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Kolagatla S, Gullapalli D, Vangara A, Chan R, Jernigan D, Moka N, Ganti SS. Characteristics of Patients With Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency From Rural Appalachia: A Retrospective Single-Center Study. Cureus 2024; 16:e56395. [PMID: 38633947 PMCID: PMC11023687 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.56395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency, an autosomal co-dominant inherited condition, significantly impacts lung and liver functions, with mutations in the SERPINA1 gene, notably the Z allele, playing a pivotal role in disease susceptibility. This retrospective descriptive study from a rural Eastern Kentucky pulmonary clinic aimed to characterize patients with AAT deficiency, focusing on demographic, clinical, and laboratory parameters extracted from electronic health records (EHR) of Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH). Among 100 patient encounters, 56 were analyzed, revealing notable sex-based differences in smoking rates and co-existing conditions, with males showing higher rates of black lung and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In comparison, females exhibited higher rates of asthma, COVID-19, pneumothorax, and obstructive sleep apnea. The study emphasizes the importance of understanding genotype-phenotype correlations and demographic factors in assessing AAT deficiency, advocating for further research to refine management strategies and elucidate causal relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Avinash Vangara
- Internal Medicine, Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Harlan, USA
| | - Regina Chan
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Albany Medical College, Albany, USA
| | - Derek Jernigan
- Internal Medicine, Kettering Medical Center, Kettering, USA
| | - Nagabhishek Moka
- Oncology, Hematology, and Internal Medicine, Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Hazard, USA
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Martinez-González C, Blanco I, Diego I, Bueno P, Miravitlles M. Estimated Prevalence and Number of PiMZ Genotypes of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin in Seventy-Four Countries Worldwide. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis 2021; 16:2617-2630. [PMID: 34556982 PMCID: PMC8455519 DOI: 10.2147/copd.s327803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The α-1 antitrypsin (AAT) protease inhibitor PiMZ is a moderately deficient genotype, until recently considered of little or negligible risk. However, a growing number of studies show that MZ carriers have an increased risk of developing lung and liver diseases, if exposed to smoking or other airborne or industrial pollutants, and hepatotoxic substances. METHODS We used the epidemiological studies performed to determine the frequencies of PiM and PiZ worldwide, based on the following criteria: 1) samples representative of the general population; 2) AAT phenotyping or genotyping characterized by adequate methods, including isoelectric focusing and polymerase chain reaction; and 3) studies with reliable results assessed with a coefficient of variation calculated from the sample size and 95% confidence intervals, to measure the precision of the results in terms of dispersion of the data around the mean. RESULTS The present review reveals an impressive number of MZs of more than 35 million in 74 countries of the world with available data. Seventy-five percent of them are people of Caucasian European heritage, mostly living in Europe, America, Australia and New Zealand. Twenty percent of the remaining MZs live in Asia, with the highest concentrations in the Middle East, Eastern¸ Southern, and South-eastern regions of the Asian continent. The remaining five percent are Africans residing in Western and Eastern Africa. CONCLUSION Considering the high rate of smoking, the outdoor and the indoor air pollution from solid fuels used in cooking and heating, and the exposure to industrial dusts and chemicals in many of these countries, these figures are very worrying, and hence the importance of adequately assessing MZ subjects, recommending them rigorous preventive measures based on the adoption of healthy lifestyles, including avoidance of smoking and alcohol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Martinez-González
- Pulmonology Department, University Central Hospital of Asturias, Universidad de Oviedo, Instituto de Investigación del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain
| | - Ignacio Blanco
- Alpha1-Antitrypsin Deficiency Spanish Registry (REDAAT), Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isidro Diego
- Materials and Energy Department, School of Mining Engineering, Oviedo University, Oviedo, Spain
| | - Patricia Bueno
- Internal Medicine Department, County Hospital of Jarrio, Jarrio, Spain
| | - Marc Miravitlles
- Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron/Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Barcelona, Spain
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Foil KE. Variants of SERPINA1 and the increasing complexity of testing for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. Ther Adv Chronic Dis 2021; 12_suppl:20406223211015954. [PMID: 34408833 PMCID: PMC8367212 DOI: 10.1177/20406223211015954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is caused by mutations in the SERPINA1 gene, which encodes the alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) protein. Currently, over 200 SERPINA1 variants have been identified, many of which cause the quantitative and/or qualitative changes in AAT responsible for AATD-associated lung and liver disease. The types of these pathogenic mutations are varied, often resulting in misfolding, or truncating of the AAT amino acid sequence, and improvements in sequencing technology are helping to identify known and novel genetic variants. However, due to the diversity and novelty of rare variants, the clinical significance of many is largely unknown. There is, therefore, a lack of guidance on how patients should be monitored and treated when the clinical significance of their variant combination is unclear or variable. Nevertheless, it is important that physicians understand the advantages and disadvantages of the different testing methodologies available to diagnose AATD. Owing to the autosomal inheritance of the genetic mutations responsible for AATD, genetic testing should be offered not only to patients at increased AATD risk (e.g. patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), but also to relatives of those with an abnormal result. Genetic counseling may help patients and family members understand the possible outcomes of testing and the implications for the family. While stress/anxiety can arise from genetic diagnosis or confirmation of carrier status, there can be positive consequences to genetic testing, including improved lifestyle choices, directed medical care, and empowered family planning. As genetic testing technology grows and becomes more popular, testing without physician referral is becoming more prevalent, irrespective of the availability of genetic counseling. Therefore, the Alpha-1 Foundation offers genetic counseling, as well as other support and educational material, for patients with AATD, as well as their families and physicians, to help improve the understanding of potential benefits and consequences of genetic testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly E Foil
