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Background: Increased frequency of chromosomal aberration in children of mothers aged 35 years and older is very well known and since 1973 it is an indication to investigate the foetal karyotype in cells obtained by invasive method (amniocentesis), because the genetic risk of severe affection is higher than the risk of necessary invasive method. Mutagenic effect of advanced paternal age is known only among geneticists (1-4). The reason is not only low absolute risk of new mutation but particularly a high number of involved genes and last not least the limited spectrum of autosomal dominant disorders without abiotrofic character. Therefore the preventive methods for elimination of this risk are very limited. Only a few of them could be recognized prenatally by noninvasive methods of prenatal diagnostics., Methods: Genealogical, anamnestic and clinical data of 83 patients were studied with clinical suspection on neurocardiofaciocutaneous syndrome (NCFCs) (5-7). The diagnosis has not been confirmed in 29 patients, no mutation was detected in 8 investigated genes (PTPN11, SOS1, HRAS, BRAF, RAF1, MEK1, KRAS, NRAS). In 54 patients with autosomal dominant inherited Noonan syndrome, Costello syndrome and cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome the diagnosis was confirmed on DNA level and the biological fitness was estimated for each disorder. Paternal age at conception was compared in the group of patients with familial and sporadic occurrence of Noonan and NCFC syndromes. The clinical prognosis of this disorder is represented by biological fitness of patients. Coefficient of selection is 0,6 in Noonan and LEOPARD syndromes (29 from 48). All 6 patients with Costello and cardiofaciocutaneous syndromes developed due to a new mutation., Conclusion: Paternal age at birth was studied in 83 children patients with autosomal dominant Neurocardiofaciocutaneous syndrome (Noonan, LEOPARD, Costello, CFC) with a high population incidence and decreased biological fitness. Due to severe congenital heart defects, failure to thrive in infancy, increased risk for malignancy and further health problems the clinical prognosis of patients in the past was not good. Therefore high mutation rate is expected until now. Identification of genes responsible for manifestation of this disorder, enables to confirm the diagnosis and to recognize inherited and de novo mutations. Genealogy and DNA analysis of PTPN11, SOS1, HRAS, BRAF, RAF1, MEK1, KRAS and NRAS were obtained in cohort of 54 patients with NCFC syndromes and their parents. There were 48 patients with Noonan and LEOPARD syndromes, in 29 cases due to mutation de novo, 19 patients inherited the mutation from one of parents. All 6 patients with Costello syndrome and CFC syndrome were affected due to new mutation. DNA analysis revealed 32 mutations in PTPN11 gene, mutation in SOS1 gene was found in 10 patients, RAF1 mutation was present in 3 patients; mutation in MEK1, KRAS and NRAS genes was present in one patient each. In Costello syndrome and CFC syndrome mutations in HRAS (4 patients) and BRAF (2 patients) genes were detected. Genealogic data allow analysing parental age in the group of patients with new mutation and inherited mutation. Paternal age at conception of patients with Noonan syndrome due to new mutation was significantly increased in comparison to the group of fathers of Noonan patients with inherited mutation - 38,4 years and 29,6 years, resp., range 28 to 55 years and 25 to 35 years, resp. Maternal age was slightly increased too, -30,9 and 27,7, resp. and range 24 to 42 years and 21 to 36 years, resp. but not significantly. The results support the mutagenic effect of paternal age, espec. autosomal dominant mutations.

Background: Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS) is one of the chromosomal instability syndromes due to DNA repair disorder. The syndrome is autosomal recessive determined, in homozygotes is characterized by many disorders including high predisposition to lymphoreticular malignancy in childhood and adolescence., Methods: Laboratory findings represent low level of immunoglobulins, B and T lymphocytes, increased sensitivity to the mutagens, especially hyperradiosensitivity and increased chromosomal instability. Heterozygotes show also elevated radiosensitivity and have an increased cancer risk in adult age. There is no predilection of the malignancy. Colorectal cancer was found often among the relatives of patients with NBS. Majority of the NBS patients are of the Central and Eastern European origin and carry the common founder mutation 657del5 in the NBN gene. The formation of second malignancy both in homozygotes and heterozygotes can be prevented by excluding any radiation. The aim of study is estimation of frequency of 657del5 heterozygotes among patients with colorectal cancer., Results and Conclusions: Within a group of 161 patients with colorectal cancer 5 heterozygotes with 657del5 mutation were registered, e.g. 5-times higher incidence than expected. The elemental prevention in patients with proved positivity of Slavic mutation in NBN gene is to exclude any radiation.

