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Inverted duplication deletion 8p [invdupdel(8p)] is a complex and rare chromosomal rearrangement that combines a distal deletion and an inverted interstitial duplication of the short arm of chromosome 8. Carrier patients usually have developmental delay and intellectual disability (ID), associated with various cerebral and extra-cerebral malformations. Invdupdel(8p) is the most common recurrent chromosomal rearrangement in ID patients with anomalies of the corpus callosum (AnCC). Only a minority of invdupdel(8p) cases reported in the literature to date had both brain cerebral imaging and chromosomal microarray (CMA) with precise breakpoints of the rearrangements, making genotype-phenotype correlation studies for AnCC difficult. In this study, we report the clinical, radiological, and molecular data from 36 new invdupdel(8p) cases including three fetuses and five individuals from the same family, with breakpoints characterized by CMA. Among those, 97% (n = 32/33) of patients presented with mild to severe developmental delay/ID and 34% had seizures with mean age of onset of 3.9 years (2 months-9 years). Moreover, out of the 24 patients with brain MRI and 3 fetuses with neuropathology analysis, 63% (n = 17/27) had AnCC. We review additional data from 99 previously published patients with invdupdel(8p) and compare data of 17 patients from the literature with both CMA analysis and brain imaging to refine genotype-phenotype correlations for AnCC. This led us to refine a region of 5.1 Mb common to duplications of patients with AnCC and discuss potential candidate genes within this region., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons A/S . Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Chromoanagenesis represents an extreme form of genomic rearrangements involving multiple breaks occurring on a single or multiple chromosomes. It has been recently described in both acquired and rare constitutional genetic disorders. Constitutional chromoanagenesis events could lead to abnormal phenotypes including developmental delay and congenital anomalies, and have also been implicated in some specific syndromic disorders. We report the case of a girl presenting with growth retardation, hypotonia, microcephaly, dysmorphic features, coloboma, and hypoplastic corpus callosum. Karyotype showed a de novo structurally abnormal chromosome 14q31qter region. Molecular characterization using SNP-array revealed a complex unbalanced rearrangement in 14q31.1-q32.2, on the paternal chromosome 14, including thirteen interstitial deletions ranging from 33 kb to 1.56 Mb in size, with a total of 4.1 Mb in size, thus suggesting that a single event like chromoanagenesis occurred. To our knowledge, this is one of the first case of 14q distal deletion due to a germline chromoanagenesis. Genome sequencing allowed the characterization of 50 breakpoints, leading to interruption of 10 genes including YY1 which fit with the patient's phenotype. This precise genotyping of breaking junction allowed better definition of genotype-phenotype correlations., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Balanced chromosomal rearrangements associated with abnormal phenotype are rare events, but may be challenging for genetic counselling, since molecular characterisation of breakpoints is not performed routinely. We used next-generation sequencing to characterise breakpoints of balanced chromosomal rearrangements at the molecular level in patients with intellectual disability and/or congenital anomalies., Methods: Breakpoints were characterised by a paired-end low depth whole genome sequencing (WGS) strategy and validated by Sanger sequencing. Expression study of disrupted and neighbouring genes was performed by RT-qPCR from blood or lymphoblastoid cell line RNA., Results: Among the 55 patients included (41 reciprocal translocations, 4 inversions, 2 insertions and 8 complex chromosomal rearrangements), we were able to detect 89% of chromosomal rearrangements (49/55). Molecular signatures at the breakpoints suggested that DNA breaks arose randomly and that there was no major influence of repeated elements. Non-homologous end-joining appeared as the main mechanism of repair (55% of rearrangements). A diagnosis could be established in 22/49 patients (44.8%), 15 by gene disruption ( KANSL1 , FOXP1 , SPRED1 , TLK2 , MBD5 , DMD , AUTS2 , MEIS2 , MEF2C , NRXN1 , NFIX , SYNGAP1, GHR, ZMIZ1 ) and 7 by position effect ( DLX5 , MEF2C , BCL11B , SATB2, ZMIZ1 ). In addition, 16 new candidate genes were identified. Systematic gene expression studies further supported these results. We also showed the contribution of topologically associated domain maps to WGS data interpretation., Conclusion: Paired-end WGS is a valid strategy and may be used for structural variation characterisation in a clinical setting., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

