A boy with overgrowth caused by multi-locus imprinting disturbance including hypomethylation of MEST:alt-TSS-DMR

Abstract

Most imprinting disorders (IDs) entail growth abnormalities. Some patients with IDs caused by epimutation have multi-locus imprinting disturbance (MLID) showing aberrant methylation patterns in multiple differentially methylated regions (DMRs). Patients with MLID often have typical ID-specific symptoms. However, certain MLID cases have only non-specific symptoms, and it is necessary to clarify the association between their clinical features and the affected DMRs. We report a case of MLID presenting with overgrowth and temporarily impaired glucose tolerance. Genome-wide methylation analysis for the DMRs revealed hypomethylation of PLAGL1:alt-TSS-DMR, MEST:alt-TSS-DMR, and other DMRs. Because no MEST expression and increased PLAGL1 expression cause growth failure and transient neonatal diabetes mellitus, hypomethylation of MEST:alt-TSS-DMR and PLAGL1:alt-TSS-DMR may have caused overgrowth and temporary impaired glucose tolerance in our case. In cases with multiple non-specific ID-related symptoms, such as growth abnormalities, psychomotor developmental delay, and mild glucose metabolic disorders, multi-locus methylation analysis needs to be considered.