Trisomy 9p and Prader–Willi syndromes in an infant resulting from a de-novo unbalanced t(9;15) translocation

Trisomy 9p is a well-described dysmorphic syndrome. The physical features include hypertelorism, down-slanting palpebral fissures, deep-set eyes, down-turned corners of the mouth, and mild skeletal anomalies including hypoplastic terminal phalanges. We report an infant born with some of the typical features of trisomy 9p syndrome, as well as additional features that include extreme joint hyperlaxity with subluxation of the knees and elbows, arachnodactyly, and total anomalous pulmonary venous return. The karyotype revealed an unbalanced chromosome complement. Specifically, a derivative chromosome from a de-novo unbalanced translocation of chromosomes 9 and 15 resulted in partial trisomy of 9pter to 9q13 and deletion of the long arm of chromosome 15 proximal to band q13. Fluorescence in-situ hybridization studies and methylation analysis by Southern blotting revealed deletion of the SNRPN locus on the paternally derived chromosome 15, consistent with Prader-Willi syndrome. This infant represents the first reported case of trisomy 9p syndrome with total anomalous pulmonary venous return and hypoplasia of the amygdala and hippocampus, with the additional finding of Prader-Willi syndrome resulting from a derivative chromosome arising from an unbalanced de-novo t(9;15) translocation.