Mutation analysis and prenatal diagnosis of FBN1 gene mutations for four patients with Marfan syndrome / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To screen for mutations of fibrillin-1 (FBN1) gene in 4 patients with Marfan syndrome in order to provide prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Potential mutations of the FBN1 gene in the probands were detected with PCR and DNA sequencing. Subsequently, genomic DNA was extracted from amniotic fluid sampled between 18 to 20 weeks gestation. The mutations were confirmed with denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography - robust microsatellite instability (DHPLC-MSI) analysis with maternal DNA as reference. The products were further analyzed by direct sequencing and BLAST search of NCBI database.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>An IVS46+1G>A substitution was identified in patient A at +1 position of intron 46 of the FBN1 gene. Two novel missense mutations were respectively discovered at positions +4453 of intron 35 in patient B (Cys1485Gly) and position +2585 of intron 21 in patient C (Cys862Tyr). In patient D, a novel deletion (c.3536 delA) was found at position +3536 of intron 28. In all of the 4 cases, the same mutations have been identified in the fetuses.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>FBN1 gene analysis can provide accurate diagnosis of Marfan syndrome, which can facilitate both prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling.</p>

Denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with multiplex PCR for rapid detection of large duplications or deletions in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular atrophy / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the value of multiplex PCR-denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (PCR-DHPLC) method for screening large duplications or deletions in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>DNA was extracted from peripheral venous blood samples from 35 DMD and 6 SMA patients. Large duplications or deletions were screened with multiplex PCR coupled with DHPLC method. The results were validated with testing of positive and negative controls.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Known duplications or deletions in all controls were reliably detected with multiple PCR coupled with DHPLC. Large duplications or deletions were found in 71.4% of 35 DMD patients, which included 5 large duplications and 20 large deletions. For SMA patients, deletions of SMN1 exon 7 were detected in 16 samples.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Multiplex PCR coupled with DHPLC method is an effective and reliable method for detecting large genomic duplications or deletions in patients with DMD or SMA.</p>