Subscribe to RSS
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1730951
Alagille Syndrome: A Focused Review on Clinical Features, Genetics, and Treatment
Abstract
Alagille syndrome (ALGS) is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by pathogenic variants in JAG1 or NOTCH2, which encode fundamental components of the Notch signaling pathway. Clinical features span multiple organ systems including hepatic, cardiac, vascular, renal, skeletal, craniofacial, and ocular, and occur with variable phenotypic penetrance. Genotype–phenotype correlation studies have not yet shown associations between mutation type and clinical manifestations or severity, and it has been hypothesized that modifier genes may modulate the effects of JAG1 and NOTCH2 pathogenic variants. Medical management is supportive, focusing on clinical manifestations of disease, with liver transplant indicated for severe pruritus, liver synthetic dysfunction, portal hypertension, bone fractures, and/or growth failure. New therapeutic approaches are under investigation, including ileal bile acid transporter (IBAT) inhibitors and other approaches that may involve targeted interventions to augment the Notch signaling pathway in involved tissues.
Publication History
Article published online:
02 July 2021
© 2021. Thieme. All rights reserved.
Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.
333 Seventh Avenue, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10001, USA
-
References
- 1 Alagille D, Habib EC, Thomassin N. L'atresie des voies biliaires intrahepatiques avec voies biliaires extrahepatiques permeables chez l'enfant. J Par Pediatr 1969; 301-318
- 2 Alagille D, Estrada A, Hadchouel M, Gautier M, Odièvre M, Dommergues JP. Syndromic paucity of interlobular bile ducts (Alagille syndrome or arteriohepatic dysplasia): review of 80 cases. J Pediatr 1987; 110 (02) 195-200
- 3 Watson GH, Miller V. Arteriohepatic dysplasia: familial pulmonary arterial stenosis with neonatal liver disease. Arch Dis Child 1973; 48 (06) 459-466
- 4 Kamath BM, Bason L, Piccoli DA, Krantz ID, Spinner NB. Consequences of JAG1 mutations. J Med Genet 2003; 40 (12) 891-895
- 5 Li L, Krantz ID, Deng Y. et al. Alagille syndrome is caused by mutations in human Jagged1, which encodes a ligand for Notch1. Nat Genet 1997; 16 (03) 243-251
- 6 Oda T, Elkahloun AG, Pike BL. et al. Mutations in the human Jagged1 gene are responsible for Alagille syndrome. Nat Genet 1997; 16 (03) 235-242
- 7 Rajagopalan R, Gilbert MA, McEldrew DA. et al. Genome sequencing increases diagnostic yield in clinically diagnosed Alagille syndrome patients with previously negative test results. Genet Med 2021; 23 (02) 323-330
- 8 Kamath BM, Bauer RC, Loomes KM. et al. NOTCH2 mutations in Alagille syndrome. J Med Genet 2012; 49 (02) 138-144
- 9 McDaniell R, Warthen DM, Sanchez-Lara PA. et al. NOTCH2 mutations cause Alagille syndrome, a heterogeneous disorder of the notch signaling pathway. Am J Hum Genet 2006; 79 (01) 169-173
- 10 Gilbert MA, Bauer RC, Rajagopalan R. et al. Alagille syndrome mutation update: Comprehensive overview of JAG1 and NOTCH2 mutation frequencies and insight into missense variant classification. Hum Mutat 2019; 40 (12) 2197-2220
- 11 Saleh M, Kamath BM, Chitayat D. Alagille syndrome: clinical perspectives. Appl Clin Genet 2016; 9: 75-82
- 12 Spinner NB, Colliton RP, Crosnier C, Krantz ID, Hadchouel M, Meunier-Rotival M. Jagged1 mutations in Alagille syndrome. Hum Mutat 2001; 17 (01) 18-33
