Characterization of CSF2RA mutation related juvenile pulmonary alveolar proteinosis

Background

Juvenile pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) due to CSF2RA mutations is a rare disorder with only a few cases described worldwide.

Methods

We identified nine children with severe diffuse interstitial lung disease due to CSF2RA mutations. Clinical course, diagnostic findings and treatment were evaluated and correlated to the genotype. Functional impairment of the intracellular JAK/pStat5 signaling pathway was assessed using flow-cytometry of peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC) and granulocytes.

Results

We identified six individuals with homozygous missense/nonsense/frameshift mutations and three individuals homozygous for a deletion of the complete CSF2RA gene locus. Overall, four novel mutations (c.1125 + 1G > A, duplication exon 8, deletion exons 2–13, Xp22.3/Yp11.3) were found. Reduced STAT5 phosphorylation in PBMC and granulocytes was seen in all cases examined (n = 6). Pulmonary symptoms varied from respiratory distress to clinically silent. Early disease onset was associated with a more severe clinical phenotype (p = 0.0092). No association was seen between severity of phenotype at presentation and future clinical course or extent of genetic damage. The clinical course was favorable in all subjects undergoing whole lung lavage (WLL) treatment.

Conclusions

Our cohort broadens the spectrum of knowledge about the clinical variability and genotype-phenotype correlations of juvenile PAP, and illustrates the favorable outcome of WLL treatment in severely affected patients.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13023-014-0171-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Long-term follow-up and treatment of congenital alveolar proteinosis

Background

Clinical presentation, diagnosis, management and outcome of molecularly defined congenital pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) due to mutations in the GM-CSF receptor are not well known.

Case presentation

A 2 1/2 years old girl was diagnosed as having alveolar proteinosis. Whole lung lavages were performed with a new catheter balloon technique, feasible in small sized airways. Because of some interstitial inflammation in the lung biopsy and to further improve the condition, empirical therapy with systemic steroids and azathioprin, and inhaled and subcutaneous GMCSF, were used. Based on clinical measures, total protein and lipid recovered by whole lung lavages, all these treatments were without benefit. Conversely, severe respiratory viral infections and an invasive aspergillosis with aspergilloma formation occurred. Recently the novel homozygous stop mutation p.Ser25X of the GMCSF receptor alpha chain was identified in the patient. This mutation leads to a lack of functional GMCSF receptor and a reduced response to GMCSF stimulation of CD11b expression of mononuclear cells of the patient. Subsequently a very intense treatment with monthly lavages was initiated, resulting for the first time in complete resolution of partial respiratory insufficiency and a significant improvement of the overall somato-psychosocial condition of the child.

Conclusions

The long term management from early childhood into young adolescence of severe alveolar proteinosis due to GMCSF receptor deficiency requires a dedicated specialized team to perform technically demanding whole lung lavages and cope with complications.