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R124C mutation of the betaIGH3 gene leads to remarkable phenotypic variability in a Greek four-generation family with lattice corneal dystrophy type 1.

Five autosomal dominantly inherited corneal dystrophies are caused by missense mutations in the betaIGH3 gene on chromosome 5q31. Here we describe the clinical features and the analysis of the betaIGH3 gene in a Greek four-generation family with lattice corneal dystrophy type 1 (CDL1). Sequencing of the betaIGH3 cDNA from an affected family member revealed the R124C mutation. More recent data indicate that this is probably a mutation hot spot in CDL1. We could not find a common haplotype with another CDL1 family with the R124C mutation demonstrating that this mutation occurs independently in different families. The clinical course of the disease showed a remarkable variability between the affected family members. To investigate a possible role between the phenotypic variability and apolipoprotein E (ApoE), which co-localises with amyloid deposits in CDL1, we determined the ApoE genotype of all family members. The resulting data revealed no association with the variable clinical course.

Adolescent↗

Molecular determinants of human immunodeficiency virus type I phenotype variability.

The clinical course of HIV-1-infected individuals can be highly variable. Progression to AIDS can occur within 1 year after infection but symptom-free infection for more than 15 years has also been reported. This variation can either be determined by host factors, the biological variability of the virus or both. Here the molecular determinants and clinical relevance of HIV-1 biological phenotype variability are reviewed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Adrenoleukodystrophy: phenotypic variability and implications for therapy.

X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) is a relatively common disorder that shows a great deal of phenotypic variability. Approximately half of the patients have the rapidly progressive childhood cerebral form that is associated with an inflammatory response in brain and leads to total disability or death during the first decade. Twenty five per cent or more of the patients have adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN), a form that progresses slowly, involves the spinal cord mainly, shows little or no inflammatory response, manifests in adulthood, and is compatible with a near-normal life span. The two forms of the disease occur frequently within the same kindreds and nuclear families. Segregation analysis based on 3862 individuals in 89 kindreds points to the existence of an autosomal modifier locus with a likelihood ratio of 20:1. In addition, we present preliminary results of three types of therapy. Two hundred and four patients have received a dietary regimen that combines the administration of oils containing mono-unsaturated fatty acids (oleic and erucic) with the restricted intake of very long-chain fatty acids. This regimen normalizes the levels of satured very long-chain fatty acids in plasma within 4 weeks. It appears to improve peripheral nerve function in patients with AMN, and a large-scale trial is in progress to determine whether it can prevent the onset of neurological involvement in patients who have the biochemical abnormality of ALD but are neurologically intact. We report early results of bone marrow transplantation in 14 patients. There is encouraging but still preliminary evidence that transplantation can arrest the progression of the disease in patients with mild neurological involvement. There is urgent need to develop methods to combat the rapid progression of the cerebral forms of the disease, which so far has resisted therapeutic intervention, including immunosuppression or the administration of immunoglobulin.

Adolescent↗

Phenotype variability in 130 adult patients with respiratory chain disorders.

Despite continuously improving diagnostic facilities, respiratory chain disorders (RCDs) are easily overlooked or misdiagnosed. We thus studied phenotype variability and the diagnostic potential of clinical and laboratory investigations in patients with RCD. We retrospectively evaluated clinical and laboratory investigations in 130 patients with RCD: 63 women and 67 men, aged 17-87 years, diagnosed between January 1992 and December 1999. mtDNA mutations were found in 20 patients; a respiratory chain defect but no mutation in 4; an abnormal lactate stress test but no mutation or biochemical defect in 66; and ragged-red fibres or reduced oxidative enzyme staining but no mutation, biochemical defect or abnormal lactate stress test in 40 patients. The most frequent initial manifestation of RCD were limb weakness, muscle pain and sensory disturbances. The most frequent clinical findings at diagnosis were muscle pain, fatiguability, limb weakness, reduced tendon reflexes and muscle wasting, irrespective of the diagnostic evidence. Mean age at onset, disease duration and time until diagnosis were 39, 14 and 13 years, respectively, without sex differences. The family history was positive in 29% of the patients. Hyperlipidaemia was found in 45%, hyper-CK-aemia in 42%, short stature in 33%, thyroid dysfunction in 17%, diabetes in 12%, and epilepsy in 8% of the patients. Laboratory investigations that prove useful to support the diagnosis of RCD are muscle biopsy, electromyography, lactate stress testing, echocardiography and mtDNA analysis. Systems most often involved in RCDs were the PNS, CNS, endocrine system and heart. The diagnosis of RCD requires awareness of the great phenotypic heterogeneity and an individualized, integral, multidisciplinary approach.

Adolescent↗

Wide phenotypic variability in families with holoprosencephaly and a sonic hedgehog mutation.

