[A case of micropenis with strong genetic basis]. / Su di un caso di micropene fortemente espresso.

The early hormonotherapy of micropenis takes on a diagnostic significance too. The very good tolerance gives value to this behaviour. The Author shows the condition of a male infant 46,XY eighteen months old; the child appeared with a micropenis completely expressed and resulting from hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. He confirms the good response to hormonotherapy for this child.

Soft tissue sarcoma and the hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) syndrome: formulation of an hypothesis.

Hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is a genetic disorder caused by mutation in one of the mismatch repair (MMR) genes (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2) which predisposes to colorectal cancer and other malignances, that not yet include sarcomas. For sustaining that soft tissue sarcomas could be HNPCC related malignances, we report on a HNPCC patient with leiomyosarcoma and review the English literature. Overall, we report on eleven cases of soft tissue malignant tumors involving HNPCC patients, with a mean age of 34 years at diagnosis of sarcomas. In the majority of these tumors loss of MSH2 expression can be found at immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in 10 patients a germline mutation in one of the MMR genes was found (7 cases were MSH2 defective and 3 cases MLH1 defective). Data for supporting our hypothesis are also experimental, epidemiologic, histopathological: excess of sarcomas in PMS2 defective mice; sporadic soft tissue sarcomas are rare, with mean age at onset of 56 years and normal IHC for MMR proteins. In conclusion, the data collected support the hypothesis that soft tissue sarcomas could be included in the spectrum of tumors that, even if rarely, depend on MMR genes deficiency.

Phenotypic clustering of lamin A/C mutations in neuromuscular patients.

BACKGROUND: Mutations in the LMNA gene, encoding human lamin A/C, have been associated with an increasing number of disorders often involving skeletal and cardiac muscle, but no clear genotype/phenotype correlation could be established to date. METHODS: We analyzed the LMNA gene in a large cohort of patients mainly affected by neuromuscular or cardiac disease and clustered mutated patients in two groups to unravel possible correlations. RESULTS: We identified 28 variants, 9 of which reported for the first time. The two groups of patients were characterized by clinical and genetic differences: 1) patients with childhood onset displayed skeletal muscle involvement with predominant scapuloperoneal and facial weakness associated with missense mutations; 2) patients with adult onset mainly showed cardiac disorders or myopathy with limb girdle distribution, often associated with frameshift mutations presumably leading to a truncated protein. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings, supported by meta-analysis of previous literature, suggest the presence of two different pathogenetic mechanisms: late onset phenotypes may arise through loss of function secondary to haploinsufficiency, while dominant negative or toxic gain of function mechanisms may explain the severity of early phenotypes. This model of patient stratification may help patient management and facilitate future studies aimed at deciphering lamin A/C pathogenesis.

CCM1 gene mutations in families segregating cerebral cavernous malformations.

Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCM) are vascular anomalies, sometimes inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, which can cause strokes and seizures. Recently, mutations of the CCM1 gene (chromosome 7q) have been found in a subset of families. The authors found 10 new mutations by screening 29 families and five seemingly sporadic cases of CCM. The mutations predicted truncation of the Krit1 mRNA encoded by CCM1, supporting the contention that CCM result from loss of Krit1 protein function and the possibility that this protein acts as a tumor suppressor.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 growth charts.

Growth abnormalities such as macrocephaly and short stature have been described and are considered a consistent finding in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), one of the most common autosomal dominant disorders in man. We present here a clinical study on the growth profile of a sample of NF1 patients collected through a population-based registry that covers three contiguous regions of North-East Italy (NEI-NF Registry). Auxometric traits of 528 NF1 patients have been measured with the aim of drawing growth charts for height, weight, and head circumference (OFC). Height velocity charts were based on a subset of 143 children who underwent multiple measurements. No differences in height were apparent between NF1 and normal subjects up to age 7 (girls) and 12 (boys) years; subsequently, the 50th centile of NF1 subjects tends to overlap with the 25th centile of normal subjects, and the 3rd centile is much lower in NF1 subjects than in normal subjects, mainly during adolescence. The negatively skewed distribution of height seems to indicate that height growth impairment affects only a proportion of NF1 subjects; height growth impairment does not seem related to disease severity. As for weight, our data suggest that slight overweight is a characteristic of adult NF1 subjects (mainly among males), independent of disease severity. Height growth velocity is normal during childhood for both sexes, whereas the pubertal spurt is slightly anticipated and reduced in NF1 boys but not in girls. Our data confirm previous observations that macrocrania affects most NF1 subjects; the shape of the head growth curve is similar in NF1 and normal girls, whereas NF1 boys present an OFC pubertal growth spurt much more pronounced and delayed than normal boys. The disproportion between OFC and height seems to be related to disease severity in boys but not in girls. Growth charts presented here can be useful in neurofibromatosis clinics for the identification of the effects of secondary growth disorders, for growth prognosis, and for the evaluation of the effects of a therapy such as GH therapy after radiotherapy for optic glioma.

