Mitochondrial trifunctional protein deficiency (MTP deficiency or MTPD) is an

autosomal recessive In genetics, dominance is the phenomenon of one variant (allele) of a gene on a chromosome masking or overriding the effect of a different variant of the same gene on the other copy of the chromosome. The first variant is termed dominant and ...

fatty acid oxidation disorder A broad classification for genetic disorders that result from an inability of the body to produce or utilize one enzyme that is required to oxidize fatty acids. The enzyme can be missing or improperly constructed, resulting in it not working. This ...

subscription needed that prevents the body from converting certain fats to energy, particularly during periods without food. People with this disorder have inadequate levels of an

enzyme Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrate (chemistry), substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecule ...

that breaks down a certain group of fats called long-chain

fatty acids In chemistry, particularly in biochemistry, a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid with an aliphatic chain, which is either saturated or unsaturated. Most naturally occurring fatty acids have an unbranched chain of an even number of carbon atoms, f ...

Signs and symptoms

The presentation of mitochondrial trifunctional protein deficiency may begin during infancy, features that occur are: low blood sugar, weak muscle tone, and liver problems. Infants with this disorder are at risk for heart problems, breathing difficulties, and pigmentary retinopathy. Signs and symptoms of mitochondrial trifunctional protein deficiency that may begin ''after'' infancy include

hypotonia Hypotonia is a state of low muscle tone (the amount of tension or resistance to stretch in a muscle), often involving reduced muscle strength. Hypotonia is not a specific medical disorder, but a potential manifestation of many different diseases ...

, muscle pain, a breakdown of muscle tissue, and a loss of sensation in the extremities called

peripheral neuropathy Peripheral neuropathy, often shortened to neuropathy, is a general term describing disease affecting the peripheral nerves, meaning nerves beyond the brain and spinal cord. Damage to peripheral nerves may impair sensation, movement, gland, or or ...

. Some who have MTP deficiency show a progressive course associated with

myopathy In medicine, myopathy is a disease of the muscle in which the muscle fibers do not function properly. This results in muscular weakness. ''Myopathy'' means muscle disease (Greek : myo- ''muscle'' + patheia '' -pathy'' : ''suffering''). This mea ...

, and recurrent rhabdomyolysis.

Genetics

The genetics of mitochondrial trifunctional protein deficiency is based on mutations in the

HADHA Trifunctional enzyme subunit alpha, mitochondrial also known as hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase/3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase/enoyl-CoA hydratase (trifunctional protein), alpha subunit is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''HADHA'' gene. Mutati ...

and

HADHB Trifunctional enzyme subunit beta, mitochondrial (TP-beta) also known as 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase, acetyl-CoA acyltransferase, or beta-ketothiolase is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ''HADHB'' gene. HADHB is a subunit of the mitochond ...

genes which cause this disorder. These

genes In biology, the word gene (from , ; "... Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a b ...

each provide instructions for making part of an enzyme complex called mitochondrial trifunctional protein. This enzyme complex functions in mitochondria, the energy-producing centers within cells: mitochondrial trifunctional protein contains three enzymes that each perform a different function. This enzyme complex is required to metabolize a group of fats called long-chain fatty acids. These fatty acids are stored in the body's fat tissues and are a major source of energy for the heart and muscles. During periods of fasting, fatty acids are also an important energy source for the

liver The liver is a major organ only found in vertebrates which performs many essential biological functions such as detoxification of the organism, and the synthesis of proteins and biochemicals necessary for digestion and growth. In humans, it ...

and other tissues.

Mutations In biology, a mutation is an alteration in the nucleic acid sequence of the genome of an organism, virus, or extrachromosomal DNA. Viral genomes contain either DNA or RNA. Mutations result from errors during DNA or viral replication, mitosi ...

in the HADHA or HADHB genes that cause mitochondrial trifunctional protein deficiency disrupt all functions of this enzyme complex. Without enough of this enzyme complex, long-chain fatty acids cannot be metabolized. As a result, these fatty acids are not converted to energy, which can lead to some features of this disorder. Long-chain fatty acids may also build up and damage the

heart The heart is a muscular organ found in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as carbon diox ...

, and

muscles Skeletal muscles (commonly referred to as muscles) are organs of the vertebrate muscular system and typically are attached by tendons to bones of a skeleton. The muscle cells of skeletal muscles are much longer than in the other types of muscl ...

. This abnormal buildup causes other symptoms of mitochondrial trifunctional protein deficiency. The ''mechanism'' of this condition indicates that the mitochondrial trifunction protein catalyzes 3 steps in mitochondrial

beta-oxidation In biochemistry and metabolism, beta-oxidation is the catabolic process by which fatty acid molecules are broken down in the cytosol in prokaryotes and in the mitochondria in eukaryotes to generate acetyl-CoA, which enters the citric acid cycle ...

of fatty acids: long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCHAD), long-chain enoyl-CoA hydratase, and long-chain thiolase activities. Trifunctional protein deficiency is characterized by decreased activity of all 3 enzymes. Clinically, trifunctional protein deficiency usually results in sudden unexplained infant death, cardiomyopathy, or skeletal myopathy.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of mitochondrial trifunctional protein deficiency is often confirmed using

tandem mass spectrometry Tandem mass spectrometry, also known as MS/MS or MS2, is a technique in instrumental analysis where two or more mass analyzers are coupled together using an additional reaction step to increase their abilities to analyse chemical samples. A comm ...

Genetic counseling Genetic counseling is the process of investigating individuals and families affected by or at risk of genetic disorders to help them understand and adapt to the medical, psychological and familial implications of genetic contributions to disease; t ...

is available for this condition. Additionally the following exams are available: * CBC *

Urine Urine is a liquid by-product of metabolism in humans and in many other animals. Urine flows from the kidneys through the ureters to the urinary bladder. Urination results in urine being excreted from the body through the urethra. Cellular ...

test

Treatment

Management for mitochondrial trifunctional protein deficiency entails the following: * Avoiding factors that might precipitate condition *

Glucose Glucose is a simple sugar with the molecular formula . Glucose is overall the most abundant monosaccharide, a subcategory of carbohydrates. Glucose is mainly made by plants and most algae during photosynthesis from water and carbon dioxide, usi ...

* Low fat/high

carbohydrate In organic chemistry, a carbohydrate () is a biomolecule consisting of carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) atoms, usually with a hydrogen–oxygen atom ratio of 2:1 (as in water) and thus with the empirical formula (where ''m'' may or ...

nutrition

References

External links

* {{Medicine Autosomal recessive disorders Fatty-acid metabolism disorders