A congenital myasthenia was suspected in two unrelated children with very similar phenotypes including several episodes of severe dyspnea. Both children had a 10q11.2 deletion revealed by Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms array or by Next Generation Sequencing analysis. The deletion was inherited from the healthy mother in the first case. These deletions unmasked a recessive mutation at the same locus in both cases, but in two different genes: CHAT and SLC18A3., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Mosaicism for an autosomal structural rearrangement that does not involve ring or marker chromosomes is rare. The mechanisms responsible for genome instability have not always been explained. Several studies have shown that interstitial telomeric sequences (ITSs), involved in some mosaic constitutional anomalies, are potent sources of genomic instability. Here we describe two cases of mosaicism for uncommon constitutional autosomal rearrangements, involving ITSs, identified by karyotyping and characterized by FISH and SNP-array analysis. The first patient, a boy with global developmental delay, had a rare type of pure distal 1q inverted duplication (1q32-qter), attached to the end of the short arm of the same chromosome 1, in approximately 35% of his cells. The second patient, a phenotypically normal man, was diagnosed as having mosaic for a balanced non-reciprocal translocation of the distal segment of 7q (7q33qter), onto the terminal region of the short arm of a whole chromosome 12, in approximately 80% of his cells. The remaining 20% of the cells showed an unbalanced state of the translocation, with only the der(7) chromosome. He was ascertained through his malformed fetus carrying a non-mosaic partial monosomy 7q, identified at prenatal diagnosis. We show that pan-telomeric and subtelomeric sequences were observed at the interstitial junction point of the inv dup(1q) and of the der(12)t(7;12), respectively. The present cases and review of the literature suggest that the presence of ITSs at internal sites of the chromosomes may explain mechanisms of the patients's mosaic structural rearrangements., (© 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objective: The 22q11.2 deletion (del22q11.2) is one of the most common microdeletions. We performed a collaborative, retrospective analysis in France of prenatal diagnoses and outcomes of fetuses carrying the del22q11.2., Methods: A total of 272 fetuses were included. Data on prenatal diagnosis, ultrasound findings, pathological features, outcomes and inheritance were analyzed., Results: The mean time of prenatal diagnosis was 25.6 ± 6 weeks of gestation. Most of the diagnoses (86.8%) were prompted by abnormal ultrasound findings [heart defects (HDs), in 83.8% of cases]. On fetal autopsy, HDs were again the most common disease feature, but thymus, kidney abnormalities and facial dysmorphism were also described. The deletion was inherited in 27% of cases. Termination of pregnancy (TOP) occurred in 68.9% of cases and did not appear to depend on the inheritance status. However, early diagnosis was associated with a higher TOP rate., Conclusion: This is the largest cohort of prenatal del22q11.2 diagnoses. As in postnatally diagnosed cases, HDs were the most frequently observed abnormalities. However, thymus and kidney abnormalities and polyhydramnios should also be screened for in the prenatal diagnosis of del22q11.2. Only the time of diagnosis appeared to be strongly associated with the pregnancy outcome: the earlier the diagnosis, the higher the TOP rate., (© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Objectives: Kallmann syndrome (KS) usually combines an anosmia and a hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism. Hearing impairment was described in a few cases of KS. Our objective is to describe an unusual presentation of KS in 2 cases and to explore the pattern of inheritance in this family., Patients: Two brothers presented with a sensorineural hearing impairment associated with cryptorchidism and abnormal movements., Results: Genome-wide array analysis identified a large deletion of KAL1 in both patients confirming the diagnosis of Kallmann syndrome. The absence of familial history has been explained by a somatic mosaicism identified in their mother., Conclusion: The description of a hearing defect in 2 brothers with Kallmann syndrome allows asserting that deafness is part of the clinical features of this disease and must lead the physician to monitor the hearing function of Kallmann patients.

Study Question: Can the proportion of unbalanced spermatozoa in chromosomal rearrangement carriers be decreased through the use of discontinuous gradient centrifugation (DGC)?, Summary Answer: DGC significantly decreases the proportion of genetically unbalanced spermatozoa in chromosomal rearrangement carriers., What Is Known Already: Chromosomal rearrangement carriers present with a certain proportion of unbalanced gametes, which can lead to miscarriages or malformations in the offspring. There is presently no known way to select the balanced spermatozoa and use them for IVF., Study Design, Size, Duration: The proportion of unbalanced spermatozoa after DGC was compared with that before DGC in 21 patients with a chromosomal rearrangement. At least 500 spermatozoa were analysed per observation., Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: Twenty-one male patients with a chromosomal rearrangement were included in this prospective study. They initially consulted for infertility, recurrent miscarriages or a history of abnormal pregnancy. The samples were split into two, with one part undergoing DGC and the other being immediately fixed. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was performed to establish the chromosome segregation pattern of each spermatozoon., Main Results and the Role of Chance: DGC significantly decreased the proportion of unbalanced spermatozoa in all but 1 of the 21 chromosomal rearrangement carriers (P < 0.05)., Limitations, Reasons for Caution: Although DGC reduces the proportion of unbalanced spermatozoa in ejaculates from patients with chromosome rearrangements this elimination is only partial and some abnormal spermatozoa remain. Means to exclude these spermatozoa to ensure that only balanced ones are used in IVF remain to be discovered. The motility and morphology of the sperm before and after DGC were not measured., Wider Implications of the Findings: Used in IVF or intrauterine insemination, DGC could decrease the chance that a man carrying a chromosomal rearrangement will father an abnormal fetus.