- 13 Crosnier C, Driancourt C, Raynaud N. et al. Mutations in JAGGED1 gene are predominantly sporadic in Alagille syndrome. Gastroenterology 1999; 116 (05) 1141-1148
- 14 Tsai EA, Gilbert MA, Grochowski CM. et al. THBS2 is a candidate modifier of liver disease severity in Alagille syndrome. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2016; 2 (05) 663-675.e2
- 15 Ryan MJ, Bales C, Nelson A. et al. Bile duct proliferation in Jag1/fringe heterozygous mice identifies candidate modifiers of the Alagille syndrome hepatic phenotype. Hepatology 2008; 48 (06) 1989-1997
- 16 Thakurdas SM, Lopez MF, Kakuda S. et al. Jagged1 heterozygosity in mice results in a congenital cholangiopathy which is reversed by concomitant deletion of one copy of Poglut1 (Rumi). Hepatology 2016; 63 (02) 550-565
- 17 Adams JM, Huppert KA, Castro EC. et al. Sox9 is a modifier of the liver disease severity in a mouse model of Alagille syndrome. Hepatology 2020; 71 (04) 1331-1349
- 18 Emerick KM, Rand EB, Goldmuntz E, Krantz ID, Spinner NB, Piccoli DA. Features of Alagille syndrome in 92 patients: frequency and relation to prognosis. Hepatology 1999; 29 (03) 822-829
- 19 Subramaniam P, Knisely A, Portmann B. et al. Diagnosis of Alagille syndrome-25 years of experience at King's College Hospital. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2011; 52 (01) 84-89
- 20 Lykavieris P, Hadchouel M, Chardot C, Bernard O. Outcome of liver disease in children with Alagille syndrome: a study of 163 patients. Gut 2001; 49 (03) 431-435
- 21 Kamath BM, Munoz PS, Bab N. et al. A longitudinal study to identify laboratory predictors of liver disease outcome in Alagille syndrome. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2010; 50 (05) 526-530
- 22 Kamath BM, Ye W, Goodrich NP. et al; Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN). Outcomes of childhood cholestasis in Alagille syndrome: results of a multicenter observational study. Hepatol Commun 2020; 4 (03) 387-398
- 23 Mitchell E, Gilbert M, Loomes KM. Alagille syndrome. Clin Liver Dis 2018; 22 (04) 625-641
- 24 Kahn E. Paucity of interlobular bile ducts. Arteriohepatic dysplasia and nonsyndromic duct paucity. Perspect Pediatr Pathol 1991; 14: 168-215
- 25 Loomes KM, Russo P, Ryan M. et al. Bile duct proliferation in liver-specific Jag1 conditional knockout mice: effects of gene dosage. Hepatology 2007; 45 (02) 323-330
- 26 Hofmann JJ, Zovein AC, Koh H, Radtke F, Weinmaster G, Iruela-Arispe ML. Jagged1 in the portal vein mesenchyme regulates intrahepatic bile duct development: insights into Alagille syndrome. Development 2010; 137 (23) 4061-4072
- 27 Markowitz J, Daum F, Kahn EI. et al. Arteriohepatic dysplasia. I. Pitfalls in diagnosis and management. Hepatology 1983; 3 (01) 74-76
- 28 Rapp JB, Bellah RD, Maya C, Pawel BR, Anupindi SA. Giant hepatic regenerative nodules in Alagille syndrome. Pediatr Radiol 2017; 47 (02) 197-204
- 29 Alhammad A, Kamath BM, Chami R, Ng VL, Chavhan GB. Solitary hepatic nodule adjacent to the right portal vein: a common finding of Alagille syndrome?. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2016; 62 (02) 226-232
- 30 Bhadri VA, Stormon MO, Arbuckle S, Lam AH, Gaskin KJ, Shun A. Hepatocellular carcinoma in children with Alagille syndrome. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2005; 41 (05) 676-678
- 31 Ennaifer R, Ben Farhat L, Cheikh M, Romdhane H, Marzouk I, Belhadj N. Focal liver hyperplasia in a patient with Alagille syndrome: diagnostic difficulties. A case report. Int J Surg Case Rep 2016; 25: 55-61
- 32 Syed MA, Khalili K, Guindi M. Regenerating nodules in arteriohepatic syndrome: a case report. Br J Radiol 2008; 81 (963) e79-e83
- 33 Wetli SC, Gralla ES, Schibli S, Stranzinger E. Hepatocellular carcinoma and regenerating nodule in a 3-year-old child with Alagille syndrome. Pediatr Radiol 2010; 40 (10) 1696-1698
- 34 Kim B, Park S-H, Yang HR, Seo JK, Kim WS, Chi JG. Hepatocellular carcinoma occurring in Alagille syndrome. Pathol Res Pract 2005; 201 (01) 55-60
- 35 Andrews AR, Putra J. Central hepatic regenerative nodules in Alagille syndrome: a clinicopathological review. Fetal Pediatr Pathol 2021; 40 (01) 69-79
- 36 Schindler EA, Gilbert MA, Piccoli DA, Spinner NB, Krantz ID, Loomes KM. Alagille syndrome and risk for hepatocellular carcinoma: Need for increased surveillance in adults with mild liver phenotypes. Am J Med Genet A 2021; 185 (03) 719-731
- 37 Keeffe EB, Pinson CW, Ragsdale J, Zonana J. Hepatocellular carcinoma in arteriohepatic dysplasia. Am J Gastroenterol 1993; 88 (09) 1446-1449
- 38 Tsai S, Gurakar A, Anders R, Lam-Himlin D, Boitnott J, Pawlik TM. Management of large hepatocellular carcinoma in adult patients with Alagille syndrome: a case report and review of literature. Dig Dis Sci 2010; 55 (11) 3052-3058
- 39 Lu J, Xia Y, Chen K. et al. Oncogenic role of the Notch pathway in primary liver cancer. Oncol Lett 2016; 12 (01) 3-10
- 40 Tate JG, Bamford S, Jubb HC. et al. COSMIC: the catalogue of somatic mutations in cancer. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47 (D1): D941-D947
- 41 Morell CM, Fiorotto R, Fabris L, Strazzabosco M. Notch signalling beyond liver development: emerging concepts in liver repair and oncogenesis. Clin Res Hepatol Gastroenterol 2013; 37 (05) 447-454
- 42 McElhinney DB, Krantz ID, Bason L. et al. Analysis of cardiovascular phenotype and genotype-phenotype correlation in individuals with a JAG1 mutation and/or Alagille syndrome. Circulation 2002; 106 (20) 2567-2574
- 43 Loomes KM, Underkoffler LA, Morabito J. et al. The expression of Jagged1 in the developing mammalian heart correlates with cardiovascular disease in Alagille syndrome. Hum Mol Genet 1999; 8 (13) 2443-2449
- 44 High FA, Lu MM, Pear WS, Loomes KM, Kaestner KH, Epstein JA. Endothelial expression of the Notch ligand Jagged1 is required for vascular smooth muscle development. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2008; 105 (06) 1955-1959
- 45 Hofmann JJ, Briot A, Enciso J. et al. Endothelial deletion of murine Jag1 leads to valve calcification and congenital heart defects associated with Alagille syndrome. Development 2012; 139 (23) 4449-4460
- 46 Kamath BM, Spinner NB, Emerick KM. et al. Vascular anomalies in Alagille syndrome: a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Circulation 2004; 109 (11) 1354-1358
- 47 Lykavieris P, Crosnier C, Trichet C, Meunier-Rotival M, Hadchouel M. Bleeding tendency in children with Alagille syndrome. Pediatrics 2003; 111 (01) 167-170
- 48 Emerick KM, Krantz ID, Kamath BM. et al. Intracranial vascular abnormalities in patients with Alagille syndrome. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2005; 41 (01) 99-107
- 49 Carpenter CD, Linscott LL, Leach JL, Vadivelu S, Abruzzo T. Spectrum of cerebral arterial and venous abnormalities in Alagille syndrome. Pediatr Radiol 2018; 48 (04) 602-608
- 50 Jones EA, Clement-Jones M, Wilson DI. JAGGED1 expression in human embryos: correlation with the Alagille syndrome phenotype. J Med Genet 2000; 37 (09) 658-662
- 51 Kamath BM, Podkameni G, Hutchinson AL. et al. Renal anomalies in Alagille syndrome: a disease-defining feature. Am J Med Genet A 2012; 158A (01) 85-89
- 52 Sanderson E, Newman V, Haigh SF, Baker A, Sidhu PS. Vertebral anomalies in children with Alagille syndrome: an analysis of 50 consecutive patients. Pediatr Radiol 2002; 32 (02) 114-119
- 53 Okuno T, Takahashi H, Shibahara Y, Hashida Y, Sando I. Temporal bone histopathologic findings in Alagille syndrome. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1990; 116 (02) 217-220
- 54 Teng CS, Yen H-Y, Barske L. et al. Requirement for Jagged1-Notch2 signaling in patterning the bones of the mouse and human middle ear. Sci Rep 2017; 7 (01) 2497
- 55 Olsen IE, Ittenbach RF, Rovner AJ. et al. Deficits in size-adjusted bone mass in children with Alagille syndrome. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2005; 40 (01) 76-82
- 56 Bales CB, Kamath BM, Munoz PS. et al. Pathologic lower extremity fractures in children with Alagille syndrome. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2010; 51 (01) 66-70
- 57 Youngstrom DW, Dishowitz MI, Bales CB. et al. Jagged1 expression by osteoblast-lineage cells regulates trabecular bone mass and periosteal expansion in mice. Bone 2016; 91: 64-74
- 58 Kindler JM, Mitchell EL, Piccoli DA. et al. Bone geometry and microarchitecture deficits in children with Alagille syndrome. Bone 2020; 141: 115576
- 59 Kamath BM, Loomes KM, Oakey RJ. et al. Facial features in Alagille syndrome: specific or cholestasis facies?. Am J Med Genet 2002; 112 (02) 163-170
- 60 Mouzami M, Kamath BM. Alagille syndrome. In: Dhawan A. ed. Concise Pediatric and Adolescent Hepatology. Basel, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing; 2018
- 61 Humphreys R, Zheng W, Prince LS. et al. Cranial neural crest ablation of Jagged1 recapitulates the craniofacial phenotype of Alagille syndrome patients. Hum Mol Genet 2012; 21 (06) 1374-1383
- 62 Rennie CA, Chowdhury S, Khan J. et al. The prevalence and associated features of posterior embryotoxon in the general ophthalmic clinic. Eye (Lond) 2005; 19 (04) 396-399
- 63 Nischal KK, Hingorani M, Bentley CR. et al. Ocular ultrasound in Alagille syndrome: a new sign. Ophthalmology 1997; 104 (01) 79-85
- 64 Hingorani M, Nischal KK, Davies A. et al. Ocular abnormalities in Alagille syndrome. Ophthalmology 1999; 106 (02) 330-337
- 65 Rovner AJ, Schall JI, Jawad AF. et al. Rethinking growth failure in Alagille syndrome: the role of dietary intake and steatorrhea. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2002; 35 (04) 495-502
- 66 Sokol RJ, Stall C. Anthropometric evaluation of children with chronic liver disease. Am J Clin Nutr 1990; 52 (02) 203-208
- 67 Wasserman D, Zemel BS, Mulberg AE. et al. Growth, nutritional status, body composition, and energy expenditure in prepubertal children with Alagille syndrome. J Pediatr 1999; 134 (02) 172-177
- 68 Bucuvalas JC, Horn JA, Carlsson L, Balistreri WF, Chernausek SD. Growth hormone insensitivity associated with elevated circulating growth hormone-binding protein in children with Alagille syndrome and short stature. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1993; 76 (06) 1477-1482
- 69 Andersson ER, Chivukula IV, Hankeova S. et al. Mouse model of Alagille syndrome and mechanisms of Jagged1 missense mutations. Gastroenterology 2018; 154 (04) 1080-1095
- 70 Elisofon SA, Emerick KM, Sinacore JM, Alonso EM. Health status of patients with Alagille syndrome. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2010; 51 (06) 759-765
- 71 Leung DH, Sorensen LG, Ye W. et al. Neurocognitive status in alagille syndrome: Results of a multi-center prospective observational study. Hepatology 2017; 66 (01) 647A
- 72 Kamath BM, Chen Z, Romero R. et al; Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN). Quality of life and its determinants in a multicenter cohort of children with Alagille syndrome. J Pediatr 2015; 167 (02) 390-6.e3
- 73 Morrissette JD, Colliton RP, Spinner NB. Defective intracellular transport and processing of JAG1 missense mutations in Alagille syndrome. Hum Mol Genet 2001; 10 (04) 405-413
- 74 Lu F, Morrissette JJ, Spinner NB. Conditional JAG1 mutation shows the developing heart is more sensitive than developing liver to JAG1 dosage. Am J Hum Genet 2003; 72 (04) 1065-1070
- 75 Guarnaccia C, Dhir S, Pintar A, Pongor S. The tetralogy of Fallot-associated G274D mutation impairs folding of the second epidermal growth factor repeat in Jagged-1. FEBS J 2009; 276 (21) 6247-6257
- 76 Bauer RC, Laney AO, Smith R. et al. Jagged1 (JAG1) mutations in patients with tetralogy of Fallot or pulmonic stenosis. Hum Mutat 2010; 31 (05) 594-601
- 77 Tada M, Itoh S, Ishii-Watabe A, Suzuki T, Kawasaki N. Functional analysis of the Notch ligand Jagged1 missense mutant proteins underlying Alagille syndrome. FEBS J 2012; 279 (12) 2096-2107
- 78 Vandriel SM, Li L, She H. et al. Phenotypic divergence of JAGGED1 and NOTCH2-associated Alagille syndrome: results from the International Multicenter GALA Study Group. Hepatology 2020; 72 (Suppl. 01) 882A-884A
- 79 Stenson PD, Mort M, Ball EV. et al. The Human Gene Mutation Database: towards a comprehensive repository of inherited mutation data for medical research, genetic diagnosis and next-generation sequencing studies. Hum Genet 2017; 136 (06) 665-677
- 80 Gilbert MA, Spinner NB. Genetics of Alagille syndrome. In: Alagille Syndrome. Springer International Publishing; 2018: 33-48
- 81 Grochowski CM, Rajagopalan R, Falsey AM. et al. Exome sequencing reveals compound heterozygous mutations in ATP8B1 in a JAG1/NOTCH2 mutation-negative patient with clinically diagnosed Alagille syndrome. Am J Med Genet A 2015; 167A (04) 891-893
- 82 Rajagopalan R, Grochowski CM, Gilbert MA. et al. Compound heterozygous mutations in NEK8 in siblings with end-stage renal disease with hepatic and cardiac anomalies. Am J Med Genet A 2016; 170 (03) 750-753
- 83 Schatz SB, Jüngst C, Keitel-Anselmo V. et al. Phenotypic spectrum and diagnostic pitfalls of ABCB4 deficiency depending on age of onset. Hepatol Commun 2018; 2 (05) 504-514
- 84 Dhorne-Pollet S, Deleuze JF, Hadchouel M, Bonaïti-Pellié C. Segregation analysis of Alagille syndrome. J Med Genet 1994; 31 (06) 453-457
- 85 Elmslie FV, Vivian AJ, Gardiner H, Hall C, Mowat AP, Winter RM. Alagille syndrome: family studies. J Med Genet 1995; 32 (04) 264-268
- 86 Izumi K, Hayashi D, Grochowski CM. et al. Discordant clinical phenotype in monozygotic twins with Alagille syndrome: possible influence of non-genetic factors. Am J Med Genet A 2016; 170A (02) 471-475
- 87 Kamath BM, Krantz ID, Spinner NB, Heubi JE, Piccoli DA. Monozygotic twins with a severe form of Alagille syndrome and phenotypic discordance. Am J Med Genet 2002; 112 (02) 194-197
- 88 Krantz ID, Colliton RP, Genin A. et al. Spectrum and frequency of jagged1 (JAG1) mutations in Alagille syndrome patients and their families. Am J Hum Genet 1998; 62 (06) 1361-1369
- 89 Shulman SA, Hyams JS, Gunta R, Greenstein RM, Cassidy SB. Arteriohepatic dysplasia (Alagille syndrome): extreme variability among affected family members. Am J Med Genet 1984; 19 (02) 325-332
