-Author name in bold denotes the presenting author
-Asterisk * with author name denotes a Non-ASH member
Clinically Relevant Abstract denotes an abstract that is clinically relevant.

PhD Trainee denotes that this is a recommended PHD Trainee Session.

Ticketed Session denotes that this is a ticketed session.

940 Persisting Hyperbilirubinemia in Patients with Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH) Chronically Treated with Eculizumab: The Role of Hepatocanalicular Transport VariantsClinically Relevant Abstract

Red Cells and Erythropoiesis, Structure and Function, Metabolism, and Survival, Excluding Iron
Program: Oral and Poster Abstracts
Session: 101. Red Cells and Erythropoiesis, Structure and Function, Metabolism, and Survival, Excluding Iron: Poster I
Saturday, December 5, 2015, 5:30 PM-7:30 PM
Hall A, Level 2 (Orange County Convention Center)

Ferras Alashkar, MD1*, Ali Canbay, MD2*, Dörte Herich-Terhürne1*, Ulrich Dührsen, MD3, Frank Lammert, MD4* and Alexander Röth, MD1

1Department of Hematology, West German Cancer Center, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
2Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
3Department of Haematology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
4Department of Medicine II, Saarland University Hospital, Homburg, Germany

BACKGROUND: Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is caused by an acquired mutation in the phosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchors. The lack of GPI-anchored proteins on the surface of affected red blood cells (RBCs) results in complement mediated chronic intravascular hemolysis. The monoclonal anti-C5 antibody eculizumab protects PNH RBCs by blocking the terminal complement cascade. Eculizumab treated PNH patients show a dramatic decrease of LDH and bilirubin, however few patients remain hyperbilirubinemic, eventually indicating an inadequate response. Hepatocanalicular transporters are rate-limiting in the process of bile formation, and mutations in the genes encoding these transporters cause intrahepatic cholestasis.

PATIENTS and METHODS: Mutation analysis regarding hepatobiliary transporter and nuclear receptor defects (ABCB4, ABCB11, ATP8B1, NR1H4) were performed in eight [75% (6/8) male; mean age, 40 years (range 25 - 70 years)] out of the currently 141 patients with PNH /-clone at our department due to a persistent (isolated) increase in total serum bilirubin (median 4.5 mg/dL; range 3.0 - 8.5) during chronic treatment with eculizumab (LDH: median 274 U/L; range 172 - 836) and normal or slightly increased aminotransferases. Clinical symptoms resembled those of hyperbilirubinemia including jaundice. Median clone size of GPI-deficient granulocytes (FLAER) was 98.1% (range 79.0 - 99.5%), with a median observation time of 56.4 months (range 10.6 - 82.7 months). All patients were treated according to the current German PNH guidelines.

RESULTS: Both homozygous and heterozygous procholestatic variants in the ABCB4, ABCB11 and ATP8B1 genes, encoding canalicular transporters, were identified in the studied patients, and all patients carried the common ABCB4 c.787 A>T polymorphism (Table 1). None of the patients were tested positive for the common mutation c.-1g>t of the central bile acid sensor NR1H4.

Table 1: Hepatobiliary transporter gene variants in PNH patients (n=8)

Variant

Pat. 1

Pat. 2

Pat. 3

Pat. 4

Pat. 5

Pat. 6

Pat. 7

Pat. 8

ABCB4 c.504T>C (rs1202283)

HOM

HET

HET

HOM

neg.

neg.

HOM

neg.

ABCB4 c.787A>T (rs2109505)

HOM

HOM

HOM

HOM

HOM

HOM

HOM

HET

ABCB11 p.A444V (rs2287622)

HOM

HET

neg.

HET

neg.

neg.

HET

HOM

ABCB11 c.3084A>G (rs497692)

HET

HET

HET

neg.

HOM

HET

HOM

HET

ATP8B1 p.R952Q (rs12968116)

HOM

neg.

HET

HET

neg.

HET

neg.

neg.

NR1H4 (FXR) c.-1 g>t (rs56163822)

neg.

neg.

neg.

neg.

neg.

neg.

neg.

neg.

Pat.: Patient; HOM: homozygous; HET: heterozygous; neg.: negative

Routine sonographic follow-up examinations were performed in 75% of the patients (6/8) ruling out post-hepatic cholestasis. In three patients (pat. 2, 3 and 4), a cholecystectomy due to symptomatic cholelithiasis had been performed prior to diagnosis of PNH, whereas in one patient the diagnosis of a persistent, asymptomatic cholelithiasis (pat. 6) was made. A chronic (active) or recently acquired viral hepatitis was ruled out in all patients. Lab parameters were consistent with an isolated persistent increase in total serum bilirubin, despite normal (7/8) or slightly elevated transaminases (1/8; pat. 6) throughout observation time.

SUMMARY/CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report of mutations in hepatobiliary transporter genes predisposing to intrahepatic cholestasis in PNH patients. Therefore, persisting hyperbilirubinemia in PNH patients chronically treated with eculizumab might not be due to an insufficient response to eculizumab but due to bile acid transporter variants and ongoing extravascular hemolysis. Patients should be tested for and possible therapeutic agents established in the management include ursodeoxycholic acid, promoting bile flow, and rifampicin, accelerating hepatic detoxification and excretion of bilirubin and bile acids. Our data warrant further studies concerning the role of hepatobiliary transporter variants in PNH patients in order to determine their clinical significance.

Disclosures: Dührsen: Roche: Honoraria , Research Funding ; Amgen: Honoraria , Research Funding ; Alexion Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria , Research Funding . Röth: Geron: Research Funding ; Alexion Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria , Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees , Research Funding .

*signifies non-member of ASH