Ectrodactyly or split hand and foot malformations (SHFMs) are rare malformations of the limbs, characterized by median clefts of the hands and feet, syndactyly, and aplasia and/or hypoplasia of the phalanges. They represent a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorder, with both sporadic and familial cases. Most of the genomic rearrangements identified to date in some forms of SHFM are autosomal dominant traits, involving various chromosome regions. Bilateral radial ray defects comprise also a large heterogenous group of disorders, including trisomy 18, Fanconi anemia, and thrombocytopenia-absent-radius syndrome, not commonly associated with ectrodactyly. The present paper describes a case of ectrodactyly associated with bilateral radial ray defects, diagnosed in the first trimester of pregnancy, in a fetus affected by trisomy 10. Only four cases of sporadic and isolated ectrodactyly, diagnosed by ultrasonography between 14 and 22 weeks' gestation, have been reported. To our knowledge, the present case is the first report of mosaic trisomy 10 associated with SHFM and radial aplasia. Trisomy 10 is a rare lethal chromosomal abnormality, most frequently found in abortion products. Only six liveborn mosaic trisomy 10 infants, with severe malformations, dead in early infancy, have been reported. A severe clinical syndrome can be defined, comprising ear abnormalities, cleft lip/palate, malformations of eyes, heart, and kidneys, and deformity of hands and feet and most often associated with death neonatally or in early infancy.

Spontaneous fertility is rare among patients with Turner syndrome and is most likely in women with mosaicism for a normal 46,XX cell line. We report an unusual case of familial Turner syndrome with mosaicism for a novel X;Y translocation involving Xp and Yp. The chromosomal analysis was carried out through cytogenetics and molecular karyotyping using a SNP array platform. The mother, a Turner syndrome woman, diagnosed in midchildhood because of short stature, was found to have a 45,X/46,X,der(X)t(X;Y)(p11.4;p11.2) karyotype, with a predominant 45,X cell line. Her parents decided against prophylactic gonadectomy, generally recommended at an early age when Y chromosome has been identified, because at age 13, she had spontaneous puberty and menarche. She reached a final height of 154 cm after treatment with growth hormone. At age 24, she became spontaneously pregnant. She had a mild aortic coarctation and close follow-up cardiac evaluation, including cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, had been performed during her pregnancy, which progressed uneventfully, except for intra-uterine growth retardation. Prenatal diagnosis revealed a female karyotype, with transmission of the maternal translocation with an unexpected different mosaic:47,X,der(X)t(X;Y)x2/46,X,der(X)t(X;Y) karyotype. This complex and unusual karyotype, including a mosaic partial trisomy X and a non-mosaic Xpter-Xp11.4 monosomy, results in transmission of Turner syndrome from mother to daughter. At birth, the girl had normal physical examination except for growth retardation. This family illustrates the complexity and difficulties, in term of patient counseling and management in Turner syndrome, in determining ovarian status, fertility planning, risks associated with pregnancies, particularly when mosaicism for Y material chromosome is identified., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Submicroscopic duplications of the genomic interval deleted in Miller-Dieker syndrome (MDS) were recently identified by array-based comparative genomic hybridization (a-CGH) studies, describing new genomic disorders in the MDS locus. These rearrangements of varying size, from 59-88 kb to 4 Mb, were non-recurrent, and appear to result from diverse molecular mechanisms. Only five patients had overlapping 17p13.3 duplications including the entire MDS critical region. We describe here a 13-year-old girl with a novel microduplication of the MDS critical region, involving the PAFAH1B1 and YWHAE genes. She presented with moderate psychomotor retardation, speech delay, behavioral problems, and bilateral cleft lip and palate, a previously unreported manifestation. Initially diagnosed as having an apparently simple terminal Xq26 deletion on standard cytogenetic analysis, she was found to have an associated terminal 4.2 Mb 17p13.3 submicroscopic duplication, identified by subtelomere FISH analysis, further characterized by high-resolution array CGH, resulting from an unbalanced X;17 translocation. Phenotypic comparison with the 5 other patients previously described, revealed common phenotypic features, such as hypotonia, mild to moderate developmental delay/mental retardation, speech abnormalities, behavioral problems, recurrent infections, relatively increase of body weight, discrete facial dysmorphism including downslanting palpebral fissures, broad midface, pointed chin, contributing to further delineate this new 17p13.3 microduplication syndrome., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Premature ovarian failure (POF) is defined by amenorrhea of at least 4- to 6-month duration, occurring before 40 yr of age, with two FSH levels in the postmenopausal range. Its etiology remains unknown in more than 80% of cases. Standard karyotypes, having a resolution of 5-10 Mb, have identified critical chromosomal regions, mainly located on the long arm of the X chromosome. Array comparative genomic hybridization (a-CGH) analysis is able to detect submicroscopic chromosomal rearrangements with a higher genomic resolution. We searched for copy number variations (CNVs), using a-CGH analysis with a resolution of approximately 0.7 Mb, in a cohort of patients with POF., Patients and Methods: We prospectively included 99 women. Our study included a conventional karyotype and DNA microarrays comprising 4500 bacterial artificial chromosome clones spread on the entire genome., Results: Thirty-one CNVs have been observed, three on the X chromosome and 28 on autosomal chromosomes. Data have been compared to control populations obtained from the Database of Genomic Variants (http://projects.tcag.ca/variation). Eight statistically significantly different CNVs have been identified in chromosomal regions 1p21.1, 5p14.3, 5q13.2, 6p25.3, 14q32.33, 16p11.2, 17q12, and Xq28., Conclusion: We report the first study of CNV analysis in a large cohort of Caucasian POF patients. In the eight statistically significant CNVs we report, we found five genes involved in reproduction, thus representing potential candidate genes in POF. The current study along with emerging information regarding CNVs, as well as data on their potential association with human diseases, emphasizes the importance of assessing CNVs in cohorts of POF women.