Background: The autosomal recessive chromosomal instability and hyperradiosensitivity Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS) in consequence of a mutation in the NBSI gene at 8q21 is associated with high occurrence of lymphoreticular malignancies due to deficient DNA reparation (double strand breaks). In the Slavic population the majority of patients are homozygotes of the so-called "Slavic mutation" 657de15 in exon 6. Increased occurrence of malignant solid tumors (1) in families of NBS patients has been described already prior to the identification of the responsible gene, and the increased risk of malignancies in heterozygotes was thus hypothetical., Methods and Results: The possibility of discerning mutation carriers in families from normal homozygotes enables verification of that hypothesis. Through molecular genetics investigations of grandparents and immediate relatives, we have been successful in determining the genotype in 79 of 112 grandparents in 28 families of our 39 patients and 54 their parents and siblings. A single family had affected children in consequence of compound heterozygosity of the 657de15 and R215W mutations in the same exon of the NBSI gene. The proband's families were investigated genealogically and data on relatives were obtained over four generations. Obtained data were repeatedly supplemented and objectively verified in church books and in healthcare documentation. Seven families have been followed up for 20-30 years, six families for 10-20 years, and 15 families for 1-10 years. Out of 28 families we were successful in examining the genotype of both grandparents in 18 families, there having been revealed one non-paternity; in five families only one of the grandparents has been examined; in five families we were not successful in examining any grandparent. Among 40 grandparents - normal homozygotes, there has appeared a malignancy in three (7.4 %), while among 39 heterozygotes of mutation 657de15 in the NBSI gene malignancies were documented in 15 (38,2 %). Mean age of NBS heterozygotes at manifestation of malignancy was 59.3 year (range 47-72 years), in the group of homozygotes it was 52.6 years (range 44-62 years). Nine grandparents died of malignancy prior to the discovery of the NBSI gene and their genotype has been deduced genealogically in seven on the basis of the genotype in the sponse and children, in two from preserved DNA. Out of that number, from three grandparents that had died of malignancies we were successful in obtaining neoplastic tissue for molecular genetics investigation, aimed at LOH or amplification of the NBS1 gene. In another seven grandparents - heterozygotes, malignancies were manifested after determination of their genotype by DNA analysis, and consequently also from tumor tissue that has been obtained from three of them for molecular genetic investigation., Conclusions: The age distribution and socio-economic status of both groups of grandparents did not differ, the sex ratio was slightly shifted towards females in the group of homozygotic grandparents (22 females and 18 males), and in the group of heterozygotes it was towards males (21 males and 18 females). The sex ratio between heterozygotic grandparents with malignancies was likewise shifted towards the male gender (11 males and 4 females), in the group of homozygotic grandparents malignancy affected one male and two females. As verified in healthcare and church books documentation, the occurrence of malignancies was significantly more frequent among grandparents heterozygotic for NBS1 mutation than in healthy homozygotes. Among sibs of grandparents and great-grandparents was found significant difference in frequency of malignancies in heterozygotes (5/18 = 27,7 %) and healthy homozygotes (2/36 = 5,5 %), too.

Background: Mutations 657del5 and R215W in exon 6 of tumor suppressor gene NBS I are found in 1% Slavic populations. Increased occurrence of cancer was repeatedly reported in adult relatives of patients with Nijmegen breakage syndrome. Among children with oncological problematic, nonsignificantly increased frequency of NBS1 heterozygotes was found, which seems not to play any important role in cancerogenesis in childhood. However, the proportion of NBS heterozygotes among adult patients with malignancies could be significant and their therapy and follow up should respect their hyperradiosensitivity., Methods and Results: Mutations in exon were studied in 706 adult patients with malignancies. We found 5 NBS heterozygotes, which not more than the population prevalence (1:129-165). Increased frequency of NBS heterozygotes was found among patients with colon and rectal cancer (2/101), breast cancer (1/60), skin malignancies (1/98)., Conclusions: Surprisingly only one NBS heterozygote was found among 228 patients with nonHodgkin lymphoma, the malignancy which is a common complication in NBS homozygotes. Other types of malignancies were uncommon and only one R215W heterozygote was found. Comparison frequency of NBS heterozygotes with incidence NBS among person older than 70 years shows significant difference. Prevention of malignancies by avoidance from ionisation could be realized also in relatives of patients after identification of their genotype.

