Haematologica, Vol 92, Issue 5, e66-e67 doi:10.3324/haematol.11498
Copyright © 2007 by Ferrata Storti Foundation
D. Pospisilova1 ,
J. Cmejlova2 ,
J. Hak3 ,
T. Adam4 ,
R. Cmejla2
At the time of the start of leucine therapy, the child suffered from a lack of appetite and showed poor weight gain. After 3 weeks of leucine supplementation, her mother reported a noticeable increase in appetite and weight gain. Over a period of 6 months, a gradual improvement in reticulocyte count, hemoglobin level and reduction of serum ferritin level were observed; the patient became transfusion independent, and is currently still in remission (>5 months). At present, hemoglobin level is 90–105 g/l, MCV increased from 82 fl to clear macrocytosis (109.6 fl); HbF levels increased to 5.6% from a normal value of 0.7% at the time of transfusion dependency; BFU-E colonies from bone marrow increased in number and were better hemoglobinized (Figure 2).
Though we cannot exclude the possibility of spontaneous remission, our previous in vitro results favor the leucine-effect explanation.3 Moreover, three other DBA patients that have recently started leucine therapy show increased appetite, growth and well-being, as it has already been described in patients with chronic diseases and in chicks,5,6 supporting the hypothesis that the beneficial effect could be attributed to leucine alone. There are several reports describing the important role of the amino acid leucine in regulating protein synthesis by acting as a nutrient signal. Though it is not fully understood, it involves the mTOR pathway.7 Via this pathway, leucine boosts translation by enhancing the activation of translation initiation factors that regulate mRNA binding to the ribosomal complex, and by a specific up-regulation of ribosome biosynthesis through the ribosomal protein S6 kinase.8 
Research grants and financial support: The work was supported by grants MSM 6198959205 from the Ministry of Education, Czech Republic, and 00023736 from the Ministry of Health, Czech Republic.
Copyright © 2007 by Ferrata Storti Foundation
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Successful treatment of a Diamond-Blackfan anemia patient with amino acid leucine
1 Department of Pediatrics, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
2 Jana Cmejlova and Radek Cmejla from the Department of Cell Physiology, Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czech Republic
3 Jiri Hak from the Department of Pediatrics, Charles University, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
4 Tomas Adam from the Laboratory for Inherited Metabolic Disorders, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic Department of Pediatrics, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic, Tel: +420603801803 Fax: +420588442505 E-mail address: pospisid{at}fnol.cz
Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA; OMIM:105650) attracts much attention, because symptoms are associated with mutations in RPS191 and RPS242 in 25% and 2% of DBA patients, respectively, indicating a possible relationship between the ribosomal function, translation levels and erythropoiesis. Indeed, in our recent study we showed that translational efficiency was lowered in most DBA patients, and leucine was tested as a potential modulator of protein synthesis with promising results.3 We therefore decided to test the effects of leucine in DBA patients.
For leucine therapy, we selected the patient with lowest levels of translation (25% of control basal translation; patient CZ23 in ref.3) and the best in vitro response to leucine (translation increased by >100%). The patient, now a 7-year old girl, was born from the first uncomplicated pregnancy. The diagnosis of DBA was confirmed at the age of 6 months. The patient has short stature and bilateral vesicoureteral reflux. No RPS19 mutation was found. Repeated courses of steroids including large doses4 elicited no effect, and the girl entered a regular transfusion program. Iron chelation therapy was initiated at the age of 4 years, after liver hemosiderosis was observed. The search for a bone marrow donor has been unsuccessful.
Before the start of leucine therapy, leucine absorption tests were performed using 500mg and 1 500mg of leucine in one dose (the interval between tests was one month). The highest serum levels of leucine were observed two hours after leucine administration (Figure 1), while serum levels of other amino acids remained unchanged. A dose of 500mg of L-leucine has been then administered orally twice a day in the form of a capsule prepared by hospital pharmacy. The dose was based on the leucine absorption results (all leucine serum levels remained in normal range), and the leucine content in sport dietary protein supplements reduced according to the patient’s body surface area.
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Figure 1. Kinetics of leucine absorption. Prior to the start of leucine therapy, two leucine absorption tests were performed after the oral administration of 500 mg or 1 500 mg of leucine in one dose. In both cases, the highest leucine serum levels were observed two hours after administration. Shaded area represents normal values of serum leucine levels in age-matched controls. ND: not done.
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Figure 2. Patient’s characteristics during leucine therapy.
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The administration of leucine thus offers the possibility of erythropoiesis stimulation without any of the well-known adverse effects of standard DBA treatment. However, these encouraging findings raise a number of questions related not only to DBA treatment (dose, regime, etc.), but also to general aspects of erythropoiesis. To answer these questions, studies involving more DBA patients are clearly required.
Footnotes
Research grants and financial support: The work was supported by grants MSM 6198959205 from the Ministry of Education, Czech Republic, and 00023736 from the Ministry of Health, Czech Republic.
References
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- Draptchinskaia N, Gustavsson P, Andersson B, et al. The gene encoding ribosomal protein S19 is mutated in Diamond-Blackfan anaemia. Nat. Genet 1999;21:169-175.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline]
- Gazda HT, Grabowska A, Merida-Long LB, et al. Ribosomal protein S24 gene is mutated in Diamond-Blackfan anemia. Am J Hum Genet 2006;79:1110-1118.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline]
- Cmejlova J, Dolezalova L, Pospisilova D, Petrtylova K, Petrak J, Cmejla R. Translational efficiency in patients with Diamond-Blackfan anemia. Haematologica 2006;91:1456-1464.
[Abstract/Free Full Text] - Buchanan GR, International Diamond-Blackfan Anemia Study Group. Oral megadose methylprednisolone therapy for refractory Diamond-Blackfan anemia. International Diamond-Blackfan Anemia Study Group. J Pediatr Hematol Oncol 2001;23:353-356.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline]
- Laviano A, Meguid MM, Inui A, Rossi-Fanelli F. Role of leucine in regulating food intake. Science 2006;313:1236-1238.
- Izumi T, Kawamura K, Ueda H, Bungo T. Central administration of leucine, but not isoleucine and valine, stimulates feeding behavior in neonatal chicks. Neurosci Lett 2004;354:166-168.[CrossRef][Web of Science][Medline]
- Anthony JC, Yoshizawa F, Anthony TG, Vary TC, Jefferson LS, Kimball SR. Leucine stimulates translation initiation in skeletal muscle of postabsorptive rats via a rapamycin-sensitive pathway. J Nutr 2000;130:2413-9.
[Abstract/Free Full Text] - Kimball SR, Jefferson LS. Signaling pathways and molecular mechanisms through which branched-chain amino acids mediate translational control of protein synthesis. J Nutr 2006;136:227S-31S.
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