Rhabdomyosarcoma in a patient with cardio-facio-cutaneous syndrome.

A boy with characteristic facial features, pulmonary valvular stenosis, ectodermal abnormalities, growth failure, and mental retardation was admitted for intestinal occlusion at 20 months of age. Clinical findings were consistent with a diagnosis of cardio-facio-cutaneous syndrome (CFC-s), and a huge abdominal mass was evident on computed tomography scan. A biopsy was performed, and embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma was diagnosed. Molecular analysis was performed by reverse transcription (RT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on tumor RNA to seek the chimerical transcript of the most common soft tissue sarcoma translocations and analyze neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) gene expression. Translocations involving 1;13, 2;13, and 11;22 were not found, and the specific transcripts of the NF1 gene were present. Chemotherapy was implemented, but the child died 7 months later of tumor progression. Few patients with CFC-s have been described, and their follow-up is not well known. The association of CFC-s with rhabdomyosarcoma has not been reported previously, but other neoplasms have been reported in patients with Noonan syndrome, a condition similar to CFC-s. More observations are needed, but this and other reports suggest there could be a higher risk of malignancy in patients with syndromes in the Noonan phenotype category.

Methimazole embryopathy: delineation of the phenotype.

We report on a further case of congenital anomalies in a child exposed to methimazole during the first trimester of pregnancy (from first to seventh gestational week), and define a specific malformation pattern related to prenatal methimazole exposure and consisting of choanal and esophageal atresia, scalp defects, minor facial anomalies and psychomotor delay.

Cardiovascular anomaly in Rieger Syndrome: heterogeneity or contiguity?

PURPOSE: Rieger Syndrome (RS) is an autosomal dominant disease, in which Axenfeld's and Rieger's anomalies are associated with typical facial dysmorphism and other extra-ocular findings. Cardiovascular defects are considered an occasional finding in this syndrome. METHODS: We describe a RS case in which the typical ocular and dysmorphic features were associated with bicuspid aortic valve. A review of the literature is provided. RESULTS: A total of 15 other cases of Axenfeld's or Rieger's anomaly associated with cardiovascular defects have been reported. In the cases in which the diagnosis of RS could be clinically performed, the cardiac defect mostly involved the outflow tract structures. CONCLUSION: The hypothesis that this association could be non-coincidental is discussed. The proved genetic heterogeneity of RS, based on clinical and molecular evidence, may suggest that RS is a contiguous gene syndrome or RS with cardiac defect is a separate entity. Finally we suggest a careful cardiological evaluation in RS patients, to assess the real frequency of cardiac defects in this syndrome.

Mutation producing alternative splicing of exon 26 in the COL1A2 gene causes type IV osteogenesis imperfecta with intrafamilial clinical variability.

We have characterized a familial form of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). Following the identification by ultrasound of short limbs and multiple fractures in a fetus at 25 weeks of gestation, the family was referred with a provisional diagnosis of severe OI. We detected subtle clinical and radiological signs of OI in the father and in the paternal grandmother of the proposita, who had never received a diagnosis of OI. Linkage analysis indicated COL1A2 as the disease locus. Heteroduplex analysis of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) amplification products of pro alpha2(I) mRNA from an affected member and subsequent sequencing of the candidate region demonstrated the presence of normal transcripts and a minority of transcripts lacking exon 26 (54 bp) of COL1A2. Sequencing of PCR-amplified genomic DNA identified an A --> G transition in the moderately conserved +3 position of the IVS 26 donor splice site. The mutant pre-mRNA molecules were alternatively spliced, yielding both full-length and deleted transcripts that represented less than 30% of the total pro alpha2(I) mRNA. The biochemical data on type I collagen synthesized by dermal fibroblasts showed intracellular retention of the mutant protein; failure to detect the shortened alpha2(I) chains either in the medium or in the cell layer may be the consequence of their instability at physiological temperature. These observations justified the mild resulting phenotype.