Background: The autosomal recessive Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS) is a DNA repair disorder due to a mutation in the NBS1 gene on 8q21. Hyperradiosensitivity and high risk for lymphoreticular malignancy are important reasons for early diagnosis and prevention by avoidance of ionisation. The frequency of NBS heterozygotes of the mutation 657de15, which is predominant in the Slavic population was estimated to be in the range of 1:90-1:314 in different parts of Poland, and 1:128-154 among Czech newborns, born 20 years ago., Methods and Results: Lower prevalence of affected homozygotes born in Czechoslovakia in the period 1969- 1992 (24 among 5.2 million newborns corresponds to 1:271000) than expected on the basis of carrier frequency is explained to be due to underdiagnosing because the rate of prenatal lethality in the NBS families is not increased or it is even lower than in the general population. The underdiagnosing of NBS is emphasized also by the mean age at diagnosis (7.5 years) although severe microcephaly is present at birth. The possibility to offer effective prevention of primary and secondary malignancies becomes the motivation for interdisciplinary collaboration with paediatricians, neurologists, immunologists and clinical geneticists. A decrease of the mean age down to 6 months at diagnosis among the 11 newly recognized patients has been achieved in the previous 4 years. The occurrence of homozygotes was relatively higher in Slovakia with 5 million inhabitants (14 patients in 11 families) than in the Czech Republic with a population of 10 million (21 patients in 14 families), and therefore the frequency of NBS heterozygotes was studied among 2996 newborns born in 2002-2003 in 12 maternity hospitals of west, middle and east Slovakia. Surprisingly, only 3 heterozygotes were found., Conclusions: This discrepancy of heterozygote frequency and the number of homozygotes shows that due to traditional subisolates the population is not in the genetic equilibrium. It explains the high prevalence of alcaptonuria in Slovakia in the middle of last century, which is a rare disorder in other countries.

Genomic imprinting is one of epigenetic factors, which influences expression of genes. It represents specific marking of some chromosome segments depending on the parental origin of the mutation. Imprinted genes are for some time inactive; such period varies in different developmental stage and in different tissues. Such inactivation is manifested as expriming genes and represents an exception to the 3rd Mendel's rule. In the last 10 years, a large group of disorders was recognised, the clinical manifestation of which depends on the parental origin of the mutation, such as Albright's hereditary osteodystrophy, progressive osseous hyperplasia. Curschmann-Steinert myotonic dystrophy, Huntington disease, Beckwith-Wiedemann EMG syndrome, Silver-Russell syndrome, Angelman syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome. Genomic imprinting contributes to the clarification of mechanisms of the variable expressivity, incomplete penetration, generation anticipation etc.

A novel type of mutation--due to expansion of DNA trinucleotide repeats--has been discovered about 10 years ago. Nowadays 15 genetic syndromes and diseases caused by these mutations are known such as FRA X A syndrome, FRA X E syndrome, Kennedy syndrome spinobulbare muscle atrophy, Curschmann-Steinert syndrome of myotonic dystrophia, Huntington disease, Friedreich ataxia, spinocerebellare ataxias types I., II., III., VI., VII., VIII., XII. and Taylor's oculopharyngeal muscle dystrophy. The mutations of instable trinucleotids represent some exceptions from the regular monogenic transmission such as premutation, genomic imprinting, generation anticipation (acceleration, accentuation), somatic mosaicism. A good understanding of their special properties is necessary for efficient interdisciplinar collaboration of medical teams taking care for these patients and their families.

1) Mosaicism results from the mutation in part of somatic cells after the fertilization, only a few cases occur due to mutation during meiosis. Mosaicism is characterized by genetic or functional difference of two or more cell lines in one individual from one zygote. 2) Phenotypical variety is high and depends on the proportion of cell lines of individual clones. 3) Clinical prognosis of mosaic individuum is better in comparison to the full mutation in all cells. 4) The genetic prognosis of reproduction in relatives of the mosaic individuum is without increased recurrent risk, genetic prognosis of own offspring depends on the moment of mutation occurrence--wheit occurs before day 16 to 20 when gonadal cells are differentiated, it represents high risk of transmission. 5) Diagnosis of mixoploids in some cases requests investigation of different cells (fibroblasts, lymphocytes). 6) Clinical "signal" features of the mosaic are hemihypertrophy, asymmetry, Blaschko lines, pigmentations. 7) Risk of malignant tumor is increased, similarly to other chromosomal aberrations, chromosomal instability or hamartomatoses. 8) Mosaics of gene mutation have usually normal mental development and are manifested by external abnormalities only. 9) Incidence of mosaic phenotypes is high and therefore the diagnosis of mixoploids and gene mosaic is important for the estimation of clinical as well as genetic prognosis.

