Treatment of Wolfram Syndrome Type 2 With the Chelator Deferiprone, and Incretin Based Therapy

In WFS2 mutation the protein nutrient-deprivation autophagy factor-1(NAF-1) is affected.

Given the known result of NAF-1 protein dysfunction in animal and cultured cell line models namely a toxic accumulation of iron in the mitochondria,leading to mitochondrial destruction and oxidative stress we aim to obtain fibroblast samples from the patients and (use laboratory fibroblasts from healthy subjects as controls) These cell cultures will initially be studied for intracellular iron accumulation and then re-evaluated following treatment by Deferiprone and/or Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) ex-vivo in the laboratory .

If repeated (n>=3) histological evidence confirms the beneficial effect of Deferiprone and/or GLP-1(incertin based therapy) in the patient's cultured fibroblasts by reversing the toxic iron accumulation in the patient's mitochondria to a normal level, he/she will be offered "in vivo" therapy using the oral chelating agent - with or without dipeptidylpeptidase-4 inhibitor (DPP-4) inhibitors or GLP-1 receptor agonists. Adding GLP-1 based therapy will depend on the diabetic status of the patient.

Prior and following 60 and 150 days of Chelator and/or GLP-1 therapy they will go through the following clinical and laboratory evaluations which will establish the baseline and post therapeutic parameters (outcome) to be compared:

detailed medical history and physical examination complete blood count (CBC) and iron levels platelet aggregation studies Fundoscopy and visual evoked potentials (VEP) Hearing evaluation Oral glucose Tolerance Test optional Intra venous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) /glucagon/arginine test HBA1C Daily profile of blood glucose Optional CGMS ( continuous glucose monitoring system) Gastroscopy and gastric biopsy if the patient suffers from abdominal pain, hematemesis, melena or iron deficiency anemia or if peptic ulcer disease is clinically suspected.