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The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 84, No. 9 3254-3259
Copyright © 1999 by The Endocrine Society


Original Studies

Identification of Two Novel Deletion Mutations within the Gs{alpha} Gene (GNAS1) in Albright Hereditary Osteodystrophy1

Dawen Yu, Shuhua Yu, Volker Schuster, Klaus Kruse, Carol L. Clericuzio and Lee S. Weinstein

Metabolic Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health (D.Y., S.Y., L.S.W.), Bethesda, Maryland 20892; Children’s Hospital, University of Wurzburg (V.S.), D-97080 Wurzburg, Germany; Children’s Hospital, University of Lubeck (K.K.), D-23538 Lubeck, Germany; and the Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico (C.L.C.), Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. Lee S. Weinstein, Metabolic Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Building 10, Room 8C101, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-1752. E-mail: leew{at}amb.niddk.nih.gov


    Abstract
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Subjects and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
Albright hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO) is a genetic disorder characterized by short stature, skeletal defects, and obesity. Within AHO kindreds, some affected family members have only the somatic features of AHO [pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism (PPHP)], whereas others have these features in association with resistance to multiple hormones that stimulate adenylyl cyclase within their target tissues [pseudohypoparathyroidism type Ia (PHP Ia)]. Affected members of most AHO kindreds (both those with PPHP and those with PHP Ia) have a partial deficiency of Gs{alpha}, the {alpha}-subunit of the G protein that couples receptors to adenylyl cyclase stimulation, and in a number of cases heterozygous loss of function mutations within the Gs{alpha} gene (GNAS1) have been identified. Using PCR with the attachment of a high melting domain (GC-clamp) and temperature gradient gel electrophoresis, two novel heterozygous frameshift mutations within GNAS1 were found in two AHO kindreds. In one kindred all affected members (both PHP Ia and PPHP) had a heterozygous 2-bp deletion in exon 8, whereas in the second kindred a heterozygous 2-bp deletion in exon 4 was identified in all affected members examined. In both cases the frameshift encoded a premature termination codon several codons downstream of the deletion. In the latter kindred affected members were previously shown to have decreased levels of GNAS1 messenger ribonucleic acid expression. These results further underscore the genetic heterogeneity of AHO and provides further evidence that PHP Ia and PPHP are two clinical presentations of a common genetic defect. Serial measurements of thyroid function in members of kindred 1 indicate that TSH resistance progresses with age and becomes more evident after the first year of life.


    Introduction
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Subjects and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
ALBRIGHT hereditary osteodystrophy (AHO) is an uncommon genetic disorder characterized by a constellation of abnormal physical features, including short stature, brachydactyly, osteoma cutis, obesity, rounded facies, and, in some cases, mental or developmental abnormalities. Within members of the same kindred, AHO may present alone [pseudopseudohypoparathyroidism (PPHP)] or in association with resistance to hormones (e.g. PTH, TSH, and gonadotropins) that stimulate adenylyl cyclase in their target tissues [pseudohypoparathyroidism type Ia (PHP Ia)] (1). Affected members (both PHP or PPHP) of most AHO kindreds demonstrate an approximately 50% deficiency of Gs, the heterotrimeric G protein that stimulates adenylyl cyclase, in several tissues (e.g. blood cells and fibroblasts), as measured by biochemical assays (2, 3, 4). A small number of patients appear clinically to have PHP Ia but do not demonstrate a Gs defect, and this has been termed PHP Ic.

Heterotrimeric G proteins, a family of proteins that transmit signals from heptahelical receptors to activate intracellular effectors, each consist of {alpha}-, ß-, and {gamma}-subunits, each the product of separate genes (5, 6, 7). Each G protein is defined by its specific {alpha}-subunit, which confers specificity to both receptor and effector interactions. Steady state levels of Gs{alpha} messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) (8, 9) and protein (10) are reduced in the affected members of most, but not all, AHO kindreds. The human Gs{alpha} gene (GNAS1) contains 13 exons encoding Gs{alpha} (11) and is located at 20q13 (12). Several heterozygous loss of function mutations within GNAS1 have been identified in AHO patients (with PHP Ia and PPHP). Except for a 4-bp deletion in exon 7, which has been found in multiple independent kindreds (13), each AHO kindred appears to have a unique GNAS1 mutation. In contrast, activating GNAS1 mutations are present in patients with McCune-Albright syndrome (14) and in a subset of GH-secreting pituitary tumors and thyroid neoplasms (15). Using PCR and temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE), we identified two novel GNAS1 frameshift mutations in two independent AHO kindreds. In each kindred, the mutation was identified in all affected family members who were tested (both PHP Ia and PPHP). Serial thyroid tests in affected members of one kindred indicate that TSH resistance increases progressively after the first year of life.


