Idiopathic achalasia is not allelic to alacrima achalasia adrenal insufficiency syndrome at the ALADIN locus

Background.: Evidence indicates that patients with familial achalasia associated with Allgrove or triple-A syndrome (i.e. alacrima, achalasia and adrenocorticotropin-resistant adrenal insufficiency with neurological impairment) have mutations of the alacrima achalasia adrenal insufficiency syndrome (AAAS) gene. Aim.: The present study was aimed at identifying possible AAAS gene mutations in patients with established idiopathic non-familial achalasia. Methods.: Genomic DNA of 41 patients was isolated from peripheral blood cells using standard methods. The 16 exons of the AAAS gene (or ALADIN) were screened for mutations using the denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography method. Results.: Four heterozygous nucleotidic variations have been identified in patients with idiopathic achalasia, among which three were exonic conservative polymorphisms [i.e. D138D (GAT → GAC), L227L (TTG → CTG) and F285F (TTC → TTT) in exons 5, 7 and 9, respectively]. The fourth nucleotidic variation was located in intron 13 (IVS14-23delT). All variants have been regarded as polymorphisms resulting in a normal ALADIN protein since they are either conservative or lying outside the consensus splice sites. Conclusions.: Our data do not support a pathogenetic role for common AAAS gene mutations in patients with idiopathic achalasia as seen in Allgrove syndrome. These findings suggest the participation of different mechanisms in the pathogenesis of idiopathic achalasia. © 2005 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l.