Kidney surface development in human fetuses: study applied to radiological diagnosis

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the anatomical aspects of the kidney surface in human fetuses during the second gestational trimester. Material and Methods: We studied 108 kidneys obtained from 54 human fetuses (29 males and 25 females). The kidney was dissected and the number of clefts was counted. The renal volume was also assessed. To compare the quantitative data in both sexes, the Students-t-test was used (p < 0.05). Simple linear correlations were calculated for all kidney measurements, according to fetal age. Statistical analysis was performed with the R program (Version 3.5.1). Results: The fetuses ranged in age between 11.4 to 23 weeks post-conception. The renal volume of the right kidney ranged from 0.09 to 2.397 cm (mean=0.8479) and the renal volume of the left kidney ranged from 0.07 to 2.416 cm (mean=0.8036). The mean number of renal clefts in fetuses studied was 15.25 (7 to 28). There was no statistical significant difference in renal clefts between the sides either in males (p = 0.646) or in females (p = 0.698). Also, there was no significant difference in the mean number of renal clefts between male and female fetuses in right kidney (p = 0.948) and in left kidney (p = 0.939). Conclusions: The number of renal clefts has a great variation, weak correlation and no tendency to decrease during the 2nd gestational trimester. The number of clefts in right kidney of total sample and female fetuses has a significant development with age.

Genetic research progress in branchio-oto syndrome/ branchio-oto-renal syndrome / 中南大学学报(医学版)

Branchio-oto syndrome (BOS)/branchio-oto-renal syndrome (BORS) is a kind of autosomal dominant heterogeneous disorder. These diseases are mainly characterized by hearing impairment and abnormal phenotype of ears, accompanied by renal malformation and branchial cleft anomalies including cyst or fistula, with an incidence of 1/40 000 in human population. Otic anormalies are one of the most obvious clinical manifestations of BOS/BORS, including deformities of external, middle, inner ears and hearing loss with conductive, sensorineural or mix, ranging from mild to profound loss. Temporal bone imaging could assist in the diagnosis of middle ear and inner ear malformations for clinicians. Multiple methods including direct sequencing combined with next generation sequencing (NGS), multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA), or array-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) can effectively screen and identify pathogenic genes and/or variation types of BOS/BORS. About 40% of patients with BOS/BORS carry aberrations of EYA1 gene which is the most important cause of BOS/BORS. A total of 240 kinds of pathogenic variations of EYA1 have been reported in different populations so far, including frameshift, nonsense, missense, aberrant splicing, deletion and complex rearrangements. Human Endogenous Retroviral sequences (HERVs) may play an important role in mediating EYA1 chromosomal fragment deletion mutations caused by non-allelic homologous recombination. EYA1 encodes a phosphatase-transactivator cooperated with transcription factors of SIX1, participates in cranial sensory neurogenesis and development of branchial arch-derived organs, then regulates the morphological and functional differentiation of the outer ear, middle ear and inner ear toward normal tissues. In addition, pathogenic mutations of SIX1 and SIX5 genes can also cause BOS/BORS. Variations of these genes mentioned above may cause disease by destroying the bindings between SIX1-EYA1, SIX5-EYA1 or SIX1-DNA. However, the role of SIX5 gene in the pathogenesis of BORS needs further verification.

Síndrome branquio-oto-renal. Presentación de un caso / Branchio-oto-renal syndrome. Case study / Síndrome brânquio-otorrenal. Relato de caso

Resumen: El síndrome branquio-oto-renal (BOR) es un trastorno hereditario autosómico dominante, poco frecuente, que se presenta con expresividad variable y penetrancia reducida, con gran heterogeneidad clínica inter e intrafamiliar. Es causado por alteraciones del desarrollo del oído, riñones y de los segundos arcos branquiales, estructura que en el embrión en desarrollo da origen a tejidos del cuello. Los hallazgos clínicos más comunes son las fístulas o quistes en el cuello, déficit auditivo, malformaciones del oído externo con apéndices u hoyuelos preauriculares y afectación renal uni o bilateral que va de moderada a severa. El síndrome es causado principalmente por mutaciones en el gen EYA1 que actúa como regulador transcripcional durante la embriogénesis, las cuales se detectan en el 40% de los pacientes. Presentamos un caso ilustrativo de síndrome de BOR que se mostró con hallazgos clínicos sugestivos como fositas preauriculares, fístulas branquiales, hipoacusia severa con anomalías anatómicas del oído, compromiso renal y antecedentes familiares. En este paciente se encontró una variante patogénica en el gen EYA1: c.1081C>T (p.Arg361TER). Esta es considerada una variante nula, ya que provoca un codón de terminación prematuro que conduce a una pérdida de la función de la proteína. Dada la expresividad variable del síndrome de BOR, el diagnóstico molecular cobra importancia para evitar errores diagnósticos, iniciar el seguimiento familiar en cascada con el fin de identificar familiares afectados y para implementar medidas preventivas tendientes a disminuir la morbilidad y mortalidad causadas por este síndrome.

