SMA type 2 unrelated to chromosome 5q13

We describe two brothers with clinical and histological findings of type 2 spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) associated with small head circumference (<2%) and normal cognitive development. No survival motor neuron (SMN) or neuronal apoptosis-inhibitory protein (NAIP) deletions were detected in these sibs, and they were discordant for the haplotypes determined by DNA markers flanking the 5q13 SMA locus. These findings support the presence of a distinct anterior horn disease unrelated to 5q13. This entity may have either autosomal recessive or X-linked inheritance. Am. J. Med. Genet. 75:193–195, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Neonatal spinal muscular atrophy with diaphragmatic paralysis is unlinked to 5q11.2-q13.

Two sibs affected by the severe neonatal form of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) with diaphragmatic paralysis are described. The two sibs were discordant for the haplotypes determined by DNA markers flanking the SMA locus. This supports non-linkage of SMA to chromosome 5 in this family and indicates that the uncommon SMA type I variant associated with early onset respiratory failure maps outside the 5q11.2-q13.3 region.     

Autosomal dominant benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis (BRIC) unlinked to 18q21 and 2q24

Benign recurrent intrahepatic cholestasis (BRIC) is an autosomal recessive liver disease characterized by multiple episodes of cholestasis without progression to chronic liver disease. On the basis of recent evidence of locus heterogeneity, we studied 19 subjects (7 affected members) of a BRIC family. Male-to-male transmission and the presence of affected females suggested autosomal dominant inheritance. Blood samples were collected after informed consent. Subjects were genotyped by using markers mapping to 18q and 2q24 region, respectively, where the genes FIC1 and FIC2 have been mapped. Segregation of haplotypes excluded the two regions in our family. These findings suggest further genetic heterogeneity of the origin of BRIC.     

Lethal congenital contracture syndrome (LCCS), a fetal anterior horn cell disease, is not linked to the SMA 5q locus.

The lethal congenital contracture syndrome (LCCS) is an autosomal recessive syndrome (McKusick 253310) leading to perinatal death owing to early onset degeneration of the anterior horn motor neurones of the spinal cord. The neuropathological findings in the LCCS closely resemble those of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Since all the three types of SMA have been localised to the same gene locus on the long arm of chromosome 5, we analysed samples from seven families with 10 LCCS fetuses with the microsatellite markers assigned to the SMA 5q region. Linkage analyses between the SMA linked DNA markers and the disease allele in the LCCS families excluded the critical chromosomal region around the SMA locus as the critical chromosomal region for the LCCS locus.     

Hereditary multi-infarct dementia unlinked to chromosome 19q12 in a large Scottish pedigree: evidence of probable locus heterogeneity.

Hereditary multi-infarct dementia is a rare autosomal dominant disorder that predominantly affects the cerebral white matter. A locus was recently mapped in French pedigrees to chromosome 19q12. We have examined a large Scottish pedigree with neuropathologically confirmed hereditary multi-infarct dementia using polymorphic DNA markers spanning the 19q12 region and found no evidence of linkage. This suggests that, as in familial Alzheimer's disease, there is more than one locus.     

A constitutional 5q23 deletion.

A 14 month old girl was found to have a deletion of the whole of band 5q23. By comparing 19 other cases monosomic for a part of the 5q13-q31 segment, the constitutional 5q interstitial deletions fall into two groups: adult patients with Gardner-like symptoms and mental retardation associated with deletion 5q21-q22, and patients (mostly children) with unspecific signs and symptoms and different deletions.     

Clinical manifestations of trisomy 5q.

A patient with a small deletion of the short arm and a partial duplication of the long arm of chromosome 5 is described. The main clinical features include craniofacial dysmorphism, growth failure, developmental retardation, and congenital heart defect. The mother and male sib each carried an inv(5) (p15.3q35) but were phenotypically normal. The possible clinical manifestations of partial duplication of the long arm of chromosome 5 are discussed with a review of previous published reports.     

Genetic refinement of the chromosome 5q lattice corneal dystrophy type I locus to within a 2 cM interval.

