Increased response to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in peripheral blood cells and transient manifestations mimicking juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia in a male patient with NEMO deficiency caused by a deep intronic pathogenic variant of IKBKG.

Abstract

X-linked NF-κB essential modulator (NEMO) deficiency is a primary immunodeficiency characterized by combined immunodeficiency and ectodermal dysplasia. Monocytes from the patients demonstrate a severely impaired response to tissue necrosis factor or lipopolysaccharide, whereas hyper-inflammation is found in some patients. Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is a pediatric malignancy caused by hypersensitivity to granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and aberrant RAS signaling activation. Patients with JMML demonstrate characteristic manifestations such as splenomegaly, monocytosis and the presence of myeloid or erythroid precursors in the peripheral blood. Here, we present the case of a male infant with ectodermal dysplasia, bacterial septicemia, Pneumocystis pneumonia, severe inflammation and transient manifestations mimicking JMML. Genetic analysis revealed a deep intronic germline variant of IKBKG. Full-length IKBKG cDNA and NEMO protein expression were almost inexistent. Peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from the patient showed increased RAS signaling activation with GM-CSF or Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate without the RAS-associated gene variant, although the increased RAS signaling activation in induced-pluripotent stem cell-derived myeloid lineage and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal cells was not evident. The patient with NEMO deficiency demonstrated JMML-like manifestation and severe inflammation. PBMCs of the patient demonstrated increased RAS signaling activation with unknown pathophysiology.