A novel mutation in the leptin gene (W121X) in an Egyptian family

Congenital leptin deficiency is a rare recessively inherited condition due to homozygous mutations in the LEP gene. To date, only nine mutations have been identified in the LEP gene (p.L72S, p.N103K, p.R105W, p.H118L, p.S141C, c.104_106delTCA, c.135del3bp, c.398delG and c.481_482delCT). In this study we present a novel homozygous nonsense mutation (W121X) in LEP in a twelve year old obese male and his severely obese sister. As this disorder is treatable with recombinant leptin, it is intriguing to report a novel homozygous nonsense mutation in LEP in two obese children of consanguineous parents. These patients showed features in accordance with leptin deficiency.