Oral and craniofacial manifestations and two novel missense mutations of the NTRK1 gene identified in the patient with congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis

PLoS One. 2013 Jun 14;8(6):e66863. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066863. Print 2013.

Abstract

Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA) is a rare inherited disorder of the peripheral nervous system resulting from mutations in neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor 1 gene (NTRK1), which encodes the high-affinity nerve growth factor receptor TRKA. Here, we investigated the oral and craniofacial manifestations of a Chinese patient affected by autosomal-recessive CIPA and identified compound heterozygosity in the NTRK1 gene. The affected boy has multisystemic disorder with lack of reaction to pain stimuli accompanied by self-mutilation behavior, the inability to sweat leading to defective thermoregulation, and mental retardation. Oral and craniofacial manifestations included a large number of missing teeth, nasal malformation, submucous cleft palate, severe soft tissue injuries, dental caries and malocclusion. Histopathological evaluation of the skin sample revealed severe peripheral nerve fiber loss as well as mild loss and absent innervation of sweat glands. Ultrastructural and morphometric studies of a shed tooth revealed dental abnormalities, including hypomineralization, dentin hypoplasia, cementogenesis defects and a dysplastic periodontal ligament. Genetic analysis revealed a compound heterozygosity--c.1561T>C and c.2057G>A in the NTRK1 gene. This report extends the spectrum of NTRK1 mutations observed in patients diagnosed with CIPA and provides additional insight for clinical and molecular diagnosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Abnormalities, Multiple / diagnosis*
  • Abnormalities, Multiple / genetics
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Base Sequence
  • Child
  • Conserved Sequence
  • Craniofacial Abnormalities / diagnosis*
  • Craniofacial Abnormalities / genetics
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathies / diagnosis*
  • Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathies / genetics
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mutation, Missense
  • Pedigree
  • Receptor, trkA / genetics*
  • Tooth Abnormalities / diagnosis*
  • Tooth Abnormalities / genetics

Substances

  • Receptor, trkA

Grants and funding

The study is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81271117). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.