The measurement of urinary Δ¹-piperideine-6-carboxylate, the alter ego of α-aminoadipic semialdehyde, in Antiquitin deficiency

J Inherit Metab Dis. 2012 Sep;35(5):909-16. doi: 10.1007/s10545-011-9443-0. Epub 2012 Jan 17.

Abstract

The assessment of urinary α-aminoadipic semialdehyde (α-AASA) has become the diagnostic laboratory test for pyridoxine dependent seizures (PDS). α-AASA is in spontaneous equilibrium with its cyclic form Δ(1)-piperideine-6-carboxylate (P6C); a molecule with a heterocyclic ring structure. Ongoing diagnostic screening and monitoring revealed that in some individuals with milder ALDH7A1 variants, and patients co-treated with a lysine restricted diet, α-AASA was only modestly increased. This prompted us to investigate the diagnostic power and added value of the assessment of urinary P6C compared to α-AASA. Urine samples were diluted to a creatinine content of 0.1 mmol/L, followed by the addition of 0.01 nmol [(2)H(9)]pipecolic acid as internal standard (IS) and 5 μL was injected onto a Waters C(18) T3 HPLC column. Chromatography was performed using water/methanol 97/3 (v/v) including 0.03 % formic acid by volume with a flow rate of 150 μL/min and detection was accomplished in the multiple reaction monitoring mode: P6C m/z 128.1 > 82.1; [(2)H(9)]pipecolic acid m/z 139.1 > 93.1. Due to the dualistic nature of α-AASA/P6C, and the lack of a proper internal standard, the method is semi quantitative. The intra-assay CVs (n = 10) for two urine samples of proven PDS patients with only modest P6C increases were 4.7% and 8.1%, whereas their inter-assay CVs (n = 10) were 16 and 18% respectively. In all 40 urine samples from 35 individuals with proven PDS, we detected increased levels of P6C. Therefore, we conclude that the diagnostic power of the assessments of urinary P6C and α-AASA is comparable.

MeSH terms

  • 2-Aminoadipic Acid / analogs & derivatives*
  • 2-Aminoadipic Acid / urine
  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / deficiency*
  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / genetics
  • Diet
  • Epilepsy / diagnosis*
  • Epilepsy / genetics
  • Epilepsy / metabolism
  • Epilepsy / urine*
  • Humans
  • Lysine / metabolism
  • Picolinic Acids / urine*

Substances

  • Picolinic Acids
  • 2-Aminoadipic Acid
  • delta-1-piperidine-6-carboxylic acid
  • allysine
  • ALDH7A1 protein, human
  • Aldehyde Dehydrogenase
  • Lysine

Supplementary concepts

  • Pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy