U2AF2 variant in a patient with developmental delay,dysmorphic features,and epilepsy

Variants in the RNA binding protein (RBP) U2AF2 are hypothesized to cause a novel neurodevelopmental disorder. Here, we report a patient with a de novo missense variant in U2AF2, the second case report of the same variant, and third case report overall. The patient in this report has a history of global developmental delay, dysmorphic features, and epilepsy. This presentation is consistent with the previous case report with the same U2AF2 variant and with a recent case report of another U2AF2 variant, strengthening the evidence that variants in U2AF2 are the cause of a novel neurodevelopmental disorder.     

Complex translocation involving chromosomes #1, #9, and #22 in a patient with chronic myelogenous leukemia

A case of Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myelogenous leukemia with a complex translocation involving chromosomes #1, #9, and #22 is described. All cells in the bone marrow showed this rearrangement, and Q-banding analysis showed the predominant karyotype to be 46,XY, t(1;9;22)(p22;q34;q11).     

Developmental delay and dysmorphic features associated with a previously undescribed deletion on chromosome 1.

We report an 18 month old girl with developmental delay, dysmorphic features, and a karyotype 46,XX,del (1) (p32.1p32.3). To our knowledge the clinical features associated with this deletion have not been reported previously.     

Partial monosomy 3q in a boy with short stature, developmental delay, and mild dysmorphic features.

We describe the clinical and cytogenetic findings in a boy with an unbalanced karyotype involving monosomy for 3q27-q29. He does not resemble other reported cases of del(3q). Deletions of the long arm of chromosome 3 are extremely rare, having been reported in five cases, only two of which had terminal 3q deletions.     

A de novo 17q21.2 duplication in a boy with developmental delay and dysmorphic features

We report a boy with severe developmental delay, microcephaly and characteristic facial dysmorphism consisting in round face, hypertelorism, upslanted palpebral fissures, small nose, large mouth, micrognathia, sparse hair and eyelashes. Array-CGH revealed a de novo duplication of 103 kb within 17q21.2 not reported to date. The duplication includes 8 genes: DHX58, KAT2A, HSPB9, RAB5C, KCNH4, HCRT, GHDC and STAT5B. Three genes (KATA2, KCNH4, and STAT5B) may contribute to intellectual deficiency. Further observations will be necessary to confirm the specificity of the facial Gestalt.     

An interstitial deletion of 7.1 Mb in chromosome band 6p22.3 associated with developmental delay and dysmorphic features including heart defects, short neck, and eye abnormalities

Seven cases with an interstitial deletion of the short arm of chromosome 6 involving the 6p22 region have previously been reported. The clinical phenotype of these cases includes developmental delay, brain-, heart-, and kidney defects, eye abnormalities, short neck, craniofacial malformations, hypotonia, as well as clinodactyly or syndactyly. Here, we report a patient with a 7.1 Mb interstitial deletion of chromosome band 6p22.3, detected by genome-wide screening array CGH. The patient is a 4-year-old girl with developmental delay and dysmorphic features including eye abnormalities, short neck, and a ventricular septum defect. The deleted region at 6p22.3 in our patient overlaps with six out of the seven previously reported cases with a 6p22–24 interstitial deletion. This enabled us to further narrow down the critical region for the 6p22 deletion phenotype to 2.2 Mb. Twelve genes are mapped to the overlapping deleted region, among them the gene encoding the ataxin-1 protein, the ATXN1 gene. Mice with homozygous deletions in ATXN1 are phenotypically normal but show cognitive delay. Haploinsufficiency of ATXN1 may therefore contribute to the learning difficulties observed in the patients harboring a 6p22 deletion.     

Whole-genome array-CGH identifies novel contiguous gene deletions and duplications associated with developmental delay, mental retardation, and dysmorphic features

Cytogenetic imbalances are the most frequently identified cause of developmental delay or mental retardation, which affect 1-3% of children and are often seen in conjunction with growth retardation, dysmorphic features, and various congenital anomalies. A substantial number of patients with developmental delay or mental retardation are predicted to have cytogenetic imbalances, but conventional methods for identifying these imbalances yield positive results in only a small fraction of these patients. We used microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) to study a panel of 20 patients predicted to have chromosomal aberrations based on clinical presentation of developmental delay or mental retardation, growth delay, dysmorphic features, and/or congenital anomalies. Previous G-banded karyotypes and fluorescence in situ hybridization results were normal for all of these patients. Using both oligonucleotide-based and bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC)-based arrays on the same panel of patients, we identified 10 unique deletions and duplications ranging in size from 280 kb to 8.3 Mb. The whole-genome oligonucleotide arrays identified nearly twice as many imbalances as did the lower-resolution whole-genome BAC arrays. This has implications for using aCGH in a clinical setting. Analysis of parental DNA samples indicated that most of the imbalances had occurred de novo. Moreover, seven of the 10 imbalances represented novel disorders, adding to an increasing number of conditions caused by large-scale deletions or duplications. These results underscore the strength of high-resolution genomic arrays in diagnosing cases of unknown genetic etiology and suggest that contiguous genomic alterations are the underlying pathogenic cause of a significant number of cases of developmental delay.     

