Segmental Monosomy Research Articles

A clinical case of inverted duplication with terminal deletion of the short arm of chromosome 5

The 5p inverted duplication deletion syndrome, also known as inv dup del 5p, is a rare genetic disorder with a prevalence of below 1:1 000 000, whose underlying abnormality lies in a segmental trisomy and simultaneous segmental monosomy of the short arm of chromosome 5. The syndrome was first described by A. Kleczkowska et al. in 1987. According to the literature, large duplications of the chromosome 5 short arm are associated with pronounced phenotypic manifestations, delayed speech and mental development, as well as congenital cardiac, brain and musculoskeletal malformations. We present a description of a clinical case of extended inverted duplication with deletion of the chromosome 5 short arm in a girl with a mild phenotype and no visceral or musculoskeletal abnormalities; we also discuss the pathogenetic mechanisms of chromosomal rearrangement, and conduct a comparative analysis of phenotypic manifestations based on the available literature. Comprehensive molecular cytogenetic assessments have demonstrated that the duplicated site has a length of 29 Mb (5p13.3p15.33), and the deleted site of the subtelomeric region distal to 5p15.33 has a length of 110 kb.

Copy Number Variants Associated with 14 Cases of Self-Injurious Behavior.

Copy number variants (CNVs) were detected and analyzed in 14 probands with autism and intellectual disability with self-injurious behavior (SIB) resulting in tissue damage. For each proband we obtained a clinical history and detailed behavioral descriptions. Genetic anomalies were observed in all probands, and likely clinical significance could be established in four cases. This included two cases having novel, de novo copy number variants and two cases having variants likely to have functional significance. These cases included segmental trisomy 14, segmental monosomy 21, and variants predicted to disrupt the function of ZEB2 (encoding a transcription factor) and HTR2C (encoding a serotonin receptor). Our results identify variants in regions previously implicated in intellectual disability and suggest candidate genes that could contribute to the etiology of SIB.

Generation of the Sotos syndrome deletion in mice

Haploinsufficiency of the human 5q35 region spanning the NSD1 gene results in a rare genomic disorder known as Sotos syndrome (Sotos), with patients displaying a variety of clinical features, including pre- and postnatal overgrowth, intellectual disability, and urinary/renal abnormalities. We used chromosome engineering to generate a segmental monosomy, i.e., mice carrying a heterozygous 1.5-Mb deletion of 36 genes on mouse chromosome 13 (4732471D19Rik-B4galt7), syntenic with 5q35.2–q35.3 in humans (Df(13)Ms2Dja +/− mice). Surprisingly Df(13)Ms2Dja +/− mice were significantly smaller for their gestational age and also showed decreased postnatal growth, in contrast to Sotos patients. Df(13)Ms2Dja +/− mice did, however, display deficits in long-term memory retention and dilation of the pelvicalyceal system, which in part may model the learning difficulties and renal abnormalities observed in Sotos patients. Thus, haploinsufficiency of genes within the mouse 4732471D19Rik–B4galt7 deletion interval play important roles in growth, memory retention, and the development of the renal pelvicalyceal system.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s00335-012-9416-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Buffering and proteolysis are induced by segmental monosomy in Drosophila melanogaster

Variation in the number of individual chromosomes (chromosomal aneuploidy) or chromosome segments (segmental aneuploidy) is associated with developmental abnormalities and reduced fitness in all species examined; it is the leading cause of miscarriages and mental retardation and a hallmark of cancer. However, despite their documented importance in disease, the effects of aneuploidies on the transcriptome remain largely unknown. We have examined the expression effects of seven heterozygous chromosomal deficiencies, both singly and in all pairwise combinations, in Drosophila melanogaster. The results show that genes in one copy are buffered, i.e. expressed more strongly than the expected 50% of wild-type level, the buffering is general and not influenced by other monosomic regions. Furthermore, long genes are significantly more highly buffered than short genes and gene length appears to be the primary determinant of the buffering degree. For short genes the degree of buffering depends on expression level and expression pattern. Furthermore, the results show that in deficiency heterozygotes the expression of genes involved in proteolysis is enhanced and negatively correlates with the degree of buffering. Thus, enhanced proteolysis appears to be a general response to aneuploidy.

Insertional translocation detected using FISH confirmation of array‐comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) results

Insertional translocations (ITs) are rare events that require at least three breaks in the chromosomes involved and thus qualify as complex chromosomal rearrangements (CCR). In the current study, we identified 40 ITs from approximately 18,000 clinical cases (1:500) using array-comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) in conjunction with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) confirmation of the aCGH findings, and parental follow-up studies. Both submicroscopic and microscopically visible IT events were detected. They were divided into three major categories: (1) simple intrachromosomal and interchromosomal IT resulting in pure segmental trisomy, (2) complex IT involving more than one abnormality, (3) deletion inherited from a parent with a balanced IT resulting in pure segmental monosomy. Of the cases in which follow-up parental studies were available, over half showed inheritance from an apparently unaffected parent carrying the same unbalanced rearrangement detected in the propositi, thus decreasing the likelihood that these IT events are clinically relevant. Nevertheless, we identified six cases in which small submicroscopic events were detected involving known disease-associated genes/genomic segments and are likely to be pathogenic. We recommend that copy number gains detected by clinical aCGH analysis should be confirmed using FISH analysis whenever possible in order to determine the physical location of the duplicated segment. We hypothesize that the increased use of aCGH in the clinic will demonstrate that IT occurs more frequently than previously considered but can identify genomic rearrangements with unclear clinical significance.

