Expanding the Phenotype of Biallelic <i>PIGG</i> Variants: Motor Neuropathy With Peripheral Nerve Hyperexcitability

Pathogenic variants in PIGG (phosphatidylinositol glycan anchor biosynthesis, class G) disrupt glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchoring of cell-surface proteins. Recently, biallelic PIGG variants have been linked to motor neuropathy with conduction block and temporal dispersion, suggesting a role for defective GPI anchoring in peripheral nerve function. We describe a 27-year-old woman carrying a homozygous nonsense variant in PIGG, c.1515G>A (p.Trp505*), presenting with continuous lower limb myokymia, gait ataxia, tremor and distal weakness since early adolescence. Electrophysiological evaluation revealed widespread myokymic discharges on electromyography, consistent with peripheral nerve hyperexcitability, and a pure motor polyneuropathy with temporal dispersion. This case report expands the clinical spectrum of PIGG-related disorders by identifying peripheral nerve hyperexcitability as a defining feature. The potential mechanistic link between defective GPI anchoring and neuronal hyperexcitability mediated through impaired function of GPI-anchored proteins such as contactin-1 and contactin-2 offers a compelling hypothesis connecting peripheral neuropathy, hyperexcitability, and cerebellar dysfunction.

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Journal
American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A
Published
2026-02-26
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/ajmg.a.70106
Primary Topic
Trypanosoma species research and implications
Type
article
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article

Expanding the Phenotype of Biallelic PIGG Variants: Motor Neuropathy With Peripheral Nerve Hyperexcitability

David Schlesinger, Cristiane Araújo Martins Moreno, Filipe Tupinamba Di Pace, Clara Gontijo Camelo et al.
American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A
Trypanosoma species research and implications
article

Expanding the Phenotype of Biallelic PIGG Variants: Motor Neuropathy With Peripheral Nerve Hyperexcitability

David Schlesinger, Cristiane Araújo Martins Moreno, Filipe Tupinamba Di Pace, Clara Gontijo Camelo, Gabriella Corrêa Dousseau, E. Zanoteli, Pedro Henrique Marte de Arruda Sampaio
article en

Abstract

Pathogenic variants in PIGG (phosphatidylinositol glycan anchor biosynthesis, class G) disrupt glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchoring of cell-surface proteins. Recently, biallelic PIGG variants have been linked to motor neuropathy with conduction block and temporal dispersion, suggesting a role for defective GPI anchoring in peripheral nerve function. We describe a 27-year-old woman carrying a homozygous nonsense variant in PIGG, c.1515G>A (p.Trp505*), presenting with continuous lower limb myokymia, gait ataxia, tremor and distal weakness since early adolescence. Electrophysiological evaluation revealed widespread myokymic discharges on electromyography, consistent with peripheral nerve hyperexcitability, and a pure motor polyneuropathy with temporal dispersion. This case report expands the clinical spectrum of PIGG-related disorders by identifying peripheral nerve hyperexcitability as a defining feature. The potential mechanistic link between defective GPI anchoring and neuronal hyperexcitability mediated through impaired function of GPI-anchored proteins such as contactin-1 and contactin-2 offers a compelling hypothesis connecting peripheral neuropathy, hyperexcitability, and cerebellar dysfunction.

American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A
Mendelics (BR), Hospital Santa Marcelina (BR), Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (BR)
Gender equality
Openalex Percentile: Top 40%
Trypanosoma species research and implications
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