    Subjects and Methods
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Subjects and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
Patients

Kindred 1 (Fig. 1Go and Table 1Go) Proband (III-1).
The female proband was the product of a normal term delivery; she weighed 7 lb, 2 oz at birth, with a length of 19 in. At 2 days of age, the newborn thyroid screen was slightly abnormal, with a T4 of 7.4 µg/dL (normal, 8–24) and TSH below 20 µU/mL (normal, <20). At age 2 months a repeat screen was normal [T4, 7.4 (normal, 6–18); TSH, <20]. By 19 months she was obese, with global developmental delays; thyroid test results included T4 of 4.9, TSH of 4.0, T3 resin uptake of 26.6%, and free T4 index of 1.3. These results were interpreted as suggestive of secondary hypothyroidism. One month later (20 months) thyroid tests revealed T4 of 5.8 (normal, 6.8–13.5), TSH of 5.1 (normal, 0.5–4.8), and free T4 of 0.8 (normal, 0.8–2.3 for pubertal children). A thyroid scan revealed a normal appearing thyroid with an uptake of 7% at 6 h, which was low. During a TRH stimulation test, baseline TSH was 8.1, and peak TSH was 30. She was begun on thyroid hormone replacement, and all subsequent thyroid tests have remained normal. At 2 yr, 4 months of age, the patient was severely obese, and chemistries revealed calcium of 10.0 mg/dL, phosphorus of 7.7 mg/dL, and PTH [by immunoradiometric assay (IRMA)] of 145 pg/mL (Nichols Institute Diagnostics, San Juan Capistrano, CA; normal, 10–65). At 4 yr, 10 months of age, she became mildly hypocalcemic (calcium, 7.4; phosphorus, 8.6) and was started on oral calcium and calcitriol. At 4 yr, 4 months of age, she was noted to be obese with weight above the 98th percentile and on exam was noted to have a rounded face and brachydachtyly of the fifth proximal phalanges bilaterally. She also has receptive speech deficits. Based upon the endocrine and clinical manifestations, a presumptive diagnosis of PHP Ia was made.



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Figure 1. Acrylamide gel analysis of exon 8 genomic fragments amplified from family members of kindred 1. PCR-amplified genomic DNA samples were denatured, renatured, and separated on 6% acrylamide gels, then gels were silver stained. The pedigree of kindred 1 is shown above, with results of TGGE analysis below. Filled symbols, PHP Ia; gray symbol, PPHP; hatched symbols, AHO with distinction between PHP Ia and PPHP not defined; open symbols, unaffected; N, normal control. The positions of heteroduplex bands are indicated by arrows.

 

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Table 1. Summary of laboratory data for PHP Ia patients in kindred 1

 
Patient III-2.
This female patient was the product of a normal term delivery; she weighed 8 lb, 7.5 oz at birth, with a length of 20 in. Initial newborn thyroid screen was abnormal at 1 day of age with T4 of 9.01 (normal, >6.1) and TSH of 31.41 (normal, <25). At age 14 days, T4 was 9.52, and TSH was 8.39. At 6 months of age, growth velocity was below normal, and TSH was 3.94. By age 12 months her length was below the fifth percentile, and she was obese. Laboratory evaluation at that time revealed TSH of 7.74 (normal, 0.4–5.1), calcium of 10.5, phosphorus of 6.1, and PTH of 94 (by IRMA; Nichols Institute Diagnostics). At this time thyroid hormone replacement was begun. By 2 yr of age, the patient had delays in gross motor development. By age 2 yr, 11 months, oral calcium and calcitriol were initiated. A presumptive diagnosis of PHP Ia was made.