- 90 Shneider BL, Goodrich NP, Ye W. et al; Childhood Liver Disease Research Network (ChiLDReN). Nonfasted liver stiffness correlates with liver disease parameters and portal hypertension in pediatric cholestatic liver disease. Hepatol Commun 2020; 4 (11) 1694-1707
- 91 Narkewicz MR, Smith D, Gregory C, Lear JL, Osberg I, Sokol RJ. Effect of ursodeoxycholic acid therapy on hepatic function in children with intrahepatic cholestatic liver disease. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 1998; 26 (01) 49-55
- 92 Zellos A, Roy A, Schwarz KB. Use of oral naltrexone for severe pruritus due to cholestatic liver disease in children. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2010; 51 (06) 787-789
- 93 Bolier AR, Peri S, Oude Elferink RPJ, Beuers U. The challenge of cholestatic pruritus. Acta Gastroenterol Belg 2012; 75 (04) 399-404
- 94 Thébaut A, Habes D, Gottrand F. et al. Sertraline as an additional treatment for cholestatic pruritus in children. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2017; 64 (03) 431-435
- 95 Kamath BM, Loomes KM, Piccoli DA. Medical management of Alagille syndrome. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2010; 50 (06) 580-586
- 96 Mattei P, von Allmen D, Piccoli D, Rand E. Relief of intractable pruritus in Alagille syndrome by partial external biliary diversion. J Pediatr Surg 2006; 41 (01) 104-107 , discussion 104–107
- 97 Modi BP, Suh MY, Jonas MM, Lillehei C, Kim HB. Ileal exclusion for refractory symptomatic cholestasis in Alagille syndrome. J Pediatr Surg 2007; 42 (05) 800-805
- 98 Shneider BL, Spino C, Kamath BM. et al; Childhood Liver Disease Research Network. Placebo-controlled randomized trial of an intestinal bile salt transport inhibitor for pruritus in Alagille syndrome. Hepatol Commun 2018; 2 (10) 1184-1198
- 99 Gonzalez E. Durability of treatment effect with long-term maralixibat use in children with Alagille syndrome: 4-year safety and efficacy results from the ICONIC study [abstract 243]. Paper presented at: North Am Soc Pediatr Gastroenterol Hepatol Nutr Annu Meet; 2020. Last accessed on 31 May 2021 at: https://members.naspghan.org/Annualmeeting/Program/Scientific_Abstracts_2020/Annualmeeting/2020_Annual_Meeting/2020_Annual_Meeting_Program/Scientifc_Abstracts.aspx
- 100 Gonzales E, Sturm E, Baumann U. et al. Correlation of autotaxin levels, serum bile acids, and pruritus in a multiple-dose, open-label, multinational study of the ileal bile acid transport inhibitor A4250 [abstract SAT-059]. Paper presented at: 53rd Annu Int Liver Congr; 2018. Last accessed on 31 May 2021 at: https://www.clinicalkey.com/service/content/pdf/watermarked/1-s2.0-S0168827818315216.pdf?locale=en_US&searchIndex=
- 101 Kattah L, Gómez A, Gutiérrez S. et al. Hypercholesterolemia due to lipoprotein X: case report and thematic review. Clin Med Insights Endocrinol Diabetes 2019; 12: 1179551419878687
- 102 Kamath BM, Yin W, Miller H. et al; Studies of Pediatric Liver Transplantation. Outcomes of liver transplantation for patients with Alagille syndrome: the studies of pediatric liver transplantation experience. Liver Transpl 2012; 18 (08) 940-948
- 103 Kamath BM, Schwarz KB, Hadzić N. Alagille syndrome and liver transplantation. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2010; 50 (01) 11-15
- 104 Kasahara M, Kiuchi T, Inomata Y. et al. Living-related liver transplantation for Alagille syndrome. Transplantation 2003; 75 (12) 2147-2150
- 105 Youngstrom DW, Senos R, Zondervan RL. et al. Intraoperative delivery of the Notch ligand Jagged-1 regenerates appendicular and craniofacial bone defects. NPJ Regen Med 2017; 2 (01) 32