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Hereditary diffuse leukoencephalopathy with axonal spheroids (HDLS): update on molecular genetics

  • Update in Clinical Neurogenetics
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Abstract

Hereditary diffuse leukoencephalopathy with spheroids (HDLS) is a rare autosomal dominant disease characterized by giant neuroaxonal swellings (spheroids) within the cerebral white matter (WM). Symptoms are variable and can include cognitive, mental and motor dysfunctions. Patients carry mutations in the protein kinase domain of the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) which is a tyrosine kinase receptor essential for microglia development. To date, more than 50 pathogenic variants have been reported in patients with HDLS, including missense, frameshift and non-sense mutations, but also deletions and splice-site mutations, all located in the intracellular tyrosine kinase domain, encoded by exons 12–22. The aim of this paper is to review the literature data about the molecular genetic pattern of HDLS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neurosciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy

    Carmen Stabile, Ilaria Taglia, Carla Battisti, Silvia Bianchi & Antonio Federico

  2. Unit Clinical Neurology and Neurometabolic Diseases, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Senese, Viale Bracci 2, 53100, Siena, Italy

    Carla Battisti & Antonio Federico

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  1. Carmen Stabile
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  2. Ilaria Taglia
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  3. Carla Battisti
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  4. Silvia Bianchi
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  5. Antonio Federico
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Correspondence to Antonio Federico.

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Stabile, C., Taglia, I., Battisti, C. et al. Hereditary diffuse leukoencephalopathy with axonal spheroids (HDLS): update on molecular genetics. Neurol Sci 37, 1565–1569 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-016-2634-6

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