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Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia
Jason Lobo, MD1 Maimoona A. Zariwala, PhD1 Peadar G. Noone, MD, FCCP, FRCPI1
1 The Division of Pulmonary Diseases, University of North Carolina, Address for correspondence Peadar G. Noone, MD, FCCP, FRCPI, The Chapel Hill, North Carolina Division of Pulmonary Diseases, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 (e-mail: [email protected]). Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2015;36:169–179.
Abstract Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is an autosomal recessive disorder of cilia structure, function, and biogenesis leading to chronic infections of the respiratory tract, fertility problems, and disorders of organ laterality. The diagnosis can be challenging, using traditional tools such as characteristic clinical features, ciliary function, and ultrastruc- tural defects and newer screening tools such as nasal nitric oxide levels and genetic Keywords testing add to the diagnostic algorithm. There are 32 known PCD-causing genes, and in ► bronchiectasis the future, comprehensive genetic testing may screen young infants before developing ► cilia symptoms, thus improving survival. Therapies include surveillance of pulmonary ► ciliary dyskinesia function and microbiology, in addition to airway clearance, antibiotics, and early referral ► sinusitis to bronchiectasis centers. As with cystic fibrosis (CF), standardized care at specialized ► otitis centers using a multidisciplinary approach likely improves outcomes. In conjunction ► dynein arms with the CF foundation, the PCD foundation, with experienced investigators and ► situs inversus clinicians, is developing a network of PCD clinical centers to coordinate the effort in ► Pseudomonas North America and Europe. As the network grows, clinical care and knowledge will aeruginosa improve.
Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare, autosomal recessive further helped the understanding of PCD. Nonetheless, even disorder of motile cilia that leads to oto-sino-pulmonary with improvements in diagnostic and screening tests at disease.1 PCD was first described by Kartagener et al in specialized centers, up to 30% of patients may be missed. 1936 as a syndrome based on the triad of chronic sinusitis, Secondary ciliary dyskinesia may be seen in diseases associ- bronchiectasis, and situs inversus. Forty years later, Afzelius ated with acute and chronic airway inflammation and expanded on this by observing that these patients had infection. “immotile” cilia and defective ciliary ultrastructure, specifi- This review focuses primarily on PCD, the genetically cally noting a deficiency of dynein arms, decreased mucocili- transmitted form of the disease, with a brief review of the ary clearance, and a lack of ciliary motion.2,3 Later on, the structure and function of normal and dysfunctional cilia, the syndrome was renamed “primary ciliary dyskinesia” when it clinical manifestations of PCD, including diagnosis, genetic was observed that functional ciliary impairment without mutations, therapies, and a glimpse into future. ultrastructural deformities, as well as motile cilia with obvi- ous abnormal movement patterns, could result in clinical This document was downloaded for personal use only. Unauthorized distribution is strictly prohibited. – Normal Cilia Structure and Function disease.4 6 The prevalence of PCD is difficult to determine due to (hitherto) inadequate diagnostic methods and often an Respiratory cilia are an important part of airway host defense, under-recognition of the syndrome; it is estimated to be protecting the airways from inhaled pathogens, allergens, approximately 1 in 15,000 to 20,000 individuals.7 Focused and other inhaled noxious particles via the mucociliary clinical and research efforts in recent years have led to an escalator. In the airways, they are surrounded by a thin, increased understanding of the phenotype, as well as the watery, periciliary fluid layer overlaid by a more viscous discovery of PCD-causing genetic mutations. Indeed, the use mucus layer. The efficiency of the mucociliary escalator in of genetic testing has greatly aided the diagnosis of PCD and defense of the airway depends on the viscosity and
Issue Theme Cystic Fibrosis and Copyright © 2015 by Thieme Medical DOI http://dx.doi.org/ Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis; Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, 10.1055/s-0035-1546748. Guest Editor: Andrew M. Jones, MD, FRCP New York, NY 10001, USA. ISSN 1069-3424. Tel: +1(212) 584-4662. 170 Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia Lobo et al.