Patient III-3.
This male patient was the product of a normal term delivery; he weighed 6 lb, 19 oz at birth, with a length of 19 in. Initial newborn thyroid screen at 1 day of age was abnormal, with T4 of 3.4 and TSH of 34.6. At age 18 days, T4 was 7.6, and TSH was 18.6. Over the next 6 months thyroid functions normalized. At 2 months, T4 was 6.88 µg/dL (normal, 4.50–12.00), and TSH was 5.94 µIU/mL (normal, 0.46–4.98); at 6 months, T4 was 6.48, and TSH was 4.67. At 9 months, T4 decreased to 4.76, TSH increased to 7.34, and thyroid hormone replacement was begun. By this time he was obese, with a length at the second percentile and delay in gross motor development. Calcium levels were normal at 18 days, 2 months, 6 months, and 9 months (9.0, 10.1, 9.2, and 10.1, respectively; normal, 8.4–10.2 mg/dL). Simultaneous phosphorus levels were 6.3, 5.6, 5.4, and 6.1, respectively (normal, 4–7 mg/dL). A low phosphate diet was instituted at 20 months, when calcium was 9.7 and phosphorus was 7.4. At 4 yr, 9 months of age, PTH resistance was evident, with a serum PTH of 634 (by IRMA) and mild hypocalcemia (calcium, 8.4; lower limit of normal, 8.8). This patient has PHP Ia based upon the clinical presentation and evidence of hypothyroidism and PTH resistance.

Parents II-1 and II-2.
The patients’ mother (II-1) is 5 ft tall, and their father (II-2) is 6 ft tall. Both have normal build and intelligence and normal serum calcium, phosphorus, and PTH. The mother has large palpable sc calcium deposits as well as sc calcifications seen on hand x-rays and mammography. Based upon this she is presumed to have PPHP. The maternal grandfather (I-2) is reportedly 5 ft, 4 in. tall and obese, with calcium deposits around his knees and with broad feet and short toes. He is receiving thyroid hormone replacement, although the nature of his thyroid disease is unknown, and studies of mineral metabolism are unavailable. Based upon this information we presume that he has AHO, although it is unclear whether he has PHP Ia or PPHP. The maternal grandmother (I-1) is unaffected. A maternal aunt (not shown) reportedly is 5 ft tall, weighs 160 lb, has broad feet with short toes, and has sc calcifications noted on a mammogram, making it likely that she also has AHO. She was unavailable for genetic analysis.

Kindred (Fig. 3Go.) The clinical and biochemical data for members of this German kindred have been previously reported (16, 17). Patients III-1 (PPHP), III-4 (PPHP), IV-1 (unaffected), and IV-2 (PHP Ia) correspond to patients with the same numbering as reported in Ref. 16 . Patient IV-3 has been previously reported as patient IV-1 in Ref. 17 . This patient has been reported as having PHP Ia based upon a low cAMP response to administered PTH analogue and a slightly exaggerated TSH response to TRH (17). However, up until the age of 5 yr, 5 months, serum calcium, phosphorus, PTH, free T4, and free T3 have remained normal, whereas TSH has risen slightly to 4.8 (normal, 0.3–4). Therefore, the diagnosis of PHP Ia vs. PPHP is not yet clearly established. Patient IV-4, the younger sister of patient IV-3, developed osteoma cutis on the trunk and extremities in the first months of life. At the age of 2 yr, a modified Ellsworth-Howard test was performed (18). After injection of human PTH-(1–34) (Parathar, Rorer Pharmaceuticals, Collegeville, PA) plasma and urinary cAMP responses were blunted (plasma cAMP: baseline, 27.2 nmol/L; after 5 min, 35.8; after 10 min, 31.2; normal, >60 nmol/L after 5 or 10 min; urinary cAMP: baseline, 6.3 nmol/mg creatinine; after 60 min, 20 nmol/mg creatinine; normal, >60). However, up until 4 yr 1 month of age, serum calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, PTH, free T4, free T3, and TSH were all normal. Therefore, the diagnosis of PHP Ia vs. PPHP in this patient is not clearly established. Gs{alpha} mRNA expression was previously shown to be decreased in four affected members (three PPHP and one PHP Ia) of this kindred (16). Informed consent was obtained from all individuals examined in this study.



