Novel Folliculin Gene Mutations in Polish Patients with Birt–Hogg–Dubé Syndrome Elżbieta Radzikowska1*, Urszula Lechowicz2, Jolanta Winek3 and Lucyna Opoka4
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Radzikowska et al. Orphanet J Rare Dis (2021) 16:302 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13023-021-01931-0 RESEARCH Open Access Novel folliculin gene mutations in Polish patients with Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome Elżbieta Radzikowska1*, Urszula Lechowicz2, Jolanta Winek3 and Lucyna Opoka4 Abstract Background: Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome (BHDS) is a rare, autosomal dominant, inherited disease caused by muta- tions in the folliculin gene (FLCN). The disease is characterised by skin lesions (fbrofolliculomas, trichodiscomas, acrochordons), pulmonary cysts with pneumothoraces and renal tumours. We present the features of Polish patients with BHDS. Materials and methods: The frst case of BHDS in Poland was diagnosed in 2016. Since then, 15 cases from 10 fami- lies have been identifed. Thirteen patients were confrmed via direct FLCN sequencing, and two according to their characteristic clinical and radiological presentations. Results: BHDS was diagnosed in 15 cases (13 women and 2 men) from 10 families. The mean ages at the time of frst pneumothorax and diagnosis were 38.4 13.9 and 47.7 13 years, respectively. Five patients (33%) were ex- smokers (2.1 1.37 packyears), and 10 (67%)± had never smoked± cigarettes. Twelve patients (83%) had a history of recurrent symptomatic± pneumothorax. Three patients had small, asymptomatic pneumothoraces, which were only detected upon computed tomography examination. All patients had multiple bilateral pulmonary cysts, distributed predominantly in the lower and middle, peripheral, and subpleural regions of the lungs. Generally, patients exhibited preserved lung function. Skin lesions were seen in four patients (27%), one patient had renal angiomyolipoma, and one had bilateral renal cancer. Diferent mutations of the FLCN gene were identifed (mainly in exon 6), with two novel heterozygous variants: c.490delA p.(Arg164GlyTer13) and c.40delC p.(His14ThrsfTer41). Conclusions: All analysed patients with BHDS presented with lung lesions and with less frequent skin and renal lesions than previously reported in other populations. In addition, more frequent mutations located in exon 6 were detected, and two novel FLCN gene mutations were identifed. Introduction proliferation. Expression of FLNC is observed in the lung, Birt–Hogg–Dubé syndrome (BHDS) is a rare, autoso- skin, distal nephrons, brain, heart, placenta, and testis mal dominant, inherited disease caused by mutations [1–3]. Terefore, afected patients present with lesions in in the folliculin gene (FLCN) located on the short arm these organs [1, 4–6]. of chromosome 17p11.2. FLCN functions as a tumour Te disease is characterised by skin lesions (fbrofol- suppressor gene. Te protein product of this gene, fol- liculomas, trichodiscomas, acrochordons) that usually liculin, participates in the proper functioning of the cel- occur on the face, neck and upper torso, pulmonary cysts lular cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix as well as with pneumothoraces, and renal tumours. BHDS was frst described more than 50 years ago, and since then, approximately 600 families with the syndrome have been *Correspondence: [email protected] identifed worldwide [4, 5, 7–9]. 1 3rd Department of Lung Diseases and Oncology, National Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland A wide spectrum of BHDS symptoms has been found Full list of author information is available at the end of the article in diferent populations, and phenotypic variability is © The Author(s) 2021. 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The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creat iveco mmons. org/ publi cdoma in/ zero/1. 0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data. Radzikowska et al. Orphanet J Rare Dis (2021) 16:302 Page 2 of 10 seen, even within the same family. Usually, the frst mani- cyst size (maximum diameter: < 6 mm, > 15 mm), cyst festation of the syndrome is skin lesions, which develop shape (round, oval) and lung involvement (25%, 50% and at the age of 20–30 years in > 80–90% of patients [2, 75% of lung felds). 