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
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Barjaktarevic I, Miravitlles M. Alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) augmentation therapy in individuals with the PI*MZ genotype: a pro/con debate on a working hypothesis. BMC Pulm Med 2021; 21:99. [PMID: 33757485 PMCID: PMC7989144 DOI: 10.1186/s12890-021-01466-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is a significantly under-diagnosed genetic condition caused by reduced levels and/or functionality of alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT), predisposing individuals to lung, liver or other systemic diseases. The management of individuals with the PI*MZ genotype, characterized by mild or moderate AAT deficiency, is less clear than of those with the most common severe deficiency genotype (PI*ZZ). Recent genetic data suggest that the PI*MZ genotype may be significantly more prevalent than currently thought. The only specific treatment for lung disease associated with severe AATD is the intravenous infusion of AAT augmentation therapy, which has been shown to slow disease progression in PI*ZZ individuals. There is no specific evidence for the clinical benefit of AAT therapy in PI*MZ individuals, and the risk of emphysema development in this group remains controversial. As such, current guidelines do not support the use of AAT augmentation in PI*MZ individuals. Here, we discuss the limited data on the PI*MZ genotype and offer pro and con perspectives on pursuing an AAT-specific therapeutic strategy in PI*MZ individuals with lung disease. Ultimately, further research to demonstrate the safety, risk/benefit balance and efficacy of AAT therapy in PI*MZ individuals is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Barjaktarevic
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Marc Miravitlles
- Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall D'Hebron, Vall D'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Hospital Campus, CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Barcelona, Spain.
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Bellemare J, Gaudreault N, Valette K, Belmonte I, Nuñez A, Miravitlles M, Maltais F, Bossé Y. The Clinical Utility of Determining the Allelic Background of Mutations Causing Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency: The Case with the Null Variant Q0(Mattawa)/Q0(Ourém). CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASES-JOURNAL OF THE COPD FOUNDATION 2021; 8. [PMID: 33150777 DOI: 10.15326/jcopdf.8.1.2020.0168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Background Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is caused by genetic variants in the SERPINA1 gene conferring risk of developing emphysema. The clinical expression of AATD-related emphysema mostly occurs in carriers of 2 deficient alleles. By DNA sequencing of SERPINA1, numerous rare variants have been identified. Clarifying whether 2 mutations observed in 1 patient are on the same or distinct alleles has obvious clinical implications. Methods We studied 7 carriers of a rare variant, Leu353Phe_fsTer24, known to lead to undetectable serum levels of AAT. Two of them were also carriers of the S or Z allele. We developed an allele-specific DNA sequencing method to characterize the allelic background of the Leu353Phe_fsTer24 variant. Results The Leu353Phe_fsTer24 variant was transmitted on the same allele as the M3 variant (E376D) in all patients. This mutation is thus named Q0Ourém on the conventional PI system. We demonstrated that individuals harboring the E264V (S) and E342K (Z) mutations had them on distinct alleles from Q0Ourém and are, thus, compound heterozygotes. The 7 Q0Ourém carriers had AAT levels ranging from 0.18g/l to 0.82g/l. The lowest AAT serum levels were observed in compound heterozygotes (S/Q0Ourém and Z/Q0Ourém) suggesting higher risk of developing emphysema. Conclusion For the 7 patients, Leu353Phe_fsTer24 is transmitted on the M3 background and they are, thus, carriers of the Q0Ourém allele. Allele-specific DNA sequencing was useful to distinguish 1 or 2 deficient alleles in carriers of 2 mutations. In rare cases, this method is important to understand the clinical significance of genetic variants found in SERPINA1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Bellemare
- Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec - Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Nathalie Gaudreault
- Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec - Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Kim Valette
- Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec - Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Irene Belmonte
- Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d´Hebron, Vall d´Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alexa Nuñez
- Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d´Hebron, Vall d´Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marc Miravitlles
- Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d´Hebron, Vall d´Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain.,CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Madrid, Spain
| | - François Maltais
- Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec - Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Yohan Bossé
- Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec - Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.,Department of Molecular Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, Canada
