Complex genetic architecture in severe hypobetalipoproteinemia

Linda R. Wang, Adam D. McIntyre, Robert A. Hegele

Abetalipoproteinemia and homozygous hypobetalipoproteinemia are classical Mendelian autosomal recessive and co-dominant conditions, respectively, which are phenotypically similar and are usually caused by bi-allelic mutations in MTTP and APOB genes, respectively. Instances of more complex patterns of genomic variants resulting in this distinct phenotype have not been reported. A 43 year-old male had a longstanding severe deficiency of apolipoprotein (apo) B-containing lipoproteins and circulating fat soluble vitamins consistent with either abetalipoproteinemia or homozygous familial hypobetalipoproteinemia (FHBL). He also had acanthocytosis, a long term history of fat malabsorption, and mild retinopathy, but was free from coagulopathy, myopathy and neuropathy. He had taken high dose oral fat soluble vitamins since childhood. Targeted next generation DNA sequencing revealed several rare heterozygous missense variants in both MTTP and APOB genes known or predicted to be deleterious, in addition to a novel heterozygous missense variant in SAR1B, which encodes the gene causing chylomicron retention disease. Evaluation of first degree relatives with mild FHBL clarified the segregation of variants. The proband's characteristic phenotype likely resulted from an oligogenic interaction involving multiple rare variants in MTTP and APOB, and related genes, each of which individually was associated with a milder or minimal clinical and biochemical phenotype.