Sideroblastic anemias are a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by anemia of varying severity and the presence of ringed sideroblasts in bone marrow. The most common form of inherited sideroblastic anemia is X-linked sideroblastic anemia (XLSA). In many XLSA patients, anemia responds variably to supplementation with pyridoxine (vitamin B6). We describe the case of a pregnant female with XLSA who had a novel mutation on the ALAS2 gene (c.1218G > T, p.Leu406Phe). Oral chelation therapy was contraindicated and high-dose vitamin B6 would have possible side effects in pregnancy. Serum hepcidin level was very low, indicating increased absorption of iron secondary to ineffective erythropoiesis. Therapy was begun with a low dose of pyridoxine that was increased post-partum. The patient's liver showed moderate iron deposits. During a subsequent 3-month period of pyridoxine supplementation, serum ferritin level and transferrin saturation decreased, hemoglobin content and serum hepcidin level normalized, and morphologic red cell abnormalities improved markedly. The patient responded well to treatment, showing the pyridoxine responsiveness of this novel ALAS2 mutation. The baby girl had the same mutation heterozygously, and although she was neither anemic nor showed abnormalities in a peripheral blood smear, she had a mild increment in RDW and her condition is now being followed.

Congenital dyserythropoietic anemias (CDA) are disorders characterized by ineffective erythropoiesis and morphological anomalies in erythrocytes and erythroblasts. The purpose of this study is to identify the gene variants in patients diagnosed with CDA. We analyzed five unrelated patients and two siblings with a targeted panel of genes to CDA: CDAN1, CDIN1, SEC23B, KIF23, KLF1, and GATA1 genes. We found three novel variants in the CDIN1 gene (p.Leu136Val, p.Tyr247Cys, and p.Ile273Thr), four known variants in the SEC23B gene (p.Arg14Trp, p.Arg554Ter, p.Asp239Gly, and p.Ser436Leu), and one novel variant in the KIF23 gene (p.Leu945Trpfs*31). The in silico analysis of novel variants predict that they are pathogenic and, the in vitro study confirms the functional impact of the KIF23 variant on the protein location.Keywords CDA types Ib . II and III. CDIN1 . SEC23B and KIF23 genes

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BACKGROUND: Anemia is the most common manifestation of low-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Iron-overload in MDS can occur before transfusion dependence in the context of ineffective erythropoiesis. Significantly lower hepcidin levels have been described in patients with sideroblastic refractory anemia compared to higher risk MDS, promoting inadequate iron absorption that leads to higher iron overload. Erythroferrone (ERFE) is a hormone that stimulates erythropoiesis and regulates iron homeostasis; in physiological conditions, is stimulated by erythropoietin and increases iron absorption inhibiting hepcidin. There are no studies describing the activity of ERFE in MDS. The objective of this study was to describe the relationship among hepcidin, ERFE and iron overload in 31 patients with low-risk MDS. METHODS: 50 samples were analized, 31 from patients (16 males, 17 females) with low-risk MDS: 10 low IPSS-R and 21 very-low IPSS-R; and 19 from healthy controls. 13 patients showed severe anemia with transfusion dependence, 4 patients received only erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESA) and 14 patients did not receive any treatment for the anemia. Patient characteristics are summarized in table 1. Hepcidin levels were measured using the DRG Hepcidin 25 (bioactive) HS ELISA Kit (DRG Diagnostics GmbH), and ERFE was measured with the FAM132B (Human) OKEH02395 ELISA kit (Aviva Systems). For the analysis, two groups of patients were considered: 13 with severe and transfusion dependent anemia and 18 with mild/moderate anemia. RESULTS: Patients with severe anemia showed higher serum ferritin levels (median 2143ng/mL vs 204ng/mL, p<0.001) compared to patients without transfusion dependence. Hepcidin levels were significantly higher in patients with transfusion dependent anemia (mean 59.85 vs 16.11ng/mL, p=0.001) compared to patients with transfusion independence, and were also higher in these last patients compared to healthy controls (mean 16.11 vs 10.6ng/mL, p<0.001). Regarding ERFE, patients with transfusion dependent anemia showed significantly higher ERFE levels (mean 281.92 vs. 62.83pg/mL, p=0.016) than patients with mild/moderate anemia. However, there were no significant differences between patients with mild/moderate anemia and healthy controls. There was no correlation between hepcidin and ERFE levels (p=0.46). CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first simultaneous analysis of hepcidine and ERFE in MDS. Patients with severe anemia showed significantly higher ERFE levels compared to those with moderate anemia, suggesting a higher erythropoietic stimulus. Patients with severe anemia showed significantly superior hepcidin levels, hindering iron absorption in situations of massive iron overload. Accordingly, ERFE did not show negative correlation with hepcidin in either cohort, supporting the abnormal iron metabolism in MDS. Larger studies are required to define the relationship between hepcidin and ERFE in low-risk MDS. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.