A Case of Familial Chylomicronemia Syndrome Caused by a Novel Homozygous GPIHBP1 Mutation Successfully Treated with the Selective PPARα Modulator Pemafibrate
Abstract
AIM: Familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS) is a rare disorder characterized by the accumulation of chylomicrons in the circulation due to genetic defects or autoantibodies affecting lipoprotein lipase (LPL), the key enzyme responsible for the metabolism of chylomicrons and very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), or its associated proteins, including apolipoprotein (apo) C-II, apoA-V, glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored high-density lipoprotein-binding protein 1 (GPIHBP1), and lipase maturation factor 1 (LMF1). This condition is associated with markedly elevated serum triglyceride (TG) levels and, in severe cases, recurrent episodes of pancreatitis and eruptive xanthomas. Among these etiologies, genetic deficiency of GPIHBP1 is exceedingly rare. We aimed to clarify the clinical and genetic basis and treatment strategies of a patient with GPIHBP1 deficiency. METHODS: A 47-year-old woman with a childhood diagnosis of FCS presented with severe epigastric pain and was admitted to Rinku General Medical Center for emergency management of acute pancreatitis secondary to severe chylomicronemia. She had a history of severe hypertriglyceridemia complicated by pancreatitis during her first pregnancy and extreme hypertriglyceridemia exceeding 6,000 mg/dL during her second pregnancy without the development of pancreatitis. DNA sequence analysis was performed as a clinical diagnostic test and outsourced to KUBIX Inc. (Hakusan, Ishikawa, Japan). RESULTS: Laboratory evaluation revealed marked hypertriglyceridemia (1,262 mg/dL) with a type V hyperlipoproteinemia pattern. Serum preheparin LPL mass was markedly reduced, and circulating GPIHBP1 was undetectable. Genetic analysis identified a novel homozygous frameshift mutation in the GPIHBP1 gene (NM_178172.4:c.20del [p.Val7AlafsTer73]), which has not been previously reported in public databases. No pathogenic variants were detected in other LPL-related genes. Acute pancreatitis improved rapidly with fasting and intravenous fluid therapy. Strict dietary fat restriction, followed by the addition of the selective PPARα modulator pemafibrate, successfully maintained TG levels below 500 mg/dL during follow-up. CONCLUSION: We report an extremely rare case of FCS caused by a novel homozygous mutation in the GPIHBP1 gene, in which pregnancy served as a major trigger for severe hypertriglyceridemia. Early diagnosis and strict lipid control are essential to prevent recurrent pancreatitis in patients with GPIHBP1 deficiency.
Related
- AT1R-Selective Negative Allosteric Modulator Targeting the Epitope for Pathogenic Autoantibody Activation
- Genetic Characterization of Familial and Multifactorial Chylomicronemia in Taiwanese Patients with Severe Hypertriglyceridemia
- PPARα-dependent effects in the liver and jejunum of mice in response to pemafibrate
- Dose-dependent efficacy and renal safety of pemafibrate versus fenofibrate in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and hypertriglyceridemia: a multicenter randomized controlled, open label trial
- Senotherapeutic role of pemafibrate through autophagy/mitophagy regulation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
BibTeX
@article{otsuki2026case,
title = {{A Case of Familial Chylomicronemia Syndrome Caused by a Novel Homozygous GPIHBP1 Mutation Successfully Treated with the Selective PPARα Modulator Pemafibrate}},
author = {Tomoko Otsuki and Yumi Chung and Yusuke Kawachi and Shiho Komuku and Masayuki Yamanishi and Toru Takano and Atsuhiro Yamaguchi and Hiroyuki Hanada and Daisaku Masuda and Kazuya Miyashita and Shizuya Yamashita},
journal = {Journal of Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.5551/jat.66218},
url = {https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jat/33/9/33_66218/_article},
note = {CC BY-NC-SA},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - A Case of Familial Chylomicronemia Syndrome Caused by a Novel Homozygous GPIHBP1 Mutation Successfully Treated with the Selective PPARα Modulator Pemafibrate
AU - Tomoko Otsuki
AU - Yumi Chung
AU - Yusuke Kawachi
AU - Shiho Komuku
AU - Masayuki Yamanishi
AU - Toru Takano
AU - Atsuhiro Yamaguchi
AU - Hiroyuki Hanada
AU - Daisaku Masuda
AU - Kazuya Miyashita
AU - Shizuya Yamashita
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/01
JO - Journal of Atherosclerosis and Thrombosis
DO - 10.5551/jat.66218
UR - https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jat/33/9/33_66218/_article
AB - AIM: Familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS) is a rare disorder characterized by the accumulation of chylomicrons in the circulation due to genetic defects or autoantibodies affecting lipoprotein lipase (LPL), the key enzyme responsible for the metabolism of chylomicrons and very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), or its associated proteins, including apolipoprotein (apo) C-II, apoA-V, glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored high-density lipoprotein-binding protein 1 (GPIHBP1), and lipase maturation factor 1 (LMF1). This condition is associated with markedly elevated serum triglyceride (TG) levels and, in severe cases, recurrent episodes of pancreatitis and eruptive xanthomas. Among these etiologies, genetic deficiency of GPIHBP1 is exceedingly rare. We aimed to clarify the clinical and genetic basis and treatment strategies of a patient with GPIHBP1 deficiency. METHODS: A 47-year-old woman with a childhood diagnosis of FCS presented with severe epigastric pain and was admitted to Rinku General Medical Center for emergency management of acute pancreatitis secondary to severe chylomicronemia. She had a history of severe hypertriglyceridemia complicated by pancreatitis during her first pregnancy and extreme hypertriglyceridemia exceeding 6,000 mg/dL during her second pregnancy without the development of pancreatitis. DNA sequence analysis was performed as a clinical diagnostic test and outsourced to KUBIX Inc. (Hakusan, Ishikawa, Japan). RESULTS: Laboratory evaluation revealed marked hypertriglyceridemia (1,262 mg/dL) with a type V hyperlipoproteinemia pattern. Serum preheparin LPL mass was markedly reduced, and circulating GPIHBP1 was undetectable. Genetic analysis identified a novel homozygous frameshift mutation in the GPIHBP1 gene (NM_178172.4:c.20del [p.Val7AlafsTer73]), which has not been previously reported in public databases. No pathogenic variants were detected in other LPL-related genes. Acute pancreatitis improved rapidly with fasting and intravenous fluid therapy. Strict dietary fat restriction, followed by the addition of the selective PPARα modulator pemafibrate, successfully maintained TG levels below 500 mg/dL during follow-up. CONCLUSION: We report an extremely rare case of FCS caused by a novel homozygous mutation in the GPIHBP1 gene, in which pregnancy served as a major trigger for severe hypertriglyceridemia. Early diagnosis and strict lipid control are essential to prevent recurrent pancreatitis in patients with GPIHBP1 deficiency.
SN - 1880-3873
SN - 1340-3478
ER -