De novo 46,XX,t(6;7)(q27;q11;23) associated with severe cardiovascular manifestations characteristic of supravalvular aortic stenosis and Williams syndrome

Supravalvular aortic stenosis may present as an isolated finding or as part of Williams syndrome. Williams syndrome is a contiguous gene syndrome associated with neurodevelopmental and multisystemic manifestations caused by hemizygous deletion at 7q11.23. We report on the prenatal and histopathological findings in a patient with a chromosome translocation involving the Williams syndrome critical region. The initial abnormality on fetal ultrasound was hydrops fetalis detected at 30 weeks and echocardiography showed narrowing of the aorta and the pulmonary arteries. The baby died shortly after delivery and an autopsy revealed diffuse tubular thickening with luminal narrowing of the aorta, aortic branches, and the pulmonary arteries. Histopathology showed dysplasia of the media with reduced elastic content and "cartwheel" arrangement of collagen, elastic, and muscle fascicles. The karyotype was 46,XX,t(6;7)(q27;q11.23). Three signals were detected using the Oncor fluorescent in situ hybridization probe for elastin-Williams syndrome (WSCR) suggesting that the break in chromosome 7 is within the elastin-Williams gene. This patient is of special interest because of the prenatal presentation and the chromosomal translocation involving the elastin-Williams syndrome locus.     

Cytomegalic type of congenital adrenal hypoplasia due to autosomal recessive inheritance

Five sets of monozygotic (MZ) twins with Williams–Beuren syndrome (WBS) have been reported so far. We report on an additional pair of mz twins concordant for WBS but variable expression for the syndrome. Although both faces look different monozygosity of the twins was proven by DNA fingerprint analysis. HLA, and blood group pattern. Both girls had the typical facial appearance with strabismus. Both had developmental delay, mild supravalvular aortic stenosis (SVAS), hypoplasia of both pulmonary arteries and multiple peripheral pulmonary stenoses, and inguinal hernia. Unilateral renal agenesis was seen in one of the twins. In addition the pedigree pointed to a second disorder with probably autosomal dominant inheritance. Both twins had a cleft palate, but their father had cleft lip and the grandfather as well as the greatgrandfather had cleft lip/palate. Findings of linkage analysis in pedigrees with nonsyndromic oral facial cleft were taken to suggest that a major locus for nonsyndromal oral facial cleft is located on the distal portion of chromosome 6. Linkage studies could serve as a starting point to examine a locus associated with WBS. Our observation and reports on the literature support the hypothesis that WBS is a genetic disorder. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH) for hemizygous deletion at the elastin locus in patients with isolated supravalvular aortic stenosis.

Both Williams syndrome and isolated supravalvular aortic stenosis (SVAS) are caused by mutations at the elastin locus. Deletion demonstrable by FISH is the hallmark of Williams syndrome, whereas the mutations reported so far in SVAS have been more subtle. FISH positive elastin hemizygosity has not been reported in isolated SVAS. This report records our experience of FISH for elastin deletion in isolated SVAS and specifically reports a patient with non-Williams related SVAS, positive for the elastin deletion by FISH.     

Position statement on interphase in situ hybridization prenatal diagnosis

Williams syndrome (WS) usually occurs sporadically. Few familial cases of Williams syndrome have been described, and those reports have often lacked photographic documentation. We describe 3 families, including a 3-year-old boy and his 34-year-old father, a 2-year-old girl and her 30-year-old mother, and a 3-year-old girl and her 31-year-old mother. None of these patients has supravalvular aortic stenosis or chromosome abnormalities. In all 3 families, the parent with Williams syndrome was diagnosed after the identification of the syndrome in the affected child. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Pathology of the diffuse variant of supravalvar aortic stenosis.

Supravalvar aortic stenosis is a rare congenital heart anomaly, producing left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. Of the two anatomic variants that have been described, diffuse type is the rarest. We report five such cases in children between two months and nine years of age. None had features of Williams syndrome. The entire aorta was involved in three cases, with abdominal aortic coarctation in two cases. Stenosis was mainly due to involvement of the media, which showed smooth muscle hypertrophy, abnormal elastic fibers, and mild collagenization. Predominant intimal change was seen in one case. Pulmonary, coronary, arch, renal, and common iliac arteries were also involved.     

Skin elastic fibers in Williams syndrome.

