ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To identify the genetic defect in the FZD4 gene responsible for familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) in a Japanese family. DESIGN: Interventional case report. METHODS: Complete ophthalmologic examinations were performed, and the FZD4 gene was analyzed by direct genomic sequencing. RESULTS: Fundus examination of a 13-year-old Japanese girl who had had esotropia and exudative retinal detachment at 3 years exhibited peripheral avascular areas bilaterally, a dragged disk, and retinal holes unilaterally. In contrast, her asymptomatic father had only bilateral avascular areas in the peripheral retina. Molecular genetic analysis revealed that both the proband and her father had a heterozygous missense mutation of A to G at 1026 bp of the FZD4 gene (Met342Val). CONCLUSIONS: A novel mutation in the FZD4 gene was identified in Japanese patients with FEVR. Our observations support the hypothesis that the FZD4-associated FEVR might represent a milder form than that associated with other genetic origins.
Subject(s)
Eye Diseases, Hereditary/genetics , Mutation, Missense , Proteins/genetics , Retinal Diseases/genetics , Vitreous Body , Adolescent , Codon, Nonsense/genetics , DNA Mutational Analysis , Eye Diseases, Hereditary/pathology , Female , Frizzled Receptors , Humans , Japan , Pedigree , Receptors, Cell Surface/genetics , Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled , Retinal Diseases/pathologyABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To describe a Japanese patient with lattice corneal dystrophy type I (LCD I) who lacked the typical lattice lines. DESIGN: Interventional case report. METHODS: A complete ophthalmologic examination was performed on a 54-year-old woman, and the TGFBI gene was analyzed by direct genomic sequencing. RESULTS: The patient had diffuse opacification of the central corneal stroma but without lattice lines and corneal epithelial erosions bilaterally. Molecular genetic analysis identified a lattice corneal dystrophy I-associated heterozygous missense alteration (C417T) that changed arginine in codon 124 to cysteine (R124C) in the TGFBI gene. CONCLUSIONS: The cornea of the patient appeared to represent late-stage lattice corneal dystrophy I, which suggests the existence of interactions of modifier genes, environmental factors during corneal aging, or both. The molecular genetic analysis of TGFBI can offer rapid, accurate diagnosis of patients with atypical corneal appearance.
