Context: Mutational inactivation of the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) complex is a well-described cause of tumor development in pheochromocytomas/paragangliomas (PPGLs) and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). Epigenetic inactivation of the SDHC gene is a more recently discovered phenomenon, which so far has only been described in GISTs and PPGLs from patients with Carney triad syndrome.
Case description: A 33-year-old patient presented with two abdominal paragangliomas (PGLs) and an adrenocortical adenoma. Both PGLs showed high succinate:fumarate ratios indicative of SDHx mutations; however, no mutations in any of the known PPGL susceptibility genes were found in leucocyte or tumor DNA. We identified methylation of the SDHC promoter region in both PGLs, which coincided with decreased SDHC expression at mRNA and protein levels and a hypermethylated epigenomic signature (CpG island methylator phenotype). Low-level SDHC promoter methylation was also observed in the adenoma but not in normal adrenal tissue or blood, suggesting postzygotic somatic mosaicism for SDHC promoter methylation in the patient.
Conclusions: This report provides evidence that SDHC promoter methylation can cause PGLs due to SDHC inactivation, emphasizing the importance of considering epigenetic changes and functional readouts in the genetic evaluation of patients not only with GISTs and Carney triad but also with PPGL.