Genotype–phenotype relationship in a child with 2.3 Mb de novo interstitial 12p13.33-p13.32 deletion

Microdeletion 12p13.33, though very rare, is an emerging condition associated with variable phenotype including a specific speech delay sound disorder, labelled childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), intellectual disability (ID) and neurobehavioral problems.Here we report a de novo 2.3 Mb interstitial 12p13.33-p13.32 deletion in a 5 year-old child with mild ID, speech delay, microcephaly, muscular hypotonia, and joint laxity. In contrast to previously reported patients with 12p13.33 monosomy, our patient's interstitial deletion spans the 12p13.33-12p13.32 region with the distal breakpoint within intron 12 of CACNA1C.Phenotype–genotype comparison between our case, previously reported patients, and subjects with 12p13.33 deletions led us to propose that haploinsufficiency of CACNA1C may influence the variability of the patients' phenotype, since the gene resulted disrupted or entirely deleted in the majority of reported patients. In addition, phenotypic features such as microcephaly, muscular hypotonia, and joint laxity are mainly present in patients with monosomy of 12p13.33 extending to the 12p13.32 portion. A common region of ∼300 kb, harbouring EFCAB4B and PARP11, is deleted in patients with microcephaly while a second region of ∼700 kb, including TSPAN9 and PMTR8, could be associated with muscle hypotonia and joint laxity. These data reinforce the hypothesis that multiple haploinsufficient genes and age-dependent observation may concur to generate the variable phenotype associated with 12p13.33 deletion.     

Optimal needle design for minimal insertion force and bevel length

This research presents a methodology for optimal design of the needle geometry to minimize the insertion force and bevel length based on mathematical models of cutting edge inclination and rake angles and the insertion force. In brachytherapy, the needle with lower insertion force typically is easier for guidance and has less deflection. In this study, the needle with lancet point (denoted as lancet needle) is applied to demonstrate the model-based optimization for needle design. Mathematical models to calculate the bevel length and inclination and rake angles for lancet needle are presented. A needle insertion force model is developed to predict the insertion force for lancet needle. The genetic algorithm is utilized to optimize the needle geometry for two cases. One is to minimize the needle insertion force. Using the geometry of a commercial lancet needle as the baseline, the optimized needle has 11% lower insertion force with the same bevel length. The other case is to minimize the bevel length under the same needle insertion force. The optimized design can reduce the bevel length by 46%. Both optimized needle designs were validated experimentally in ex vivo porcine liver needle insertion tests and demonstrated the methodology of the model-based optimal needle design.     

Polycystic kidneys and del (4)(q21.1q21.3): further delineation of a distinct phenotype

A three year-old boy was evaluated because of growth and developmental delay, hypotonia and dysmorphic features. G-banding analysis revealed a small interstitial deletion of the long arm of chromosome four described as 46,XY,del (4)(q21.1q21.3). This patient's findings on physical exam included relative macrocephaly, frontal bossing, short fingers with clinodactyly and were consistent with the phenotypes of previously reported deletions involving the 4q21--> 4q22 band region (Am. J. Med. Genet. 68 (1997) 400-405). To date there are 10 reported live-born cases with such deletions and similar features. The case reported here delimits a minimal critical region for this phenotype to chromosomal region 4q21. Our patient was also found to have cysts in both his kidneys. The gene for type II polycystic kidney disease (PKD2) has been mapped to chromosomal region 4q21--> 4q23. FISH analysis, with a probe including the PKD2 gene, demonstrated hemizygosity at this locus. Thus the absence of one of the PKD2 alleles in the case reported here is associated with early bilateral cyst development. Kidney ultrasound/autopsy studies were reported in seven of the patients with the characteristic phenotype, and were positive for cysts in four cases including the one presented here (Clin. Genet. 31 (1987) 199-205; Am. J. Med. Genet. 68 (1997) 400-405; Am. J. Med. Genet. 40 (1991) 77-790. Our report supports the presence of a distinct phenotype associated with a deleted chromosomal region within 4q21. Hemizygosity for the PKD2 gene is likely in such deletions and may lead to renal cyst formation.     

Detection and delineation of an unusual 17p11.2 deletion by array-CGH and refinement of the Smith–Magenis syndrome minimum deletion to 650 kb

Smith–Magenis syndrome (SMS) is a multiple congenital anomaly/mental retardation syndrome and it is characterized by an interstitial deletion of chromosome 17p11.2. SMS patients have a distinct phenotype which is believed to be caused by haploinsufficiency of one or more genes in the associated deleted region. Five non-deletion patients with classical phenotypic features of SMS have been reported with mutations in the retinoic acid induced 1 (RAI1) gene, located within the SMS critical interval. Happloinsufficiency of the RAI1 gene is likely to be the responsible gene for the majority of the SMS features, but other deleted genes in the SMS region may modify the overall phenotype in the patients with 17p11.2 deletions. SMS is usually diagnosed in the clinical genetic setting by FISH analysis using commercially available probes. We detected a submicroscopic deletion in 17p11.2 using array-CGH with a resolution of approximately 1 Mb in a patient with the SMS phenotype, who was not deleted for the commercially available SMS microdeletion FISH probe. Delineation of the deletion was performed using a 32K tiling BAC-array, containing 32,500 BAC clones. The deletion in this patient was size mapped to 2.7 Mb and covered the RAI1 gene. This case enabled the refinement of the SMS minimum deletion to 650 kb containing eight putative genes and one predicted gene. In addition, it demonstrates the importance to investigate deletion of RAI1 in SMS patients.     

