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Background and purpose Charcot−Marie−Tooth ( CMT) 1C due to mutations in LITAF/ SIMPLE is a rare subtype amongst the autosomal dominant demyelinating forms of CMT. Our objective was to report the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics of 18 CMT1C patients and compare them to 20 patients with PMP22 mutations: 10 CMT1A patients and 10 patients with hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies ( HNPP). Methods Charcot−Marie−Tooth 1C patients were followed-up in referral centres for neuromuscular diseases or were identified by familial survey. All CMT1A and HNPP patients were recruited at the referral centre for neuromuscular diseases of Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital. Results Two phenotypes were identified amongst 18 CMT1C patients: the classical CMT form (' CMT-like', 11 cases) and a predominantly sensory form ('sensory form', seven cases). The mean CMT neuropathy score was 4.45 in CMT1C patients. Motor nerve conduction velocities in the upper limbs were significantly more reduced in CMT1A than in CMT1C patients. On the other hand, the motor nerve conduction velocity of the median nerve was significantly lower in CMT1C compared to the HNPP group. Distal motor latency was significantly more prolonged in CMT1A patients compared to the CMT1C and HNPP groups, the latter two groups having similar distal motor latency values. Molecular analysis revealed five new LITAF/ SIMPLE mutations (Ala111Thr, Gly112Ala, Trp116Arg, Pro135Leu, Arg160Cys). Conclusions Our study delineates CMT1C as mostly a mild form of neuropathy, and gives clinical and electrophysiological clues differentiating CMT1C from CMT1A and HNPP. Delineating phenotypes in CMT subtypes is important to orient molecular diagnosis and to help to interpret complex molecular findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The placenta supplies the foetus with critical nutrients such as essential amino acids (AA, eg leucine) for development and growth. It also represents a cellular barrier which is formed by a polarized, differentiated syncytiotrophoblast (STB) monolayer. Active Na + -independent leucine transport across the placenta is mainly attributed to the System L transporters LAT1/SLC7A5 and LAT2/SLC7A8. This study explored the influence of trophoblast differentiation on the activity of LAT1/LAT2 and the relevance of LAT1/LAT2 in leucine uptake and transfer in trophoblasts by applying specific small molecule inhibitors (JPH203/JG336/JX009). L-leucine uptake (total dose = 167 μmol/L) was sensitive to LAT1-specific inhibition by JPH203 (EC 50  = 2.55 µmol/L). The inhibition efficiency of JPH203 was increased by an additional methoxy group in the JPH203-derivate JG336 (EC 50  = 1.99 µmol/L). Interestingly, JX009 showed efficient System L inhibition (EC 50  = 2.35 µmol/L) and was the most potent inhibitor of leucine uptake in trophoblasts. The application of JPH203 and JX009 in Transwell ® -based leucine transfer revealed LAT1 as the major accumulative transporter at the apical membrane, but other System L transporters such as LAT2 as rate-limiting for leucine efflux across the basal membrane. Therefore, differential specificity of the applied inhibitors allowed for estimation of the contribution of LAT1 and LAT2 in materno-foetal AA transfer and their potential impact in pregnancy diseases associated with impaired foetal growth., (© 2020 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)