The elastin gene is consistently deleted in Williams syndrome and as this protein represents the major component of the elastic fibers of the dermis, we sought to investigate skin elastic fibers in Williams syndrome as a key to unraveling extracellular matrix disorganization in this condition. Both morphometric parameters analyzed by using automated image analysis and immunofluorescence labeling with monoclonal antibodies against elastin and fibrillin 1 showed a disorganized pre-elastic (oxytalan and elaunin) and mature elastic fibers in the dermis of 10 Williams syndrome patients compared with five healthy children and one patient with isolated supravalvular aortic stenosis. Skin biopsies in Williams syndrome patients provide a simple mean to elucidate extracellular matrix anomalies. Hopefully, this method could give clues to the understanding of the elastic network anomalies in this condition and even to the consequences of these latter on elasticity and resilience of other tissues such as the arterial tree.     

Concurrence of supravalvular aortic stenosis and peripheral pulmonary stenosis in three generations of a family: A form of arterial dysplasia

Isolated supravalvular aortic stenosis (SVAS) commonly is an autosomal dominant trait; it may also occur in the Williams syndrome (WS). While peripheral pulmonary stenosis (PPS) can occur in the same individual with familial isolated SVAS, concurrence of these lesions in different relatives of a family is uncommon. We describe five affected individuals in one family; three had isolated SVAS, one had isolated PPS, and one had SVAS and PPS. Based on this family and review of literature, we suggest that SVAS is a form of arterial dysplasia encompassing PPS in its spectrum. It is developmentally distinct from other left heart obstructive lesions that are hypothesized to be related to blood flow abnormalities in the developing embryo. We also conclude that the clinical disorder in this family represents one that is distinct from WS. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

完全性大动脉错位动脉转位术后新主肺动脉发育的随访

目的报道应用动脉转位术（ASO）治疗完全性大动脉错位（TGA）术后超声心动图的随访结果,评价TGA术后主、肺动脉的发育情况。方法以2001年3月至2007年3月于复旦大学附属儿科医院心血管中心实施ASO治疗TGA术后存活患儿作为研究对象,于2008年8～9月进行随访,行超声心动图检查,测定新主动脉根部内径、新主动脉瓣环内径、新肺动脉内径和新肺动脉瓣环内径,获取的数据与正常参考值做比较。结果研究期间ASO治疗TGA患儿共72例,术中死亡6／72例（8．3％）,存活率为91．7％。失访10／66例,有效数据56例,其中室间隔完整的完全性TGA（TGA／IVS）32例,完全性TGA合并室间隔缺损（TGA／VSD）24例。随访距手术18—168（86．46±23．51）个月。新主动脉根部内径为（16．97±2．71）mm（t=6．936,P〈0．001）,12／56例（21．4％）〉正常参考值90％CI的上限,44／56例（78．6％）在正常参考值90％CI内,平均Z值为1．10±0．70。新主动脉瓣环内径为（16．27±2．38）mm（t=4．52,P〈0．001）,56例均在正常参考值90％CI内,平均Z值为0．66±0．65。新肺动脉内径为（14．29±1．92）mm（t=-3．2,P=0．005）,40／56例（71．4％）在正常参考值90％CI内,16／56例（28．6％）〈正常参考值90％CI的下限,平均Z值为-0．95±1．33。新肺动脉瓣环内径为（14．00±1．92）mm（t=0．132,P=0．897）,42／56例（75．0％）在正常参考值90％CI内,14／56例（25．O％）〈正常参考值90％CI的下限,平均Z值为0．05±1．85。16／56例（28．6％）存有主动脉瓣轻度反流,均为TGA／VSD病例,平均随访（46．0±22．2）个月;40／56例（71．4％）未见主动脉瓣反流,平均随访（46．8±25．3）个月,两组随访时间差异无统计学意义（P=0．899）。随访中未见主动脉狭窄病例。肺动脉瓣上狭窄7／56例（12．5％）,2／56例（3．6％）为轻度狭窄,5／56例（8．9％）为极轻度狭窄。结论目前在复旦大学附属儿科医院心血管中心开展ASO治疗TGA术后新主动脉根部和瓣环内径均有所扩张,新肺动脉根部内径有所缩减,但其瓣环发育良好。主动脉瓣反流常见于TGA／VSD病例,但其反流程度较轻。肺动脉瓣上狭窄是TGA术后常见的并发症,但大多数病例狭窄程度极轻。     