Lattice corneal dystrophy type I (LCDI) is a relatively common corneal dystrophy which can cause severe visual impairment. Recent studies have suggested a genetic localisation for the disease to chromosome 5q. Independent genetic linkage analysis in a six generation LCDI pedigree confirmed linkage to the 5q region bounded by marker loci IL9 and D5S436 suggesting genetic homogeneity. A maximum two point lod score of 7.51 (theta = 0.03) was obtained with marker D5S393. Multipoint and haplotype data positioned the disease between loci D5S393 and D5S396 corresponding to a genetic distance of 2cM, thus refining linkage sufficiently to allow for physical mapping of this disorder.     

Apparent colistin-related false sensitivity with the Autobac I system.

False sensitivities were occasionally encountered in antibiotic-free chambers of the Autobac I system. This unusual phenomenon occurred randomly among gram-negative bacilli and appears to be colistin-related.     

Apparent cleidocranial dysplasia associated with abnormalities of 8q22 in three individuals.

Cleidocranial dysplasia is an autosomal dominant, generalised skeletal disorder characterised by variable clavicular hypoplasia, frontal bossing, multiple Wormian bones, and delayed eruption of the teeth. The gene locus for this syndrome has not yet been assigned. Three individuals with manifestations of cleidocranial dysplasia associated with rearrangements of chromosome 8q22 are described. The evidence presented suggests that the gene for cleidocranial dysplasia may be located on chromosome 8q in humans in a region showing homology to mouse chromosome 3.     

Cellology of HLA I. The Apparent Homogeneity of HLA-D

We have demonstrated that there is a similarity in the distribution of restimulation responses of primed lymphocyte typing (PLT) cells raised between related and unrelated individuals, thus leading to the suggestion that HLA-D is a homogeneous determinant. It is proposed that within HLA a hitherto unrecognized heterogeneous structure may exist that is closely associated with HLA-D and which may give rise to intermediate reactions in primary mixed lymphocyte reactions and PLT.     

Familial hydronephrosis unlinked to the HLA complex

Clinical findings, management, and possible linkage of congenital hydronephrosis caused by ureteropelvic junction stenosis to the HLA complex were studied in four families. These families provide evidence of possible autosomal dominant inheritance. HLA class I antigen studies in all four and class II (HLA-DR) in three families were performed. These studies failed to show close linkage to the chromosome 6 markers in two families but there was consistent inheritance in the other two. Although formal linkage calculations are not presented, it is apparent that in some families HLA haplotyping is not useful in predicting prevence of renal obstruction. Am. J. Med. Genet. 70:118–120, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Aggregative adherence fimbria I expression in enteroaggregative Escherichia coli requires two unlinked plasmid regions.

Adherence to HEp-2 cells by many enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAggEC) strains is associated with the expression of flexible, bundle-forming fimbriae 2 to 3 nm in diameter, designated aggregative adherence fimbriae I (AAF/I). We have previously reported the molecular cloning and TnphoA mutagenesis of AAF/I genes from the large plasmid of prototype EAggEC strain 17-2 (J. P. Nataro, Y. Deng, D. R. Maneval, A. L. German, W. C. Martin, and M. M. Levine, Infect. Immun. 60:2297-2304, 1992). Here, we report that further mapping and subcloning of AAF/I regions suggest that expression of the fimbriae requires two separate plasmid regions (designated regions 1 and 2). Approximately 9 kb of DNA unnecessary for fimbrial expression separates the two regions; this intervening segment encodes the EAggEC heat-stable enterotoxin (EAST1). Neither region was capable of conferring aggregative HEp-2 adherence (AA) when cloned individually; when the two regions were cloned as a single fragment or when each was cloned into a different vector and introduced into the same E. coli HB101 cell, AA was restored. AA-positive constructs also expressed human erythrocyte hemagglutination, autoagglutination in broth cultures, and the production of AAF/I as detected by immunogold electron microscopy.     

