Fatal primary pulmonary hypertension in a 30-yr-old female with APECED syndrome

Abstract

Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) is caused by mutations in the autoimmune regulator (AIRE) gene, which has a central function in maintaining immunological tolerance. A number of conditions with proven or likely autoimmune pathogenesis occur in APECED: hypoparathyroidism, adrenocortical insufficency, candidiasis, hypogonadism, type 1 diabetes, hypothyroidism, hypophysitis, hepatitis, malabsorption, nail dystrophy, enamel hypoplasia and keratopathy. It is not clear which factors are responsible for variation in clinical picture of APECED, but human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotype may be important. The authors report the first description of a case of primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) in patient with APECED, caused by R257X mutation in AIRE. The HLA genotype of the patient (DRB1*01/DRB1*11, DQB1*0301/DQB1*0501) has been previously reported as a predisposing factor to PPH. The findings from this study, provided that other similar cases are reported, suggest that immune deregulation plays a role in the pathogenesis of primary pulmonary hypertension.