Clinical Description
The clinical manifestations of NKX2-1-related disorders range from benign hereditary chorea (BHC) to congenital hypothyroidism to neonatal respiratory distress or any combination of brain, thyroid, and lung development. When all three organ systems are involved, this is also known as "brain-lung-thyroid syndrome" (see ).
Phenotypic spectrum of NKX2-1-related disorders NKX2-1-related disorders may manifest as abnormalities in a single organ system or as any combination of brain, thyroid, and lung involvement. "Brain-lung-thyroid syndrome" refers to involvement of all three (more...)
In a review of 46 affected individuals Carré et al [2009] found that 50% had the full brain-lung-thyroid syndrome, 30% had involvement of only brain and thyroid, and 13% had isolated chorea only.
The prevalence of chorea in the NKX2-1-related disorders is unknown. In one study all 28 affected individuals from 13 families with a heterozygous NKX2-1 pathogenic variant had chorea and hypotonia [Gras et al 2012]. However, in a retrospective study of 21 individuals with an NKX2-1-related disorder presenting with pulmonary dysfunction, at least two unrelated individuals and three members of one family did not manifest neurologic symptoms [Hamvas et al 2013].
Neurologic
Chorea, an involuntary, random, irregular, jerk-like, and continuous movement, is a classic early finding in BHC and other NKX2-1-related disorders. The onset of chorea generally occurs in one of the following time periods:
Chorea progresses into the second decade, after which it remains static or may even spontaneously remit [Kleiner-Fisman et al 2003].
Chorea typically involves all body regions (i.e., face, tongue, neck, trunk, and limbs) and may be associated with motor and gait delay, possibly secondary to the choreiform movements. The movements are jerk-like and move randomly from one body part to another; they often worsen with stress, and may disappear with sleep. Children with BHC may fall frequently and are often described as clumsy [Kleiner-Fisman et al 2003]. Although affected children may be delayed in walking, persistent gait impairment is rare [McMichael et al 2013]. Rosati et al [2015] describes two unrelated children presenting with spontaneous falls without loss of consciousness preceding the development of chorea.
The prevalence of chorea in the NKX2-1-related disorders is unknown. In one study all 28 affected individuals from 13 families with a heterozygous NKX2-1 pathogenic variant had chorea and hypotonia [Gras et al 2012]. However, in a retrospective study of 21 individuals with an NKX2-1-related disorder presenting with pulmonary dysfunction, at least two unrelated individuals and three members of one family did not manifest neurologic symptoms [Hamvas et al 2013].
Other neurologic manifestations
In one report, two sibs initially diagnosed with ataxic dyskinetic cerebral palsy were later found to have an NKX2-1 pathogenic variant [McMichael et al 2013].
Neuropsychiatric symptoms including attention deficit and hyperactivity have been reported [Gras et al 2012]. Although psychiatric features are rare in this group of disorders, Glik et al [2008] described an individual with an NKX2-1 pathogenic variant and psychosis diagnosed as schizophrenia. Subsequently, Salvatore et al [2010] reported an individual with postpartum psychosis. Additionally, Peall et al [2014] reported a single case of severe obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Neuroimaging has in rare cases identified structural brain abnormalities including abnormal sella turcica [Krude et al 2002], agenesis of the corpus callosum [Carré et al 2009], and cavum septum pellucidum and microcephaly [Iwatani et al 2000]. Hypoplastic pallidum and lack of differentiation of medial and lateral components was reported in a single individual, and bilateral pallidal signal hyperintensities on T2-weighted MRI images were described in another individual [Kleiner-Fisman & Lang 2007]. An expanding pituitary cyst was reported in two related individuals a novel NKX2-1 pathogenic variant [Veneziano et al 2014].
Single-photon emission computed tomography (ECD-SPECT) has demonstrated reduced cerebral blood flow to bilateral basal ganglia, more specifically to the caudate [Uematsu et al 2012].
Subtle abnormalities in presynaptic dopamine transporter function utilizing positron emission tomography (PET) imaging have been reported [Konishi et al 2013].
Neuropathology. Autopsies of two individuals with a genetically confirmed NKX2-1-related disorder did not identify gross or microscopic abnormalities of the brain, but rather reduced numbers of striatal and neocortical interneurons consistent with a defect in neuronal migration, supporting the theory that these disorders are related to abnormalities in brain development rather than neurodegeneration [Kleiner-Fisman et al 2003].
Pulmonary
Pulmonary dysfunction is the second most common manifestation of NKX2-1-related disorders. In a meta-analysis of 29 published cases of NKX2-1-related disorders, up to 49% (61/124) had pulmonary manifestations of varying severity [Gras et al 2012].
Clinical presentation and course vary.
The highest risk for respiratory distress is in the neonatal period. Affected infants often require mechanical ventilation [Carré et al 2009]. Although usually not fatal, NKX2-1-related disorders resulted in death from respiratory failure in three infants in the immediate postnatal period [Maquet et al 2009, Kleinlein et al 2011, Gillett et al 2013].
