A genotype-phenotype correlation study in a group of 54 patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia

López-Granados, Eduardo MD, PhD
de Diego, Rebeca Pérez PhD
Cerdán, Antonio Ferreira MD, PhD
Casariego, Gumersindo Fontán MD, PhD
Rodríguez, Maria Cruz García MD, PhD

Immunology Unit, University Hospital “La Paz.”, Madrid, Spain.

Reprint requests: Eduardo López-Granados, MD, PhD, Department of Clinical Immunology, Level 7, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Oxford OX3 9DU, United Kingdom. E-mail: [email protected].

^*Dr López-Granados is currently affiliated with the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Oxford University/John Radcliffe Hospital, NHS, Oxford.

Supported by Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (FIS) grant no. 020982.

Received for publication November 2, 2004; revised April 13, 2005; accepted for publication April 28, 2005.

Available online July 15, 2005.

Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology 116(3):p 690-697, September 2005.

Background

X-linked (Bruton's) agammaglobulinemia (XLA) is a rare immunodeficiency caused by a block in B-cell development caused by mutations in the Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) gene. Many aspects of XLA and BTK function remain unresolved; atypical presentations have been reported, and no clear genotype-phenotype correlation has been established.

Objectives

We sought to contribute to the understanding of XLA through the phenotypic and biochemical characterization of a large group of Spanish patients with agammaglobulinemia. We also sought to classify the mutations according to their severity to analyze a genotype-phenotype correlation.

Methods

Clinical and analytic data were collected from the clinical records. We studied the BTK gene, protein expression, and function, and the findings were correlated with the phenotypic information.

Results

Fifty-four patients were given diagnoses of XLA. We identified 38 different mutations in BTK, 26 not described in other patients, and several uncommon clinical phenotypes or analytic characteristics were found. The statistical analysis shows that less severe mutations or minimal detection of protein by means of flow cytometry are associated with decreased severity in clinical and analytic data, demonstrating a clear relation between the type of mutation and the disease expressivity. However, some exemptions to this rule were noted.

Conclusions

XLA is a variable disease. Globally, a genotype-phenotype correlation is observed, but individual discrepancies between the severity of the mutation and the clinical and analytic phenotype suggest that other loci or ambient factors significantly influence the disease presentation and evolution.