Despite the heterogeneous clinical presentations, the majority of patients with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2 DS) have either a common recurrent 3 Mb deletion or a less common, 1.5 Mb nested deletion, with breakpoint sites in flanking low-copy repeats (LCR) sequences. Only a small number of atypical deletions have been reported and precisely defined. Haploinsufficiency of the TBX1 gene was determined to be the likely cause of 22q11.2 DS. The diagnostic procedure usually used is FISH using commercially probes (N25 or TUPLE1). However, this test does not contain TBX1, and fails to detect deletions that are either proximal or distal to the FISH probes. Here, we report on two patients with clinical features suggestive of 22q11.2 DS, a male infant with facial dysmorphia, pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect, neonatal hypocalcemia, and his affected mother, with facial dysmorphia, learning disabilities, and hypernasal speech. They were tested negative for 22q11.2 DS using N25 or TUPLE1 probes, but were shown deleted for a probe containing TBX1. Delineation of the deletion was performed using high-density SNP arrays (Illumina, 370K). This atypical deletion was spanning 1.89 Mb. The distal breakpoint resided in LCR-D, sharing the same distal breakpoint with the 3 Mb common deletion. The proximal breakpoint was located 105 kb telomeric to TUPLE1, representing a new breakpoint variant that does not correspond to known LCRs of 22q11.2. We conclude that FISH with the TBX1 probe is an accurate diagnostic tool for 22q11.2 DS, with a higher sensitivity than FISH using standard probes, detecting all but the rarest deletions, greatly reducing the false negative rate.

The chromosome 22q11.2 region has long been implicated in genomic diseases. The low-copy repeats spanning the region predispose to homologous recombination events, and mediate nonallelic homologous recombinations that result in rearrangements of 22q11.2. Chromosome duplication of the region that is deleted in patients with DGS/VCFS has been reported, establishing a new genomic duplication syndrome complementary to the 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Recent data suggest that the frequency of the microduplications 22q11.2 is approximately half that of the deletions. Up till now about 50 unrelated cases of 22q11.2 duplications have been reported. A high frequency of familial duplications has been reported. The phenotype of patients is extremely variable, ranging from multiple defects to mild learning difficulties, sharing features with DGS/VCFS, including heart defects, urogenital abnormalities, velopharyngeal insufficiency with or without cleft palate, and with some individuals being essentially normal. The basis of phenotype variability remains to be elucidated. The large majority of affected individuals have identical 3Mb duplications. The 22q11.2 microduplication syndrome can be diagnosed with high accuracy by interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization, and several other molecular laboratory techniques. The 3Mb duplication encompasses a region containing 40 genes including the TBX1 gene that has been shown to be the major disease gene responsible for the DGS/VCFS. Interestingly, TBX1 gain-of-function mutations, resulting in the same phenotypic spectrum as haploinsufficiency caused by loss-of-function mutations or deletions, have been observed, confirming that TBX1 overexpression might be responsible for the dup22q11.2 disorder.

Biallelic mutations in the NBN/NBS1 gene are the cause of Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS), a severe pediatric disease characterized by dysmorphy with a bird-like face, microcephaly, growth retardation, immune deficiency, and proneness to cancer. We here report two adult siblings that are compound heterozygotes for two previously unreported NBN nonsense mutations. These patients presented with the unique clinical symptom of fertility defects. Contrasting with the absence of any developmental abnormality, biological analyses revealed defects similar to those observed in NBS patients, including chromosomal instability, cellular hyperradiosensitivity and checkpoint defects as measured by radioresistant DNA synthesis (RDS). NBN mutations should thus be considered a new cause of infertility, and should be searched for if associated with the biological abnormalities of NBS., (2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Background: Premature ovarian failure (POF) is defined as amenorrhoea for >6 months, occurring before the age of 40, with an FSH serum level in the menopausal range. Although Xq deletions have been known for a long time to be associated with POF, the mechanisms involved in X deletions in order to explain ovarian failure remain unknown. In order to look for potentially cryptic chromosomal imbalance, we used high-resolution genomic analysis to characterize X chromosome deletions associated with POF., Methods: Three patients with POF presenting terminal Xq deletions detected by conventional cytogenetics were included in the study. Genome wide microarray comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) at a resolution of 1 Mb and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed., Results: Microarray CGH and FISH studies characterized the three deletions as del(X)(q21.2), del(X)(q21.31) and del(X)(q22.33). Microarray CGH showed that the del(X)(q21.31) was also associated with a Xpter duplication including the SHOX gene. In these patients with POF, deletions or duplications of autosomes have been excluded., Conclusion: This study is the first one using microarray in patients with POF. It demonstrates that putative X chromosome deletions can be associated with other chromosomal imbalances such as duplications, and therefore illustrates the use of microarray CGH to screen chromosomal abnormalities in patients with POF.

Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) is an overgrowth condition with tumor proclivity linked to a genetic imbalance of a complex imprinted region in 11p15.5. A female child with features fitting in with the BWS diagnostic framework and an apparent loss of imprinting (LOI) of the IGF2 gene in 11p15.5 was also reported to have a de novo chromosome 18q segmental deletion (Patient 1), thus pointing at the location of a possible trans-activating regulator element for maintenance of IGF2 imprinting and providing one of the few examples of locus heterogeneity of BWS. A second child with de novo 18q23 deletion and features of macroglossia, naevus flammeus, bilateral inguinal hernia and transient neonatal hypoglycemia, thus also fitting in with the BWS diagnostic framework, is here fully reported (Patient 2). In this child, an analysis of the BWS1 locus precluded any paternal isodisomy and showed a normal imprinting pattern (mono-allelic expression of IGF2 and normal H19 and CDKN1OT1/LIT1 methylation index). In Patients 1 and 2, deletions were shown to overlap, defining a minimal region of haplo-insufficiency of 3.8-5.6 Mb in 18q23. We conclude that this region provides a candidate location for an original macroglossia condition with strong overlap with BWS, but without obvious upstream functional relationship with the BWS1 locus in 11p15.5. Because this minimal region of haplo-insufficiency falls into a common region of deletion in 18q- syndrome, we inferred that this macroglossia condition would follow a recessive pattern of inheritance., ((c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Inverted duplications with terminal deletions have been reported in an increasing number of chromosomes and are probably more frequent than suspected until recently. We describe the cytogenetic and molecular characterization of an inverted duplication of chromosome 2p in an 8-year-old girl. Firstly interpreted as partial duplication 2p, the rearrangement was in fact an inverted duplication associated with a terminal deletion of the short arm of the rearranged chromosome 2, the latter not being detectable by cytogenetic analysis. The complete karyotype was: 46,XX,add(2)(p23)dn.ish inv dup del(2)(:p23.2-->p25.3::p25.3-->qter) (wcp2+,N-MYC++,2pter-)dn. We precisely define the extension of both the duplication and the deletion using bacterial artificial chromosomes clones spanning the regions. The size of the inverted duplicated segment was estimated to be 28 Mb, spanning from 2p23.2 to 2p25.3, and an approximately 1.6 Mb segment at 2pter-p25.3 was deleted in the abnormal chromosome. The physical findings noted in our patient include prominent forehead, hypertelorism, flat nasal bridge, and low-set and large ears. In addition, she had congenital heart defect and scoliosis. Her psychomotor development was severely delayed from the beginning. All these clinical features are the same as observed for the typical trisomy 2p23-pter syndrome. The phenotypic effects of the terminal deletion of 2p in addition to the trisomy are discussed. This is the third patient presenting with a severe clinical phenotype and a de novo inv dup del (2p)., (Copyright (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

The phenotype of monosomy 18p varies widely, the main clinical manifestations being mental and growth retardation, and craniofacial dysmorphism. Clinical features also include growth hormone (GH) deficiency, or holoprosencephaly (HPE). Haploinsufficiency for TGIF, mapped to 18p11.3, is not generally sufficient to cause HPE. To perform a genotype-phenotype correlation, and delineate the region involved in GH deficiency, we carried out a molecular characterization of the 18p deletions, in three patients with midline defects. Two unrelated children, a 7-month-old girl and a 2-month-old boy had del(18p) syndrome and GH deficiency. In addition, the boy had HPE. HPE genes, SHH, ZIC2, SIX3, and TGIF, were tested by denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography and quantitative multiplex of PCR short fluorescent fragments analyses. A deletion of TGIF was confirmed, without any associated mutation for the tested HPE genes, suggesting the role of other genetic or environmental factors. The third patient was his moderately retarded mother. A set of chromosome 18p-specific BACs clones was used as fluorescence in-situ hybridization probes to define the breakpoints. Recently, it was found that there seem to be a breakpoint cluster in the centromeric region at 18p11.1, which was not observed in our patients. The girl was found to have a deletion of 10.3 Mb, with a breakpoint in 18p11.22. The boy and his mother had a smaller deletion (8 Mb), with a breakpoint in 18p11.23. These findings suggest that the distal region on 18p is involved in the main clinical features, and GH deficiency, in 18p deletions.

Objective: To analyze unusual translocations involving a chromosome 1 whole arm and an acrocentric G chromosome p arm found in two men with azoospermia., Design: Case report with review of the scientific literature., Setting: Cytogenetics department., Patient(s): Two men with azoospermia and normal hormonal levels., Interventions(s): Peripheral blood lymphocytes were obtained for karyotype, and metaphases were studied by standard GBG, RBG, and CBG banding procedures., Main Outcome Measure(s): Karyotype GBG, RBG, and CBG banding., Result(s): Karyotype revealed balanced translocation involving a chromosome 1 whole arm and an acrocentric G chromosome p arm: 46,XY,t(1;21)(q11;p13) (patient 1) and 46,XY,t(1;22)(q11;p11) (patient 2)., Conclusion(s): With regard to published cases of whole-arm translocation of human chromosome 1 with an acrocentric p arm and a maternal origin of these abnormalities, we argue for an impairment of meiosis resulting in a high probability of quadrivalent-XY-body interaction. Male factor infertility might be due to two poor prognostic factors, first the involvement of human chromosome 1 (and its heterochromatic region) and second the involvement of an acrocentric chromosome p-arm breakpoint. This probable interaction between the pachytene quadrivalent and XY body might explain azoospermia.

