across various specialties in medicine, especially in dermatology and allergy/immunology practice. It has a heterogeneous presentation hence it is unsurprising that many skin conditions may be confused with urticaria. Urticaria may present as acute or chronic urticaria, the latter can be further categorised into chronic spontaneous and chronic inducible. In this article, we explore, explain, and summarise various skin lesions that are considered mimickers of urticaria, to promote understanding of each of the conditions highlighted, improve recognition, and reduce misdiagnosis.

The Fibrinolytic System and Its Measurement: History, Current Uses and Future Directions for Diagnosis and Treatment

The fibrinolytic system is a key player in keeping the haemostatic balance, and changes in fibrinolytic capacity can lead to both bleeding-related and thrombosis-related disorders. Our knowledge of the fibrinolytic system has expanded immensely during the last 75 years. From the first successful use of thrombolysis in myocardial infarction in the 1960s, thrombolytic therapy is now widely implemented and has reformed treatment in vascular medicine, especially ischemic stroke, while antifibrinolytic agents are used routinely in the prevention and treatment of major bleeding worldwide. Despite this, this research field still holds unanswered questions. Accurate and timely laboratory diagnosis of disturbed fibrinolysis in the clinical setting remains a challenge. Furthermore, despite growing evidence that hypofibrinolysis plays a central role in, e.g., sepsis-related coagulopathy, coronary artery disease, and venous thromboembolism, there is currently no approved treatment of hypofibrinolysis in these settings. The present review provides an overview of the fibrinolytic system and history of its discovery; measurement methods; clinical relevance of the fibrinolytic system in diagnosis and treatment; and points to future directions for research.

Concurrent Cobalamin C and Plasminogen Deficiencies in a Patient with Chronic Thrombotic Microangiopathy

BACKGROUND

Although most patients with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) have variants in genes participating in alternative complement pathways, rare variants in non-complement pathway-related genes, including DGKE, INF2, MMACHC, PLG, and THBD, have also been described.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report an 18-year-old male patient with renal biopsy-proven chronic thrombotic microangiopathy that raised suspicion of aHUS. Whole-exome sequencing revealed a novel pathogenic homozygous MMACHC c.484G>T (p.Gly162Trp) variant. Subsequently, clinical and laboratory findings confirmed cobalamin C (Cbl C) deficiency. Also, homozygous missense c.1112C>T PLG (p.Thr371Ile) variant was detected (it had been reported as a variant of unknown significance). However, the low serum plasminogen (PLG) activity proved the pathogenicity of c.1112C>T. Hence, the patient was diagnosed with concurrent Cbl C and PLG deficiencies. Segregation analysis revealed that the mother and father had the same heterozygous PLG and MMACHC variants. PLG variants have generally been described in aHUS patients concomitant with complement gene variants in the literature; therefore, the association between aHUS and PLG variants is controversial. The possible contribution of PLG deficiency to thrombotic microangiopathy was also discussed in this case.

CONCLUSION

Non-complement-mediated aHUS is an exceptional disorder. A limited number of genes are involved in this entity. To our knowledge, this is the first aHUS patient diagnosed with both Cbl C and PLG deficiencies in the literature.

A National Survey of Hereditary Angioedema and Acquired C1 Inhibitor Deficiency in the United Kingdom

BACKGROUND

Detailed demographic data on people with hereditary angioedema (HAE) and acquired C1 inhibitor deficiency in the United Kingdom are relatively limited. Better demographic data would be beneficial in planning service provision, identifying areas of improvement, and improving care.

OBJECTIVE

To obtain more accurate data on the demographics of HAE and acquired C1 inhibitor deficiency in the United Kingdom, including treatment modalities and services available to patients.

METHODS

A survey was distributed to all centers in the United Kingdom that look after patients with HAE and acquired C1 inhibitor deficiency to collect these data.

RESULTS

The survey identified 1152 patients with HAE-1/2 (58% female and 92% type 1), 22 patients with HAE with normal C1 inhibitor, and 91 patients with acquired C1 inhibitor deficiency. Data were provided by 37 centers across the United Kingdom. This gives a minimum prevalence of 1:59,000 for HAE-1/2 and 1:734,000 for acquired C1 inhibitor deficiency in the United Kingdom. A total of 45% of patients with HAE were on long-term prophylaxis (LTP) with the most used medication being danazol (55% of all patients on LTP). Eighty-two percent of patients with HAE had a home supply of acute treatment with C1 inhibitor or icatibant. A total of 45% of patients had a supply of icatibant and 56% had a supply of C1 inhibitor at home.

CONCLUSIONS

Data obtained from the survey provide useful information about the demographics and treatment modalities used in HAE and acquired C1 inhibitor deficiency in the United Kingdom. These data are useful for planning service provision and improving services for these patients.

Angioedema With Normal Complement Studies: What Do We Know?