Surgical repair of congenital supravalvular aortic stenosis in adult

Supravalvular aortic stenosis is a rare congenital cardiac anomaly occurring mainly as a part of Williams-Beuren syndrome. Aortic narrowing above the level of the aortic valve causes obstruction of the left ventricular outflow tract, and a pressure gradient between the left ventricle and the aorta causes left ventricle hypertrophy. We report here a case of a 22-year-old man who underwent extended patch aortoplasty because of supravalvular aortic stenosis accompanying Williams-Beuren syndrome. He was in New York Heart Association functional class III with localized hourglass type supravalvular aortic stenosis. Related to arterial hypertension he was in a cardiac decompensation. Mean pressure gradient was 73 mm Hg and maximum gradient 104 mm Hg. Electrocardiography indicated left ventricle hypertrophy, which was also seen in x-ray, as heart enlargement. We successfully treated this patient with extended patch aortoplasty and immediate postoperative echocardiography showed reduction of gradient. Good surgical outcome of congenital supravalvular aortic stenosis in adults can be achieved with this treatment. This technique provides symmetric reconstruction of the aorta with good postoperative results and no gradient across aortic valve and aortic valve insufficiency remains, providing excellent long-term relief of localized supravalvular gradients and preservation of aortic valve competence.     

Phenotypic delineation of the retinal arterial macroaneurysms with supravalvular pulmonic stenosis syndrome

Retinal arterial macroaneurysms with supravalvular pulmonic stenosis (RAMSVPS), also known as Familial Retinal Arterial Macroaneurysms (FRAM) syndrome, is a very rare multisystem disorder. Here, we present a case series comprising ophthalmologic and systemic evaluation of patients homozygous for RAMSVPS syndrome causative IGFBP7 variant. New clinical details on 22 previously published and 8 previously unpublished patients are described. Age at first presentation ranged from 1 to 34 years. The classical feature of macroaneurysms and vascular beading involving the retinal arteries was universal. Follow up extending up to 14 years after initial diagnosis revealed recurrent episodes of bleeding and leakage from macroaneurysms in 55% and 59% of patients, respectively. The majority of patients who underwent echocardiography (18/23) showed evidence of heart involvement, most characteristically pulmonary (valvular or supravalvular) stenosis, often requiring surgical correction (12/18). Four patients died in the course of the study from complications of pulmonary stenosis, cerebral hemorrhage, and cardiac complications. Liver involvement (usually cirrhosis) was observed in eight patients. Cerebral vascular involvement was observed in one patient, and stroke was observed in two. We conclude that RAMSVPS is a recognizable syndrome characterized by a high burden of ocular and systemic morbidity, and risk of premature death. Recommendations are proposed for early detection and management of these complications.     

Skin elastic fibers in Williams syndrome

The elastin gene is consistently deleted in Williams syndrome and as this protein represents the major component of the elastic fibers of the dermis, we sought to investigate skin elastic fibers in Williams syndrome as a key to unraveling extracellular matrix disorganization in this condition. Both morphometric parameters analyzed by using automated image analysis and immunofluorescence labeling with monoclonal antibodies against elastin and fibrillin 1 showed a disorganized pre-elastic (oxytalan and elaunin) and mature elastic fibers in the dermis of 10 Williams syndrome patients compared with five healthy children and one patient with isolated supravalvular aortic stenosis. Skin biopsies in Williams syndrome patients provide a simple mean to elucidate extracellular matrix anomalies. Hopefully, this method could give clues to the understanding of the elastic network anomalies in this condition and even to the consequences of these latter on elasticity and resilience of other tissues such as the arterial tree. Am. J. Med. Genet. 87:134–138, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Novel ELN mutation in a family with supravalvular aortic stenosis and intracranial aneurysm

Pathogenic germline mutations in ELN can be detected in patients with supravalvular aortic stenosis. The mutation might occur de novo or be inherited following an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance. In this report we describe a three-generation family suffering from supravalvular aortic stenosis, various other arterial stenoses, sudden death, and intracranial aneurysms. A frameshift mutation in exon 12, not described before, was detected in the affected family members. This report emphasises the importance of family history, genetic counselling, and demonstrates the great variability in the phenotype within a single SVAS family.     

