Clinical and molecular characterization of pediatric mitochondrial disorders in south of China

Mitochondrial disorders (MDs) are genetic ailments affecting all age groups. Epidemiological data and frequencies of gene mutations in pediatric patients in China are scarce. This retrospective study assessed 101 patients with suspected MDs treated at the Neurology Department of Children's Hospital, Fudan University, in 2011–2017. Mitochondrial (mtDNA) and nuclear (nDNA) samples were assessed by long-range polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based whole mtDNA sequencing and whole exome sequencing (WES) for identifying pathogenic mutations. Muscle samples underwent various staining protocols and immunofluorescence for detecting selected proteins. Seventeen mutations in the MT-TL1, MT-COX2, MT-ND4, MT, tRNA TRNE, MT-TN, MT-TK, MT-ATP6, MT-ND6, MT-ND3 and MT-CO3 genes were identified in 39 patients, of which m.3243A > G, m.3303C > T, m.8993T > C/G, m.9176T > C, and m.10191T > C were most common. Mitochondrial myopathy and MELAS were most common for m.3243A > G mutation. Four novel mutations were detected, including m.9478insT, m.5666T > C, m.8265T > C, and m.8380–13600 deletion mutations related to Leigh syndrome, mitochondrial myopathy and KSS, respectively. Thirty-three mutations in the TK2, POLG, IBA57, HADHB, FBXL4, ALDH5A1, FOXRED1, TPK1, NDUFAF5, NDUFAF7, NDUFV1, CARS2, PDHA1, and HIBCH genes were identified in 19 patients, including 23 currently unknown. Higher rates of TK2, POLG, IBA57, and HADHB mutations were found in nDNA-mutated MD compared with the remaining individuals. Besides, IBA57 c.286T > C (p.Y96H), TK2 c.497A > T (p.D166V) founder mutations critically contributed to MDs. Comprehensive genomic analysis plays a critical role in pediatric MD diagnosis. These data summarize the relative frequencies of different gene mutations in a large Chinese population, and identified 23 novel MD-associated nDNA and 4 novel mtDNA mutations.