UNLABELLED: Mutations in the human sonic hedgehog gene (SHH) are the most frequent cause of autosomal dominant inherited holoprosencephaly (HPE), a complex brain malformation resulting from incomplete cleavage of the developing forebrain into two separate hemispheres and ventricles. Here we report the clinical and molecular findings in five unrelated patients with HPE and their relatives with an identified SHH mutation. Three new and one previously reported SHH mutations were identified, a fifth proband was found to carry a reciprocal subtelomeric rearrangement involving the SHH locus in 7q36. An extremely wide intrafamilial phenotypic variability was observed, ranging from the classical phenotype with alobar HPE accompanied by typical severe craniofacial abnormalities to very mild clinical signs of choanal stenosis or solitary median maxillary central incisor (SMMCI) only. Two families were initially ascertained because of microcephaly in combination with developmental delay and/or mental retardation and SMMCI, the latter being a frequent finding in patients with an identified SHH mutation. In other affected family members a delay in speech acquisition and learning disabilities were the leading clinical signs. CONCLUSION: mutational analysis of the sonic hedgehog gene should not only be considered in patients presenting with the classical holoprosencephaly phenotype but also in those with two or more clinical signs of the wide phenotypic spectrum of associated abnormalities, especially in combination with a positive family history.

Adult↗

A LRPAP1 intronic insertion/deletion polymorphism and phenotypic variability in Alzheimer disease.

Alzheimer disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by dementia. AD exhibits variability in age at onset, rate of progression, and specific cognitive, functional, and behavioral features. Genetic variants are potential modulators of phenotypic variability. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between a polymorphism in the Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor Related Protein-Associated Protein (LRPAP1) gene (4p16.3) and repeated measures of cognition, function, and behavior in persons with AD, using outcome data collected in two caregiver intervention studies. Thirty-seven subjects diagnosed with probable or possible AD were recruited. All subjects were genotyped for a 37 basepair insertion/deletion polymorphism in intron 5 of the LRPAP1 gene. No differences in allele or genotype frequencies by gender or by age at onset were identified. No statistically significant genotype effects upon cognition or behavior were identified. However, trends were noted in measures of language, with the LRPAP1 insertion-positive subjects exhibiting poorer language scores (average score difference = 28%, p = .158). LRPAP1 insertion-positive subjects also were more functionally impaired than subjects without the LRPAP1 insertion allele (F1,7 = 7.36, p = .030). These results suggest genetic variations at the LRPAP1 locus may modulate AD phenotype beyond risk for disease.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Effects of cigarette smoking and exposure to cadmium and lead on phenotypic variability of hepatic CYP2A6 and renal function biomarkers in men.

Effects of cigarette smoking and exposure to dietary cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) on urinary biomarkers of renal function and phenotypic variability of cytochrome P450 2A6 (CYP2A6) were investigated in a group of 96 healthy Thai men with mean age of 36.7 year (19-57 years). In non-smokers, Cd burden increased with age (r = 0.47, P < 0.001). In current smokers, Cd burden increased with both age (r = 0.45, P = 0.01) and number of cigarettes smoked per day (r = 0.32, P = 0.05). Cd-linked renal tubular dysfunction was seen in both smokers and non-smokers, but Pb-linked glomerular dysfunction was seen in smokers only, possibly due to more recent exposure to high levels of Cd and Pb, as reflected by 30-50% higher serum Cd and Pb levels in smokers than non-smokers (P < 0.05). Exposure to dietary Cd and Pb appeared to be associated with mild tubular dysfunction whereas dietary exposure plus cigarette smoking was associated with tubular plus glomerular dysfunction. Hepatic CYP2A6 activity in non-smokers showed a positive association with Cd burden (adjusted beta = 0.38, P = 0.006), but it showed an inverse correlation with Pb (adjusted beta = -0.29, P = 0.003), suggesting opposing effects of Cd and Pb on hepatic CYP2A6 phenotype. In contrast, CYP2A6 activity in current smokers did not correlate with Cd or Pb, but it showed a positive correlation with serum ferritin levels (r = 0.45, P = 0.01). These finding suggest that Pb concentrations in the liver probably were too low to inhibit hepatic synthesis of heme and CYP2A6 and that the concurrent induction of hepatic CYP2A6 and ferritin was probably due to cigarette smoke constituents other than Cd and Pb.

Adult↗

Glycogen storage disease type III with muscle involvement: reappraisal of phenotypic variability and prognosis.

A review of the case histories of 19 Japanese patients with enzymatically proven glycogen storage disease (GSD) III who developed muscular symptoms at various ages illustrates the phenotypic variability of this disease. There seem to be 4 subgroups of GSD III with muscle involvement according to the clinical symptoms. The first group of patients is characterized by the childhood onset of muscle weakness and hepatic disorders. The second group of patients develops muscular symptoms in adult years while the liver symptoms start in childhood. The third group includes the patients whose muscle weakness started in adult years long after liver symptoms in childhood had disappeared. The fourth group shows only muscular symptoms as adults without any sign or history of liver dysfunction since childhood. The prognosis for each subgroup seems to be different; however, none of them appears to be better than that for GSD I, as has been suggested previously.

