Cone-rod degeneration (CRD) belongs to the disease spectrum of retinal degenerations, a group of hereditary disorders characterized by an extreme clinical and genetic heterogeneity. It mainly differentiates from other retinal dystrophies, and in particular from the more frequent disease retinitis pigmentosa, because cone photoreceptors degenerate at a higher rate than rod photoreceptors, causing severe deficiency of central vision. After exome analysis of a cohort of individuals with CRD, we identified biallelic mutations in the orphan gene CEP78 in three subjects from two families: one from Greece and another from Sweden. The Greek subject, from the island of Crete, was homozygous for the c.499+1G>T (IVS3+1G>T) mutation in intron 3. The Swedish subjects, two siblings, were compound heterozygotes for the nearby mutation c.499+5G>A (IVS3+5G>A) and for the frameshift-causing variant c.633delC (p.Trp212Glyfs(∗)18). In addition to CRD, these three individuals had hearing loss or hearing deficit. Immunostaining highlighted the presence of CEP78 in the inner segments of retinal photoreceptors, predominantly of cones, and at the base of the primary cilium of fibroblasts. Interaction studies also showed that CEP78 binds to FAM161A, another ciliary protein associated with retinal degeneration. Finally, analysis of skin fibroblasts derived from affected individuals revealed abnormal ciliary morphology, as compared to that of control cells. Altogether, our data strongly suggest that mutations in CEP78 cause a previously undescribed clinical entity of a ciliary nature characterized by blindness and deafness but clearly distinct from Usher syndrome, a condition for which visual impairment is due to retinitis pigmentosa.

Objective:We describe the neurologic, neuroradiologic, and ophthalmologic phenotype of 1 Swedish and 1 Finnish family with autosomal dominant ataxia-pancytopenia (ATXPC) syndrome and SAMD9L mutations.Methods:Members of these families with germline SAMD9L c.2956C>T, p.Arg986Cys, or c.2672T>C, p.Ile891Thr mutations underwent structured interviews and neurologic and ophthalmologic examinations. Neuroimaging was performed, and medical records were reviewed. Previous publications on SAMD9L-ATXPC were reviewed.Results:Twelve individuals in both families were affected clinically. All mutation carriers examined had balance impairment, although severity was very variable. All but 1 had nystagmus, and all but 1 had pyramidal tract signs. Neurologic features were generally present from childhood on and progressed slowly. Two adult patients, who experienced increasing clumsiness, glare, and difficulties with gaze fixation, had paracentral retinal dysfunction verified by multifocal electroretinography. Brain MRI showed early, marked cerebellar atrophy in most carriers and variable cerebral periventricular white matter T2 hyperintensities. Two children were treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for hematologic malignancies, and the neurologic symptoms of one of these worsened after treatment. Three affected individuals had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or cognitive problems. Retinal dysfunction was not previously reported in individuals with ATXPC.Conclusions:The neurologic phenotype of this syndrome is defined by balance or gait impairment, nystagmus, hyperreflexia in the lower limbs and, frequently, marked cerebellar atrophy. Paracentral retinal dysfunction may contribute to glare, reading problems, and clumsiness. Timely diagnosis of ATXPC is important to address the risk for severe hemorrhage, infection, and hematologic malignancies inherent in this syndrome; regular hematologic follow-up might be beneficial.