Exploring rare mitochondrial DNA in Leber hereditary optic neuropathy

CONCLUSIONS: Our study probes into the clinical and genetic diversity of LHON with rare mtDNA mutations, revealing varied clinical presentations, such as more frequent unilateral involvement and enhanced optic nerve T2 MRI signals. Visual recovery was significantly better in the younger cohort. These results suggest the need for broader genetic testing in atypical LHON cases and offer insights into better prognostic strategies for new therapies.

Establishment of human Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy model using iPSC-derived retinal organoids

Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is a mitochondrial disease caused by mitochondrial DNA mutations, leading to central vision loss and retinal ganglion cell (RGC) degeneration. Progress in understanding LHON and developing treatments has been limited by the lack of human-like models. In this study, we aimed to establish a human retinal model of LHON using retinal organoids (ROs) from LHON patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (LHON-iPSCs). We first confirmed LHON-iPSCs were…

Age-Associated Differences in Optic Disc Findings of Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy

We aimed to investigate the relationship between age and acute-phase optic disc findings in Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON). We examined 27 LHON patients (27 eyes) with the m.11778 G>A mutation within two months of onset, with acute-phase optic disc findings. We analyzed the relationship between age and three key optic disc features: peripapillary telangiectasia, disc hyperemia, and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) swelling. The median age of onset was 37 years (range: 10-68), with 22…

A Case of Late-Onset Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy in Association with Heteroplasmic m.11778G>A/ND4 Mutation

A 68-year-old man described a progressive, painless, and bilateral reduction of visual acuity, with greater difficulties in central vision, over a period of 3 years. His past medical history was unremarkable, and he admitted a long exposure to tobacco smoking and moderate daily alcohol intake. The first ophthalmological evaluation confirmed a bilateral reduction of visual acuity, without other major findings. Visual fields showed a central scotoma in the right eye and a temporal…

Whole mitochondrial genome sequencing in individuals with Leber hereditary optic neuropathy negative for the common pathogenic mitochondrial DNA variants

CONCLUSION: Our study of a well-characterized Indian LHON cohort uncovered rare mtDNA variants that should be considered when assessing undiagnosed optic neuropathy cases. Additionally, it underscores the effectiveness of NGS in identifying heteroplasmic mtDNA variants. This indicates that whole mitochondrial genome sequencing via NGS is a more efficient and preferred approach for routine molecular genetic testing.