Genetic analysis of a patient with late infantile metachromatic leukodystrophy

OBJECTIVE: To detect variants of ARSA gene in a child featuring late infantile metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD). METHODS: PCR and Sanger sequencing was carried out for the patient and her parents. RESULTS: The patient had typical features of MLD including ARSA deficiency, regression of walking ability, and demyelination. Compound heterozygous variants of the ARSA gene, namely c.960G>A and c.244C>T, were detected in the patient, for which her mother and father were respectively heterozygous carriers. ARSA c.960G>A was known to be pathogenic, while ARSA c.244C>T was a novel variant. The same variants were not detected among 50 healthy controls. CONCLUSION: The compound heterozygous variants c.960G>A and c.244C>T of the ARSA gene probably underlie the MLD in this patient.