Angioedema is generally readily recognizable clinically and is characterized by localized nonpitting edema involving subcutaneous, submucosal, or deep dermal tissue caused by increased vascular permeability and extravasation of intravascular fluid. It can occur via a variety of mechanisms. A number of clinical conditions (masqueraders) are occasionally mistaken for angioedema. Clinical classification of the various angioedema forms begins with noting the presence or absence of concurrent urticaria or wheals. Pathogenesis can be considered through two broad categories: mast cell-mediated with release of vasoactive mediators causing angioedema usually associated with urticaria or in the context of an anaphylactic reaction; and bradykinin (BK)-driven, in which increased vascular permeability is mediated by BK. BK-mediated angioedema does not occur with urticaria, nor does it respond to antiallergic medications. The various forms of hereditary angioedema are included in this category, requiring specific tests of C4 and C1 inhibitor level and function to confirm the diagnosis. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, which impair the degradation of BK, account for up to a third of all patients with angioedema presenting to the emergency department. Finally, angioedema may occur by yet unknown mechanisms; under this circumstance, it is difficult to manage.

Gene Mutations Linked to Hereditary Angioedema in Solitary Angioedema Patients With Normal C1 Inhibitor

BACKGROUND

Chronic recurrent angioedema without wheals (CRA) with normal C1 inhibitor (C1-INH) that is unresponsive to antihistamines may involve patients with recurrent angioedema of unknown cause (ie, so-called non-histaminergic idiopathic angioedema) as well as patients with hereditary angioedema with normal C1-INH (HAEnCI) when HAEnCI occurs in only one family member.

OBJECTIVE

To identify patients with one of type of HAEnCI in a group of patients with CRA with normal C1-INH that was unresponsive to antihistamines.

METHODS

A total of 132 patients with CRA and normal C1-INH that was unresponsive to antihistamines underwent mutational and clinical analysis. The presence of hereditary angioedema-specific mutations in Factor XII, plasminogen, ANGPT1, KNG1, MYOF, and HS3ST6 genes was tested by Sanger sequencing. When an HAEnCI-causing mutation was identified, available asymptomatic relatives were genetically tested.

RESULTS

In 116 of 132 solitary patients with CRA (87.9%), none of the six HAEnCI-linked mutations could be found. Ten patients (7.6%) had the Factor XII mutation c.983C>A (p.T328K) and six (4.5%) the plasminogen mutation c.988A>G (p.K330E). Other mutations linked to HAEnCI were not found in this patient series. In the 16 families with HAEnCI, 11 asymptomatic carriers of one of the HAEnCI-linked mutations were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

A search for HAEnCI-linked mutations in patients with solitary CRA may lead to the detection of patients and families with HAEnCI. This is important because family members can be identified who are at risk for developing potentially life-threatening angioedema, although they were previously asymptomatic. Without genetic investigation, the risk for an HAEnCI would have remained undetected in these patients and asymptomatic relatives.

Hereditary Angioedema

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare autosomal dominant genetic disorder that usual results from a decreased level of functional C1-INH and clinically manifests with intermittent attacks of swelling of the subcutaneous tissue or submucosal layers of the respiratory or gastrointestinal tracts. Laboratory studies and radiographic imaging have limited roles in evaluation of patients with acute attacks of HAE except when the diagnosis is uncertain and other processes must be ruled out. Treatment begins with assessment of the airway to determine the need for immediate intervention. Emergency physicians should understand the pathophysiology of HAE to help guide management decisions.

Genetic Variants Leading to Urticaria and Angioedema and Associated Biomarkers

Advances in next generation sequencing technologies, as well as their expanded accessibility and clinical use over the past 2 decades, have led to an exponential increase in the number of identified single gene disorders. Among these are primary atopic disorders-inborn errors of immunity resulting in severe allergic phenotypes as a primary presenting feature. Two cardinal aspects of type I immediate hypersensitivity allergic reactions are hives and angioedema. Mast cells (MCs) are frequent primary drivers of these symptoms, but other cells have also been implicated. Even where MC degranulation is believed to be the cause, mediator-induced symptoms may greatly vary among individuals. Angioedema-particularly in the absence of hives-may also be caused by hereditary angioedema conditions resulting from aberrant regulation of contact system activation and excessive bradykinin generation or impairment of vascular integrity. In these patients, swelling can affect unpredictable locations and fail to respond to MC-directed therapies. Genetic variants have helped delineate key pathways in the etiology of urticaria and nonatopic angioedema and led to the development of targeted therapies. Herein, we describe the currently known inherited and acquired genetic causes for these conditions, highlight specific features in their clinical presentations, and discuss the benefits and limitations of biomarkers that can help distinguish them.

