Isolated congenital ectopia lentis with autosomal dominant inheritance

Although autosomal dominant inheritance of isolated ectopia lentis has been described, the literature contains old and unclear reports concerning the evaluation of skeletal or metabolic abnormalities. We report a family in which congenital isolated ectopia lentis occurs in five members of two generations in a pattern consistent with autosomal dominant inheritance.     

Craniosynostosis associated with ectopia lentis in monozygotic twin sisters

Ectopia lentis has rarely been reported to occur in association with craniosynostosis, and this was found only in sporadic cases. We report on twin sisters who underwent surgery for craniosynostosis and later on, at age 3 years, were found to have bilateral ectopia lentis. Molecular studies yielded a probability of monozygosity of more than 0.98. Inheritance of the syndrome may be autosomal dominant, possibly due to a new mutation, autosomal recessive, or X-linked with male lethality. Am. J. Med. Genet. 82:201–205, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Craniosynostosis,Philadelphia type: A new autosomal dominant syndrome with sagittal craniosynostosis and syndactyly of the fingers and toes

The acrocephalosyndactyly syndromes (ACS) are a group of clinically similar disorders that share the manifestations of craniosynostosis and a variety of hand and foot anomalies. Here we report on a 5-generation kindred segregating sagittal craniosynostosis and syndactyly of the fingers and the toes in an autosomal dominant manner. The anomalies seen in this kindred comprise a syndrome distinct from other craniosynostosis syndromes. For this novel syndrome, we propose the name craniosynostosis, Philadelphia type. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Clinical and linkage study of a large family with simple ectopia lentis linked to FBN1

Simple ectopia lentis (EL) was studied in a large family, by clinical examination and analysis of linkage to markers in the region of FBNl, the gene for fibrillin which causes Marfan syndrome on chromosome 15. No patient had clinical or echocardiographic evidence of Marfan syndrome, although there was a trend towards relatively longer measurements of height; lower segment; arm span; middle finger, hand, and foot length in the affected members of the family, compared with unaffected sibs of the same sex. Analysis of linkage to intragenic FBN1 markers was inconclusive because they were relatively uninformative. Construction of a multipoint background map from the CEPH reference families identified microsatellite markers linked closely to FBN1 which could demonstrate linkage of EL in this family to the FBN1 region. LINKMAP analysis detected a multipoint lod score of 5.68 at D15S119, a marker approximately 6 cM distal to FBN1, and a multipoint lod score of 5.04 at FBN1. The EL gene in this family is likely to be allelic to Marfan syndrome, and molecular characterization of the FBN1 mutation should now be possible. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Frontonasal dysplasia,coronal cranisoynostosis,pre- and postaxial polydactyly and split nails: a new autosomal dominant mutant with reduced penetrance and varibale expression?

A case of fronotonasal dysplasia with coronal synostosis, pre- and postaxial polydactyly and longitudinally split nails is descirbed. One relative shows a bifid tumb, and several others have a longitudinally spilit nail and/or mild facial dysmorphy. An autosomal dominat inheritance with widely varibale expression of the mutant gene is suggested.     

Branchio-Oto-Renal syndrome: Further delineation of an underdiagnosed syndrome

We report on a woman who was diagnosed with branchio-oto-renal (BOR) syndrome after 2 pregnancies complicated by oligohydramnios due to renal hypoplasia and agenesis. Both babies died neonatally of pulmonary hypoplasia. Histopathology of the temporal bones of the second child showed marked immaturity of the middle ear cleft, ossicles, facial nerve and canal, and cochlear nerve. Maternal renal ultrasound study was normal although intravenous pyelography indicated renal hypoplasia. The frequency of BOR syndrome among cases of recurrent fetal renal hypoplasia/dysplasia or agenesis is unknown, and parental renal ultrasonography may not identify a heritable renal defect. Investigations should include a family history, and examination of relatives to look for preauricular pits, lacrimal duct stenosis, and branchial fistulae and/or cysts. Hearing studies and IVP may be indicated. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Young-Simpson syndrome: further delineation of a distinct syndrome with congenital hypothyroidism, congenital heart defects, facial dysmorphism, and mental retardation

Young-Simpson syndrome is a rare congenital disorder, characterized by congenital hypothyroidism, congenital heart defects, facial dysmorphism, cryptorchidism in males, hypotonia, mental retardation, and postnatal growth retardation. We describe the cases of a 5-year-old boy and a 7-year-old girl with a similar constellation of symptoms and compared them with previously reported patients.     