Novel duplication on chromosome 16 (q12.1-q21) associated with behavioral disorder, mild cognitive impairment, speech delay, and dysmorphic features: case report

We report on the 10-year follow-up and clinical, cytogenetic, and molecular investigation of a girl admitted for evaluation because of speech delay, learning difficulties, aggressive behavior, and dysmorphic facial features that included high forehead, round face, epicanthic folds, low-set dysplastic ears, flat nasal bridge, long flat philtrum, thin upper lip, small mouth, and short neck. The analysis of high-resolution GTG- and CTG-banding chromosomes suggested a de novo direct duplication of 16q12-q21 region and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis with whole-chromosome specific 16 probe confirmed that the duplicated genetic material originated from the chromosome 16. Subsequently, array-based comparative genomic hybridization analysis with a≈75 kb resolution showed a 9.92 Mb gain on the long arm of chromosome 16 at bands q12.1 through q21. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of duplication 16q12.1q21 described in literature. Several genes within the duplicated region are possibly correlated with clinical features present in our patient. Clinical and cytogenetic findings were compared with the small number of reported patients with pure duplications 16q, partially overlapping the one in our patient. Clinical phenotype seems to be distinctive between the proximal-intermediate and intermediate-distal regions of the long arm of the chromosome 16. In particular, we observed a set of dysmorphic features that could present a characteristic dup 16q11.2-q13 phenotype. The present study illustrates the advantages of an integrative approach using both conventional and molecular techniques for the precise characterization and genotype-phenotype correlation in patients with dysmorphism, behavioral problems, and learning difficulties.     

Multigeneration family with short stature,developmental delay,and dysmorphic features due to 4q27-q28.1 microdeletion

Deletions of the long arm of chromosome 4 are rare but have been previously reported to be associated with craniofacial anomalies, digital anomalies, developmental delay, growth failure, and cardiovascular anomalies [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6]. Strehle et al. [1] previously presented 20 patients with 4q deletions and began to construct a phenotype–genotype map for chromosome 4q. This report follows up on that work by providing clinical and molecular cytogenetic data on a three generation pedigree including seven patients with short stature, dysmorphic features, and developmental delay identified to have a 4q27-q28.1 microdeletion of approximately 5.68 Mb by oligonucleotide chromosomal microarray. This family represents a rare report of an inherited interstitial deletion of the long arm of chromosome 4. To our knowledge, only two cases have been previously reported [7], [8]. The contribution of candidate genes in the region is discussed.     

Exome reports A de novo GNB2 variant associated with global developmental delay,intellectual disability,and dysmorphic features

Heterotrimeric G proteins are composed of α, β, and γ subunits and are involved in integrating signals between receptors and effector proteins. The 5 human Gβ proteins (encoded by GNB1, GNB2, GNB3, GNB4, and GNB5) are highly similar. Variants in GNB1 were identified as a genetic cause of developmental delay. De novo variant in GNB2 has recently been reported as a cause of sinus node dysfunction and atrioventricular block but not as a cause of developmental delay. Trio-based whole-exome sequencing was performed on an individual with global developmental delay, muscle hypotonia, multiple congenital joint contractures and dysmorphism such as brachycephalus, thick eyebrows, thin upper lip, micrognathia, prominent chin, and bilateral tapered fingers. We identified a de novo GNB2 variant c.229G>A, p.(Gly77Arg). Notably, pathogenic substitutions of the homologous Gly77 residue including an identical variant (p.Gly77Arg, p.Gly77Val, p.Gly77Ser, p.Gly77Ala) of GNB1, a paralog of GNB2, was reported in individuals with global developmental delay and hypotonia. Clinical features of our case overlap with those of GNB1 variants. Our study suggests that a GNB2 variant may be associated with syndromic global developmental delay.     

A 17q21.31 microduplication, reciprocal to the newly described 17q21.31 microdeletion, in a girl with severe psychomotor developmental delay and dysmorphic craniofacial features

Array-CGH analysis using 244k Agilent oligoarray revealed a de novo 17q21.31 microduplication in a 10-year-old girl with severe psychomotor developmental delay, facial dysmorphism, microcephaly, abnormal digits and hirsutism. The duplication encompassed the MAPT and CRHR1 genes and was reciprocal to the recently described 17q21.31 microdeletion, associated with a recognizable clinical phenotype. Genotyping showed that the duplication was derived from non-allelic homologous recombination of paternal H1 and H2 haplotypes. To our knowledge this is the first report of a patient with a 17q21.31 microduplication.     