Myeloid lineage cells evince distinct steady-state level of certain gene groups in dependence on hereditary angioedema severity

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare genetic disorder with variable expressivity even in carriers of the same underlying genetic defect, suggesting other genetic and epigenetic factors participate in modifying HAE severity. Recent knowledge indicates the role of immune cells in several aspects of HAE pathogenesis, which makes monocytes and macrophages candidates to mediate these effects. Here we combined a search for HAE phenotype modifying gene variants with the characterization of selected genes' mRNA levels in monocyte and macrophages in a symptom-free period. While no such gene variant was found to be associated with a more severe or milder disease, patients revealed a higher number of dysregulated genes and their expression profile was significantly altered, which was typically manifested by changes in individual gene expression or by strengthened or weakened relations in mutually co-expressed gene groups, depending on HAE severity. SERPING1 showed decreased expression in HAE-C1INH patients, but this effect was significant only in patients carrying mutations supposedly activating nonsense-mediated decay. Pro-inflammatory CXC chemokine superfamily members CXCL8, 10 and 11 were downregulated, while other genes such as FCGR1A, or long non-coding RNA NEAT1 were upregulated in patients. Co-expression within some gene groups (such as an NF-kappaB function related group) was strengthened in patients with a severe and/or mild course compared to controls. All these findings show that transcript levels in myeloid cells achieve different activation or depression levels in HAE-C1INH patients than in healthy controls and/or based on disease severity and could participate in determining the HAE phenotype.

The multifactorial impact of receiving a hereditary angioedema diagnosis

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare, chronic, debilitating genetic disorder characterized by recurrent, unpredictable, and potentially life-threatening episodes of swelling that typically affect the extremities, face, abdomen, genitals, and larynx. The most frequent cause of HAE is a mutation in the serpin family G member 1 (SERPING1) gene, which either leads to deficient plasma levels of the C1-esterase inhibitor (C1-INH) protein (type I HAE-C1-INH) or normal plasma levels of dysfunctional C1-INH protein (type II HAE-C1-INH). Mutations in SERPING1 are known to be associated with dysregulation of the kallikrein-bradykinin cascade leading to enhancement of bradykinin production and increased vascular permeability. However, some patients present with a third type of HAE (HAE-nl-C1-INH) that is characterized by normal plasma levels and functionality of the C1-INH protein. While mutations in the factor XII, angiopoietin-1, plasminogen, kininogen-1, myoferlin, and heparan sulfate-glucosamine 3-O-sulfotransferase-6 genes have been identified in some patients with HAE-nI-C1-INH, genetic cause remains unknown in many cases with further research required to fully elucidate the pathology of disease in these patients. Here we review the challenges that arise on the pathway to a confirmed diagnosis of HAE and explore the multifactorial impact of receiving a HAE diagnosis. We conclude that it is important to continue to raise awareness of HAE because delays to diagnosis have a direct impact upon patient suffering and quality of life. Since many patients will seek help from hospitals during their first swelling attack it is vital that emergency department staff are aware of the different pathological pathways that distinguish HAE from other forms of angioedema to ensure that the most appropriate treatment is administered. As disease awareness increases, it is hoped that patients will be diagnosed earlier and that pre-authorization and insurance coverage of HAE treatments will become easier to obtain, ultimately reducing the burden of treatment for these patients and their caregivers.

Mechanisms involved in hereditary angioedema with normal C1-inhibitor activity

Patients with the inherited disorder hereditary angioedema (HAE) suffer from episodes of soft tissue swelling due to excessive bradykinin production. In most cases, dysregulation of the plasma kallikrein-kinin system due to deficiency of plasma C1 inhibitor is the underlying cause. However, at least 10% of HAE patients have normal plasma C1 inhibitor activity levels, indicating their syndrome is the result of other causes. Two mutations in plasma protease zymogens that appear causative for HAE with normal C1 inhibitor activity have been identified in multiple families. Both appear to alter protease activity in a gain-of-function manner. Lysine or arginine substitutions for threonine 309 in factor XII introduces a new protease cleavage site that results in formation of a truncated factor XII protein (Δ-factor XII) that accelerates kallikrein-kinin system activity. A glutamic acid substitution for lysine 311 in the fibrinolytic protein plasminogen creates a consensus binding site for lysine/arginine side chains. The plasmin form of the variant plasminogen cleaves plasma kininogens to release bradykinin directly, bypassing the kallikrein-kinin system. Here we review work on the mechanisms of action of the FXII-Lys/Arg309 and Plasminogen-Glu311 variants, and discuss the clinical implications of these mechanisms.

Biochemistry, molecular genetics, and clinical aspects of hereditary angioedema with and without C1 inhibitor deficiency

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare disorder characterized by cutaneous and submucosal swelling caused mostly by excessive local bradykinin production. Bradykinin is a vasoactive peptide generated by the limited proteolysis of high molecular weight kininogen (HMWK) by plasma kallikrein via the contact activation system. The contact activation system occurs not only in solution but also on the cell surface. Factor XII (FXII), prekallikrein, and HMWK are assembled on the endothelial cell surface via several proteins, including a trimer of a receptor for globular C1q domain in a Zn²⁺-dependent manner, and the reciprocal activation on the cell surface is believed to be physiologically important in vivo. Thus, the contact activation system leads to the activation of coagulation, complement, inflammation, and fibrinolysis. C1-inhibitor (C1-INH) is a plasma protease inhibitor that is a member of the serpin family. It mainly inhibits activated FXII (FXIIa), plasma kallikrein, and C1s. C1-INH hereditary deficiency induces HAE (HAE-C1-INH) due to excessive bradykinin production via the incomplete inhibition of plasma kallikrein and FXIIa through the low C1-INH level. HAE is also observed in patients with normal C1-INH (HAEnCI) who carry pathogenic variants in genes of factor XII, plasminogen, angiopoietin 1, kininogen, myoferlin, and heparan sulfate 3-O-sulfotransferase 6, which are associated with bradykinin production and/or vascular permeability. HAE-causing pathways triggered by pathogenic variants in patients with HAE-C1-INH and HAEnCI are reviewed and discussed.