Acro-renal-ocular syndrome: Autosomal dominant thumb hypoplasia,renal ectopia,and eye defect

Seven individuals from 3 generations of a French-Canadian family had various combinations of acral, renal, and ocular defects. Acral anomalies varied from mild hypoplastic distal portion of the thumbs, with limited motion at IP joint, to severe thumb hypoplasia and preaxial polydactyly. Renal anomalies varied from mild malrotation to crossed renal ectopia without fusion; other urinary tract anomalies were vesicoureteral reflux and bladder diverticula. Ocular manifestations varied from complete eye coloboma, coloboma of the optic nerve, ptosis, and Duane anomaly. The syndrome seems to be an autosomal dominant trait with high penetrance and variable expressivity. Dermatoglyphics were abnormal; in addition to a triradius t' present in all, some also had various combinations of high TRC, thenar exit of A line, and rare patterns in interdigital area IV.     

Distal arthrogryposis with autosomal dominant inheritance and reduced penetrance in females: the Gordon syndrome

Ioan DM, Belengeanu V. Maximilian C, Fryns JP. Distal arthrogryposis with autosomal dominant inheritance and reduced penetrance in females: the Gordon syndrome.
Clin Genet 1993: 43: 300–302. © Munksgaard, 1993
A family is reported in which camptodactyly, club foot, pectus excavatum and undescended testes are transmitted as an autosomal dominant with reduced penetrance and variable expressivity, affecting 13 members through five generations. Penetrance is more reduced in females than in males and asymptomatic carriers are always females. Similar findings were previously described in two other families reported by Gordon et al. (1962) and Halal & Fraser (1979).     

PHAVER syndrome: An autosomal recessive syndrome of limb pterygia,congenital heart anomalies,vertebral defects,ear anomalies,and radial defects

We have studied 2 sibs with vertebral, radial, congenital heart, and ear defects. The second patient also had limb pterygia and meningomyelocele. The abnormalities in these two sibs are seen in the VATER association; however, distinguishing these cases from the VATER association are the findings of pterygia, meningomyelocele, and probable autosomal recessive inheritance. We propose the acronym PHAVER syndrome for limb pterygia, heart defects, autosomal recessive inheritance, vertebral defects, ear anomalies and radial defects. This represents an new autosomal recessive disorder with phenotypic variability. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Scalp defects, polythelia, microcephaly, and developmental delay: a new syndrome with apparent autosomal dominant inheritance

We report a family with apparent autosomal dominant inheritance of scalp defects, polythelia, microcephaly, and developmental delay. A review of the literature revealed no previous report of this combination of anomalies. We conclude that these patients have a new autosomal dominant syndrome.     

Further delineation of the Opitz G/BBB syndrome: Report of an infant with complex congenital heart disease and bladder exstrophy,and review of the literature

The combination of complex congenital heart disease (double outlet right ventricle with pulmonary atresia, malalignment ventriculoseptal defect, right-sided aortic arch with left ductus arteriosus) and bladder exstrophy occurred in an infant with Opitz syndrome. Neither of these defects has previously been reported in association with Opitz syndrome. These malformations, which are midline defects, further characterize this syndrome as an impairment in midline development. The spectrum of congenital heart disease and genitourinary anomalies seen in Opitz syndrome is reviewed. Am. J. Med. Genet. 78:294–299, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

A novel autosomal dominant condition consisting of congenital heart defects and low atrial rhythm maps to chromosome 9q