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Figure 3. TGGE analysis of exon 4 genomic fragments amplified from family members of kindred 2. PCR-amplified genomic DNA was analyzed by TGGE as described. A partial pedigree of kindred 2 is shown above, with results of TGGE analysis below. Filled symbols, PHP Ia; gray symbols, PPHP; hatched symbols, AHO with distinction between PHP Ia and PPHP not clearly defined; open symbols, unaffected; N, normal control. The positions of heteroduplex bands are indicated by arrows.

 
Genetic analysis

DNA was isolated from blood, and the coding regions of GNAS1 were amplified in 100-µL PCR reactions containing deoxynucleotide triphosphates (200 µmol/L each), upstream and downstream oligonucleotide primers (0.5 µmol/L each), 0.01% (wt/vol) gelatin, 50 mmol/L KCl, 10 mmol/L Tris-HCl (pH 8.3), 1.5 mmol/L MgCl2, and 2.5 U Taq polymerase (Perkin Elmer Corp./Cetus, Emeryville, CA). To amplify genomic fragments containing exon 4, the primers were 5'-GCTACAAGACAGACAGCACAAG-3' (upstream primer) and 5'-GCGGCCGCCCGTCCCGCCGCCCCCGCCCCGCCGCGGCCGCCCAGTACTCCT-AACTGACATGG-3' (downstream primer, GC clamp is underlined). Primer sequences used to amplify exon 8 have been previously reported (14). Samples were denatured at 94 C for 5 min, followed by 30 cycles of annealing (58 C for 45 s), extension (72 C for 1 min), and denaturation (94 C for 1 min) and one final cycle with a 3-min extension. PCR amplification was confirmed by running products in 5% nondenaturing acrylamide gels, and then the PCR products were analyzed by TGGE as previously described (19), using a commercial apparatus (Diagen, Dusseldorf, Germany). PCR products were heated to 95 C for 3 min, immediately placed on ice for 20 min, and then left at room temperature for several hours. Samples were placed in sample buffer [final concentration, 20 mmol/L MOPS-NaOH (pH 8.0), 5 mmol/L EDTA, 0.1% bromophenol blue, and 2% glycerol], and 4 µl of each PCR product were analyzed in 5.5% acrylamide (70:1, acrylamide-bisacrylamide) gels containing 20 mmol/L MOPS-NaOH (pH 8.0), 1 mmol/L ethylenediamine tetraacetate, and 2% glycerol with a running buffer of 20 mmol/L MOPS-NaOH (pH 8.0), and 1 mmol/L ethylenediamine tetraacetate. To analyze exon 4 fragments samples were run in a gradient of 30–65 C for a total of 63 min with the wells located 12 cm from the bottom of the gradient, and then the gels were silver stained. To analyze exon 8 fragments, samples were run in a gradient of 30–65 C for a total of 70 min with the wells located 11 cm from the bottom of the gradient. To confirm the presence or absence of the exon 8 mutation in family members of kindred 1, samples were denatured, renatured, and electrophoresed on 6% acrylamide gel, and the gel was silver stained. For sequencing, 5 µL of the original PCR products were reamplified using the same conditions, except that only one primer was included to generate single stranded template. The reaction products were concentrated by filtration using Centricon-100 (Amicon, Beverly, MA) and sequenced with the opposite PCR primer using Sequenase (U.S. Biochemical Corp., Cleveland, OH).


    Results
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Subjects and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
To identify mutations associated with AHO within these two kindreds, exon and bordering intron regions encompassing exons 2–13 of GNAS1 were amplified by PCR from genomic DNA of family members and normal controls, and the amplified fragments were analyzed by TGGE. To increase the sensitivity of TGGE, a 40-bp GC clamp was attached to one end of each amplified fragment by including this sequence in the appropriate synthetic oligonucleotide primer 5' to the specific complementary sequence (20). TGGE analysis of a genomic fragment spanning exon 8 revealed an abnormal pattern in the proband (III-1) of kindred 1 that was not detected in 27 other unrelated subjects or normal controls. Analysis of fragments encompassing exons 2–7 and 9–13 by PCR-TGGE detected no further mutations. Direct sequencing of the amplified genomic DNA fragment containing exon 8 from patient III-1 revealed a heterozygous 2-bp deletion within the codon encoding residue Gly206, which results in a premature stop codon within the mutant allele (Fig. 2Go). As heteroduplexes containing small heterozygous deletions often migrate more slowly on nondenaturing acrylamide gels, amplified PCR products from members of kindred 1 were separated on 6% acrylamide gels to determine which family members have the mutation (Fig. 1Go). Two extra slower migrating bands were present in amplified DNA from affected family members (I-2, II-1, and III-1,2,3), but not in those from unaffected family members (I-1 and II-2) or a normal control. Therefore, in this kindred a heterozygous 2-bp deletion in exon 8 of GNAS1 is associated with the development of AHO (both PPHP and PHP Ia).