Successful use of lanadelumab in a patient with hereditary angioedema with normal C1 inhibitor and negative genetic testing

We report an approximately 80% reduction in angioedema attacks with lanadelumab, a mAb targeting plasma kallikrein, in a case of hereditary angioedema with normal C1 inhibitor levels. This finding supports a central pathophysiologic role for kallikrein in hereditary angioedema with normal C1 levels and supports the need for prospective studies of lanadelumab use with this condition.

Hereditary Angioedema During Pregnancy: Considerations in Management

In recent years, hereditary angioedema (HAE) management has substantially advanced but also become more complex with additional therapeutic options. Pregnancy significantly influences the clinical symptoms of HAE in many women because of estrogen effects or other physiologic factors, and also introduces important safety concerns related to HAE medications. Management of HAE during pregnancy requires clinicians to be familiar with the potential clinical course, triggers, and recommended treatment strategies to provide guidance and optimal medical management to women and families affected by the condition. This review provides an overview of data, considerations, and recommendations related to HAE and pregnancy.

Mutant plasminogen in hereditary angioedema is bypassing FXII/kallikrein to generate bradykinin

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is characterized by recurrent localized edema in various organs, which can be potentially fatal. There are different types of hereditary angioedema, which include genetic deficiency of C1 inhibitor (C1-INH) and hereditary angioedema with normal C1-INH (HAEnCI). In HAEnCI patients mutations have been identified in the F12, PLG, KNG1, ANGPT1, MYOF, and HS3ST6 genes. The release of bradykinin from kininogen via the kallikrein-kinin system (KKS) has been shown to be the main mediator in HAE-FXII, but for HAE-PLG there are only first indications how the PLG mutations can result in bradykinin release. Here we identified in a multi-generation HAE-PLG family an additional F12 mutation, resulting in the loss of one F12 allele. There were no differences in the clinical presentation between HAE-PLG patients with and without the additional F12 mutation, thus we concluded that the kallikrein-kinin system is bypassed in HAE-PLG. Structural modeling and in vitro assays using purified proteins confirmed the PLG mutation c.988A>G; p.K330E to be a gain of function mutation resulting in an increased bradykinin release by direct cleavage of high molecular weight kininogen (HMWK). Thus, we can provide clinical and experimental evidence that mutant plasminogen in HAE-PLG is bypassing FXII/kallikrein to generate bradykinin.

Managing Diagnosis, Treatment, and Burden of Disease in Hereditary Angioedema Patients with Normal C1-Esterase Inhibitor

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare, chronic, and debilitating genetic disorder characterized by recurrent and unpredictable swelling episodes that primarily affect the subcutaneous and/or submucosal tissues of the extremities, larynx, face, abdomen, and genitals. Most cases of HAE are caused by mutations in the serpin family G member 1 gene (SERPING1), which encodes C1-esterase inhibitor (C1-INH) protein. Mutations in SERPING1 lead to deficient (type I HAE-C1-INH) or dysfunctional (type II HAE-C1-INH) C1-INH protein and subsequent dysregulation of the kallikrein-bradykinin cascade. However, some patients present with a third type of HAE (HAE-nI-C1-INH), which was first described in the year 2000 and is characterized by an absence of mutations in SERPING1. Although mutations in the coagulation factor XII, angiopoietin-1, plasminogen, kininogen-1, myoferlin, and heparan sulfate-glucosamine 3-O-sulfotransferase-6 genes have been identified in some patients with HAE-nI-C1-INH, genetic cause is still unknown in many cases, hindering full elucidation of the pathology of this HAE subtype. Diagnosis of HAE-nI-C1-INH is also further complicated by the fact that patients typically demonstrate normal plasma levels of C1-INH and complement component 4 protein and normal C1-INH functionality during laboratory analysis. Therefore, we review the challenges associated with diagnosing, treating, and living with HAE-nI-C1-INH. We conclude that raising awareness of the presenting features of HAE-nI-C1-INH within the clinical setting and among the general public is critical to aid earlier suspicion and diagnosis of the disease. Furthermore, adopting an individualized approach to HAE-nI-C1-INH treatment is essential to help address the current and significant unmet needs in this patient population.

Safety of medications for hereditary angioedema during pregnancy and lactation

INTRODUCTION

Hereditary Angioedema (HAE) attacks show an increased frequency and severity for pregnant and lactating females secondary to the hormonal changes. The diagnosis and management of HAE in pregnant and lactating females pose a challenge for physicians due to the rarity of the disease and the paucity of the data for specific management.

