J Genet Med.  2023 Jun;20(1):25-29. 10.5734/JGM.2023.20.1.25.

Cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme deficiency caused by a novel homozygous variant in P450 sidechain cleavage enzyme gene (CYP11A1) in a 46,XX Korean girl

• Kim YJ
• Cho S
• Kim HY
• Jung YH
• Ko JM
• Choi CW
• Kim J

• KMID: 2544154
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5734/JGM.2023.20.1.25

Abstract

The CYP11A1 gene encodes for the cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc), which initiates steroid hormone biosynthesis. Defective P450scc activity results in severe glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid deficiencies. We describe a case of P450scc deficiency due to a novel homozygous CYP11A1 variant inherited from the mother with a possibility of uniparental disomy (UPD). The patient was a female, had no family history of endocrine disease, and showed adrenal insufficiency at 13 days of age. Hormonal analysis with an adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test showed both glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid deficiencies, presumed to be a defect of the early stage of steroidogenesis. Exome sequencing reported a novel homozygous frameshift variant of CYP11A1 (c.284_285del, p.Asn95Serfs*10), which was inherited from the mother. Additionally, homozygosity in 15q22.31q26.2, which included CYP11A1, was identified using a chromosomal microarray. It was suggested that the possibility of maternal UPD was involved as the cause of a P450scc deficiency by unmasking the maternally derived affected allele. To our understanding, P450scc deficiency associated with UPD encompassing CYP11A1 had not been reported in Korea before. Genetic analysis can help diagnose rare causes of primary adrenal insufficiency, including P450scc deficiency.