HPI毒力岛缺失的EAggEC17-2突变菌株的构建及其功能研究

目的 构建HPI毒力岛缺失的EAggEC17-2突变株，初步研究EAggEC菌株携带的耶尔森菌HPI毒力岛合成铁载体Ybt的功能。方法以EAggEC17-2为出发菌株，irp8基因部分序列作为同源重组的一侧序列，irp5基因序列作为同源重组的另一侧序列，中间插入有氯霉素（Can）抗性基因（cat基因）标记。通过接合转移和同源重组，构建了缺失约24kb的HPI毒力岛功能核心区区域EAggEC17-2的仝岛缺失株EA85。应用流式细胞技术（FACS）检测指示菌株WA-CS irp1：：KN（pC3G3．3N）荧光强度的变化情况，对EA85缺失株和出发菌株进行了合成Ybt的功能比较研究。结果成功构建了EAggEC17-2HPI全岛缺失株EA85。EAggEC17-2菌株具有表达Ybt的功能，而缺失株EA85丧失了合成Ybt的能力。结论EAggEC17-2HPI毒力岛的缺失，使Ybt的合成彻底阻断。EAggEC17-2具有的合成Ybt的功能是由其染色体携带的HPI毒力岛所决定的。     

椎弓根螺钉在骨矿量下降椎体中应用的生物力学研究

目的通过对5种不同型号椎弓根螺钉(U1、U2、SF1、SF2、RF)在脊柱标本中内固定稳定性的生物力学测试,探讨螺钉设计参数、拧紧力矩同骨密度之间的关系,为临床骨质疏松患者应用椎弓根螺钉提供理论依据。方法采集腰椎标本6具,按骨密度ρ分正常组(ρ>1.00g/cm2)、骨矿量下降组(0.90g/cm2<ρ<1.00g/cm2)和骨质疏松组(ρ<0.90g/cm2),应用WD鄄10A万能实验机,测定不同骨密度下螺钉设计参数、拧紧力矩等对椎弓根螺钉内固定稳定性的影响。结果5种不同型号椎弓根螺钉(U1、U2、SF1、SF2、RF)固定的脊柱标本,其拔出力之间存在显著性差异(P<0.05)。骨密度的大小直接影响螺钉内固定的强度(以拔出力的大小衡量),正常组、骨矿量下降组与骨质疏松组之间存在着显著性差异(P<0.05)。椎弓根螺钉内固定的强度与拧紧力矩大小存在正相关关系,与骨密度也存在正相关(r=0.936)。在骨矿量相对下降的标本中,5种螺钉中U2的拔出力最大。结论螺钉的类型、被固定标本的骨密度同固定的稳定性密切相关。骨密度与最大拔出力、拧紧力矩具有正相关性.“U”型钉在对骨矿量下降标本的固定中具有一定优势。     

Mild mental retardation in a child with a de novo interstitial deletion of 15q21.2q22.1: a comparison with previously described cases

We report on a child with mild mental retardation, hypotelorism, blepharophimosis, face slight asymmetry and partial hypoplasia of corpus callosum, with an interstitial deletion of a chromosome 15. The deletion was molecularly characterized by array-CGH and FISH techniques. This rearrangement has a 7.18 Mb extension and maps to 15q21.2q22.1. To date, there have been only six individuals reported with a deletion of 15q21; in three cases, the rearrangement was characterized by molecular cytogenetic techniques. After a comparison with these three cases, it appeared that the deletion we found is one of the smallest and it overlaps the distal portion of the ones taken into account. Finally, we tried to delineate the genotype–phenotype correlation in patients with a deletion of 15q21.     

Cryptic 7q21 and 9p23 deletions in a patient with apparently balanced de novo reciprocal translocation t(7;9)(q21;p23) associated with a dystonia-plus syndrome: paternal deletion of the epsilon-sarcoglycan (<Emphasis Type="Italic">SGCE</Emphasis>) gene

We report on a boy with myoclonus-dystonia (M-D), language delay, and malformative anomalies. Genetic investigations allowed the identification of an apparently balanced de novo reciprocal translocation, t(7;9)(q21;p23). Breakpoint-region mapping using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis of bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clone probes identified microdeletions of 3.7 and 5.2 Mb within 7q21 and 9p23 breakpoint regions, respectively. Genotyping with microsatellite markers showed that deletions originated from paternal alleles. The deleted region on chromosome 7q21 includes a large imprinted gene cluster. SGCE and PEG10 are two maternally imprinted genes. SGCE mutations are implicated in M-D. In our case, M-D is due to deletion of the paternal allele of the SGCE gene. PEG10 is strongly expressed in the placenta and is essential for embryo development. Prenatal growth retardation identified in the patient may be due to deletion of the paternal allele of the PEG10 gene. Other genes in the deleted region on chromosome 7 are not imprinted. Nevertheless, a phenotype can be due to haploinsufficiency of these genes. KRIT1 is implicated in familial forms of cerebral cavernous malformations, and COL1A2 may be implicated in very mild forms of osteogenesis imperfecta. The deleted region on chromosome 9 overlaps with the candidate region for monosomy 9p syndrome. The proband shows dysmorphic features compatible with monosomy 9p syndrome, without mental impairment. These results emphasize that the phenotypic abnormalities of apparently balanced de novo translocations can be due to cryptic deletions and that the precise mapping of these aneusomies may improve clinical management.