Clinical heterogeneity in patients with m.4412G > A MT-TM mutation and different heteroplasmy levels

Abstract

The identification of the m.4412G > A MT-TM (mt-tRNA^Met) mutation was first reported in 2019. The affected individual presented with childhood-onset seizures and myopathy and bilateral basal ganglia changes, with heteroplasmy levels in muscle as high as 90%. Here, we describe another adult-onset patient with the same mutation and additional phenotypes, including hearing impairment, cerebellar ataxia, progressive dementia, and myopathy. The 10% heteroplasmy level observed in skin fibroblasts from this patient are lower than those in the previously reported patient. Our report suggests possible clinical heterogeneity in patients with mitochondrial tRNA mutations based on heteroplasmy levels.

Keywords: Clinical heterogeneity; Mitochondrial DNA; Mitochondrial disease; Mitochondrial respiratory chain complex deficiencies; Mitochondrial tRNA.