Background: Premature ovarian failure (POF) is defined as amenorrhoea for more than 6 months, occurring before the age of 40, with an FSH serum level higher than 40 mIU/ml. Cytogenetically visible rearrangements of the X chromosome are associated with POF. Our hypothesis was that cryptic Xq chromosomal rearrangements could be an important etiological contributor of POF., Methods: Ninety POF women were recruited and compared to 20 control women. Peripheral blood samples were collected and metaphase chromosomes were prepared using standard cytogenetic methods. To detect Xq chromosomal micro-rearrangements, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis was performed using a selection of 30 bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) and P1 artificial chromosome clones, spanning Xq13-q27. We further localized the translocation breakpoints by FISH with additional BAC clones., Results: Chromosomal abnormalities were identified in 8.8% of our 90 patients [one triple X, three large Xq deletions 46,X,del(X)(q22.3), 46,X,del(X)(q21.2) and 46,X,del(X)(q21.32), two balanced X;autosome translocations 46,X,t(X;1) (q21.1;q32) and 46,X,t(X;9)(q21.31;q21.2) and two Robertsonian translocations 45,XX,der(15;22)(q10;q10) and 45,XX,der(14;21)(q10;q10)]. The two Xq translocation breakpoints were among a cluster of repetitive elements without any known genes. FISH analysis did not reveal any Xq chromosomal micro-rearrangement., Conclusions: Karyotyping is definitely helpful in the evaluation of POF patients. No submicroscopic chromosomal rearrangements affecting Xq region were identified. Further analysis using DNA microarrays should help delineate Xq regions involved in POF.

Twenty-one patients, including our two cases, with variable clinical phenotype, ranging from mild learning disability to severe congenital malformations or overlapping features with DiGeorge/velocardiofacial syndromes (DG/VCFS), have been shown to have a chromosome duplication 22q11 of the region that is deleted in patients with DG/VCFS. The reported cases have been identified primarily by interphase FISH and could have escaped identification and been missed by routine cytogenetic analysis. Here we report on two inherited cases, referred to us, to rule out 22q11 microdeletion diagnosis of VCFS. The first patient was a 2-month-old girl, who presented with cleft palate, minor dysmorphic features including short palpebral fissures, widely spaced eyes, long fingers, and hearing loss. Her affected mother had mild mental retardation and learning disabilities. The second patient was a 7(1/2)-year-old boy with velopharyngeal insufficiency and mild developmental delay. He had a left preauricular tag, bifida uvula, bilateral fifth finger clinodactyly, and bilateral cryptorchidism. His facial features appeared mildly dysmorphic with hypertelorism, large nose, and micro/retrognathia. The affected father had mild mental retardation and had similar facial features. FISH analysis of interphase cells showed three TUPLE1-probe signals with two chromosome-specific identification probes in each cell. FISH analysis did not show the duplication on the initial testing of metaphase chromosomes. On review, band q11.2 was brighter on one chromosome 22 in some metaphase spreads. The paucity of reported cases of 22q11.2 microduplication likely reflects a combination of phenotypic diversity and the difficulty of diagnosis by FISH analysis on metaphase spreads. These findings illustrate the importance of scanning interphase nuclei when performing FISH analysis for any of the genomic disorders., (Copyright 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

The VACTERL association is characterized as a non-random pattern of defects including at least three of the following cardinal features: vertebral anomalies, anal atresia, cardiovascular malformations, tracheoesophageal fistula, renal and limb anomalies, and is postulated to be a very heterogeneous disorder. These defects can also be seen as part of the Fanconi anemia (FA) spectrum. Although VACTERL with hydrocephaly has clearly been associated with FA, the indication for chromosome breakage studies is not clear in VACTERL without hydrocephaly. We report on three unrelated patients with the VACTERL phenotype and the confirmed diagnosis of FA. Together with the data of 13 similar cases extracted from a European genotype-phenotype correlation study for FA and those from the four reported cases of the literature, we show that (i) in a series of individuals proven to have FA, 5% (13/245) also have the VACTERL phenotype, (ii) all have radial ray anomalies and 12 of these 13 subjects show at least 1 other feature of FA (café au lait spots, growth retardation, microcephaly, dysmorphism), and (iii) the VACTERL phenotype appears to be over represented in the FA complementation groups D1, E, and F. Since the diagnosis of FA is important for genetic counseling and early therapeutic intervention in patients, we conclude that chromosomal breakage studies should be performed, not only in cases of VACTERL with hydrocephaly, but also in cases VACTERL with radial-ray anomalies and especially if the individual has additional FA associated manifestations such as skin pigmentation abnormalities, growth retardation, microcephaly, or microphthalmia., (Copyright 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Objectives: To present the prenatal diagnosis of a de novo terminal inversion duplication of the short arm of chromosome 4 and a review of the literature., Case: An amniocentesis for chromosome analysis was performed at 33 weeks' gestation because ultrasound examination showed a female fetus with multiple abnormalities consisting of severe intrauterine growth retardation, microcephaly, a cleft lip and renal hypoplasia., Results: Cytogenetic analysis and FISH studies of the cultured amniocytes revealed a de novo terminal inversion duplication of the short arm of chromosome 4 characterized by a duplication of 4p14-p16.1 chromosome region concomitant with a terminal deletion 4p16.1-pter. The karyotype was thus: 46,XX, inv dup del (4)(:p14-->p16.1::p16.1-->qter). The parents opted to terminate the pregnancy. Fetopathological examination showed dysmorphic features and abnormalities consistent with a Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) diagnosis, clinical manifestations of partial 4p trisomy being mild., Conclusion: Although relatively rare, inverted duplications have been reported repeatedly in an increasing number of chromosomes. Only two previous cases with de novo inv dup del (4p) and one with tandem dup 4p have been reported, all of them associated with a 4pter deletion. We report the first case diagnosed prenatally. Breakpoints are variable, resulting in different abnormal phenotype. In our case, clinical manifestations resulted in a WHS phenotype.

