Juvenile open-angle Glaucoma associated with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy: a case report and literature review

Association between glaucoma susceptibility with combined defects in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and fatty acid beta oxidation

Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of visual impairment and blindness worldwide, and is characterized by the progressive damage of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and the atrophy of the optic nerve head (ONH). The exact cause of RGC loss and optic nerve damage in glaucoma is not fully understood. The high energy demands of these cells imply a higher sensitivity to mitochondrial defects. Moreover, it has been postulated that the optic nerve is vulnerable towards damage from oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. To investigate this further, we conducted a pooled analysis of mitochondrial variants related to energy production, specifically focusing on oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO). Our findings revealed that patients carrying non-synonymous (NS) mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variants within the OXPHOS complexes had an almost two-fold increased risk of developing glaucoma. Regarding FAO, our results demonstrated that longer-chain acylcarnitines (AC) tended to decrease, while shorter-chain AC tended to increase in patients with glaucoma. Furthermore, we observed that the knocking down cpt1a (a key rate-limiting enzyme involved in FAO) in zebrafish induced a degenerative process in the optic nerve and RGC, which resembled the characteristics observed in glaucoma. In conclusion, our study provides evidence that genes encoding mitochondrial proteins involved in energy metabolisms, such as OXPHOS and FAO, are associated with glaucoma. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying glaucoma pathogenesis and may offer potential targets for therapeutic interventions in the future.

COINCIDENCE OF IDIOPATHIC INTRACRANIAL HYPERTENSION AND LEBER HEREDITARY OPTIC NEUROPATHY. A CASE REPORT

GOAL

This paper describes a case of a long-term monitoring of a patient with optic nerve swelling on the ocular background (papilledema), accompanied by symptoms of intracranial hypertension, on whom a genetic examination was performed as part of differential diagnosis, confirming Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy with the m.3460G>A mutation. Casuistry: During the examination of a 5-year-old patient after an alleged head injury at a bouncy castle, an optic nerve papilla with unclear boundaries was described on the ocular background of both eyes. Neurological examination, including brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging, was indicated to rule out possible intracranial hypertension. Both examinations yielded a finding within the norm. After eight years of regular follow-up, the patient attended to our clinic with acute problems in terms of sudden visual impairment during baseball training. The performed eye examination revealed a deterioration of the vision of the right eye on counting fingers to 50 cm, vision of the left eye to 0.4 naturally, a slowed photoreaction of the right pupil, prominent optic nerve papilla with unclear boundaries on both eyes, dilated and more coiled vessels with a crossing phenomenon, the retinal periphery shows no focal changes. Due to the swelling of the papilla, acute deterioration of the vision and the suspected intracranial hypertension, the patient was immediately referred for neurological examination and subsequent hospitalization. There, the patient underwent computer tomography of the brain, venography of the dural venous sinuses and an initial laboratory examination that showed no pathology. There was increasing headache, nausea and vomiting throughout the period. A lumbar puncture was performed. The cerebrospinal fluid pressure before sampling was 285 mmH2O and 100 mmH2O after sampling. The biochemistry of the fluid was normal with negative microbiology. Evoked visual potentials had bilaterally prolonged latencies, which corresponds to optic nerve compression. An ophthalmological examination ruled out a drusen papilla. Using Optical Coherence Tomography, a 600 μm edema was detected. The patient underwent two relieving lumbar punctures, which led to a subjective improvement without objective improvement. Finally, the neurosurgeon referred the patient for ventriculoperitoneal drainage. Due to the impaired vision and lack of response to the therapy induced, a genetic test was performed, which confirmed Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy with the mutation of m.3460G>A.

CONCLUSION

Despite the substantially improved identification of the Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, the diagnosis may still be significantly delayed. The variability of initial findings, the rare incidence of the disease and few well-defined symptoms of the disease lead to significant diagnostic difficulties and late commencement of treatment. It is not possible to say whether there was a coincidence of IIH and LHON or whether the signs of IIH are a possible concomitant of the acute phase of LHON.

Optic atrophy-associated TMEM126A is an assembly factor for the ND4-module of mitochondrial complex I

Mitochondrial disease is a debilitating condition with a diverse genetic etiology. Here, we report that TMEM126A, a protein that is mutated in patients with autosomal-recessive optic atrophy, participates directly in the assembly of mitochondrial complex I. Using a combination of genome editing, interaction studies, and quantitative proteomics, we find that loss of TMEM126A results in an isolated complex I deficiency and that TMEM126A interacts with a number of complex I subunits and assembly factors. Pulse-labeling interaction studies reveal that TMEM126A associates with the newly synthesized mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)-encoded ND4 subunit of complex I. Our findings indicate that TMEM126A is involved in the assembly of the ND4 distal membrane module of complex I. In addition, we find that the function of TMEM126A is distinct from its paralogue TMEM126B, which acts in assembly of the ND2-module of complex I.

Eye involvement in inherited metabolic disorders

Inherited metabolic disorders are a large group of rare disorders affecting normal biochemical pathways. Many metabolic disorders can present with symptoms affecting the eye, and eye disorders can evolve later in the natural history of an already diagnosed metabolic disorder. The ophthalmic involvement can be very varied affecting any part of the eye, including abnormalities of cornea, lens dislocation and cataracts, retina and the distal optic pathway, and extraocular muscles. Awareness of inherited metabolic disorders is important to facilitate early diagnosis and in some cases instigate early treatment if a patient presents with eye involvement suggestive of a metabolic disorder. Ophthalmological interventions are also an important component of the multisystem holistic approach to treating patients with metabolic disorders.