Family with branchial arch anomalies, hearing loss, ear and commissural lip pits, and rib anomalies. A new autosomal recessive condition: branchio-oto-costal syndrome?

We report on a family in which 3 sibs were affected with conductive deafness, bilateral preauricular and commissural lip pits, monolateral branchial fistula, and rib anomalies. On the basis of parental consanguinity, lack of clinical variability and affected subjects of both sexes, this condition seems to be inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. We suggest that these findings comprise a new autosomal recessive entity of branchial, auricular and costal anomalies, for which we suggest the acronym BOC (branchio-oto-costal) syndrome.

Anesthesiologic problems in Williams syndrome: the CACNL2A locus is not involved.

We present the case of a patient affected with Williams syndrome (WS), who developed a suspected malignant hyperthermia (MH) reaction to general anesthesia. The proximity to the WS region of the gene encoding the L-type voltage-gated calcium channel alpha 2/delta-subunit (CACNL2A) on 7q11.23-q21.1, previously shown to be closely linked to some forms of MH susceptibility, prompted us to investigate whether this gene is deleted in WS. Linkage studies and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis demonstrated that the CACNL2A locus is localized outside the WS deleted region.

Clinical application of genetic polymorphism in neurofibromatosis type 1.

The authors report the study of DNA polymorphic sequences, 5 intragenic and 5 flanking the NF1 gene, in 87 Italian NF1 families for a total of 142 affected individuals and 204 non-affected relatives. All PCR-based analyses are easy and simple to perform, and require small amounts of DNA. The non radioactive method used is sensitive, rapid, and has low background. All subjects were informative for at least 2 markers. The use of linkage study to familial cases allowed us to exclude the diagnosis prenatally in two fetuses, and to confirm or exclude diagnosis in those relatives with clinical signs, but not fulfilling the international diagnostic criteria. Furthermore indirect analysis permitted the detection of large gene deletions by loss of heterozygosity of one or more DNA markers in three out of 47 sporadic cases.

Familial cerebral, hepatic, and retinal cavernous angiomas: a new syndrome.

New, non-invasive neuroradiological techniques [computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR)] have led to reassessment of the incidence of cavernous angioma of the brain (CCA), which is sometimes multiple and associated with cavernomas in other organs. CCA is known to be familial, with dominant autosomal transmission. This paper concerns a family with multiple CCA, sometimes in association with liver angiomas, in ten members belonging to four different generations. These malformations can vary in clinical expression: no neurological symptoms have been detected in subjects from the first or second generations, but they were found in adult age in subjects from the third generation; two fourth-generation patients came under our observation at 2.5 years of age. Symptoms include partial epileptic fits, which sometimes become generalized later and which are generally controlled adequately by therapy. Patients also present paresthesia and occasional motor deficiencies corresponding to CCA bleeding episodes; these symptoms have always abated with medical treatment alone. None of the patients are mentally retarded or restricted in their daily lives. Neuroradiological investigations (CT, MR, angiography) reveal typical multiple brain lesions in all patients. Given the first-generation patient's clinical history of symptomatic hepatomegaly and the postmortem finding of multiple liver and brain cavernomas, liver ultrasonography was performed on all members of the family. Liver angioma was detected in two subjects from the second and third generations. Retinal angioma was detected in one patient with quadrantanopsia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Is visual field reduction a component manifestation of osteopathia striata with cranial sclerosis?

A girl with fully expressed osteopathia striata with cranial sclerosis (OS) was also found to have a contraction of the two visual fields, a sign never previously described in OS syndrome. We suggest that the visual field defect is a component manifestation of OS syndrome, whose pathogenesis is represented by distortion of the optic canal and narrowing of the optic foramina.

Clinical anophthalmia: an epidemiological study in northeast Italy based on 368,256 consecutive births.

We describe an epidemiological and clinical study of Clinical Anophthalmia in a population of consecutive live and stillborns enrolled in a hospital based registry of congenital malformations in Northeast Italy during the period from 1981 to 1989; 22 cases were detected among 368,256 births yielding a birth prevalence of 0.60 per 10,000 (95% CI 0.34-0.84); 20 cases were associated with at least one other major malformation. Malformation syndrome, association, or sequence was diagnosed in 13, while a non-recognizable multiple defect pattern was observed in 7/20 (35%). A chromosomal anomaly was present in eight syndromic cases. No significant trend over time, nor space or time clusters, were detected. As most CAn cases are associated with other anomalies recognizable by ultrasound, a decreasing trend in its prevalence at birth is expected in the future.