Congenital heart defects (CHDs) occur mostly sporadic, but familial CHD cases have been reported. Mutations in several genes, including NKX2.5, GATA4 and NOTCH1, were identified in families and patients with CHD, but the mechanisms underlying CHD are largely unknown. We performed genome-wide linkage analysis in a large four-generation family with autosomal dominant CHD (including atrial septal defect type I and II, tetralogy of Fallot and persistent left superior vena cava) and low atrial rhythm, a unique phenotype that has not been described before. We obtained phenotypic information including electrocardiography, echocardiography and DNA of 23 family members. Genome-wide linkage analysis on 12 affected, 5 unaffected individuals and 1 obligate carrier demonstrated significant linkage only to chromosome 9q21–33 with a multipoint maximum LOD score of 4.1 at marker D9S1690, between markers D9S167 and D9S1682. This 48-c critical interval corresponds to 39 Mb and contains 402 genes. Sequence analysis of nine candidate genes in this region (INVS, TMOD1, TGFBR1, KLF4, IPPK, BARX1, PTCH1, MEGF9 and S1PR3) revealed no mutations, nor were genomic imbalances detected using array comparative genomic hybridization. In conclusion, we describe a large family with CHD and low atrial rhythm with a significant LOD score to chromosome 9q. The phenotype is representative of a mild form of left atrial isomerism or a developmental defect of the sinus node and surrounding tissue. Because the mechanisms underlying CHD are largely unknown, this study represents an important step towards the discovery of genes implied in cardiogenesis.     

Steinfeld syndrome: Report of a second family and further delineation of a rare autosomal dominant disorder

We report on a fetus with alobar holoprosencephaly, microphthalmia, midline cleft lip and palate, absent nose, dysplastic ears, radial defects, pentalogy of Fallot, unilateral renal aplasia, absent gallbladder, vertebral anomalies, and absence of ribs. The father had a cleft palate, bilateral colobomas of the iris and retina, a bifid uvula, vertebral anomalies, and unilateral congential hearing loss. His sister had a cleft lip. On the basis of this family and the family reported by Steinfeld [1982], this malformation syndrome can be defined as a rare autosomal dominant syndrome whose main component manifestations are holoprosencephaly, predominantly radial limb deficiency, heart defects, kidney malformations, absence of gallbladder, and vertebral anomalies. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

The nasopalpebral lipoma-coloboma syndrome: A new autosomal dominant dysplasia-malformation syndrome with congenital nasopalpebral lipomas,eyelid colobomas,telecanthus, and maxillary hypoplasia

We describe a new autosomal dominant dysplasia-malformation syndrome from eight affected individuals in three generations of a Venezuelan family. It is characterized by congenital symmetrical upper lid and nasopalpebral lipomas, bilateral symmetrical upper and lower palpebral colobomas located at the junction of the inner and middle thirds of the lids, telecanthus, and maxillary hypoplasia. Affected individuals have a broad forehead, widow's peak, abnormal pattern of eyebrows and eyelashes, and maldevelopment of the lacrimal punctae. Interorbital distance is normal, but interpupillary distance is increased due to divergent strabismus originating from visual interference from inner canthal masses. Persistent epiphora, conjunctival hyperemia, and corneal (and less frequently lens) opacities are a secondary consequence of the defect of the lacrimal punctae and the inability to close the lids completely. The syndrome has complete penetrance and a rather narrow range of expressivity. The primary defect could involve a dysplasia of adipose tissue leading to nasopalpebral and upper lid lipomas during embryogenesis, with the rest of the malformations being secondary to interference of morphogenesis of the mid-upperface developmental field from the lipomatous hamartomas. Alternatively, a central rather than a peripheral mechanism of malformation might be considered, such as defective migration of neural crest cells.     

Brachy/ectrodactyly and absence or hypoplasia of the fibula: an autosomal dominant condition with low penetrance and variable expressivity

A complex dysostosis characterized by brachy- and/or ectrodactyly and fibular hypoplasia was found in two distantly related individuals. The proposita, aged 25 years, showed metacarpal and phalangeal hypoplasia on both hands, ectrodactyly on both feet, and nearly complete bilateral absence of the fibula. Only milder acromelic defects were detected in a second cousin. A similar pattern of skeletal involvement had been previously described in an unrelated Italian family. The peculiar segregation pattern can be explained by autosomal dominant inheritance with low penetrance and variable expressivity.