Mutation spectrum of the PCCA and PCCB genes in Japanese patients with propionic acidemia

Propionic acidemia (PA) is an inborn error of organic acid metabolism caused by a deficiency of propionyl-CoA carboxylase. This enzyme is composed of two non-identical subunits, α and β, which are encoded by the PCCA and PCCB genes, respectively. An enzyme deficiency can result from mutations in either PCCA or PCCB. To elucidate the mutation spectrum in Japanese patients, we have performed a mutation analysis of 30 patients with PA, which included nine previously reported patients. The study revealed that 15 patients were α-subunit deficient and 15 patients were β-subunit deficient. Seven novel mutations were found (IVS18 − 6C > G, 1746G > A, C398R, G197E and IVS18 + 1G > A in the PCCA; A153P and IVS9 + 1G > T in the PCCB). Among these Japanese patients with α-subunit deficiencies, 923–924insT, IVS18 − 6C > G, and R399Q mutations were frequent and the total allelic frequency of these three mutations combined was 56% (17/30). This is in sharp contrast to the mutation spectrum found in Caucasian patients, where no prevalent mutations have been identified. Among the β-subunit deficiencies, there were three frequent mutations; R410W, T428I, and A153P, whose allelic frequencies were 30, 26.7, and 13.3%, respectively. In conclusion, a limited number of mutations are predominant in both PCCA and PCCB genes among Japanese patients with propionic acidemia.