Unusual Mild Phenotype Presentation in an Elderly Patient with Homozygous Tangier Disease

Abstract

Tangier disease (TD) is an extremely rare inherited disorder involving lipoprotein metabolism and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) recycling in particular. TD is linked with a mutation of the ABCA1 gene codifying for the transport protein ABCA1 which, in normal conditions, enables the efflux of cholesterol through the cell membrane to HDL and apolipoprotein A1. As such, early cardiovascular events and neuropathy are common in these patients, mostly in homozygous carriers. Here, we describe the unique case of a homozygous TD patient whose diagnosis was made in later life. He was affected by the A1046D protein mutation and suffered from mild neurological symptoms and asymptomatic atherosclerosis.

Keywords

• hypoalphalipoproteinemia
• atherosclerosis
• cardiovascular disease
• HDL cholesterol
• Tangier disease