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Figure 2. Direct sequence analysis of the amplified genomic fragment spanning exon 8 from an affected member of kindred 1. Genomic DNA was amplified by PCR using the same oligonucleotides as those used for TGGE and was directly sequenced using the upstream PCR primer. The sequence shown is of the sense strand. Whereas DNA sequence from a normal control through the region of exon 8 shown is unambiguous (shown in the left column), heterozygous deletion of two nucleotides (GA; boxed) produces a frameshift that results in two distinct sequences beyond the mutation in an affected member of kindred 1 (right column). Normal and mutant allele sequences in this region are shown below, with the numbering of the codons based upon Ref. 11.

 
A similar analysis was performed on several family members of kindred 2. TGGE of PCR products encompassing exon 4 revealed an abnormal pattern in affected family members (III-1,4 and IV-2,3,4), but not in an unaffected family member (IV-1) or a normal control (Fig. 3Go). Mutations were not identified in affected patients within exons 2 and 3 or exons 5–13. Direct sequence of exon 4 PCR products from affected family members revealed a heterozygous 2-bp deletion within exon 4, which results in a premature stop codon within the mutant allele (Fig. 4Go). Therefore, in this kindred a heterozygous 2-bp deletion in exon 4 of GNAS1 is associated with the development of AHO (both PPHP and PHP Ia).



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Figure 4. Direct sequence analysis of the amplified genomic fragment spanning exon 4 from an affected member of kindred 2. Genomic DNA was amplified by PCR using the same oligonucleotides as those used for TGGE and was directly sequenced using the downstream PCR primer. The sequence shown is of the complementary strand. Whereas DNA sequence from a normal control through the region of exon 4 shown is unambiguous (shown in the left column), heterozygous deletion of two nucleotides (CT in the complementary strand; boxed) produces a frameshift that results in two distinct sequences beyond the mutation in an affected member of kindred 2 (right column). Normal and mutant allele sequences (both sense and complementary strands) in this region are shown below, with the numbering of the codons based upon Ref. 11.

 

    Discussion
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Subjects and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
In this study we have identified two novel frameshift mutations in GNAS1 within affected members of two AHO kindreds. These results further underscore the genetic heterogeneity of AHO. In both kindreds, the mutations are heterozygous and result in premature termination codons. In kindred 2, this mutation is associated with a partial decrease in GNAS1 mRNA expression, suggesting that the premature stop codon leads to abnormal RNA processing, as determined for mutations in other genes (16). Although GNAS1 mRNA expression was not directly examined in kindred 1 family members, even if a truncated Gs{alpha} protein is produced, it would be missing most of the guanine nucleotide-binding pocket as well as regions that are critical for receptor and effector interaction. Moreover, a frameshift mutation in exon 10, which is downstream of this frameshift, has been shown to be associated with AHO (20). In both kindreds, identical mutations were present in both PPHP and PHP Ia patients, providing further evidence that PHP Ia and PPHP are two distinct clinical presentations resulting from a common genetic defect.