Summary: The branchio-oto-renal syndrome (BOR) is an uncommon autosomal dominant genetic disorder with variable expressivity, reduced penetrance and significant clinical and intra-familial heterogeneity. It is caused by alterations in the development of the ears, kidneys and second branchial arches, a structure that in developing embryos produces neck tissue. The most common clinical findings are neck fistulas or cysts, hearing loss, malformations of the outer ear with appendices and/or pre-auricular dimples and unilateral or bilateral moderate to severe renal involvement. The syndrome is mainly caused by mutations in the EYA1 gene that acts as a transcriptional regulator during embryogenesis, and which are detected in 40% of patients. We hereby introduce a representative case of BOR syndrome that showed suggestive clinical findings such as preauricular holes, branchial fistulas, severe hearing loss with anatomical anomalies of the ear, and renal impairment. In this case, we found a pathogenic variant in the EYA1 gene: c.1081C>T (p.Arg361TER). This is considered a null variant, since it causes a premature stop codon that leads to protein function loss. Given the BOR Syndrome variable expressivity, molecular diagnosis is relevant to prevent diagnostic errors, initiate familial cascade screening in order to identify affected relatives and to implement preventive measures aimed at reducing the morbidity and mortality caused by this syndrome.

Resumo: A síndrome branquio-oto-renal (BOR) é uma desordem genética autossômica dominante incomum com expressividade variável, penetrância reduzida e significativa heterogeneidade clínica e intrafamiliar. É causada por alterações no desenvolvimento das orelhas, rins e segundos arcos branquiais, as quais durante o desenvolvimento do embrião produzem tecido no pescoço. Os achados clínicos mais comuns são fístulas ou cistos no pescoço, déficit auditivo, malformações da orelha externa com apêndices e / ou seios pré-auriculares e comprometimento renal moderado a grave unilateral ou bilateral. A síndrome é causada principalmente por mutações no gene EYA1, que atua como regulador da transcrição durante a embriogênese e é detectada em 40% dos pacientes. Introduzimos aqui um caso representativo da síndrome BOR que apresentou achados clínicos sugestivos, como fossas pré-auriculares, fístulas branquiais, perda auditiva grave com anomalias anatômicas da orelha e comprometimento renal. Nesse caso, encontramos uma variante patogênica no gene EYA1: c.1081C> T (p.Arg361TER). Isso é considerado uma variante nula, pois causa um códon de parada prematuro que leva a uma perda da função da proteína. Dada a expressividade variável da síndrome do ROR, o diagnóstico molecular é relevante para evitar erros de diagnóstico, iniciar o rastreamento em cascata familiar, a fim de identificar os familiares afetados e implementar medidas preventivas destinadas a reduzir a morbimortalidade causada pela síndrome.

Prenatal diagnosis of a case with Branchi-oto-renal syndrome / 中华医学遗传学杂志

Objective@#To carry out prenatal diagnosis for a women with Branchio-oto-renal syndrome by using chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA).@*Methods@#Peripheral blood chromosomal karyotyping and CMA were used to analyze the gravida with an abnormal phenotype. Pathological copy number variants (CNVs) were validated in other members of the family members and her fetus.@*Results@#The gravida and her daughter both had Branchio-oto-renal syndrome and a 8q13.3 microdeletion encompassing the EYA1 gene. The same microdeletion was also found in the fetus. No phenotypic or genotypic anomaly was found with other members of the family.@*Conclusion@#Mutation of the EYA1 gene probably underlies the Branchio-oto-renal syndrome in this family, which is consistent with an autosomal dominant inheritance.

Anesthetic management of a patient with branchio-oto-renal syndrome

Branchio-oto-renal syndrome (BOR) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder. The features include branchial cysts, hearing loss, ear malformation, preauricular pits, retrognathia, congenital heart disease, and renal abnormalities. However, anesthetic management of these patients has seldom been reported. We report a case in which general anesthesia was performed for dental treatment in a patient with BOR. Airway management, renal function, and hemodynamic changes can be of critical concern during anesthetic management. A 13-year-old girl diagnosed with BOR had severe right hearing loss, right external ear malformation, renal abnormalities, and postoperative patent ductus arteriosus (PDA). Dental extraction under general anesthesia was scheduled for a supernumerary tooth. The procedure was completed with sufficient urine volume, adequate airway management, and stable hemodynamics.