New high-resolution cytogenetical technique identified an increased number of terminal, interstitial and subtelomeric microdeletion as the etiology of many syndromes of multiple congenital anomalies, mental retardation and facial dysmorphy. A loss of contiguous genes shows a high phenotypical variability and at the same time it is significant for genetic prognosis. 1) Variability of clinical features depends on the size and pathogenetic mechanism of underlying deletion; 2) Dysmorphic face features are of a characteristic type and can be somatoscopically recognized; 3) Heart defects and mental retardation are common features of microdeletion syndromes; 4) New mutations represent the most common etiology of microdeletions; only 1 to 10% of mutations are transmitted from the parental gonadal mosaics, from the balanced translocation or from the same microdeletion in parents; 5) Recurrence risk is low, but it may be as high as 50% in individual cases of inherited mutation; 6) Genetic heterogeneity is high and the responsible genes can be located at different chromosomes (e.g. Di George syndrome due to mutation on 22q or 10q) and can also result from microdeletion or point mutation (in the Shprintzen syndrome 70% represent microdeletion and 30% point mutation at 22q11, in Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome 10% cases result from microdeletions and 90% from point mutations); 7) Population incidence of microdeletions is high (1:4000 to 1:30,000) because their etiologic mechanism is related to the common unequal crossing over; 8) Imprinting plays a role in some cases, e.g. Prader-Willi syndrome results from nullisomy of paternal 15q12 chromosome, Angelman syndrome is related to that of maternal 15q12 chromosome; 9) Prenatal prevention of the high risk familial chromosomal rearrangements is feasible since the 12th gestation week.

Syndromology belongs to diagnostic methods based on the analysis of phenotypic (clinical or anatomical--dysmorphics) features, which occur very often together and have a common etiology (e.g. teratogenic embryopathy, numerical and structural chromosomal aberrations or gene mutations). In the phenotype analysis important appear so-called signal features, which enable to narrow the range of possible disorders for the differential diagnosis of the assumptive diseases.

We refer 55 cases of the chromosomal instability syndromes (SCI), diagnosed in patients of our genetical clinics. Problems of early diagnosis can be documented by a discrepancy between the expected number of patients and their relative advanced age at the time when SCI was ascertained. We have also shown that NBS patients can be diagnosed earlier and the disease sufficiently confirmed on the basis of congenital microcephaly and on the direct detection of 657de15 mutation in NBS1 gene. Genealogical analysis of families with SCI revealed a low risk of prenatal selection of affected homozygotes and high cancer prevalence in relative (in NBS families recognized heterozygotes) at young adult age. Due to severe DNA repair disorder and hyperradiosensitivity of affected homozygotes as well as unaffected heterozygotes, conventional diagnostics and treatment protocols of lymphoreticular malignancies in affected homozygotes are prohibited. The use of Nijmegen treatment protocol improved in our patients dramatically their clinical prognosis, which is documented by 6 NBS patients surviving one or two malignancies. Early diagnose of SCI and information for families and their doctors about consequences of DNA repair disorder and about their hyperradiosensitivity is essential for improving the clinical prognosis of SCI patients.

Background: Fragile X syndrome is gonosomal recessive mental retardation with the frequency 1:1000 in male population. Fragile X syndrome is caused by amplification of CGG repeat in 1. exon of FMT-1 gene. The aim of this study was to set up and validate a rapid and efficient PCR diagnosis to select FRAXA negative patients in population of mental retarded patients., Methods and Results: In the set up phase of the method, 196 patients were diagnosed. We were using modified radioactive PCR of CGG. Obtained PCR fragments were separated on 6% denaturing PAGE. Results were correlated with Southern blot analysis using pE5.1 probe. STR-PCR was verified on a large set of patients and shows validity and efficiency of results in the case of pre- and full mutations in male hemizygous patients too. For estimation of carriers with pre- and full mutation by females modified diagnostic approach was developed. There was no difference found between results from PCR and Southern blot analysis., Conclusions: The PCR method is convenient not only for selection of FRAXA negative patients, but for diagnosis of full mutation and premutation of affected probands.

Background: The tumour suppressor gene p53 is exhibits somatic mutations in a high proportion of human tumours. In addition, there are cancer families suffering from the Li-Fraumeni syndrome, the members of which carry germ line mutations in this gene. The carriers of the p53 germ line mutations have a high risk of developing tumours. The genetic diagnosis of carriership of the mutation in the tumour family members is important for preventive measures and for eventual tumour therapy modification., Methods and Results: We have developed a method for the detection of germ line mutations in the p53 gene based on non-radioactive SSCP and direct sequencing of PCR products. We have proved the efficiency of the method by finding known mutations in eight tumour cell lines. In our collection of tumour families we have detected polymorphisms in exons 4 and 6 of the p53 gene. In one family which conformed to the criteria of the Li-Fraumem syndrome we have found a novel germ line mutation in exon 5., Conclusions: The method developed by us is very simple and sensitive. The germ line mutations in the p53 gene are very rare.