Novel mutations in the PNPLA6 gene in Boucher-Neuhaeuser syndrome

On whole-exome sequencing, a novel compound heterozygous mutation (c.2923A>G/c.3523_3524insTGTCCG, p.T975A/p.1175_1176insVS) and a novel homozygous one (c.3534G>C, p.W1178C) in the PNPLA6 gene were identified in sporadic and familial Japanese patients with Boucher-Neuhaeuser syndrome (BNS), respectively. However, we did not find any mutations in the PNPLA6 gene in 88 patients with autosomal recessive hereditary spastic paraplegia (ARHSP). Our study confirmed the earlier report that a PNPLA6 mutation causes BNS. This is the first report on PNPLA6 mutations in non-Caucasian patients. Meanwhile, PNPLA6 mutations might be extremely rare in Japanese ARHSP patients. Moreover, we first found hypersegmented neutrophils in two BNS patients with PNPLA6 mutations.