Anatomical Changes and Audiological Profile in Branchio-oto-renal Syndrome: A Literature Review

Introduction: Branchio-oto-renal (BOR) syndrome is an autosomal-dominant genetic condition with high penetrance and variable expressivity, with an estimated prevalence of 1 in 40,000. Approximately 40% of the patients with the syndrome have mutations in the gene EYA1, located at chromosomal region 8q13.3, and 5% have mutations in the gene SIX5 in chromosome region 19q13. The phenotype of this syndrome is characterized by preauricular fistulas; structural malformations of the external, middle, and inner ears; branchial fistulas; renal disorders; cleft palate; and variable type and degree of hearing loss. Aim: Hearing loss is part of BOR syndrome phenotype. The aim of this study was to present a literature review on the anatomical aspects and audiological profile of BOR syndrome. Data Synthesis Thirty-four studies were selected for analysis. Some aspects when specifying the phenotype of BOR syndrome are controversial, especially those issues related to the audiological profile in which there was variability on auditory standard, hearing loss progression, and type and degree of the hearing loss. Mixed loss was the most common type of hearing loss among the studies; however, there was no consensus among studies regarding the degree of the hearing loss...

A Case of Branchio-Otic Syndrome / 대한이비인후과학회지

Branchio-oto-renal (BOR) syndrome is a clinically heterogeneous autosomal dominant form of syndromic hearing loss characterized by variable hearing impairment, malformations of the pinnae, the presence of branchial arch remnants, and various renal abnormalities. BOR syndrome is caused by mutations in EYA1 and SIX1, which are critical to organogenesis and are expressed together in developing otic, branchial, and renal tissue. Branchio-otic (BO) syndrome comprises branchial fistulas and preauricular pits, but lacks renal anomalies. We present a case of BO syndrome in 30year-old man with a review of the literature.

A Case of Branchio-Oto-Renal Syndrome / 대한이비인후과학회지

The branchio-oto-renal (BOR) syndrome is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disease entity which is characterized by the association of preauricular pits, branchial cleft anomaly, hearing loss and various renal anomalies. The incidence of BOR syndrome is approximately 1 : 40,000 and its genetic pattern of transmission is autosomal dominant. Hearing loss is the most common feature of BOR syndrome and is reported in almost 90% of affected individuals. EYA1, the human homologue of the Drosophila eyes absent gene, has been shown to cause BOR syndrome. We report, with a review of literatures, a female patient with BOR syndrome.

Síndrome brânquio-otorrenal: um importante alerta / Branchio-oto-renal syndrome: an important warning

A síndrome brânquio-otorrenal (SBOR) é uma doença autossômica dominante, provocada por mutações em genes da organogênese humana, principalmente o gene EYA 1. Sua incidência é de 1 em 40.000 recém-nascidos vivos. As manifestações clínicas da SBOR decorrem de transtorno genético e envolvem perda auditiva de condução, neurossensorial ou mista, malformações da orelha externa, média e interna, cistos ou fístulas branquiais e anomalias renais que podem variar de hipoplasia a agenesia renal. O diagnóstico clínico da SBOR se baseia na presença de critérios clínicos. A genética molecular é de grande valor para a confirmação do diagnóstico e para estabelecer o diagnóstico pré-natal. Testes audiométricos completos e exames renais apurados são indicados a fim de mensurar com precisão a extensão dos danos causados pela doença. Sua ampla variabilidade clínica sugere, na literatura, que os diferentes fenótipos dessa síndrome representam, na realidade, grupos heterogêneos de doenças, que fazem diagnóstico diferencial, principalmente, com a síndrome brânquio-otorrenal. O tratamento se limita a reparar os danos causados pela doença, podendo estar indicado o uso de próteses auriculares ou intervenções cirúrgicas otológicas e renais, a fim de melhorar a qualidade de vida dos pacientes. O aconselhamento genético é a melhor forma de prevenção, sendo fundamental no tratamento.

Multiple intracranial aneurysms associated with branchio-oto-dysplasia

Branchio-oto-dysplasia is characterized by abnormalities of embryonic branchial arch system and deafness inherited as autosomal dominant with variable gene expression. We present a rare case of multiple intracranial aneurysms associated with branchio-oto-dysplasia. A 40-yr-old man with severe headache presented as spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage on brain computed tomographic scan. The patient also manifested clinical features of branchio-oto-dysplasia and right hemifacial hypoplasia. Carotid angiogram confirmed an aneurysm in the anterior communicating artery. Intraoperative findings demonstrated multiple aneurysms in the anterior communicating artery and in the left posterior communicating artery, which were clipped successfully. Postoperative course was uneventful. This condition has not been reported previously. We also reviewed literatures to discuss whether the intracranial aneurysm was as a coincidental finding or a part of this malformation.