AREAS COVERED

In this manuscript, we discuss the diagnosis and special presentation of HAE types 1 and 2 in pregnant and lactating females, including acute management, short-term prophylaxis, long-term prophylaxis, and drugs that should be avoided. Relevant publications were found through key word search of papers indexed in both Google Scholar and PubMed on 1 July 2022.

EXPERT OPINION

Treatment of HAE in the past has been mainly provided by experts; however, with more medications and an increasing number of patients, knowledge of how to care for HAE patients during pregnancy and lactation is important to review. Despite approval of additional medications in many countries, plasma-derived C1-inhibitor remains the drug of first choice for treatment in this unique population. Additional research is needed to increase safe access to other therapy options. We hope that future clinical studies, registries, and databases will shed additional light on this subject.

Case report: Recurrent angioedema: Diagnosing the rare and the frequent

Hereditary angiodema with normal C1 inhibitor and unknown mutation (HAE-nC1INH-UNK), an exceedingly rare subtype of HAE, appears to be often diagnosed in patients who do not have this condition, but have mast cell-mediated angioedema. Here, we report two patients diagnosed with HAE-nC1INH-UNK by their physicians, who referred them to our center for treatment continuation with costly kallikrein-kinin-system targeted therapies. We describe how we established the correct diagnosis of recurrent mast cell-mediated angioedema after thorough investigation of both patients and initiated effective treatment with omalizumab. Also, we present and discuss the consensus criteria for diagnosing the very rare condition HAE-nC1INH in light of recent research and based on our own clinical experience. In conclusion, HAE-nC1INH-UNK should only be considered after more common differential diagnoses, i.e., mast cell-mediated angioedema, have thoroughly been investigated and ruled out. This approach reduces both the patients’ disease burden and healthcare costs and contributes to meaningful research.

Hereditary Angioedema: The Clinical Picture of Excessive Contact Activation

Hereditary angioedema is a rare, genetic disorder characterized by painful, debilitating and potentially life-threatening angioedema attacks in subcutaneous and submucosal tissue. While usually unpredictable, attacks can be provoked by a variety of triggers including physical injury and certain medication and are often preceded by prodromal symptoms. Hereditary angioedema has a profound influence on the patients' lives. The fundamental cause of hereditary angioedema in almost all patients is a mutation in the SERPING1 gene leading to a deficiency in C1-inhibitor. Subsequently, the contact activation cascade and kallikrein-kinin pathway are insufficiently inhibited, resulting in excessive bradykinin production triggering vascular leakage. While C1-inhibitor is an important regulator of the intrinsic coagulation pathway, fibrinolytic system and complement cascade, patients do not have an increased risk of coagulopathy, autoimmune conditions or immunodeficiency disorders. Hereditary angioedema is diagnosed based on C1-inhibitor level and function. Genetic analysis is only required in rare cases where hereditary angioedema with normal C1-inhibitor is found. In recent years, new, highly specific therapies have greatly improved disease control and angioedema-related quality of life. This article reviews the clinical picture of hereditary angioedema, the underlying pathophysiology, diagnostic process and currently available as well as investigational therapeutic options.

A Missense Mutation of the Plasminogen Gene in a Japanese Family with Hereditary Angioedema with Normal C1 Inhibitor: Third Family Survey in Asia

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a life-threatening disease associated with recurrent episodes of subcutaneous and mucosal swelling, painful abdominal cramping, and asphyxiation. HAE has long been thought to be caused by genetic defects of C1 inhibitors (C1-INH). Recently, HAE with a normal C1 inhibitor expression (HAEnCI) was reported, and the missense mutation p.Lys330Glu (K330E) in exon 9 of the plasminogen (PLG) gene was shown to be responsible for a subset of HAEnCI. HAE with the K330E mutation in the PLG gene-PLG (HAE-PLG) has been reported in only two Japanese families in Asia. We herein report a third family with HAE-PLG in Japan.

Altered Urinary Metabolomics in Hereditary Angioedema

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare and potentially life-threatening disease with heterogeneous clinical symptoms. The metabolomic profile of HAE remains unknown. Uncovering the metabolic signatures of HAE may provide inspiration for a comprehensive understanding of HAE pathogenesis and may help explore potential new metabolic biomarkers. We performed a comprehensive metabolic analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography−tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Urine samples from 34 HAE patients and 82 healthy controls (HCs) were collected to characterize the metabolic signatures associated with HAE. The metabolomes of HAE patients carrying different mutation types were also compared. A total of 795 metabolites were accurately detected and quantified. We considered 73 metabolites as differential metabolites in HAE patients (with an importance in projection (VIP) value > 1.0, q-value < 0.05, and fold change (FC) ≥ 1.2 or FC ≤ 0.8). Several metabolites associated with riboflavin metabolism, the citrate cycle, oxidative stress, and inflammation, including xanthine, oxypurinol, vitamin B2, and isocitrate, were significantly altered in HAE patients. No significantly different metabolites were found in HAE patients carrying different mutation types. The present study highlights that metabolic disturbances in the purine metabolism, riboflavin metabolism, and TCA cycle may be involved in the pathogenesis of HAE. Although biochemical significance requires further experimental verification, these findings may help to identify novel candidate metabolite biomarkers associated with HAE.