Trisomy represses ApcMin -mediated tumours in mouse models of Down’s syndrome

Epidemiological studies spanning more than 50 yr reach conflicting conclusions as to whether there is a lower incidence of solid tumours in people with trisomy 21 (Down's syndrome). We used mouse models of Down's syndrome and of cancer in a biological approach to investigate the relationship between trisomy and the incidence of intestinal tumours. Apc(Min)-mediated tumour number was determined in aneuploid mouse models Ts65Dn, Ts1Rhr and Ms1Rhr. Trisomy for orthologues of about half of the genes on chromosome 21 (Hsa21) in Ts65Dn mice or just 33 of these genes in Ts1Rhr mice resulted in a significant reduction in the number of intestinal tumours. In Ms1Rhr, segmental monosomy for the same 33 genes that are triplicated in Ts1Rhr resulted in an increased number of tumours. Further studies demonstrated that the Ets2 gene contributed most of the dosage-sensitive effect on intestinal tumour number. The action of Ets2 as a repressor when it is overexpressed differs from tumour suppression, which requires normal gene function to prevent cellular transformation. Upregulation of Ets2 and, potentially, other genes involved in this kind of protective effect may provide a prophylactic effect in all individuals, regardless of ploidy.

Proportional growth failure and oculocutaneous albinism in a girl with a 6.87 Mb deletion of region 15q26.2→qter

We report on an 8 1/ 2-year-old girl with severe pre- and postnatal growth retardation, congenital heart malformation, facial asymmetry, oculocutaneous albinism without misrouting and subluxation of the radial heads. Her intelligence was in the low normal range. By GTG-banding a deletion of band 15q26 was found. Array-CGH, using a 3783 BAC array, revealed a segmental monosomy of the 15(q26.2→qter) region, which was narrowed down to a 6.87 Mb deletion by using the Illumina Infinium 317 K SNP array system, and subsequently confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) analysis. The deletion appeared to have arisen de novo. The IGF1R (insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor) and the NR2F2 genes were situated within, but the OCA2 (oculocutaneous albinism II) gene (formerly called the P gene) was located outside the deleted region. Clinical findings in our patient were compared with previously reported cases carrying terminal deletions of 15q26.2. This allowed us to expand the clinical phenotype of terminal 15q26.2 deletions and to indicate candidate genes for several phenotypic features.

Mutations of the Mitochondrial Holocytochrome c–Type Synthase in X-Linked Dominant Microphthalmia with Linear Skin Defects Syndrome

The microphthalmia with linear skin defects syndrome (MLS, or MIDAS) is an X-linked dominant male-lethal disorder almost invariably associated with segmental monosomy of the Xp22 region. In two female patients, from two families, with MLS and a normal karyotype, we identified heterozygous de novo point mutations--a missense mutation (p.R217C) and a nonsense mutation (p.R197X)--in the HCCS gene. HCCS encodes the mitochondrial holocytochrome c-type synthase that functions as heme lyase by covalently adding the prosthetic heme group to both apocytochrome c and c(1). We investigated a third family, displaying phenotypic variability, in which the mother and two of her daughters carry an 8.6-kb submicroscopic deletion encompassing part of the HCCS gene. Functional analysis demonstrates that both mutant proteins (R217C and Delta 197-268) were unable to complement a Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant deficient for the HCCS orthologue Cyc3p, in contrast to wild-type HCCS. Moreover, ectopically expressed HCCS wild-type and the R217C mutant protein are targeted to mitochondria in CHO-K1 cells, whereas the C-terminal-truncated Delta 197-268 mutant failed to be sorted to mitochondria. Cytochrome c, the final product of holocytochrome c-type synthase activity, is implicated in both oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and apoptosis. We hypothesize that the inability of HCCS-deficient cells to undergo cytochrome c-mediated apoptosis may push cell death toward necrosis that gives rise to severe deterioration of the affected tissues. In summary, we suggest that disturbance of both OXPHOS and the balance between apoptosis and necrosis, as well as the X-inactivation pattern, may contribute to the variable phenotype observed in patients with MLS.

The genetic implication for preceding generations of the prenatal diagnosis of interrupted aortic arch in association with unsuspected DiGeorge anomaly

We present a case of prenatally diagnosed interrupted aortic arch with a ventricular septal defect in the presence of maternal congenital heart disease, which led to the detection of segmental monosomy of chromosome 22q11.2 in both patients. The implications of detecting a microdeletion and the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to prenatal diagnosis and counseling are discussed.

A ring chromosome in man.

THE known chromosomal abnormalities in man comprise mainly whole chromosome and segmental monosomy and trisomy. Ring chromosomes have been described in tumour stem lines1,2 and in normal tissues following irradiation3. Recently a ring X-chromosome has been reported in a female with gonadal dysgenesis4. A self-perpetuating ring chromosome is now described in a mentally and physically retarded but pubertal male. A full clinical description of the case is being published elsewhere5.