HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Extract Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Suzuki, Y. Articles by Oka, Y. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Suzuki, Y. Articles by Oka, Y. Social Bookmarking                What's this?

Lipoma and Sensory Neuropathy in Mitochondrial Diabetes Associated With tRNA Mutation at Position 3271

¹ Saiseikai Central Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
² Third Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo University, Tokyo
³ Third Department of Internal Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan
⁴ Third Department of Internal Medicine, Tohoku University, Miyagi, Japan

We previously reported the first identified case of mitochondrial diabetes caused by a T-to-C transition at position 3271 (1). At age 32 years, the patient had lower limb paresthesia. Since beginning diet therapy at age 33 years, his glycemic control has generally been good (HbA_1c 6–7%) and the paresthesia has disappeared.

During 12 years of follow-up, we observed two important clinical features: 1) lower limb paresthesia manifesting even with mild hyperglycemia (e.g., HbA_1c 7.5%) and 2) lipoma (round, 10-mm diameter) manifesting at age 44 years over the left breast.

Low et al. (2) hypothesized that lipid peroxidation under hyperglycemic conditions causes mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations that increase oxygen radicals, causing further damage to the mitochondrial respiratory chain, ultimately resulting in sensory neuropathy. Regarding the lower limb paresthesia of this patient, we speculate that lack of an effective mechanism for maintaining mitochondrial function renders sensory nerves susceptible to hyperglycemic toxicity, thereby producing symptoms.

As for the lipoma, several such cases have been described in the literature. Berkovic et al. (3) reported on four patients, two with multiple symmetric lipomatoses and two with lipoma and multisystem disorder, all with mitochondrial dysfunction. Holme et al. (4) suggested that mtDNA mutations may be either a direct or an indirect cause of pertubation of the maturation process of adipocytes. In benign symmetric lipomatosis (Madelung’s disease), functional sympathetic denervation of adipose tissue is thought to cause an abnormal free fatty acid response to epinephrine. Therefore, lipoma may be a manifestation of peripheral nerve system denervation caused by mitochondrial dysfunction.

Thus, our present case raises the possibility of an association between lipoma and sensory polyneuropathy, both of which appear to be manifestations of mitochondrial diabetes caused by the 3271 mtDNA mutation. This case supports the previous observation of Klopstock et al. (5), indicating a high frequency of peripheral neuropathy in multiple symmetric lipomatosis patients with mitochondrial dysfunction.

Footnotes

Address correspondence to Yoshihiko Suzuki, MD, Saiseikai Central Hospital, 1-4-17, Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108, Japan. E-mail: drsuzuki@ba2.so-net.ne.jp.

References

1. Suzuki Y, Tsukuda K, Atsumi Y, Goto Y, Hosokawa K, Asahina T, Nonaka I, Matsuoka K, Oka Y: Clinical picture of a case of diabetes mellitus with mitochondrial tRNA mutation at position 3271. Diabetes Care 19:1304–1305, 1996[Medline]
   
2. Low PA, Nickander KK, Tritschler HJ: The roles of oxidative stress and antioxidant treatment in experimental diabetic neuropathy. Diabetes 46 (Suppl. 2):S38–S42, 1997
   
3. Berkovic SF, Andermann F, Shoubridge EA, Carpenter S, Robitaille Y, Anderman E, Melmed C, Karpari G: Mitochondrial dysfunction in multiple symmetrical lipomatosis. Ann Neurol 29:566–569, 1991[Medline]
   
4. Holme E, Larsson NG, Oldfors A, Tulinius M, Sahlin P, Stenman G: Multiple symmetric lipomas with high levels of mtDNA with tRNA(Lys) A 224 G (8344) mutation as the only manifestation of disease in a carrier of myoclonus epilepsy and ragged-red fibers(MERRF) syndrome. Am J Hum Genet 52:551–556, 1993[Medline]
   
5. Klopstock T, Nauman M, Schalke B, Bischof F, Seibel P, Kottiors M, Eckert P, Reiners K, Toyka KV, Reichmann H: Multiple symmetric lipomatosis: abnormalities in complex IV and multiple deletions in mitochondrial DNA. Neurology 44:862–866, 1994[Abstract/Free Full Text]
   

CiteULike

Del.icio.us

Digg

Reddit

Technorati

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. K. H. Tay, S. Shanske, C. Crowe, A. Shanske, I. Schafer, J. Pancrudo, Jiesheng Lu, E. Bonilla, and S. DiMauro Clinical and Genetic Features in Two Families With MELAS and the T3271C Mutation in Mitochondrial DNA J Child Neurol, February 1, 2005; 20(2): 142 - 146. [Abstract] [PDF]

				Y. Suzuki, M. Taniyama, A. Shimada, Y. Atumi, K. Matsuoka, and Y. Oka GAD Antibody in Mitochondrial Diabetes Associated With tRNA(UUR) Mutation at Position 3271 Diabetes Care, June 1, 2002; 25(6): 1097 - 1098. [Full Text] [PDF]

This Article Extract Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Suzuki, Y. Articles by Oka, Y. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Suzuki, Y. Articles by Oka, Y. Social Bookmarking                What's this?