Interventions for the long-term prevention of hereditary angioedema attacks

BACKGROUND

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that causes acute attacks of swelling, pain and reduced quality of life. People with Type I HAE (approximately 80% of all HAE cases) have insufficient amounts of C1 esterase inhibitor (C1-INH) protein; people with Type II HAE (approximately 20% of all cases) may have normal C1-INH concentrations, but, due to genetic mutations, these do not function properly. A few people, predominantly females, experience HAE despite having normal C1-INH levels and C1-INH function (rare Type III HAE). Several new drugs have been developed to treat acute attacks and prevent recurrence of attacks. There is currently no systematic review and meta-analysis that included all preventive medications for HAE.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the benefits and harms of interventions for the long-term prevention of HAE attacks in people with Type I, Type II or Type III HAE.

SEARCH METHODS

We used standard, extensive Cochrane search methods. The latest search date was 3 August 2021.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised controlled trials in children or adults with HAE that used medications to prevent HAE attacks. The comparators could be placebo or active comparator, or both; approved and experimental drug trials were eligible for inclusion. There were no restrictions on dose, frequency or intensity of treatment. The minimum length of four weeks of treatment was required for inclusion; this criterion excluded the acute treatment of HAE attacks.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standard Cochrane methods. Our primary outcomes were 1. HAE attacks (number of attacks per person, per population) and change in number of HAE attacks; 2. mortality and 3. serious adverse events (e.g. hepatic dysfunction, hepatic toxicity and deleterious changes in blood tests). Our secondary outcomes were 4. quality of life; 5. severity of breakthrough attacks; 6. disability and 7. adverse events (e.g. weight gain, mild psychological changes and body hair). We used GRADE to assess certainty of evidence for each outcome.

MAIN RESULTS

We identified 15 studies (912 participants) that met the inclusion criteria. The studies included people with Type I and II HAE. The studies investigated avoralstat, berotralstat, subcutaneous C1-INH, plasma-derived C1-INH, nanofiltered C1-INH, recombinant human C1-INH, danazol, and lanadelumab for the prevention of HAE attacks. We did not find any studies on the use of tranexamic acid for prevention of HAE attacks. All drugs except avoralstat reduced the number of HAE attacks compared with placebo. For breakthrough attacks that occurred despite prophylactic treatment, intravenous and subcutaneous forms of C1-INH and lanadelumab reduced attack severity. It is not known whether other drugs have a similar effect, as the severity of breakthrough attacks in people taking drugs other than C1-INH and lanadelumab was not reported. For quality of life, avoralstat, berotralstat, C1-INH (all forms) and lanadelumab increased quality of life compared with placebo; there were no data for danazol. Four studies reported on changes in disability during treatment with C1-INH, berotralstat and lanadelumab; all three drugs decreased disability compared with placebo. Adverse events, including serious adverse events, did not occur at a rate higher than placebo. However, serious adverse event data and other adverse event data were not available for danazol, which prevented us from drawing conclusions about the absolute or relative safety of this drug. No deaths were reported in the included studies. The analysis was limited by the small number of studies, the small number of participants in each study and the lack of data on older drugs, therefore the certainty of the evidence is low. Given the rarity of HAE, it is not surprising that drugs were rarely directly compared, which does not allow conclusions on the comparative efficacy of the various drugs for people with HAE. Finally, we did not identify any studies that included people with Type III HAE. Therefore, we cannot draw any conclusions about the efficacy or safety of any drug in people with this form of HAE.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

The available data suggest that berotralstat, C1-INH (subcutaneous, plasma-derived, nanofiltered and recombinant), danazol and lanadelumab are effective in lowering the risk or incidence (or both) of HAE attacks. In addition, C1-INH and lanadelumab decrease the severity of breakthrough attacks (data for other drugs were not available). Avoralstat, berotralstat, C1-INH (all forms) and lanadelumab increase quality of life and do not increase the risk of adverse events, including serious adverse events. It is possible that danazol, subcutaneous C1-INH and recombinant human C1-INH are more effective than berotralstat and lanadelumab in reducing the risk of breakthrough attacks, but the small number of studies and the small size of the studies means that the certainty of the evidence is low. This and the lack of head-to-head trials prevented us from drawing firm conclusions on the relative efficacy of the drugs.

