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Partial thyroxine-binding globulin deficiency in a family with coding region mutations in the TBG gene

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Abstract

Purpose

T4-binding globulin (TBG) is the main thyroid hormone (TH) transporter present in human serum. Inherited thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) deficiency is caused by mutations in the TBG (SERPINA7) gene, which is located on the X chromosome. This study was performed to report and evaluate coding region mutations in TBG gene for partial thyroxine-binding globulin deficiency.

Methods

A pedigree spanning four generations is described in this study. The proband is a female with partial TBG deficiency. All members of this pedigree underwent thyroid function tests, while Sanger sequencing was used to identify the TBG gene mutations. Bioinformatics databases were used to evaluate the deleterious effects of the mutation(s). Two hundred and seven unrelated individuals were used to evaluate the thyroid function of individuals with different TBG mutations. A one-way ANOVA was used to analyze the impact of the TBG mutations on thyroid function.

Results

TBG gene sequencing results revealed that the proband had a novel mutation in codon 27 leading to alanine to valine substitution (p.A27V). This mutation was associated with lower serum T4 levels (p < 0.0001) when compared to the groups that did not carry the mutation. The previously reported p.L283F mutation was also found in the proband. The hemizygous p.L283F individuals presenting with lower T4 serum and TBG levels (p < 0.001) when compared to wildtype males and females. Both mutations were deleterious upon SIFT and PolyPhen-2 evaluation.

Conclusion

Associated with partial thyroxine-binding globulin deficiency, this study reports a novel p.A27V mutation in the TBG gene.

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Availability of data and material

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Funding

This work was supported by the Natural Science Fund of Guangdong, China (2018A0303130186 and 2019A1515010100), the Guangdong Science and Technology Foundation (2019B030316032), the Research Fund for the Distinguished Young Teachers to Liang Li of Southern Medical University, and Southern Medical University Innovation Training Program for Undergraduate Students (201812121005).

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Author notes

  1. Lidan Chen, Huijie Lu and Yanling Gan contributed equally to this research.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Laboratory Medicine, General Hospital of Southern Theater Command of PLA, Guangzhou, 510010, Guangdong, China

    L.-D. Chen, Y.-L. Gan, X.-Y. Huang & L.-H. Li

  2. Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Shatai Road 1023, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China

    H.-J. Lu, Q. Zheng, D.-M. Ye, H.-N. Qi, W.-B. Xu, X.-Z. Wen & L. Li

  3. Zhengzhou Yihe Hospital, Zhengzhou, 450000, Henan, China

    S.-W. Pang

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  1. L.-D. Chen
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  11. L.-H. Li
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  12. L. Li
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Correspondence to L.-H. Li or L. Li.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Chen, LD., Lu, HJ., Gan, YL. et al. Partial thyroxine-binding globulin deficiency in a family with coding region mutations in the TBG gene. J Endocrinol Invest 43, 1703–1710 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-020-01245-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-020-01245-1

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