MedGen

Neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) is characterized by bilateral vestibular schwannomas with associated symptoms of tinnitus, hearing loss, and balance dysfunction. The average age of onset is 18 to 24 years. Almost all affected individuals develop bilateral vestibular schwannomas by age 30 years. Affected individuals may also develop schwannomas of other cranial and peripheral nerves, meningiomas, ependymomas, and, very rarely, astrocytomas. Because NF2 is considered an adult-onset disease, it may be underrecognized in children, in whom skin tumors and ocular findings (retinal hamartoma, thickened optic nerves, cortical wedge cataracts, third cranial nerve palsy) may be the first manifestations. Mononeuropathy that occurs in childhood is an increasingly recognized finding; it frequently presents as a persistent facial palsy or hand/foot drop. [from GeneReviews]

Any retinitis pigmentosa in which the cause of the disease is a mutation in the HGSNAT gene. [from MONDO]

Features that occur less commonly in people with TRNT1 deficiency include hearing loss caused by abnormalities of the inner ear (sensorineural hearing loss), recurrent seizures (epilepsy), and problems with the kidneys or heart.

TRNT1 deficiency encompasses what was first thought to be two separate disorders, a severe disorder called sideroblastic anemia with B-cell immunodeficiency, periodic fevers, and developmental delay (SIFD) and a milder disorder called retinitis pigmentosa with erythrocytic microcytosis (RPEM), each named for its most common features. SIFD begins in infancy, and affected individuals usually do not survive past childhood. RPEM, on the other hand, is recognized in early adulthood, and the microcytosis usually does not cause any health problems. However, it has since been recognized that some individuals have a combination of features that fall between these two ends of the severity spectrum. All of these cases are now considered part of TRNT1 deficiency.

Neurological problems are also frequent in TRNT1 deficiency. Many affected individuals have delayed development of speech and motor skills, such as sitting, standing, and walking, and some have low muscle tone (hypotonia).

Eye abnormalities, often involving the light-sensing tissue at the back of the eye (the retina), can occur in people with TRNT1 deficiency. Some of these individuals have a condition called retinitis pigmentosa, in which the light-sensing cells of the retina gradually deteriorate. Eye problems in TRNT1 deficiency can lead to vision loss.

In addition, many individuals with TRNT1 deficiency have recurrent fevers that are not caused by an infection. These fever episodes are often one of the earliest recognized symptoms of TRNT1 deficiency, usually beginning in infancy. The fever episodes are typically accompanied by poor feeding, vomiting, and diarrhea, and can lead to hospitalization. In many affected individuals, the episodes occur regularly, arising approximately every 2 to 4 weeks and lasting 5 to 7 days, although the frequency can decrease with age.

Many people with TRNT1 deficiency have an immune system disorder (immunodeficiency) that can lead to recurrent bacterial infections. Repeated infections can cause life-threatening damage to internal organs. The immunodeficiency is characterized by low numbers of immune system cells called B cells, which normally help fight infections by producing immune proteins called antibodies (or immunoglobulins). These proteins target foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses and mark them for destruction. In many individuals with TRNT1 deficiency, the amount of immunoglobulins is also low (hypogammaglobulinemia).

A common feature of TRNT1 deficiency is a blood condition called sideroblastic anemia, which is characterized by a shortage of red blood cells (anemia). In TRNT1 deficiency, the red blood cells that are present are unusually small (erythrocytic microcytosis). In addition, developing red blood cells in the bone marrow (erythroblasts) can have an abnormal buildup of iron that appears as a ring of blue staining in the cell after treatment in the lab with certain dyes. These abnormal cells are called ring sideroblasts.

TRNT1 deficiency is a condition that affects many body systems. Its signs and symptoms can involve blood cells, the immune system, the eyes, and the nervous system. The severity of the signs and symptoms vary widely. [from MedlinePlus Genetics]

Keratoendotheliitis fugax hereditaria (KEFH) is an autosomal dominant corneal disease that periodically and fleetingly affects the corneal endothelium, stroma, and vision, eventually resulting in central corneal stromal opacities in some patients. The disease is characterized by episodes of unilateral ocular pain, pericorneal injection, and photophobia. The acute symptoms vanish in 1 to 2 days, but vision remains blurry for several weeks. Onset occurs between ages 3 and 12 years, and may involve either eye. Episodes generally decrease in frequency and become more mild with age (summary by Turunen et al., 2018). [from OMIM]

An epiretinal membrane is a thin sheet of fibrous tissue that can develop on the surface of the macular area of the retina and cause a disturbance in vision. An epiretinal membrane area can develop on the thin macular area of the retin. An epiretinal membrane is also sometimes called a macular pucker, premacular fibrosis, surface wrinkling retinopathy or cellophane maculopathy. [from HPO]