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Update on Cerebellar Ataxia with Neuropathy and Bilateral Vestibular Areflexia Syndrome (CANVAS).

ABSTRACT: The syndrome of cerebellar ataxia with neuropathy and bilateral vestibular areflexia (CANVAS) has emerged progressively during the last 30 years. It was first outlined by the neurootology/neurophysiology community in the vestibular areflexic patients, through the description of patients slowly developing late-onset cerebellar ataxia and bilateral vestibulopathy. The characteristic deficit of visuo-vestibulo-ocular reflex (VVOR) due to the impaired slow stabilizing eye movements was put forward and a specific disease subtending this syndrome was suggested. The association to a peripheral sensory axonal neuropathy was described later on, with neuropathological studies demonstrating that both sensory neuropathy and vestibular areflexia were diffuse ganglionopathy. Clinical and electrophysiological criteria of CANVAS were then proposed in 2016. Besides the classical triad, frequent chronic cough, signs of dysautonomia and neurogenic pains were frequently observed. From the beginning of published cohorts, sporadic as well as familial cases were reported, the last suggestive of an autosomal recessive mode of transmission. The genetic disorder was discovered in 2019, under the form of abnormal biallelic expansion in the replication factor C subunit 1 (RFC1) in a population of late-onset ataxia. This pathological expansion was found in 100% of the familial form and 92% of sporadic ones when the triad was complete. But using the genetic criteria, the phenotype of CANVAS seems to expand, for exemple including patients with isolated neuronopathy. We propose here to review the clinical, electrophysiological, anatomical, genetic aspect of CANVAS in light of the recent discovery of the genetic aetiology, and discuss differential diagnosis, neuropathology and physiopathology.

SUBMITTER: Dupre M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8629873 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Background and objectiveCerebellar ataxia, neuropathy, and vestibular areflexia syndrome (CANVAS) is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disease characterized by adult-onset and slowly progressive sensory neuropathy, cerebellar dysfunction, and vestibular impairment. In most cases, the disease is caused by biallelic (AAGGG)n repeat expansions in the second intron of the replication factor complex subunit 1 (RFC1). However, a small number of cases with typical CANVAS do not carry the common biallelic repeat expansion. The objective of this study was to expand the genotypic spectrum of CANVAS by identifying sequence variants in RFC1-coding region associated with this condition.MethodsFifteen individuals diagnosed with CANVAS and carrying only 1 heterozygous (AAGGG)n expansion in RFC1 underwent whole-genome sequencing or whole-exome sequencing to test for the presence of a second variant in RFC1 or other unrelated gene. To assess the effect of truncating variants on RFC1 expression, we tested the level of RFC1 transcript and protein on patients' derived cell lines.ResultsWe identified 7 patients from 5 unrelated families with clinically defined CANVAS carrying a heterozygous (AAGGG)n expansion together with a second truncating variant in trans in RFC1, which included the following: c.1267C>T (p.Arg423Ter), c.1739_1740del (p.Lys580SerfsTer9), c.2191del (p.Gly731GlufsTer6), and c.2876del (p.Pro959GlnfsTer24). Patient fibroblasts containing the c.1267C>T (p.Arg423Ter) or c.2876del (p.Pro959GlnfsTer24) variants demonstrated nonsense-mediated mRNA decay and reduced RFC1 transcript and protein.DiscussionOur report expands the genotype spectrum of RFC1 disease. Full RFC1 sequencing is recommended in cases affected by typical CANVAS and carrying monoallelic (AAGGG)n expansions. In addition, it sheds further light on the pathogenesis of RFC1 CANVAS because it supports the existence of a loss-of-function mechanism underlying this complex neurodegenerative condition.

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Update on Cerebellar Ataxia with Neuropathy and Bilateral Vestibular Areflexia Syndrome (CANVAS).

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