Goldberg–Shprintzen syndrome: Hirschsprung disease,hypotonia, and ptosis in sibs

We describe a brother and sister with Hirschsprung disease, hypotonia, and ptosis. Their condition resembles that in 2 sibs reported by Goldberg and Shprintzen. We conclude that the clinical characteristics in 8 reported cases with similar clinical manifestations represent a distinct autosomal recessive syndrome, Goldberg–Shprintzen syndrome.     

Expanding the genotypic and phenotypic spectrum of severe serine biosynthesis disorders

Serine biosynthesis disorders comprise a spectrum of very rare autosomal recessive inborn errors of metabolism with wide phenotypic variability. Neu–Laxova syndrome represents the most severe expression and is characterized by multiple congenital anomalies and pre‐ or perinatal lethality. Here, we present the mutation spectrum and a detailed phenotypic analysis in 15 unrelated families with severe types of serine biosynthesis disorders. We identified likely disease‐causing variants in the PHGDH and PSAT1 genes, several of which have not been reported previously. Phenotype analysis and a comprehensive review of the literature corroborates the evidence that serine biosynthesis disorders represent a continuum with varying degrees of phenotypic expression and suggest that even gradual differences at the severe end of the spectrum may be correlated with particular genotypes. We postulate that the individual residual enzyme activity of mutant proteins is the major determinant of the phenotypic variability, but further functional studies are needed to explore effects at the enzyme protein level.     

Expanding the phenotypic spectrum associated with DPF2: A new case report

Coffin–Siris syndrome (CSS) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous developmental disorder, linked to disruption of the BAF chromatin‐remodeling complex. Recently, de novo missense and truncating variants have been reported in DPF2 in patients sharing some of the common features of CSS. Here we report a further individual harboring a novel de novo missense DPF2 variant, c.1066T>G, p.Cys356Gly. Structural modeling indicated that the predicted amino acid substitution affects a core residue required for zinc ion coordination and would likely alter the PHD2 domain structure of DPF2. The clinical presentation of Pierre Robin sequence and diaphragmatic hernia did not immediately suggest CSS, with the more common CSS features of hypoplastic toenails and characteristic facial features very subtle. This individual further broadens the phenotypic features of DPF2‐related CSS, as well as CSS more generally.     

Comparative analysis of AKT and the related biomarkers in uterine leiomyomas with MED12, HMGA2, and FH mutations

Uterine leiomyomas (ULM) are histologically and molecularly heterogeneous and clinically they grow at vastly different rates. Several driver gene mutations have been identified in ULM, including MED12 mutations, HMGA2 overexpression, and biallelic FH inactivation. ULM with different driver mutant genes may use different molecular pathways, but currently no clear correlation between gene mutations and growth related pathways has been established. To better define this relationship, we collected ULM with MED12 (n = 25), HMGA2 (n = 15), and FH (n = 27) mutations and examined the sex steroid hormone, cell cycle, and AKT pathway genes by immunohistochemistry. While ER and PR were highly expressed in all types of ULM, FH ULM showed lower ER expression and higher PR expression. HMGA2 tumors had significantly higher levels of AKT signaling and mitogenic activity than other ULM types. HMGA2 activated AKT signaling through upregulation of IGF2BP2. Silencing HMGA2 in ULM cells resulted in downregulation of AKT and upregulation of p16 and p21, which eventually led to cell senescence. HMGA2 overexpression in ULM is not only related to tumor development but also plays a role in controlling cellular proliferation through the AKT pathway.     

Germline BRAF mutations in Noonan,LEOPARD, and cardiofaciocutaneous syndromes: Molecular diversity and associated phenotypic spectrum

