A First Taiwanese Chinese Family of Type 2b Von Willebrand Disease with R 1306w Mutation

Abstract

Clinical, laboratory and genetic defect of a Taiwanese family with type 213 von Willebrand disease (VWD) were studied. The proband was a 55-year- old woman who gave birth to two daughters and one son aged 30, 29 and 27, respectively. All had abnormal mucocutaneous bleedings since their childhood. In proband, PT, PTT and platelet count were normal; template bleeding time was 14 min; VIII:C was 51%, von Willebrand factor antigen ( VWF:Ag), 42% and von Willerand factor ristocetin-cofactor (VWF:RCo, 15%); ristocetin-induced platelet aggregation (RIPA) at 0.3 and 0. 6 mg/ml of ristocetin was 16% and 68%, respectively. The enhanced response to ristocetin was identified to be in plasma, not in platelet itself, by mixing studies. Analysis of von Willebrand factor (VWF) multimer of plasma but not of platelets showed absence of high-molecular weight (HMW) multimer. All three children had similar laboratory findings . Exon 28 of VWF gene was amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced . The proband and three children were all found to be heterozygous for C to T transition at nucleotide 3916 resulting in Arg 1306 Trp (R1306W) substitution. This mutation in the glycoprotein Ib (GPIb)- binding site has been found to increase the affinity of plasma VWF for platelets, and thus cause loss of HMW multimers and often thrombocytopenia. In conclusion , a first report of type 213 VWD in a Taiwanese Chinese family who show R 1306W mutation in VWF gene was described. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.