Clinical Information

The extracellular G-protein-coupled calcium-sensing receptor (CASR) is an essential component of calcium homeostasis. CASR is expressed at particularly high levels in the parathyroid glands and kidneys. It forms stable homodimeric cell-membrane complexes, which signal upon binding of extracellular calcium ions (Ca[++]). In the parathyroid glands, this results in downregulation of gene expression of the main short-term regulator of calcium homeostasis, parathyroid hormone (PTH), as well as diminished secretion of already synthesized PTH. At the same time, renal calcium excretion is upregulated and sodium chloride excretion is downregulated. Ca(++) binding to CASR is highly cooperative within the physiological Ca(++) concentration range, leading to a steep dose-response curve, which results in tight control of serum calcium levels.

To date, over 100 different alterations in the CASR gene have been described. Many of these cause diseases of abnormal serum calcium regulation. Inactivating mutations result in undersensing of Ca(++) concentrations and consequent PTH overproduction and secretion. This leads to either familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia (FHH) or neonatal severe primary hyperparathyroidism (NSPHT), depending on the severity of the functional impairment.

Except for a very small percentage of cases with no apparent CASR mutations, FHH is due to heterozygous inactivating CASR mutations. Serum calcium levels are mildly-to-moderately elevated. PTH is within the reference range or modestly elevated, phosphate is normal or slightly low, and urinary calcium excretion is low for the degree of hypercalcemia. Unlike patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHT), which can be difficult to distinguish from FHH, the majority of FHH patients do not seem to suffer any adverse long-term effects from hypercalcemia and elevated PTH levels. They should, therefore, generally not undergo parathyroidectomy.

NSPHT is usually due to homozygous or compound heterozygous inactivating CASR mutations, but can occasionally be caused by dominant-negative heterozygous mutations. The condition presents at birth, or shortly thereafter, with severe hypercalcemia requiring urgent parathyroidectomy.

Activating mutations lead to oversensing of Ca(++), resulting in suppression of PTH secretion and consequently hypoparathyroidism. All activating mutations described are functionally dominant and disease inheritance is therefore autosomal dominant. However, sporadic cases also occur. Autosomal dominant hypoparathyroidism caused by CASR mutations may account for many cases of idiopathic hypoparathyroidism. Disease severity depends on the degree of gain of function, spanning the spectrum from mild hypoparathyroidism, which is diagnosed incidentally, to severe and early onset disease. In addition, while the majority of patients suffer only from hypoparathyroidism, a small subgroup with extreme gain of function mutations suffer from concomitant inhibition of renal sodium chloride transport. These individuals may present with additional symptoms of hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis, hyperreninemia, hyperaldosteronism, and hypomagnesemia, consistent with type V Bartter syndrome.