Noonan, LEOPARD, and cardiofaciocutaneous syndromes (NS, LS, and CFCS) are developmental disorders with overlapping features including distinctive facial dysmorphia, reduced growth, cardiac defects, skeletal and ectodermal anomalies, and variable cognitive deficits. Dysregulated RAS–mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal traffic has been established to represent the molecular pathogenic cause underlying these conditions. To investigate the phenotypic spectrum and molecular diversity of germline mutations affecting BRAF, which encodes a serine/threonine kinase functioning as a RAS effector frequently mutated in CFCS, subjects with a diagnosis of NS (N=270), LS (N=6), and CFCS (N=33), and no mutation in PTPN11, SOS1, KRAS, RAF1, MEK1, or MEK2, were screened for the entire coding sequence of the gene. Besides the expected high prevalence of mutations observed among CFCS patients (52%), a de novo heterozygous missense change was identified in one subject with LS (17%) and five individuals with NS (1.9%). Mutations mapped to multiple protein domains and largely did not overlap with cancer‐associated defects. NS‐causing mutations had not been documented in CFCS, suggesting that the phenotypes arising from germline BRAF defects might be allele specific. Selected mutant BRAF proteins promoted variable gain of function of the kinase, but appeared less activating compared to the recurrent cancer‐associated p.Val600Glu mutant. Our findings provide evidence for a wide phenotypic diversity associated with mutations affecting BRAF, and occurrence of a clinical continuum associated with these molecular lesions. Hum Mutat 0:1–8, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Expanding the phenotypic and genotypic spectrum of Wiedemann–Steiner syndrome: First patient from India

Wiedemann–Steiner syndrome (WWS) is a rare disorder characterized by hypotonia, postnatal growth restriction, striking facial dysmorphism, and hirsutism. It is caused by heterozygous pathogenic variants in KMT2A. This gene has an established role in histone methylation, which explains the overlap of WWS with syndromes caused by genes involved in chromatin remodeling. We describe an infant with a novel single base pair deletion in KMT2A with features consistent with WWS, as well as additional features of stenosis of aqueduct of Sylvius and broad toes. The usefulness of Face2Gene as a tool for identification of dysmorphology syndromes is discussed, as in this patient, it suggested WWS as the top candidate disorder. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first patient of WWS reported from India, with a novel genotype and expanded phenotype.     

Broadening the phenotypic spectrum of Pearson syndrome: Five new cases and a review of the literature

Pearson syndrome (PS) is a multisystem mitochondrial respiratory chain disorder typically characterized by sideroblastic anemia and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. PS is caused by a single large‐scale mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletion. PS classically presents in the first year of life and may be fatal in infancy. Children who survive PS may progress to develop Kearns–Sayre syndrome later in life. The full phenotypic spectrum and prognosis of the condition continue to evolve. Here we report five new patients with PS with unique clinical presentations, including four patients with onset later than previously reported in the literature, and one patient with prenatal onset of symptoms. The timing and unique features of these presentations support an expanded phenotypic spectrum of single large‐scale mtDNA deletion syndromes (SLSMDS) and reinforce the importance of including SLSMDS in the differential for children with complex multisystem presentations.     

Duplication 8q12: confirmation of a novel recognizable phenotype with duane retraction syndrome and developmental delay

Duane retraction syndrome (DRS) is a rare congenital strabismus condition with genetic heterogeneity. DRS associated with intellectual disability or developmental delay is observed in several genetic diseases: syndromes such as Goldenhar or Wildervanck syndrome and chromosomal anomalies such as 12q12 deletion. We report on the case of a patient with DRS, developmental delay and particular facial features (horizontal and flared eyebrows, long and smooth philtrum, thin upper lip, full lower lip and full cheeks). We identified a duplication of the long arm of chromosome 8 (8q12) with SNP-array. This is the third case of a patient with common clinical features and 8q12 duplication described in the literature. The minimal critical region is 1.2 Mb and encompasses four genes: CA8, RAB2, RLBP1L1 and CHD7. To our knowledge, no information is available in the literature regarding pathological effects caused by to overexpression of these genes. However, loss of function of the CHD7 gene leads to CHARGE syndrome, suggesting a possible role of the overexpression of this gene in the phenotype observed in 8q12 duplication patients. We have observed that patients with 8q12 duplication share a common recognizable phenotype characterized by DRS, developmental delay and facial features. Such data combined to the literature strongly suggest that this entity may define a novel syndrome. We hypothesize that CHD7 duplication is responsible for a part of the features observed in 8q12.2 duplication.     

