PHYH belongs to the family of iron(II)-dependent oxygenases, which typically incorporate one atom of dioxygen into the substrate and one atom into the succinate carboxylate group. PHYH is expressed in liver, kidney, and T-cells, but not in spleen, brain, heart, lung and skeletal muscle. It converts phytanoyl-CoA to 2-hydroxyphytanoyl-CoA. Defects in PHYH can cause Refsum disease (RD). RD is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized clinically by a tetrad of abnormalities: retinitis pigmentosa, peripheral neuropathy, cerebellar ataxia, and elevated protein levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Patients exhibit accumulation of the branched-chain fatty acid, phytanic acid, in blood and tissues.