composition of the periciliary fluid and mucus layer, the components of the system. For example, cystic fibrosis (CF) integrity of the airway epithelium, and the synchrony and results from abnormalities in the CF transmembrane conduc- beat frequency of the cilia. The density of cilia decreases from tance regulator, a critical airway surface epithelial protein. the upper to the lower respiratory tract with an absence of Similarly, mutations in genes encoding for axonemal struc- cilia in the alveoli and air sacs.8 Cilia are hair-like attachments tures of the functional components of motile cilia, or proteins found on the epithelial cell surfaces ( 200 per cell) of various involved in the biogenesis of cilia, including cytoplasmic – organs. The cilia basal body attaches to the apical cytoplasm proteins, can result in clinical disease (PCD).11 14 on the cell surface and extends into the extracellular space. Although dysfunctional motile cilia lead to the main clini- They are composed of α-andβ-tubulin monomers organized cal manifestations of PCD, abnormal nodal motile cilia can into longitudinal microtubules. The axonemal structure con- also lead to interesting phenotypic features. Nodal cilia occur sists of a circular arrangement of nine microtubule doublets during embryonic development and have a 9 þ 0 configura- surrounding a central pair of microtubules (9 þ 2) or with an tion rather than the classic 9 þ 2 configuration and are found arrangement where the central pair is absent (9 þ 0).9 Cilia on the epithelial cell surface of the kidneys, the bile ducts, and are categorized into 9 þ 2 motile cilia with dynein arms, the endocrine pancreas and on nonepithelial cells such as 9 þ 0 motile cilia (nodal cilia) with dynein arms, and 9 þ 0 chondrocytes, fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells, and neurons. nonmotile cilia lacking dynein arms.10 In contrast to the waveform sliding motion of 9 þ 2 cilia, “9 þ 2” motile cilia are found on the apical surfaces of the nodal motile 9 þ 0 cilia beat with a vertical/rotational motion upper and lower respiratory tract, on the ependymal cells resulting in a leftward flow of extracellular fluid which is lining the ventricles of the central nervous system, in the important for cell signaling during the development of nor- oviducts, and in the flagellum of sperm.10 Outer dynein arms mal human left–right asymmetry. Mutations in the genes that (ODAs) and inner dynein arms (IDAs) traverse along the encode the outer doublets result in laterality defects (e.g., length of the peripheral microtubules forming a doublet situs inversus), while mutations in the genes that encode the (►Fig. 1) and are organized into nine microtubule pair nondirectional central apparatus (central complex, radial doublets, surrounding a central pair. This organizational spoke) do not.15 This represents a predictable genotype– structure creates this distinctive 9 þ 2 arrangement. The phenotype relationship (see section “Genetic Testing”). central pair is linked to the surrounding pair doublet through radial spoke proteins, and the surrounding pair doublets are Phenotypic Features linked to one another via nexin-linked proteins (►Fig. 1). The microtubules slide by one another to produce ciliary motion Overview via an ATP-containing dynein arm on the peripheral micro- Cells lining the nasopharynx, middle ear, paranasal sinuses, tubule. The protein links between the microtubules limit the the lower respiratory tract, and the reproductive tract contain degree of sliding, causing them to bend. Through coordinated cilia; these cilia are abnormal in structure and function in and synchronized bending, wave-like movements occur at PCD, leading to clinical expression of disease. The clinical approximately 6 to 12 Hz, which function to propel mucus manifestations of PCD are thus predictable, with an age- and adherent particles/bacteria on the surface of the airway— dependent and organ system spectrum of presentation hence the term “mucociliary escalator.” The ability of numer- (►Table 1). Symptoms of PCD can occur at birth, or within ous adjacent cilia on airway epithelial cells to beat at such a the first several months of life. Normal ciliary function is high frequency in part reflects the very low friction among critical in the clearance of amniotic fluid from the fetal lung; the cilia, which results from negatively charged glycoproteins more than 80% of full-term neonates with PCD have a that coat the ciliary shaft. Thus, given such an efficient, if syndrome of respiratory distress. Unexplained respiratory complex, system of defense, it can readily be visualized that distress, radiographic abnormalities, atelectasis in particular, clinical disease may result from disruptions in the various and hypoxia in a full-term infant should raise the suspicion for PCD.16,17 Almost all children with PCD have a daily productive cough, a logical symptom, as cough can partially This document was downloaded for personal use only. Unauthorized distribution is strictly prohibited. Outer dynein arm (ODA) compensate for the dysfunctional mucociliary clearance. However, recurrent bacterial infections of the lower airways Inner dynein arm (IDA) ultimately lead to bronchiectasis, which is seen in virtually all – older adults with PCD.16 18 Despite aggressive medical care, Microtubule A PCD is generally a progressive disease and some patients
Microtubule B develop severe disease, respiratory failure, and/or require lung transplant (►Fig. 2).1 Radial spoke (RS) Airway Microbiology Central microtubule complex Regular surveillance of the respiratory flora is important, as a variety of organisms may colonize or infect the lung, which may require targeted therapy because of resistance, fi Fig. 1 Diagrammatic representation of a normal ciliary cross section or lead to speci c infectious problems (e.g., nontuberculous illustrating major ultrastructural components. mycobacteria [NTM]). Monitoring protocols developed for
