Genetic Aberration Analysis of Mitochondrial Respiratory Complex I Implications in the Development of Neurological Disorders and Their Clinical Significance

Growing neurological diseases pose difficult challenges for modern medicine to diagnose and manage them effectively. Many neurological disorders mainly occur due to genetic alteration in genes encoding mitochondrial proteins. Moreover, mitochondrial genes exhibit a higher rate of mutation due to the generation of Reactive oxygen species (ROS) during oxidative phosphorylation operating in their vicinity. Among the different complexes of Electron transport chain (ETC), NADH: Ubiquinone…

Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON)

Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is a rare mitochondrial disorder that typically presents in young males with sequential visual loss due to optic neuropathy.

Modeling Reactive Oxygen Species-Induced Axonal Loss in Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy

Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is a rare syndrome that results in vision loss. A necessary but not sufficient condition for its onset is the existence of known mitochondrial DNA mutations that affect complex I biomolecular structure. Cybrids with LHON mutations generate higher rates of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This study models how ROS, particularly H(2)O(2), could signal and execute the axonal degeneration process that underlies LHON. We modeled and explored several hypotheses…

Candidate Modifier Genes for the Penetrance of Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy

Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is a maternally transmitted disease caused by mitochondria DNA (mtDNA) mutation. It is characterized by acute and subacute visual loss predominantly affecting young men. The mtDNA mutation is transmitted to all maternal lineages. However, only approximately 50% of men and 10% of women harboring a pathogenic mtDNA mutation develop optic neuropathy, reflecting both the incomplete penetrance and its unexplained male prevalence, where over 80% of patients…

Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is a mitochondrial condition that gradually affects the central vision. In the current case report, we present 2 relatives with LHON due to a pathogenic variant within ND1 with a clinical phenotype resembling hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, including a short PQ-interval and hypertrophy on electrocardiogram as well as severe hypertrophy of the left ventricle on echocardiography. These findings highlight the importance of offering routine cardiac…

Relative Leukocyte Telomere Length and Telomerase Complex Regulatory Markers Association with Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy

Background and Objectives: To evaluate the association of relative leukocyte telomere length (RLTL) and telomerase complex regulatory markers with Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON). Material and Methods: A case-control study was performed in patients with LHON (≥18 years) and healthy subjects. The diagnosis of LHON was based on a genetic blood test (next-generation sequencing with Illumina MiSeq, computer analysis: BWA2.1 Illumina BaseSpace, Alamut, and mtDNA Variant analyzer 1000 were…

Retinal morphological and functional response to Idebenone therapy in Leber hereditary optic neuropathy

Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is a mitochondrial disease leading to optic atrophy due to degeneration of the retinal ganglion cell. A curative treatment is not available at the moment, but a new antioxidant drug, Idebenone, is expected to reduce the progression of the disorder. Two male patients, genetically confirmed with LHON, were clinically, morphologically, and electrophysiologically evaluated, before and three, six, nine and 12 months after starting the treatment. The patient…