Novel deletion of 6p21.31p21.1 associated with laryngeal cleft,developmental delay,dysmorphic features and vascular anomaly

Interstitial deletions involving chromosome region 6p21.31p21.2 have not been previously reported in the literature. Here, we present a 2 year old girl with global developmental delay, severe speech delay, dysmorphic features, laryngeal cleft, anterior descending aorta that occluded the left main bronchus and a novel de novo deletion of chromosome 6: arr[hg19] 6p21.31p21.2 (35462950–36725083)x1. The deletion, which was diagnosed by array comparative genomic hybridization and further confirmed with fluorescence in situ hybridization, was approximately 1.26 Mb and contained 28 RefSeq genes. The deleted region includes 24 protein coding genes and 4 non-coding genes. This represents a novel microdeletion that has not been previously reported in the literature.     

Characterization of a de novo balanced translocation in a patient with moderate mental retardation and dysmorphic features

Moderate mental retardation (MR) could affect up to 3% of the general population. A proportion of these cases has a genetic origin. Genes responsible for mental retardation can be identified taking advantage of familial cases or patients carrying a chromosomal rearrangement.We have studied a female patient with mild mental retardation and dysmorphic features. Cytogenetic and molecular investigations revealed a de novo balanced translocation 46, XX, t(5;18)(q21.3;q21.32) in the patient. The karyotypes of the parents are normal. We mapped the breakpoints of the translocation on chromosomes 5 and 18 by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The characterization of the chromosomal breakpoints helped us identify a new candidate region containing a portion of a gene. This gene is called FER. It is a tyrosine kinase located on the chromosome 5q21.3. We found no known genes in the genomic region corresponding to the BAC spanning the 18q21.32 breakpoint.Molecular analysis showed that the FER gene was not interrupted by the translocation breakpoint on chromosome 5. Real-time quantitative PCR performed using RNA from the patient, compared to her parents and controls, showed no significant modification of FER expression ruling out a putative position effect, at least in the tissue tested.Our data suggest that FER is not implicated in the mental retardation phenotype observed in the reported patient. Therefore the MR phenotype might not be caused by the translocation.     

2q23.1 microdeletion of the MBD5 gene in a female with seizures, developmental delay and distinct dysmorphic features

We report a 2-year-old female who initially presented with seizures, developmental delay and dysmorphic features and was found to have a 0.3 Mb deletion at chromosome 2q23.1 encompassing the critical seizure gene, MBD5. Her distinct physical features include bifrontal narrowing with brachycephaly, low anterior hairline, hypotonic facial features with short upturned nose, flat nasal bridge, hypertelorism, tented upper lip with everted lower lip, downturned corners of her mouth, and relatively coarse facial features including thickened tongue. She also had a short neck, brachytelephalangy, clinodactyly, and hypertrichosis. At 3½ years she developed progressive ataxia and lost vocabulary at the age of 4. Regression has been reported in one other case of MBD5 deletion. MBD5 is a member of the methyl binding gene family and appears to be responsible for regulating DNA methylation in the central nervous system. Our patient was entirely deleted for the MBD5 gene with partial loss of the EPC2 gene, which suggests that haploinsufficiency of MBD5 is responsible for the distinct phenotype observed. This supports the hypothesis that MBD5 is indeed the critical gene implicated for the findings seen in patients with deletions of chromosome 2q23.1. Further studies are necessary to delineate the role that the MBD5 gene plays in the development of the brain and these specific physical characteristics.     

2q23.1 microdeletion of the MBD5 gene in a female with seizures, developmental delay and distinct dysmorphic features

We report a 2-year-old female who initially presented with seizures, developmental delay and dysmorphic features and was found to have a 0.3 Mb deletion at chromosome 2q23.1 encompassing the critical seizure gene, MBD5. Her distinct physical features include bifrontal narrowing with brachycephaly, low anterior hairline, hypotonic facial features with short upturned nose, flat nasal bridge, hypertelorism, tented upper lip with everted lower lip, downturned corners of her mouth, and relatively coarse facial features including thickened tongue. She also had a short neck, brachytelephalangy, clinodactyly, and hypertrichosis. At 3½ years she developed progressive ataxia and lost vocabulary at the age of 4. Regression has been reported in one other case of MBD5 deletion. MBD5 is a member of the methyl binding gene family and appears to be responsible for regulating DNA methylation in the central nervous system. Our patient was entirely deleted for the MBD5 gene with partial loss of the EPC2 gene, which suggests that haploinsufficiency of MBD5 is responsible for the distinct phenotype observed. This supports the hypothesis that MBD5 is indeed the critical gene implicated for the findings seen in patients with deletions of chromosome 2q23.1. Further studies are necessary to delineate the role that the MBD5 gene plays in the development of the brain and these specific physical characteristics.