A new genetic subgroup of chronic granulomatous disease with autosomal recessive mutations in p40 phox and selective defects in neutrophil NADPH oxidase activity

Blood. 2009 Oct 8;114(15):3309-15. doi: 10.1182/blood-2009-07-231498. Epub 2009 Aug 19.

Abstract

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), an immunodeficiency with recurrent pyogenic infections and granulomatous inflammation, results from loss of phagocyte superoxide production by recessive mutations in any 1 of 4 genes encoding subunits of the phagocyte NADPH oxidase. These include gp91(phox) and p22(phox), which form the membrane-integrated flavocytochrome b, and cytosolic subunits p47(phox) and p67(phox). A fifth subunit, p40(phox), plays an important role in phagocytosis-induced superoxide production via a phox homology (PX) domain that binds to phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PtdIns(3)P). We report the first case of autosomal recessive mutations in NCF4, the gene encoding p40(phox), in a boy who presented with granulomatous colitis. His neutrophils showed a substantial defect in intracellular superoxide production during phagocytosis, whereas extracellular release of superoxide elicited by phorbol ester or formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLF) was unaffected. Genetic analysis of NCF4 showed compound heterozygosity for a frameshift mutation with premature stop codon and a missense mutation predicting a R105Q substitution in the PX domain. Parents and a sibling were healthy heterozygous carriers. p40(phox)R105Q lacked binding to PtdIns(3)P and failed to reconstitute phagocytosis-induced oxidase activity in p40(phox)-deficient granulocytes, with premature loss of p40(phox)R105Q from phagosomes. Thus, p40(phox) binding to PtdIns(3)P is essential for phagocytosis-induced oxidant production in human neutrophils and its absence can be associated with disease.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Carcinogens
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Child
  • Codon, Terminator*
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • Female
  • Genes, Recessive*
  • Genetic Diseases, Inborn / enzymology*
  • Genetic Diseases, Inborn / genetics*
  • Granulomatous Disease, Chronic / enzymology*
  • Granulomatous Disease, Chronic / genetics*
  • Granulomatous Disease, Chronic / pathology
  • Heterozygote
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mutation, Missense*
  • N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine / pharmacology
  • NADPH Oxidases / genetics*
  • NADPH Oxidases / metabolism*
  • Neutrophils / enzymology*
  • Neutrophils / pathology
  • Phagocytosis / genetics
  • Phorbol Esters
  • Phosphatidylinositol Phosphates
  • Superoxides / metabolism

Substances

  • Carcinogens
  • Codon, Terminator
  • Phorbol Esters
  • Phosphatidylinositol Phosphates
  • phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate
  • Superoxides
  • N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine
  • NADPH Oxidases
  • NCF4 protein, human