PRC2‐complex related dysfunction in overgrowth syndromes: A review of EZH2, EED,and SUZ12 and their syndromic phenotypes

The EZH2, EED, and SUZ12 genes encode proteins that comprise core components of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), an epigenetic “writer” with H3K27 methyltransferase activity, catalyzing the addition of up to three methyl groups on histone 3 at lysine residue 27 (H3K27). Partial loss‐of‐function variants in genes encoding the EZH2 and EED subunits of the complex lead to overgrowth, macrocephaly, advanced bone age, variable intellectual disability, and distinctive facial features. EZH2‐associated overgrowth, caused by constitutional heterozygous mutations within Enhancer of Zeste homologue 2 (EZH2), has a phenotypic spectrum ranging from tall stature without obvious intellectual disability or dysmorphic features to classical Weaver syndrome (OMIM #277590). EED‐associated overgrowth (Cohen–Gibson syndrome; OMIM #617561) is caused by germline heterozygous mutations in Embryonic Ectoderm Development (EED), and manifests overgrowth and intellectual disability (OGID), along with other features similar to Weaver syndrome. Most recently, rare coding variants in SUZ12 have also been described that present with clinical characteristics similar to the previous two syndromes. Here we review the PRC2 complex and clinical syndromes of OGID associated with core components EZH2, EED, and SUZ12.     

Expanding the spectrum of TBX5 mutations in Holt-Oram syndrome: detection of two intragenic deletions by quantitative real time PCR, and report of eight novel point mutations

Mutations in the gene TBX5 cause Holt-Oram syndrome (HOS), an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by anterior (i.e., radial ray) upper limb malformations and congenital heart defects and/or cardiac conduction anomalies. The detection rate for TBX5 mutations in HOS patients has been given as 30-35% in most reports. However, a detection rate of 74% was reported when strict clinical inclusion criteria for HOS were applied prior to TBX5 analysis. Still, in a significant proportion of typical HOS cases no mutation can be found within the TBX5 coding region and flanking intronic sequences. One explanation could be that large but submicroscopic deletions of TBX5 could cause HOS, yet only one such TBX5 deletion has been reported to date. We developed a quantitative Real Time PCR strategy to detect large, submicroscopic deletions in TBX5. Using this assay, we screened a total of 102 TBX5 mutation negative patients and discovered two novel intragenic deletions. One deletion of 7756 bp removes exon 6 and a considerable part of the neighboring intronic sequences, and the other of 3695 bp removes exon 9 with the stop codon and the 3'UTR completely as well as a part of the preceding intron 8. We conclude that quantitative Real Time PCR is a reliable method to detect submicroscopic deletions within TBX5. However, such deletions explain only approximately 2% of the TBX5 mutational spectrum in HOS cases. In addition, we also present eight novel TBX5 mutations (three nonsense, one splice mutation, four short deletions) as detected by direct sequencing in 21 families not previously analyzed for mutations.     

Refinement of the 12q14 microdeletion syndrome: primordial dwarfism and developmental delay with or without osteopoikilosis

In their studies on the molecular basis of osteopoikilosis, Menten et al have identified three individuals with microdeletions on chromosome 12q14.4, which removed several genes including LEMD3, the osteopoikilosis gene. In addition to osteopoikilosis, affected individuals had growth retardation and developmental delay. We now report a smaller 12q14.4 microdeletion in a boy with severe pre and postnatal growth failure, and mild developmental delay; the patient was small at birth and presented with poor feeding and failure to thrive during the first 2 years of life, similar to the phenotype of primordial dwarfism or severe Silver-Russell syndrome (SRS). The 12q14 deletion did not include LEMD3, and no signs of osteopoikilosis were observed on skeletal radiographs. Among the deleted genes, HMGA2 is of particular interest in relationship to the aberrant somatic growth in our patient, as HMGA2 variants have been linked to stature variations in the general population and loss of function of Hmga2 in the mouse results in the pygmy phenotype that combines pre and postnatal growth failure, with resistance to the adipogenic effect of overfeeding. Sequencing of the remaining HMGA2 allele in our patient showed a normal sequence, suggesting that HMGA2 haploinsufficiency may be sufficient to produce the aberrant growth phenotype. We conclude that the 12q14.4 microdeletion syndrome can occur with or without deletion of LEMD3 gene; in LEMD3-intact cases, the phenotype includes primordial short stature and failure to thrive with moderate developmental delay, but osteopoikilosis is absent. Such cases will likely be diagnosed as Silver-Russell-like or as primordial dwarfism.     

Syndrome of microcephaly,Brachmann–de Lange-like facial changes,severe metatarsus adductus,and developmental delay: Mild Brachmann-de Lange syndrome?

We report on 4 individuals (3 sibs and their father) with a syndrome of growth retardation, microcephaly, minor facial anomalies reminiscent of a mild Brachmann–de Lange syndrome (BDLS), severe metatarsus adductus, developmental delay, and unusual dermatoglyphics. The syndrome, which seems to be inherited as an autosomal dominant trait with variable expressivity, resembles mild BDLS.