Rearranged X chromosome in Turner syndrome (TS) are generally well tolerated but in cases of ring X chromosomes and of X/autosome translocations the incidence of mental retardation and other congenital abnormalities can be significantly higher. These abnormal phenotypes can be ascribed to failed or partial X inactivation. Here, we report a 10-year-old female who was referred for a cytogenetic analysis because she developed an alopecia universalis. The patient, of normal intelligence, had been found to have traits of TS, especially short stature. A first cytogenetic analysis showed a no mosaic 45,X karyotype. Since, the risk of developing gonadoblastoma in TS patients with mosaicism for a Y derivative chromosome and because association of alopecia universalis and TS is uncommon, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed to search for a second cell population. Our patient was found to have a mosaic 45,X/46,X,+r. FISH analysis using sex chromosome probes permitted us to identify the very small marker as a ring X chromosome, detected in 90% of cells. The ring appeared to be formed almost totally of alphoid sequences with breakpoints in the juxtacentromeric region. The r(X) does not include the XIST locus and may, therefore, not be subject to X-inactivation. Unexpectedly mild phenotype in our patient and its association with alopecia universalis will be discussed.

We describe here a patient with intrachromosomal triplication 15q11-q13, a rare chromosomal event associated with severe mental retardation and intractable epilepsy. Cytogenetic studies including FISH on interphasic nuclei showed that the middle segment of the triplication was inverted in orientation. Molecular analyses demonstrated that the rearrangement was of maternal origin. Based on these cytogenetic and molecular data and those of the nine cases reported in the literature, we discuss the mechanistic origins of these triplications. We present several arguments for the mechanism involving two U-type exchanges occurring simultaneously at the pachytene stage of meiosis., (Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

The reciprocal t(4;11)(q21;q23) is often described in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). In some cases, variant or complex t(4;11) has been detected in ALL by cytogenetic analysis, but to our knowledge no molecular study has been reported in these variant translocations. We describe a 27-year-old woman suffering from pre-B-cell ALL with an unusual rearrangement between chromosomes 4 and 11. Because this complex rearrangement involved the 11q23 chromosome band known to be associated with poor prognosis, we performed fluorescence in situ hybridization, Southern blot, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analyses. This confirmed myeloid lymphoid leukemia gene rearrangement and showed the presence of MLL/AF4 fusion transcript. These results showed the importance of molecular analysis that allowed minimal residual disease monitoring in this patient.

Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) consists of the nonrandom association of micrognathia, cleft palate (CP), and glossoptosis. It also includes respiratory and feeding difficulties that appear to be neurogenic rather than mechanical in causation. Genetic determinants are thought to underlie this functional and morphological entity, based on the existence of Mendelian syndromes with PRS, and the rare observations of familial nonsyndromic PRS, in which some of the affected individuals have isolated CP. We report the association of PRS with deletion 2q32.3-q33.2 due to an unbalanced reciprocal translocation 46,XX, t(2;21), del 2(q32.3q33.2), and we refine the deletion interval with regard to YAC probes and polymorphic DNA markers. The deletion was shown to be flanked by D2S369 (telomeric) and D2S315 (centromeric), thus it maps to a recently determined chromosomal region known to be nonrandomly associated with CP. This observation supports the hypothesis for the genetic bases of nonsyndromic PRS, strengthens its possible genetic association with isolated CP, and provides a candidate PRS locus, in chromosomal region 2q32.3-q33.2., (Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

We describe a female infant with severe abnormal phenotype with a de novo partial duplication of the short arm of the X chromosome. Chromosome painting confirmed the origin of this X duplication. Molecular cytogenetic analysis with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was performed with YAC probes, further delineating the breakpoints. The karyotype was 46, X dup(X)(p11-p21.2). Cytogenetic replication studies showed that the normal and duplicated X chromosomes were randomly inactivated in lymphocytes. In most females with structurally abnormal X chromosomes, the abnormal chromosome is inactivated and they are phenotypically apparently normal relatives of phenotypically abnormal males having dupX. Therefore, in this case, there is functional disomy of Xp11-p21.2 in the cells with an active dup(X), most likely resulting in abnormal clinical findings in the patient.