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Ortega VE, Li X, O’Neal WK, Lackey L, Ampleford E, Hawkins GA, Grayeski PJ, Laederach A, Barjaktarevic I, Barr RG, Cooper C, Couper D, Han MK, Kanner RE, Kleerup EC, Martinez FJ, Paine R, Peters SP, Pirozzi C, Rennard SI, Woodruff PG, Hoffman EA, Meyers DA, Bleecker ER. The Effects of Rare SERPINA1 Variants on Lung Function and Emphysema in SPIROMICS. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2020; 201:540-554. [PMID: 31661293 PMCID: PMC7047460 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201904-0769oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: The role of PI (protease inhibitor) type Z heterozygotes and additional rare variant genotypes in the gene encoding alpha-1 antitrypsin, SERPINA1 (serpin peptidase inhibitor, clade A, member 1), in determining chronic obstructive pulmonary disease risk and severity is controversial.Objectives: To comprehensively evaluate the effects of rare SERPINA1 variants on lung function and emphysema phenotypes in subjects with significant tobacco smoke exposure using deep gene resequencing and alpha-1 antitrypsin concentrations.Methods: DNA samples from 1,693 non-Hispanic white individuals, 385 African Americans, and 90 Hispanics with ≥20 pack-years smoking were resequenced for the identification of rare variants (allele frequency < 0.05) in 16.9 kB of SERPINA1.Measurements and Main Results: White PI Z heterozygotes confirmed by sequencing (MZ; n = 74) had lower post-bronchodilator FEV1 (P = 0.007), FEV1/FVC (P = 0.003), and greater computed tomography-based emphysema (P = 0.02) compared with 1,411 white individuals without PI Z, S, or additional rare variants denoted as VR. PI Z-containing compound heterozygotes (ZS/ZVR; n = 7) had lower FEV1/FVC (P = 0.02) and forced expiratory flow, midexpiratory phase (P = 0.009). Nineteen white heterozygotes for five non-S/Z coding variants associated with lower alpha-1 antitrypsin had greater computed tomography-based emphysema compared with those without rare variants. In African Americans, a 5' untranslated region insertion (rs568223361) was associated with lower alpha-1 antitrypsin and functional small airway disease (P = 0.007).Conclusions: In this integrative deep sequencing study of SERPINA1 with alpha-1 antitrypsin concentrations in a heavy smoker and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease cohort, we confirmed the effects of PI Z heterozygote and compound heterozygote genotypes. We demonstrate the cumulative effects of multiple SERPINA1 variants on alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, lung function, and emphysema, thus significantly increasing the frequency of SERPINA1 variation associated with respiratory disease in at-risk smokers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor E. Ortega
- Center for Precision Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Xingnan Li
- Department of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
| | - Wanda K. O’Neal
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Lela Lackey
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Elizabeth Ampleford
- Center for Precision Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Gregory A. Hawkins
- Center for Precision Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Philip J. Grayeski
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Alain Laederach
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Igor Barjaktarevic
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California
| | - R. Graham Barr
- Columbia University Medical Center, New York City, New York
| | - Christopher Cooper
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California
| | - David Couper
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - MeiLan K. Han
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Richard E. Kanner
- Division of Respiratory, Critical Care, and Occupational Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Eric C. Kleerup
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California
| | - Fernando J. Martinez
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York City, New York
| | - Robert Paine
- Division of Respiratory, Critical Care, and Occupational Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Stephen P. Peters
- Center for Precision Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Cheryl Pirozzi
- Division of Respiratory, Critical Care, and Occupational Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Stephen I. Rennard
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Sleep, and Allergy, Department of Medicine, University of Nebraska, Omaha, Nebraska
- Innovative Medicines and Early Development (IMED) Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Prescott G. Woodruff
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California; and
| | - Eric A. Hoffman
- Department of Radiology
- Department of Medicine, and
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, Iowa
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Franciosi AN, Carroll TP, McElvaney NG. Pitfalls and caveats in α1-antitrypsin deficiency testing: a guide for clinicians. THE LANCET RESPIRATORY MEDICINE 2019; 7:1059-1067. [PMID: 31324540 DOI: 10.1016/s2213-2600(19)30141-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
α1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) remains the only readily identified genetic cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Furthermore, there is growing evidence that even a moderate deficiency increases the risk of lung disease among smokers. Despite these facts, the uptake of testing for AATD in at-risk populations remains low for many reasons, and a lack of clarity among clinicians regarding the most appropriate diagnostic techniques presents a major deterrent. This Personal View addresses the benefits of diagnosis, the technical basis of the available diagnostic methods, and possible clinical confounders for each test. We include a series of unusual cases encountered at our National Centre of Expertise to provide context. The topics covered should equip clinicians with the core knowledge required to confidently assess patients for AATD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro N Franciosi
- Irish Centre for Genetic Lung Disease, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Medicine, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Tomás P Carroll
- Irish Centre for Genetic Lung Disease, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Alpha-1 Foundation Ireland, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Noel G McElvaney
- Irish Centre for Genetic Lung Disease, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Medicine, Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
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