Williams syndrome: from genotype through to the cognitive phenotype

Williams syndrome, due to a contiguous gene deletion at 7q11.23, is associated with a distinctive facial appearance, cardiac abnormalities, infantile hypercalcemia, and growth and developmental retardation. The deletion is approximately 1.5Mb and includes approximately 17 genes. Large repeats containing genes and pseudogenes flank the deletion breakpoints, and the mutation mechanism commonly appears to be unequal meiotic recombination. Elastin hemizygosity is associated with supravalvular aortic stenosis and other vascular stenoses. LIM Kinase 1 hemizygosity may contribute to the characteristic cognitive profile. The relationship of the other deleted genes to phenotypic features is not known. People with Williams syndrome tend to be over friendly-though anxious-and lack social judgement skills. They exhibit an uneven cognitive-linguistic profile together with mild to severe mental retardation. Analysis of the cognitive phenotype based on analyses of the mental processes underlying overt behavior demonstrates major differences between normal and WS subjects although for some areas, such as face processing, WS subjects can achieve near normal scores. Cognitive analysis of patients with small deletions in 7q11.23 which include elastin and LIM Kinase 1 have revealed varying results and it is premature to draw genotype-phenotype correlations.     

Familial supravalvular aortic stenosis: a genetic study.

Supravalvular aortic stenosis (McKusick 18550) is a rare hereditary condition with autosomal dominant transmission. However, the available data have been limited to small family groups which do not allow the definition of the degree of penetrance of the disease. The present study describes a large family with a high frequency of supravalvular aortic stenosis including five generations and 80 subjects, the largest family group with this disease studied so far. The study was carried out prospectively in 66 subjects (clinical examination, ECG, M mode and two dimensional echocardiography). In 14 subjects available data were examined retrospectively. In 10 patients cardiac catheterisation was performed (prospective study in eight). The disease was present in 36 (45%) of the 80 subjects investigated, on the basis of clinical, echocardiographic, and haemodynamic (when available) criteria. The disease was found to be severe in eight cases (22%), moderate in six cases (17%), mild in 13 (36%), and undefined in eight (22%) patients. In one case (3%), multiple pulmonary stenoses were noted in the absence of supravalvular aortic stenosis. Genetic analysis of these data shows, for the first time, the degree of penetrance of the supravalvular aortic stenosis trait (K = 0.86) and confirms that it is transmitted with incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity.     

Tunica media of aorta and pulmonary trunk in relation to internal calibres in transposition of great arteries,in aortic and pulmonary atresia and in normal hearts

Summary In a post mortem material of 17 cases of transposition of the great arteries (TGA) from patients with an age range from birth to two years and ten months after birth, the internal calibres of the great arteries and the ostia of the heart proved to be the same as in normal hearts. Furthermore, the media of the ascending aorta and pulmonary trunk showed no adaptation to the abnormal circulatory conditions in 15 cases of TGA with an age range from birth up to 51/2 months: in both great arteries the thickness of the tunica media and the packing density of its elastic fibres were the same as in normal hearts. However, adaptation of the tunica media of the pulmonary trunk to the abnormal circulatory conditions: increased media thickness, was found in the two remaining cases, older than 12 months.In 7 cases of pulmonary atresia (age from 1 day to 12 months) and in 9 cases of aortic atresia (age from 2 days to 37 days) the following observations were made. Vessels with reduced or absent function (ascending aorta in aortic atresia and pulmonary trunk in pulmonary atresia) showed a markedly different structure. In aortic atresia the internal calibre and thickness of the media of the ascending aorta were markedly reduced, whereas the packing density of the elastic fibres of the media remained the same as in normal hearts. In pulmonary atresia the pulmonary trunk showed large variations in internal calibre, whereas both media thickness and the packing density of its elastic fibres remained the same as in normal hearts. When the markedly enlarged single functional vessels (the pulmonary trunk in aortic atresia and the ascending aorta in pulmonary atresia) were compared no significant differences between their internal calibre, media thickness and the packing density of the elastic fibres were found indicating similar adaptation to the abnormal but comparable functional load of acting as sole arterial trunk.We are indebted to Prof. Dr. J. Moll for his help, to Dr. J.J. Willemse for statistical calculations, to Mr. P. Zondervan, M.D. (Dept. of Pathology I), for supply of material and to Mrs. L. Silvis for histo-technical assistance     

Three decades of follow-up of aortic and pulmonary vascular lesions in the Williams-Beuren syndrome