We report on a 22 year old man with hyperpigmentation distributed along the lines of Blaschko in whom cytogenetic analysis showed mosaicism for an unusual supernumerary marker chromosome. The patient was of normal intelligence and was not dysmorphic. The marker was present in 30% of his lymphocytes and in 6% of his skin fibroblasts from a dark area, while fibroblasts from a light area showed a normal karyotype, 46,XY. We have identified the origin of the marker using fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) with whole chromosome painting probes and YAC specific clones. The marker was found to consist of duplicated chromosome material from the distal part of chromosome 3q and was interpreted as inv dup(3)(qter-->q27.1::q27.1-->qter). Hence, this marker did not include any known centromeric region and no alpha satellite DNA could be detected at the site of the primary constriction. The patient was therefore tetrasomic for 3q27-q29 in the cells containing the marker chromosome. We postulate that, in our case, pigmentary anomalies may result directly from the gain of specific pigmentation genes localised on chromosome 3q.

Premature ovarian failure (POF) is an heterogeneous syndrome. Among genetic causes, X monosomy as in Turner syndrome or X deletions and translocations are known to be responsible for POF. The genes involved in ovarian function, located on the X chromosome are still unknown. On the other hand, autosomal abnormalities have been identified in POF patients such as mutations of the FSH gene, the LH and FSH receptor genes, chromosome 3q containing the blepharophimosis gene, the ATM gene (Ataxia-telangiectasia gene). Mutations in the AIRE gene (responsible for APECED syndrome) can involve ovarian insufficiency. It is likely that studies on the function of the protein AIRE might improve our knowledge on follicular development. Furthermore, different mouse models of ovarian failure such as mouse lacking connexins or mice lacking GDF9 (growth derived factor 9), might increase our knowledge of ovarian failure. In the future, a better knowledge of the cellular and biochemical components involved in folliculogenesis and apoptosis should elucidate the mechanisms of POF.

We report on six cases of unrelated UCB transplant in adult patients with hematological malignancies: three chronic myelocytic leukemias and three acute leukemias. Their median age and body weight were respectively: 28 years (range 15.5-40) and 55.5 kg (range 46-90). The cord blood units were from the New York Blood Center. The median number of nuclear cells provided, evaluated before thawing, was 2.1 x 10(7)/kg (range 1 x 10(7)/kg-4.7 x 10(7)/kg). The degree of HLA disparity was 1/6: two patients, 2/6: three patients, 3/6: one patient. The patients received a pretransplant regimen including total body irradiation. They were given graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis which consisted of cyclosporin A and corticosteroids. They were all given a combination of G-CSF and erythropoietin. The median time of white blood cell and platelet reconstitution were respectively 24 days (range 12-43) and 60 days (range 23-90). All the patients had a full chimerism. A grade I acute GVHD was observed in four patients and two patients do not have any GVHD. No chronic GVHD has been observed yet. Three patients died from toxicity. Three patients are alive and well in complete remission at 2 years, 1 year and 11 months post-graft.

We report on prenatal diagnosis by FISH of a sporadic 22q11 deletion associated with DiGeorge syndrome (DGS) in two fetuses after an obstetric ultrasonographic examination detected cardiac anomalies, an interrupted aortic arch in case 1 and tetralogy of Fallot in case 2. The parents decided to terminate the pregnancies. At necropsy, fetal examination showed characteristic facial dysmorphism associated with congenital malformations, confirming full DGS in both fetuses. In addition to the 22q11 deletion, trisomy X was found in the second fetus and a reciprocal balanced translocation t(11;22) (q23;q11) was found in the clinically normal father of case 1. These findings highlight the importance of performing traditional cytogenetic analysis and FISH in pregnancies with a high risk of having a deletion.

A complex translocation involving chromosome 6, 8 and 9 [t(6;9;8)(p23;q34;q22)] associated with other structural and numerical abnormalities was observed on bone marrow karyotype of a woman suffering with acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML2). Fluorescence in situ hybridization agreed with the conventional cytogenetic interpretation by showing that a part of chromosome 6 short arm was inserted on the rearranged chromosome 9 resulting in the t (6;9) usually encountered in AML.

In a male patient with a 45,X karyotype, the terminal part of the Y chromosome short arm was translocated as a single block on to the X chromosome. This rearranged X chromosome was, in every regard, the same as that present in XX males resulting from an abnormal X-Y interchange. Correlations between the phenotype of this patient and the extent of the deletions on the X and Y chromosomes allowed us to map the genes responsible for most features of the Turner syndrome between DXS432 and Xqter on the X chromosome, and the homologous Y genes either on Yp in interval 4 or on Yq. The molecular analysis of this X-Y translocation allowed us also to reduce the interval for the X-linked recessive chondrodysplasia punctata gene to a 1.5 Mb interval between DXS432 and DXS31.

Cytogenetic analysis was performed on 1142 couples with recurrent pregnancy loss. The frequency of major chromosomal abnormalities per couple was 4.8%. Among 771 couples who had only abortions, the rate of rearrangement did not correlate with the number of abortions. The highest incidence of cytogenetic abnormalities (6.6%) was found in 256 couples with abortion and a normal child. With regard to pregnancy outcome, no unbalanced fetal karyotype was found in prenatal diagnoses, and 40 normal children were born. The risk of unbalanced fetal karyotype is therefore low, but probably high enough for these couples to be offered the possibility of a prenatal diagnosis.