Systemic primary carnitine deficiency (CDSP) is an autosomal recessive disorder of carnitine transportation. The clinical manifestations of CDSP can vary widely with respect to age of onset, organ involvement, and severity of symptoms, but are typically characterized by episodes of hypoketotic hypoglycemia, hepatomegaly, elevated transaminases, and hyperammonemia in infants; skeletal myopathy, elevated creatine kinase (CK), and cardiomyopathy in childhood; or cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias, or fatigability in adulthood. The diagnosis can be suspected on newborn screening, but is established by demonstration of low plasma free carnitine concentration (<5 μM, normal 25-50 μM), reduced fibroblast carnitine transport ( T (p.P46S) mutation being the most frequent mutation identified. CDSP should be differentiated from secondary causes of carnitine deficiency such as various organic acidemias and fatty acid oxidation defects. CDSP is an autosomal recessive condition; therefore the recurrence risk in each pregnancy is 25%. Carrier screening for at-risk individuals and family members should be obtained by performing targeted mutation analysis of the SLC22A5 gene since plasma carnitine analysis is not a sufficient methodology for determining carrier status. Antenatal diagnosis for pregnancies at increased risk of CDSP is possible by molecular genetic testing of extracted DNA from chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis if both mutations in SLC22A5 gene are known. Once the diagnosis of CDSP is established in an individual, an echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, CK concentration, liver transaminanses measurement, and pre-prandial blood sugar levels, should be performed for baseline assessment. Primary treatment involves supplementation of oral levocarnitine (L-carnitine) at a dose of 50–400 mg/kg/day divided into three doses. No formal surveillance guidelines for individuals with CDSP have been established to date, however the following screening recommendations are suggested: annual echocardiogram and electrocardiogram, frequent plasma carnitine levels, and CK and liver transaminases measurement can be considered during acute illness. Adult women with CDSP who are planning to or are pregnant should meet with a metabolic or genetic specialist ideally before conception to discuss management of carnitine levels during pregnancy since carnitine levels are typically lower during pregnancy. The prognosis for individuals with CDSP depends on the age, presentation, and severity of symptoms at the time of diagnosis; however the long-term prognosis is favorable as long as individuals remain on carnitine supplementation.

This document provides a comprehensive summary of evidence on the current situation of rare diseases (RDs) globally and regionally, including conditions, practices, policies, and regulations, as well as the challenges and barriers faced by RD patients, their families, and caregivers. The document builds on a review of academic literature and policies and a process of validation and feedback by a group of seven experts from across the globe. Panelists were selected based on their academic merit, expertise, and knowledge regarding the RD environment. The document is divided into five main sections: (1) methodology and objective; (2) background and context; (3) overview of the current situation and key challenges related to RDs covering six dimensions: burden of disease, patient journey, social impact, disease management, RD-related policies, and research and development; (4) recommendations; and (5) conclusions. The recommendations are derived from the discussion undertaken by the experts on the findings of this review and provide a set of actionable solutions to the challenges and barriers to improving access to RD diagnosis and treatment around the world. The recommendations can support critical decision-making, guiding efforts by a broad range of RDs stakeholders, including governments, international organizations, manufacturers, researchers, and patient advocacy groups.

Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that undergo fusion and fission. These active processes occur continuously and simultaneously and are mediated by nuclear-DNA-encoded proteins that act on mitochondrial membranes. The balance between fusion and fission determines the mitochondrial morphology and adapts it to the metabolic needs of the cells. Therefore, these two processes are crucial to optimize mitochondrial function and its bioenergetics abilities. Defects in mitochondrial proteins involved in fission and fusion due to pathogenic variants in the genes encoding them result in disruption of the equilibrium between fission and fusion, leading to a group of mitochondrial diseases termed disorders of mitochondrial dynamics. In this review, the molecular mechanisms and biological functions of mitochondrial fusion and fission are first discussed. Then, mitochondrial disorders caused by defects in fission and fusion are summarized, including disorders related to MFN2, MSTO1, OPA1, YME1L1, FBXL4, DNM1L, and MFF genes.

Carnitine plays essential roles in intermediary metabolism. In non-vegetarians, most of carnitine sources (~75%) are obtained from diet whereas endogenous synthesis accounts for around 25%. Renal carnitine reabsorption along with dietary intake and endogenous production maintain carnitine homeostasis. The precursors for carnitine biosynthesis are lysine and methionine. The biosynthetic pathway involves four enzymes: 6-N-trimethyllysine dioxygenase (TMLD), 3-hydroxy-6-N-trimethyllysine aldolase (HTMLA), 4-N-trimethylaminobutyraldehyde dehydrogenase (TMABADH), and γ-butyrobetaine dioxygenase (BBD). OCTN2 (organic cation/carnitine transporter novel type 2) transports carnitine into the cells. One of the major functions of carnitine is shuttling long-chain fatty acids across the mitochondrial membrane from the cytosol into the mitochondrial matrix for β-oxidation. This transport is achieved by mitochondrial carnitine–acylcarnitine cycle, which consists of three enzymes: carnitine palmitoyltransferase I (CPT I), carnitine-acylcarnitine translocase (CACT), and carnitine palmitoyltransferase II (CPT II). Carnitine inborn errors of metabolism could result from defects in carnitine biosynthesis, carnitine transport, or mitochondrial carnitine–acylcarnitine cycle. The presentation of these disorders is variable but common findings include hypoketotic hypoglycemia, cardio(myopathy), and liver disease. In this review, the metabolism and homeostasis of carnitine are discussed. Then we present details of different inborn errors of carnitine metabolism, including clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment options. At the end, we discuss some of the causes of secondary carnitine deficiency.

Neurodevelopment is orchestrated by a wide range of genes, and the genetic causes of neurodevelopmental disorders are thus heterogeneous. We applied whole exome sequencing (WES) for molecular diagnosis and in silico analysis to identify novel disease gene candidates in a cohort from Saudi Arabia with primarily Mendelian neurologic diseases. We performed WES in 31 mostly consanguineous Arab families and analyzed both single nucleotide and copy number variants (CNVs) from WES data. Interaction/expression network and pathway analyses, as well as paralog studies were utilized to investigate potential pathogenicity and disease association of novel candidate genes. Additional cases for candidate genes were identified through the clinical WES database at Baylor Miraca Genetics Laboratories and GeneMatcher. We found known pathogenic or novel variants in known disease genes with phenotypic expansion in 6 families, disease-associated CNVs in 2 families, and 12 novel disease gene candidates in 11 families, including KIF5B, GRM7, FOXP4, MLLT1, and KDM2B. Overall, a potential molecular diagnosis was provided by variants in known disease genes in 17 families (54.8 %) and by novel candidate disease genes in an additional 11 families, making the potential molecular diagnostic rate ~90 %. Molecular diagnostic rate from WES is improved by exome-predicted CNVs. Novel candidate disease gene discovery is facilitated by paralog studies and through the use of informatics tools and available databases to identify additional evidence for pathogenicity. Not applicable.