Duplication 5q(5q22----5q33): from an intrachromosomal insertion

We report on an infant with an as yet undescribed partial duplication 5q(q22----5q33). He had a number of the already recorded manifestations of partial trisomy 5q, namely microcephaly, growth retardation, brachydactyly, long flat philtrum, thin upper lip vermilion and downturned angles of mouth and apparently low set ears. He survived only 6 months. He inherited his duplication from a maternal intrachromosomal insertion; thus he represents a pure dup(5)(q22----5q33).     

Duplication 5q(5q22→5q33): From an intrachromosomal insertion

We report on an infant with an as yet undescribed partial duplication 5q(q22→5q33). He had a number of the already recorded manifestations of partial trisomy 5q, namely microcephaly, growth retardation, brachydactyly, long flat philtrum, thin upper lip vermilion and downturned angles of mouth and apparently low set ears. He survived only 6 months. He inherited his duplication from a maternal intrachromosomal insertion; thus he represents a pure dup(5)(q22→5q33).     

Partial monosomy 5p and partial trisomy 5q due to paternal pericentric inversion 5(p15.1q35.1)

A male infant with karyotype 46,XY,rec(5),dup q,inv(5)(p15.1 q35.1)pat is presented. The proband showed growth and developmental retardation, complex cardiovascular abnormalities, inguinal hernia and microcephaly in addition to facial appearance and cat-like cry characteristic of the cri-du-chat syndrome. Growth and developmental retardation, and microcephaly noted in this patient were markedly more serious than those observed in patients either with partial monosomy 5p or with partial trisomy 5q alone.     

Familial short stature due to a 5q22.1-q23.2 duplication refines the 5q duplication spectrum

We identified a maternally inherited 14.2Mb duplication 5q22.1-q23.2 in two female siblings and their mother by molecular karyotyping. Both siblings were small for gestational age and presented with pronounced postnatal growth retardation, mild motor delay, congenital heart disease in one of the siblings, and distinct facial dysmorphism. As this duplication is one of the smallest reported 5q duplications, short stature and facial dysmorphism can be attributed to duplications of 5q22, whereas severe mental retardation is not part of the phenotypic spectrum of the 5q22.1-q23.2 region. Congenital heart defects, as observed in other 5q duplications, have a variable penetrance. We compared the facial features of patients with 5q duplications and found some consistent features such as high arched eyebrows, bulbous nasal tip and small lips with thin vermilion border.     

Deletion 5q35.3

We report on a 15-month-old boy with a de novo deletion of the terminal band of 5q, macrocephaly, mild retrognathia, anteverted nares with low flat nasal bridge, telecanthus, minor earlobe anomalies, bell-shaped chest, diastasis recti, short fingers, and mild developmental delay. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Ventricular noncompaction and distal chromosome 5q deletion.

We describe a 7 1/2-year-old girl with mildly unusual phenotype and complex heart disease including ventricular myocardial noncompaction. She was found to have a distal 5q deletion, del(5)(q35.1q35.3). Fluorescent in situ hybridization showed that this deletion included the locus for the cardiac specific homeobox gene, CSX. This suggests that some instances of ventricular myocardial noncompaction may be caused by haploinsufficiency of CSX.     

Partial trisomy 5q and partial monosomy 5q within the same family

The observation of partial trisomy for 5q31-5qter and partial monosomy for the same segment in two offspring within the same family is presented. Their normal mother was a balanced carrier of a reciprocal translocation 46,XX,t(5;10) (q31.3;q26). The trisomic female had craniofacial dysplasia, a short neck, clinodactyly of the 5th fingers, a small umbilical hernia, arhinencephalia, cerebellar hypoplasia, atrial septal defect, an accessory spleen, bifid uterus and vagina, hypoplastic ovaries. Potter syndrome with cystic dysplasia of the left kidney and agenesis of the right, urethral atresia, uterus unicornus with utero-urethral fistula, true hermaphroditism with two ovaries and one testicle were found in her stillborn sister. Analysis of the manifestations of monosomy 5q and trisomy 5q in the same family supports a well known fact that the effects of deletions are more pronounced than those of duplications for the same segments.