CLN6-related continuum phenotype caused by aberrant splicing

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses (NCLs) are genetically heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorders, characterized by progressive cognitive and motor decline, epilepsy, visual impairment, and shortened life-expectancy. CLN6-related NCLs include both late-infantile and adult myoclonic form. We report a 21-year-old patient, with mild developmental delay, who developed occipital seizures at 14 years, and subsequently cognitive decline, cortical myoclonus, and photosensitivity at low and higher frequencies. Overall, the picture suited progressive myoclonus epilepsy. Electroretinogram was normal. A skin biopsy revealed a mixed storage of curvilinear and fingerprint profiles. A brain MRI showed severe cortical atrophy. Performing genetic analyses, two biallelic variants were identified in the CLN6 gene, each inherited from one of the healthy parents, one c.722T>C, p.(Met241Thr) already described in the late-infantile form and the other one c.486+28T>C, intronic and novel, causing aberrant splicing. In the patient, the expression of the allele containing c.722T>C variant was increased, in comparison with the carrier parent. The peculiar genetic pattern observed in the patient could explain a milder clinical picture when compared with late-infantile form, since CLN6 expression was partially preserved. However, the presence of a delay, and the early cognitive decline suggested a continuum phenotype connecting late-infantile and adult CLN6-related forms.

Plain Language Summary

We report a patient with CLN6 disease who developed symptoms at an intermediate age: 9 years for mild intellectual disability and 14 years for occipital seizures and progressive myoclonus epilepsy, without visual impairment. The patient is compound heterozygous for a CLN6 missense variant c.722T>C, p.(Met241Thr) already described in the late-infantile form and for a novel intronic variant c.486+28T>C, causing aberrant splicing. In the patient, the expression of the allele containing c.722T>C variant was increased, compared with the carrier parent. The splice site variant had a milder effect. The peculiar genetic pattern may explain the continuum phenotype between late-infantile and adult forms.