Seminars in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Vol. 36 No. 2/2015 Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia Lobo et al. 171
Table 1 Clinical signs and symptoms of primary ciliary dyskinesia
By system affected By age of presentation
Middle ear Family history • Chronic otitis media with tube placement • Communities or ethnicities with consanguinity • Conductive hearing loss • Close (usually first degree) relatives with clinical Nose and paranasal sinuses symptoms • Neonatal rhinitis Antenatal • Chronic rhinosinusitis • Heterotaxy on prenatal ultrasound • Chronic pansinusitis Newborn period • Nasal polyposis • Continuous rhinorrhea Lung • Respiratory distress or neonatal pneumonia • Neonatal respiratory distress Childhood • Chronic cough • Chronic productive cough • Recurrent pneumonia • Atypical asthma unresponsive to therapy • Bronchiectasis • Idiopathic bronchiectasis Genitourinary tract • Chronic rhinosinusitis • Male/female fertility problem or history of in vitro • Recurrent otitis media with effusion fertilization Adolescence and adult life Laterality defects • Same as for childhood • Situs inversus totalis • Subfertility and ectopic pregnancies in females • Heterotaxy (þ/ congenital cardiovascular • Infertility in males with immotile sperm abnormalities) • Sputum colonization with nontuberculosis mycobacte- Central nervous system rium or smooth/mucoid pseudomonas • Hydrocephalus Eye • Retinitis pigmentosa
CF and PCD patients vary, but most centers obtain airway of infants and children with PCD show subsegmental atelectasis, cultures every 3 to 6 months. The respiratory microbiology peribronchial thickening, mucus plugging, evidence of air trap- in PCD generally mirrors that of CF; however, in PCD ping, and ground glass opacities. HRCT may show bronchiectasis colonization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, it generally even in infancy, and its frequency increases with age. The occurs later, and the incidence of Streptococcus pneumoniae absence of bronchiectasis on a HRCT scan of an adult virtually is much higher.1 Children with PCD have airway coloniza- excludes PCD from the differential.21,22 tion with Haemophilus influenza, Staphylococcus aureus, and S. pneumoniae and recently, there has been an upsurge Nonpulmonary Manifestations of P. aeruginosa in infants/preschoolers. P. aeruginosa Situs abnormalities result in early diagnosis; thus, it is found in (smooth and mucoid varieties) normally occurs in teen- approximately 60% of newly diagnosed pediatric patients and agers and young adults and is often the dominant organism approximately 50% of newly diagnosed adults. The defect is in in adults with PCD. NTM are seen in approximately 15% of the 9 þ 0 nodal motile cilium during embryogenesis whose adults with PCD.1 unidirectional rotational beat determines normal thoracoabdo- minal orientation. Without this, thoracoabdominal orientation Lung Function develops at random, resulting in a 50% incidence in adults.15 Patients with PCD, as with other patients with non-CF bron- Recently, this phenotypic expression of situs abnormalities has chiectasis, usually develop progressive airway obstruction as expanded to include other clinical manifestations, including that the disease advances. The disease progression is usually slower of cardiac abnormalities; approximately 6% of patients with PCD This document was downloaded for personal use only. Unauthorized distribution is strictly prohibited. than that seen in CF; however, it is just as important to follow have congenital heart disease.23 Spermatozoa depend on cilia for lung function serially to establish a baseline, to help guide motility; thus, infertility is seen in almost all males with PCD. – therapy, and to determine prognosis.18 20 However, a small number of men with PCD have appeared to conceive naturally. Females have abnormal cilia in their fallopian Radiology tubes with longer ovum transit time, and there appears to be an High-resolution chest computed tomography scan (HRCT scan) increased incidence of infertility and ectopic pregnancies.24 Less is the most sensitive imaging modality to diagnosis bronchiec- clear phenotypic associations include pectus excavatum (10%), tasis. While HRCT cannot confidently distinguish between the scoliosis (5–10%), retinitis pigmentosa, and hydrocephalus.25 different etiologies for bronchiectasis (PCD vs. idiopathic vs. postinfectious disease), there are disease distributions that Diagnostic Approaches may support specific diseases. For example, PCD may be associ- A precise diagnosis of PCD may be difficult, especially in ated with more bronchiectasis in the middle and lower lobes, as nonclassic clinical situations (e.g., without situs abnormali- compared with CF which usually shows more disease in upper ties). Often, only specialized centers have the resources to lobes.21 Subtle lung disease may start early in life, as HRCT scans make a definitive diagnosis (see later). Obviously, the presence
Seminars in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine Vol. 36 No. 2/2015 172 Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia Lobo et al.
Clinical suspicion of PCD
No CT chest with bronchiectasis PCD unlikely*
• Yes Exclude cystic fibrosis with a sweat chloride test CFTR No and/or gene mutation analysis Other etiologies of bronchiectasis • Exclude primary immunodeficiency with excluded immunoglobulin levels; IgG, IgA and IgM, serum electrophoresis, response to vaccines • Exclude connective tissue disorders with appropriate serologic tests • Consider ABPA, asthma, allergic rhinitis, reflux, Yes and α1-antitrypsins deficiency
Nasal NO level reduced No (5–20% of normal)** PCD unlikely*
Yes
Cilia examination via nasal biopsy
Yes
Nml Ciliary beat frequency and pattern PCD not excluded***
Abnml
Electron microscopy with ultrastructural defect in cilia Normal beat frequency, pattern and ultrastructure makes PCD unlikely Nml Yes
PCD likely Consider genetic testing