The molecular mechanisms by which a heterozygous null mutation could lead to multihormone resistance in some AHO patients but not in others has remained unclear. A retrospective analysis of published cases revealed that maternal transmission of AHO leads to offspring with PHP Ia, whereas paternal transmission leads to offspring with PPHP (21), suggesting that GNAS1 might be an imprinted gene. Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic phenomenon affecting a small number of autosomal genes by which one allele (paternal or maternal) has partial or total loss of expression (22). If the GNAS1 paternal allele is imprinted (poorly expressed) in hormone target tissues, then maternal transmission of a GNAS1 mutation would lead to markedly decreased Gs{alpha} expression (and hormone resistance) due to imprinting of the paternal allele and mutation of the maternal allele. In contrast, paternal transmission of a GNAS1 mutation would have little effect on Gs{alpha} expression, since the paternal allele is normally silent due to an imprint. Observations in mice with heterozygous null mutations of the homologous gene (Gnas) show that the Gnas paternal allele is imprinted in renal proximal tubules (the major renal site of PTH action) and that PTH resistance results from maternal, but not paternal, transmission of the Gnas null mutation (23).

The observations in kindred 1 are consistent with the imprinting model, as paternal transmission of a GNAS1 mutation from patient I-2 to II-1 resulted in the expression of PPHP in patient II-1, whereas maternal transmission from patient II-1 to patients III-1, -2, and -3 resulted in the expression of PHP Ia in all three offspring. In kindred 2, paternal transmission of a GNAS1 mutation from generation II resulted in three offspring affected by PPHP in generation III (patients III-1 and -4 and a third female; see Ref. 17), whereas maternal transmission from patient III-4 resulted in PHP Ia in patient IV-2, all consistent with the imprinting model. Paternal transmission of the GNAS1 mutation from patient III-1 resulted in two affected offspring who had a blunted cAMP response to administered PTH, and one has been previously reported as having normocalcemic PHP Ia (17). However, both offspring continue to have normal serum calcium, phosphorus, PTH, TSH, and thyroid hormone levels, so that the diagnosis of PPHP vs. PHP Ia in these patients is not well defined.

It remains to be rigorously proven that the GNAS1 transcript encoding Gs{alpha} is imprinted in a tissue-specific manner, probably because tissues in which Gs{alpha} is likely to be imprinted (such as the renal proximal tubules) have not been examined (24). However, two alternative GNAS1 transcripts formed by splicing of alternative upstream exons to exon 2 have been shown to be oppositely imprinted in humans. Transcripts encoding XL{alpha}s, a Gs{alpha} isoform with a long amino-terminal extension localized to Golgi, are expressed only from the paternal allele (25). The mutations described in this paper should disrupt XL{alpha}s expression only when present in the paternal allele; therefore, XL{alpha}s would be unaffected in PHP Ia patients and absent in PPHP patients. Given that PPHP patients are generally more mildly affected and have no phenotypic manifestations not also present in PHP Ia patients, it seems unlikely that XL{alpha}s plays a critical role in human development or physiology. It is also possible that a protein similar to XL{alpha}s is able to compensate for its absence. Another alternative transcript encoding NESP55, a chromogranin-like neurosecretory protein, is expressed only from the maternal allele (26). Unlike XL{alpha}s, the NESP55 coding region is entirely within the upstream exon with exons 2–13 located within the 3'-untranslated region. As the mutations described in this paper disrupt mRNA expression, they probably disrupt NESP55 expression in PHP Ia patients (when present in the maternal allele), but should have no effect on NESP55 expression in PPHP patients (when present on the paternal allele). However two lines of evidence make it unlikely that loss of NESP55 plays a major role in the pathogenesis of PHP Ia: 1) the major phenotypic difference between PHP Ia and PPHP, namely multihormone resistance, is almost certainly caused by defects in Gs{alpha}, which is required for hormone action; and 2) missense mutations in GNAS1 that should have no effect on NESP55 expression lead to a phenotype of similar severity (27, 28).

