Frequency and Clinical Pattern of Vitelliform Macular Dystrophy Caused by Mutations of Interphotoreceptor Matrix IMPG1 and IMPG2 Genes

Purpose

To assess the frequency of and to characterize the clinical spectrum and optical coherence tomography findings of vitelliform macular dystrophy linked to IMPG1 and IMPG2, 2 new causal genes expressed in the interphotoreceptor matrix.

Design

Retrospective epidemiologic, clinical, electrophysiologic, and molecular genetic study.

Participants

The database of a national referral center specialized in genetic sensory diseases was screened for patients with a macular vitelliform dystrophy without identified mutation or small deletion or large rearrangement in BEST1 and PRPH2 genes. Forty-nine families were included.

Methods

Clinical, imaging, and electro-oculogram findings were reviewed. Mutation screening of IMPG1 and IMPG2 genes were performed systematically.

Main Outcome Measures

Frequency, inheritance, and clinical pattern of vitelliform dystrophy associated with IMPG1 and IMPG2 mutations were characterized.

Results

IMPG1 was the causal gene in 3 families (IMPG1 1–3, 11 patients) and IMPG2 in a fourth family (2 patients). With an autosomal dominant transmission, families 1 and 2 had the c.713T→G (p.Leu238Arg) mutation in IMPG1 and family 4 had the c.3230G→T (p.Cys1077Phe) mutation in IMPG2. Patients with IMPG1 or IMPG2 mutations had a late onset and moderate visual impairment (mean visual acuity, 20/40; mean age of onset, 42 years), even in the sporadic case of family 3 with a presumed recessive transmission (age at onset, 38 years; mean visual acuity, 20/50). Drusen-like lesions adjacent to the vitelliform deposits were observed in 9 of 13 patients. The vitelliform material was above the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) at any stage of the macular dystrophy, and this epithelium was well preserved and maintained its classical reflectivity on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Electro-oculogram results were normal or borderline in 9 cases.

Conclusions

IMPG1 and IMPG2 are new causal genes in 8% of families negative for BEST1 and PRPH2 mutations. These genes should be screened in adult-onset vitelliform dystrophy with (1) moderate visual impairment, (2) drusen-like lesions, (3) normal reflectivity of the RPE line on SD-OCT, and (4) vitelliform deposits located between ellipsoid and interdigitation lines on SD-OCT. These clinical characteristics are not observed in the classical forms of BEST1 or PRPH2 vitelliform dystrophies.