A catalog of the genetic causes of hereditary angioedema in the Canary Islands (Spain)

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare disease where known causes involve C1 inhibitor dysfunction or dysregulation of the kinin cascade. The updated HAE management guidelines recommend performing genetic tests to reach a precise diagnosis. Unfortunately, genetic tests are still uncommon in the diagnosis routine. Here, we characterized for the first time the genetic causes of HAE in affected families from the Canary Islands (Spain). Whole-exome sequencing data was obtained from 41 affected patients and unaffected relatives from 29 unrelated families identified in the archipelago. The Hereditary Angioedema Database Annotation (HADA) tool was used for pathogenicity classification and causal variant prioritization among the genes known to cause HAE. Manual reclassification of prioritized variants was used in those families lacking known causal variants. We detected a total of eight different variants causing HAE in this patient series, affecting essentially SERPING1 and F12 genes, one of them being a novel SERPING1 variant (c.686-12A>G) with a predicted splicing effect which was reclassified as likely pathogenic in one family. Altogether, the diagnostic yield by assessing previously reported causal genes and considering variant reclassifications according to the American College of Medical Genetics guidelines reached 66.7% (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 30.1-91.0) in families with more than one affected member and 10.0% (95% CI: 1.8-33.1) among cases without family information for the disease. Despite the genetic causes of many patients remain to be identified, our results reinforce the need of genetic tests as first-tier diagnostic tool in this disease, as recommended by the international WAO/EAACI guidelines for the management of HAE.

Isolated Angioedema: A Review of Classification and Update on Management

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this article is to review the various types of angioedema including diagnosis and treatment.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed search of articles in the English language various types of angioedema STUDY SELECTION: Articles on the subject matter were selected and reviewed.

RESULTS

Herein, a case based approach is presented for discussing the major types of angioedema including: hereditary angioedema (HAE) TypesI/II and normal complement, acquired angioedema, Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) induced angioedema, as well as histaminergic and non-histaminergic angioedema. Emerging treatments of HAE including targets of pre-kalikrein, DNA vector technology replacing C1INH protein, and CRIPSR technology targeting PKK among many others are explored. In addition, other causes as well as mimickers of angioedema are briefly reviewed. Finally, a novel algorithm is proposed to help guide the treating physician through the work up and management of patients with suspected idiopathic angioedema unresponsive to conventional therapy with antihistamines.

CONCLUSION

Over the years, many strides have been made in both understanding the pathophysiology of various types of angioedema as well as expansion of treatment options. It is important for clinicians to be aware of current and emerging treatment options. We provide a novel practical algorithm to guide clinicians in challenging cases of idiopathic angioedema refractory to antihistamines.

Molecular Genetic Screening in Patients With ACE Inhibitor/Angiotensin Receptor Blocker-Induced Angioedema to Explore the Role of Hereditary Angioedema Genes

Angioedema is a relatively rare but potentially life-threatening adverse reaction to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). As with hereditary forms of angioedema (HAE), this adverse reaction is mediated by bradykinin. Research suggests that ACEi/ARB-induced angioedema has a multifactorial etiology. In addition, recent case reports suggest that some ACEi/ARB-induced angioedema patients may carry pathogenic HAE variants. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible association between ACEi/ARB-induced angioedema and HAE genes via systematic molecular genetic screening in a large cohort of ACEi/ARB-induced angioedema cases. Targeted re-sequencing of five HAE-associated genes (SERPING1, F12, PLG, ANGPT1, and KNG1) was performed in 212 ACEi/ARB-induced angioedema patients recruited in Germany/Austria, Sweden, and Denmark, and in 352 controls from a German cohort. Among patients, none of the identified variants represented a known pathogenic variant for HAE. Moreover, no significant association with ACEi/ARB-induced angioedema was found for any of the identified common [minor allele frequency (MAF) >5%] or rare (MAF < 5%) variants. However, several non-significant trends suggestive of possible protective effects were observed. The lowest p-value for an individual variant was found in PLG (rs4252129, p.R523W, p = 0.057, p.adjust > 0.999, Fisher’s exact test). Variant p.R523W was found exclusively in controls and has previously been associated with decreased levels of plasminogen, a precursor of plasmin which is part of a pathway directly involved in bradykinin production. In addition, rare, potentially functional variants (MAF < 5%, Phred-scaled combined annotation dependent depletion score >10) showed a nominally significant enrichment in controls both: 1) across all five genes; and 2) in the F12 gene alone. However, these results did not withstand correction for multiple testing. In conclusion, our results suggest that HAE-associated mutations are, at best, a rare cause of ACEi/ARB-induced angioedema. Furthermore, we were unable to identify a significant association between ACEi/ARB-induced angioedema and other variants in the investigated genes. Further studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to draw more definite conclusions concerning variants with limited effect sizes, including protective variants.

Mutation update of SERPING1 related to hereditary angioedema in the Chinese population

BACKGROUND

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare disease characterized by recurrent attacks of severe swellings of the skin and submucosa. More than 900 variants of the SERPING1 gene associated with HAE have been identified. However, only approximately 50 variants have been identified in the Chinese population. This study aimed to update the mutational spectrum in Chinese HAE patients and provide evidence for the accurate diagnosis of HAE.