9–12]. Subsequently, pneumothorax, as a typical feature Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) were performed of lung involvement, presents at the age of 30–40 years; according to the joint guidelines of the American To- 50–60% of patients experience pneumothorax, which is racic Society and European Respiratory Society, at usually recurrent. Various sizes, shapes and numbers of 3–6 months after an episode of pneumothorax. Lung thin-walled cysts, located in the middle and lower parts volumes were measured using body plethysmography of the lungs and in the subpleural regions, are frequently (Jaeger MasterScreen software ver. 4.65; Würzburg, observed in approximately 90% of BHDS patients [8, 9, Germany), and the difusion capacity of the lungs for 13–15]. Generally, lung function is preserved, and even carbon monoxide (T L,CO) was determined using the sin- in patients with multiple cysts, there is no respiratory gle-breath technique. Te predicted values were analysed. insufciency[14]. CT or magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen Renal tumours occur, usually in the ffth decade of life was used for abdominal assessment. in < 30% of patients, and sometimes this is an isolated FLCN gene detection was performed based on methods presentation of the disease [16–18]. Patients with BHDS described in the literature. Genomic DNA was extracted develop various kinds of renal tumours, often diferenti- from peripheral blood leukocytes and subjected to pol- ated within the same organ. Te most frequently identi- ymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing. Te fed tumours are hybrid oncocytic tumours with features sequencing reactions were conducted on an ABI 3730 of both chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and DNA Analyzer (Termo Fisher Scientifc, Waltham, MA, oncocytoma, chromophobe RCC, and clear cell RCC [6, USA), and the resulting chromatograms were analysed 8–11]. using Variant Reporter 1.1 software (Applied Biosystems, To date, more than 200 mutations in the FLCN gene Termo Fisher Scientifc) [11]. have been identifed and documented in the FLCN Lei- In addition, for two patients, next-generation sequenc- den Open Variation Database. Te most frequently ing reactions were performed on a HiSeq 4000 Sequencer detected mutations are protein truncations, including (Illumina Inc., San Diego, CA, USA) with a reading frameshift (small deletions or insertions), nonsense or length of 2 × 151 nucleotides and an average cover- splice variants. Te detection rate of FLCN mutations in age of 230 × with a quality threshold of 100%. Libraries patients with BHDS features is approximately 90% [7, 14, were prepared using the enrichment method. Genetic 19–28]. variants were identifed using Burrows-Wheeler Aligner. We present the clinical, radiological and genetic fea- Te method allows detection of 100% of substitutions tures of Polish patients with BHDS. and 95% of small deletions and insertions. Te cod- ing sequence of the FLCN gene was analysed along with Materials 10–20-nucleotide intron fanks. From 2016 to 2020, 15 patients with BHDS have been Te pathogenic variant nomenclature presented follows diagnosed in our department. Te diagnosis, based on the Human Genome Variation Society recommendations criteria proposed by the European BHD Consortium, (https:// varno men. hgvs. org/; version 20.05). DNA muta- was established when patients fulflled at least one major tion numbering is based on the FLCN cDNA sequence or two minor criteria. Te major criteria were at least (GenBank accession numbers NM_144997.7) with the A fve fbrofolliculomas or trichodiscomas (at least one of the ATG translation‐initiation codon numbered as + 1. histologically confrmed, of adult onset) and a patho- Similarly, amino-acid numbering starts with the transla- genic FLCN germline mutation. Te minor criteria were tion initiator methionine as + 1 (NP_659434.2). multiple lung cysts (bilateral basally located lung cysts Te study was approved by the Ethics Committee of with no other apparent cause, with or without a sponta- the National Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research neous primary pneumothorax), renal cancer (early onset Institute (Number 36/2020) and performed according to before age 50 y, multifocal or bilateral, mixed chromo- the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki. phobe, and oncocytic histology) and a frst-degree rela- tive with BHDS [27]. Results Fibrofolliculomas and trichodiscomas were diagnosed by dermatological evaluation. BHDS was diagnosed in 15 patients from 10 families. Chest computed tomography (CT) scans were evalu- Tirteen patients were confrmed by direct sequencing ated in all patients for the presence of pneumothorax, of the FLCN gene and two by clinical diagnosis. Tree cysts and cyst localisation (central part of both lungs), patients have been reported previously [29, 30]. Radzikowska et al. Orphanet J Rare Dis (2021) 16:302 Page 3 of 10 Te mean ages at the time of frst pneumothorax and families in exon 6. Tis deletion cause frameshift and diagnosis were 38.4 ± 13.9 and 47.7 ± 13 years, respec- premature STOP codon. In addition, deletion c.40delC tively. Five patients (33%) were ex-smokers (2.1 ± 1.37 p.(His14TrsfTer41) was identifed in exon 4. Tese packyears), and 10 (67%) had never smoked cigarettes.