Chimeric CYP21A1P/CYP21A2 genes identified in Czech patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) comprises a group of autosomal recessive disorders caused by an enzymatic deficiency which impairs the biosynthesis of cortisol and, in the majority of severe cases, also the biosynthesis of aldosterone. Approximately 95% of all CAH cases are caused by mutations in the steroid 21-hydroxylase gene (CYP21A2). The CYP21A2 gene and its inactive pseudogene (CYP21A1P) are located within the HLA class III region of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) locus on chromosome 6p21.3. In this study, we describe chimeric CYP21A1P/CYP21A2 genes detected in our patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21OHD). Chimeric CYP21A1P/CYP21A2 genes were present in 171 out of 508 mutated CYP21A2 alleles (33.8%). We detected four types of chimeric CYP21A1P/CYP21A2 genes: three of them have been described previously as CH-1, CH-3, CH-4, and one type is novel. The novel chimeric gene, termed CH-7, was detected in 21.4% of the mutant alleles. Possible causes of CYP21A1P/CYP21A2 formation are associated with 1) high recombination rate in the MHC locus, 2) high recombination rate between highly homologous genes and pseudogenes in the CYP21 gene area, and 3) the existence of chi-like sequences and repetitive minisatellite consensus sequences in CYP21A2 and CYP21A1P which play a role in promoting genetic recombination.

Mutation analysis of the ATP7B gene and genotype/phenotype correlation in 227 patients with Wilson disease.

Wilson disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disorder of copper transport. WD patients are presenting with a wide range of heterogeneous clinical syndromes including hepatic, neurological, or psychiatric presentations. The disease is caused by mutations in the ATP7B gene. This study presents the results of comprehensive mutation analysis in 227 WD patients from 200 unrelated families (173 from Czech Republic and 27 from Slovakia). More than 80% of all mutant alleles were identified, using a combination of PCR/RFLP, DGGE, TTGE, DHPLC, and sequencing. A total of 40 different mutations and 18 polymorphisms were detected on 400 independent mutant chromosomes. The most common molecular defect was H1069Q (57% of all 400 studied alleles). Each of the other 39 mutations was present in no more than 4% of WD alleles and 23 mutations were found in only one WD allele each (0.25%). Thirteen novel mutations were identified, including seven missense mutations (L641S, T737R, D918E, T1033S, G1111D, D1271N, and G1355C), four small deletions (19_20delCA, 1518_1522del5, 3140delA, and 3794_3803del10), and two splice-site mutations (2446-2A>G, 2865+1G>A). We did not find a significant correlation between H1069Q homozygosity and age of onset, and clinical and biochemical manifestation. Our data provide evidence that the H1069Q mutation-the most common molecular defect of the ATP7B gene in the Caucasian population-originates from Central/Eastern Europe. Screening of five prevalent mutations is predicted to reveal 70% of all mutant alleles presented in WD patients. This will provide a good starting point for early clinical classification of WD in our population.