Consistent with previous observations (29, 30, 31), the development of PTH resistance in patients III-1 and -2 of kindred 1 was progressive over the first years of life, with hypocalcemia being preceded by hyperphosphatemia and elevations in circulating PTH. In all three affected siblings, the newborn thyroid screen was reported as abnormal, with elevated TSH in patients III-2 and -3. This is consistent with previous reports that patients with PHP Ia present with abnormal thyroid tests at birth (32, 33, 34). Interestingly, subsequent thyroid studies within the first year (including TSH) were normal in all three siblings, and evidence of hypothyroidism with elevated TSH redeveloped from 9–20 months after birth. This may indicate that in these PHP Ia patients, TSH resistance, like PTH resistance, progressed over time within the first 1–2 yr of life. Immediately after birth, there is normally a transient surge in TSH levels, presumed to be a response to the rapid decrease in extracorporeal temperature and believed to be important for the induction of nonshivering thermogenesis. The exaggerated surge in TSH levels at birth present in these patients may indicate that within the first year of life, PHP Ia patients have subtle TSH resistance (perhaps due to partial Gs{alpha} deficiency) that can only be detected during maximal stimulation (the TSH surge during parturition). Although TSH levels at birth may well discriminate patients with PPHP vs. PHP Ia, the observations in these three patients suggest that PHP Ia patients may have normal thyroid tests and TSH in the first year of life, and therefore, continued monitoring of thyroid status in early childhood is warranted in AHO patients.


    Acknowledgments
 
We thank George Poy for synthesizing oligonucleotide primers, and Leonard S. Lerman for providing the computer program for DNA melting analysis.


    Footnotes
 
1 This work was supported in part by a grant from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Schu 560:4–1). Back

Received February 18, 1999.

Revised May 14, 1999.

Accepted May 25, 1999.


    References
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Subjects and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 

  1. Weinstein LS. 1998 Albright hereditary osteodystrophy, pseudohypoparathyroidism and Gs deficiency. In: Spiegel AM, ed. G Proteins, receptors, and disease. Totowa: Humana Press; 23–56.
  2. Levine MA, Downs Jr RW, Singer M, Marx SJ, Aurbach GD, Spiegel AM. 1980 Deficient activity of guanine nucleotide regulatory protein in erythrocytes from patients with pseudohypoparathyroidism. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 94:1319–1324.[CrossRef][Medline]
  3. Farfel Z, Brickman AS, Kaslow HR, Brothers VM, Bourne HR. 1980 Defect of receptor-cyclase coupling protein in pseudohypoparathyroidism. N Engl J Med. 303:237–242.[Abstract]
  4. Levine MA, Eil C, Downs Jr RW, Spiegel AM. 1983 Deficient guanine nucleotide regulatory unit activity in cultured fibroblast membranes from patients with pseudohypoparathyroidism type I. A cause of impaired synthesis of 3',5'-cyclic AMP by intact and broken cells. J Clin Invest. 72:316–324.
  5. Spiegel AM, Shenker A, Weinstein LS. 1992 Receptor-effector coupling by G proteins: Implications for normal and abnormal signal transduction. Endocr Rev. 13:536–565.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
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  7. Birnbaumer L, Abramowitz J, Brown AM. 1990 Receptor-effector coupling by G proteins. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Biomembr. 1031:163–224.[Medline]
  8. Carter A, Bardin C, Collins R, Simons C, Bray P, Spiegel A. 1987 Reduced expression of multiple forms of the subunit of the stimulatory GTP-binding protein in pseudohypoparathyroidism type Ia. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 84:7266–7269.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  9. Levine MA, Ahn TG, Klupt SF, et al. 1988 Genetic deficiency of the {alpha}-subunit of the guanine nucleotide-binding protein Gs as the molecular basis for Albright hereditary osteodystrophy. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 85:617–621.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  10. Patten JL, Levine MA. 1990 Immunochemical analysis of the {alpha}-subunit of the stimulatory G-protein of adenylyl cyclase in patients with Albright’s hereditary osteodystrophy. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 71:1208–1214.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  11. Kozasa T, Itoh H, Tsukamoto T, Kaziro Y. 1988 Isolation and characterization of the human Gs{alpha} gene. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 85:2081–2085.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  12. Gejman PV, Weinstein LS, Martinez M, et al. 1991 Genetic mapping of the Gs-{alpha} subunit gene (GNAS1) to the distal long arm of chromosome 20 using a polymorphism detected by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Genomics. 9:782–783.[CrossRef][Medline]
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  14. Weinstein LS, Shenker A, Gejman PV, Merino MJ, Friedman E, Spiegel AM. 1991 Activating mutations of the stimulatory G protein in the McCune-Albright syndrome. N Engl J Med. 325:1688–1695.[Abstract]
  15. Lyons J, Landis CA, Harsh G, et al. 1990 Two G protein oncogenes in human endocrine tumors. Science. 249:655–659.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
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