METHODS

A total of 97 unrelated HAE patients were enrolled in the study. Sanger sequencing and multiple ligation-dependent probe amplification analysis were used to identify the variants in the SERPING1 gene. The variants were reviewed in a number of databases, including the Human Gene Mutation Database (HGMD) ( http://www.hgmd.cf.ac.uk/ ) and the Leiden Open Variation Database (LOVD, https://databases.lovd.nl/shared/variants/SERPING1 ). The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics-Association for Molecular Pathology (ACMG-AMP) criteria was used to determine the pathogenicity of the variants.

RESULTS

Of the 97 patients, 76 different variants were identified in 90 of them and no disease-causing variants were identified in the remaining 7 patients. Among the 76 variants, 35 variants were novel and submitted to ClinVar. Missense and in-frame variants were the most common variants (36.8%), followed by frameshift (28.9%), nonsense (14.5%), splice site (13.2%) variants, and gross deletions/duplications (6.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings broaden the mutational spectrum of SERPING1 and provide evidence for accurate diagnosis and predictive genetic counseling.

Icatibant use in Brazilian patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE) type 1 or 2 and HAE with normal C1-INH levels: findings from the Icatibant Outcome Survey Registry Study

BACKGROUND

Hereditary angioedema can be caused by C1-Inhibitor (C1-INH) deficiency and/or dysfunction (HAE-1/2) or can occur in patients with normal C1-INH (HAE nC1-INH).

METHODS

The Icatibant Outcome Survey (IOS; NCT01034969) registry monitors the safety and effectiveness of icatibant for treating acute angioedema.

OBJECTIVE

Present findings from Brazilian patients with HAE-1/2 and HAE nC1-INH participating in IOS.

RESULTS

42 patients were enrolled (HAE-1/2, n = 26; HAE nC1-INH, n = 16). Median age at symptom onset was significantly lower with HAE-1/2 vs. HAE nC1-INH (10.0 vs. 16.5y, respectively; p = 0.0105), whereas median age at diagnosis (31.1 vs. 40.9y; p = 0.1276) and the median time between symptom onset and diagnosis (15.0 vs. 23.8y; p = 0.6680) were numerically lower vs. HAE nC1-INH, respectively. One icatibant dose was used for > 95% of HAE attacks. Median (range) time-to-event outcomes were shorter for patients with HAE nC1-INH vs. HAE-1/2, including time to first administration (0.5 [0-96.0] vs. 1.0 [0-94.0]h, respectively), time from first administration to complete resolution (1.0 [0-88.0] vs. 5.5 [0-96.0]h, respectively), and total attack duration (7.0 [0.3-99.0] vs. 18.5 [0.1-100.0]h, respectively). Mean (SD) time from attack onset to resolution was significantly shorter for patients with HAE nC1-INH vs. HAE-1/2 (9.8 [18.7] vs. 19.6 [24.0]h, respectively; p = 0.0174). 83 adverse events (AEs) in 42 patients were reported; most were mild (66.3%) or moderate (13.3%) and non-serious (75.9%). The most common icatibant-related AE was injection site erythema (HAE-1/2, 34.6%; HAE nC1-INH, 18.8%).

STUDY LIMITATIONS

This was an observational study without a treatment comparator and that relied on patient recall.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings demonstrate effectiveness and tolerability of icatibant in Brazilian HAE patients.

A mechanism for hereditary angioedema caused by a lysine 311-to-glutamic acid substitution in plasminogen

Patients with hereditary angioedema (HAE) experience episodes of bradykinin (BK)-induced swelling of skin and mucosal membranes. The most common cause is reduced plasma activity of C1 inhibitor, the main regulator of the proteases plasma kallikrein (PKa) and factor XIIa (FXIIa). Recently, patients with HAE were described with a Lys311 to glutamic acid substitution in plasminogen (Plg), the zymogen of the protease plasmin (Plm). Adding tissue plasminogen activator to plasma containing Plg-Glu311 vs plasma containing wild-type Plg (Plg-Lys311) results in greater BK generation. Similar results were obtained in plasma lacking prekallikrein or FXII (the zymogens of PKa and FXIIa) and in normal plasma treated with a PKa inhibitor, indicating Plg-Glu311 induces BK generation independently of PKa and FXIIa. Plm-Glu311 cleaves high and low molecular weight kininogens (HK and LK, respectively), releasing BK more efficiently than Plm-Lys311. Based on the plasma concentrations of HK and LK, the latter may be the source of most of the BK generated by Plm-Glu311. The lysine analog ε-aminocaproic acid blocks Plm-catalyzed BK generation. The Glu311 substitution introduces a lysine-binding site into the Plg kringle 3 domain, perhaps altering binding to kininogens. Plg residue 311 is glutamic acid in most mammals. Glu311 in patients with HAE, therefore, represents reversion to the ancestral condition. Substantial BK generation occurs during Plm-Glu311 cleavage of human HK, but not mouse HK. Furthermore, mouse Plm, which has Glu311, did not liberate BK from human kininogens more rapidly than human Plg-Lys311. This indicates Glu311 is pathogenic in the context of human Plm when human kininogens are the substrates.