The diagnostic criteria of the Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) were established almost 3 decades ago. Until now there has been little knowledge about the natural and post-surgical history of vascular lesions in this syndrome. In order to evaluate the long term follow-up of aortic and pulmonary vascular lesions, we have analysed the catheterization data, angiocardiograms, and Doppler-echo measurements in 59 patients who were seen at least twice in our institution between 1961 and 1993. Their follow-up periods ranged from 2.1 to 28.2 years. Of 45 patients with supravalvular aortic stenosis (SVAS) with a mean follow-up period of 12.9 years, it became evident that pressure gradients of less than 20 mm Hg in infancy generally remained unchanged during the first two decades of life. Pressure gradients exceeding 20 mm Hg increased from an average of 35.5 mm Hg to 52.7 mm Hg in 13 patients. Of these, 8 required surgical relief of the narrowing. In 7 patients aortic hypoplasia was documented. In 5 of them the caliber of the aorta showed a tendency towards normalisation within a period of 11.9 to 23.9 years. Of 6 individuals with aortic hypoplasia and surgical relief of SVAS, 4 patients developed restenosis at the distal end of the aortoplasty patch. In contrast, 9 patients with operated SVAS—but without aortic hypoplasia—remained free of restenosis over a period of 11 years (mean). Coarctation occurred in 4/59 patients; restenosis was seen in 2 after 5 and 16 years. Peripheral pulmonary stenosis was followed in 23 patients over 14.4 years (mean). During this period the systolic pressure gradients fell from 23 to 9.3 mm Hg (mean). In adolescence and adulthood the gradients were below 20 mm Hg in 22/23 individuals. In WBS there is a good long-term prognosis for SVAS if gradients during infancy are low. SVAS with gradients above 20 mm Hg tend to increase; 60% of them require surgical relief with good long-term results. But aortic hypoplasia impairs the prognosis of operated SVAS, because restenosis may occur. Peripheral pulmonary stenosis generally shows a good long-term prognosis. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Supravalvular aortic stenosis cosegregates with a familial 6;7 translocation which disrupts the elastin gene

Supravalvular aortic stenosis (SVAS) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by abnormalities of development of the great vessels. SVAS is also commonly part of Williams syndrome. Linkage to the elastin gene on chromosome 7q11 has recently been reported in two kindreds with SVAS. Previous reports of patients with 7q11 deletions have noted great vessel abnormalities in some. We report on a family in which SVAS is cosegregating with a balanced reciprocal translocation, t(6:7) (p21.1;q11.23), providing further evidence that SVAS is the result of mutation of elestin at 7q11.23 region. The propositus of the translocation family has some minor anomalies which occur in Williams syndrome, Suggesting that elestin abnormalities may cause some of the abnormalities found in Williams syndrome. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

A terminal deletion of the long arm of chromosome 4 [46,XX,del(4)(q33)] in an infant with phenotypic features of Williams syndrome.

A female infant with peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis, growth retardation, and developmental delay was noticed to have facial features consistent with a diagnosis of Williams syndrome. Chromosome analysis revealed a deletion of the terminal portion of the long arm of chromosome 4 (4q33----qter). This is the seventh reported case of this chromosome disorder. It is possible that this chromosome region is specific for the Williams syndrome phenotype but it is more likely that the syndrome is heterogeneous. Chromosome analysis should be performed in all suspected cases with particular attention to the long arm of chromosome 4.     

Molecular cytogenetic diagnosis of Williams syndrome

Williams syndrome (WS) is characterized by distinct facial changes, growth deficiency, mental retardation, and congenital heart defect (particularly supravalvular aortic stenosis), associated at times with infantile hypercalcemia. Molecular genetic studies have indicated that hemizygosity at the elastin locus (7q11.23) causes WS. The purpose of this study was to confirm that this regional deletion, involving the elastin locus, is the cause of WS in Japan, and to clarify the correlation between the phenotype and the elastin locus. Thirty-two patients with WS and thirty of their relatives were examined by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), using the WS chromosome region (WSCR) probe. All patients had cardiovascular disease (100%), 30 had typical WS facial changes (94%), 31 had mental retardation or developmental delay (97%), 16 were small-for-date at birth (50%), 14 had short stature (44%), and 13 had dental anomalies (41%). No relatives showed any manifestation of WS. Hemizygosity for a region of 7q11.23, involving the elastin locus, was found in all WS patients, but was not found in the 30 relatives. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.