As a result of the pulmonary involvement, individuals with an NKX2-1-related disorder are at increased risk for recurrent pulmonary infections and chronic interstitial lung disease [Carré et al 2009, Inzelberg et al 2011] because of abnormal surfactant production [Peca et al 2011]. Respiratory failure (which most commonly occurs in neonates) has been reported in adults [Maquet et al 2009, Kleinlein et al 2011, Gillett et al 2013].
In one restrospective study of individuals with known pulmonary dysfuction and an NKX2-1 pathogenic variant, histologic abnormalities included interstitial widening and pneumocyte hyperplasia, desquamative interstitial pneumonia, accumulation of foamy alveolar macrophages, and pulmonary alveolar proteinosis [Hamvas et al 2013].
Pulmonary carcinoma. The risk for pulmonary carcinoma is increased in young adults with an NKX2-1 related disorder [Fernandez et al 2001, Willemsen et al 2005, Glik et al 2008]. The role of somatic NKX2-1 expression is being investigated in pulmonary adenocarcinoma [Chen et al 2015] and non-small cell lung cancer [Inoue et al 2015]. However, the influence of germline variants in individuals with NKX2-1-related genetic disorders has not been established in these malignancies.
Thyroid
Thyroid dysfunction, which results from dysmorphogenesis, can present as congenital hypothyroidism, reduced or absent production of thyroid hormone, or compensated hypothyroidism (i.e., low to normal thyroid hormone production with elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone) [Moya et al 2006, Montanelli & Tonacchera 2010, Gras et al 2012]. Of note, thyroid dysmorphogenesis can manifest structurally as thyroid hypoplasia or hemi-agenesis (11/31) and complete absence of the thyroid (3/31) [Carré et al 2009].
Thyroid dysfunction varies between individuals with an NKX2-1-related disorder and within families with multiple affected individuals. In a meta-analysis of 46 individuals reported with an NKX2-1-related disorder, 40 had documented overt or subclinical hypothyroidism; only six had normal thyroid function [Carré et al 2009].
Currently most industrialized nations conduct newborn screening for hypothyroidism including testing levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone with or without testing levels of thyroxine (T4). With immediate implementation of thyroid replacement therapy in the neonatal period, the neurodevelopmental complications associated specifically with congenital hypothyroidism can be avoided (see Management).
One should consider the diagnosis of NKX2-1-related disorders in a child born with congenital hypothyroidism with or without other neurologic or pulmonary manifestations, as the clinical manifestations can vary even within the same family.
Papillary thyroid cancer. In a Japanese study a weak association between sporadic papillary thyroid cancer and pathogenic variants in NKX2-1 was observed. However, it is well known that the Japanese are at increased risk for papillary thyroid cancer compared to other populations as a result of increased dietary consumption of iodine and radiation exposure [Matsuse et al 2011]. Ngan et al [2009] reported a significant association with multinodular goiter and papillary thyroid cancer in Chinese persons with germline NKX2-1 pathogenic variants [Ngan et al 2009]. Furthermore, preliminary evidence suggests that individuals with a germline NKX2-1 pathogenic variant may have a more aggressive clinical course [Ngan et al 2009, Jendrzejewski et al 2016].
Prognosis and Progression
Life expectancy in persons with NKX2-1-related disorders is normal [Fernandez et al 2001].
A retrospective study describing 28 persons with 13 novel NKX2-1 pathogenic variants over a mean duration of 24.5 years reports a homogeneous progression of neurologic symptoms. Hypotonia is present in the first year of life with or without delays in motor milestones and early chorea. Chorea improves up until puberty through early adulthood. Chorea is mild and stabilizes in adulthood and in some cases may resolve in adulthood [Gras et al 2012].
There is limited information on long-term follow up of pulmonary and thyroid manifestations of this disorder. Symptom progression is rare and may even improve in adulthood [Gras et al 2012]. Those with lung involvement are at risk for respiratory failure in early infancy and recurrent infections and asthma throughout life. Compensated hypothyroidism is well tolerated by persons with an NKX2-1-related disorder.
Nomenclature
Before its molecular basis was known, the disorder now known to be caused by a heterozygous pathogenic variant in NKX2-1 [Inzelberg et al 2011] was referred to as benign hereditary chorea (BHC) based on the original description of non-progressive, familial chorea in a five-generation African American family from rural Mississippi [Haerer et al 1967]. The broad phenotypic spectrum associated with pathogenic variants in NKX2-1 (including BHC and a variable combination of lung, thyroid, and neurologic abnormalities) identified in these studies led Willemsen et al [2005] to coin the term brain-lung-thyroid syndrome. In light of the varied manifestations of heterozygous mutation of NKX2-1, the authors suggest that these disorders be referred to as NKX2-1-related disorders.
Of note, NKX2-1 was previously known as TITF-1; thus, the early literature describing the molecular basis of this disorder uses this gene designation [Breedveld et al 2002, Kleiner-Fisman et al 2003, Costa et al 2005, Devos et al 2006, Kleiner-Fisman & Lang 2007, Glik et al 2008].