Female↗

Striking intrafamilial phenotypic variability and spastic paraplegia in the presence of similar homozygous expansions of the FRDA1 gene.

We report on a Friedreich's ataxia (FA) family with 3 affected siblings with markedly different phenotypic presentations, including one with spastic paraplegia. Molecular analysis showed midsize GAA repeat expansion sizes in all 3 individuals. Gait spasticity in FA, although rare, has been described in a few patients who are compound heterozygotes for a point mutation, or who had GAA expansions of less than 200 repeats. The occurrence of spastic paraplegia in our family, in the presence of homozygous midsize GAA repeat expansions, is an unusual finding. Spasticity can be the main feature in both sporadic and familial patients with FA, either as an isolated finding, or in addition to other neurological abnormalities, and should be included as a rare feature in the clinical spectrum of FA. This family also demonstrates that in FA, marked intrafamilial phenotypic variability can arise in the presence of similar GAA expansion sizes. Therefore, in familial FA, the disease course in relatives therefore cannot be predicted solely from repeat length. Factors such as somatic mosaicism, repeat interruptions, modifying mutations and environmental factors must also be considered.

Adult↗

Long mutant dystrophins and variable phenotypes: evasion of nonsense-mediated decay?

More than 98% of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) mutations result in the premature termination of the dystrophin open reading frame at various points over its 11-kb length. Despite this wide variation in coding potential (0%-98.6% of the full-length protein), the truncating mutations are associated with a surprisingly uniform severity of phenotype. This uniformity is probably attributable to ablation of the message by nonsense-mediated decay (NMD). The rare truncating mutations that occur near the 3' end of the dystrophin gene (beyond exon 70) can however result in extremely variable phenotypes (both intra- and inter-familially). We suggest that all proteins encoded by such mutant genes are capable in principle of rescuing the DMD phenotype but that NMD abrogates the opportunity to effect this rescue. The observed variability may therefore reflect an underlying variation in the efficiency of NMD between individuals. We discuss this hypothesis with particular reference to a well-characterised Becker muscular dystrophy patient with a frameshift mutation, where expression of a truncated dystrophin rescues the muscular but not mental phenotype.

Adolescent↗

Phenotypic variability in myotonia congenita.

Myotonia congenita is a hereditary chloride channel disorder characterized by delayed relaxation of skeletal muscle (myotonia). It is caused by mutations in the skeletal muscle chloride channel gene CLCN1 on chromosome 7. The phenotypic spectrum of myotonia congenita ranges from mild myotonia disclosed only by clinical examination to severe and disabling myotonia with transient weakness and myopathy. The most severe phenotypes are seen in patients with two mutated alleles. Heterozygotes are often asymptomatic but for some mutations heterozygosity is sufficient to cause pronounced myotonia, although without weakness and myopathy. Thus, the phenotype depends on the mutation type to some extent, but this does not explain the fact that severity varies greatly between heterozygous family members and may even vary with time in the individual patient. In this review, existing knowledge about phenotypic variability is summarized, and the possible contributing factors are discussed.

Chloride Channels↗

Two further cases of Ohdo syndrome delineate the phenotypic variability of the condition.

Ohdo syndrome (MIM 249620) is a multiple malformation syndrome characterized by blepharophimosis, ptosis, dental hypoplasia, hearing impairment and intellectual disability. A wide range of dysmorphic features and congenital abnormalities have been described in cases reported as Ohdo and Ohdo-like syndromes. We report a further two cases of Ohdo syndrome, one with mild features and the other more severely affected, illustrating the phenotypic variability of the condition. A review of the literature highlights the severe phenotype associated with distinctive facial features, as seen in Case 2 in this report All cases with the severe phenotype have been sporadic. Subtelomeric FISH studies of all chromosome arms on the two cases showed no abnormality. We propose clinical criteria for the diagnosis of Ohdo syndrome and delineate features of the severe phenotype.

Blepharophimosis↗

Phenotype variability of two FAP families with an identical APC germline mutation at codon 1465: a potential modifier effect?

We report the cases of two familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) families who presented with the same 2 base pair deletion (AG) at codon 1465 of the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene, but showed phenotypic variability. The mutation was revealed by a simple nonradioactive method using a heteroduplex analysis and identified by a sequence analysis. This observation suggests the responsibility of modifier genes in FAP patients' phenotype.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗

Phenotypic variability in Meckel-Gruber syndrome.

Five Bedouin sibs are described with Meckel-Gruber syndrome (MGS), an autosomal recessive disorder with multiple abnormalities. Each affected sib manifested only two of the three cardinal signs of MGS: occipital encephalocele and polycystic kidneys, lacking polydactyly. The phenotypic variability of the MGS pleiotropic gene is briefly discussed.

Chromosome Aberrations↗

Phenotypic variability of the cat eye syndrome. Case report and review of the literature.

We present a male infant with preauricular skin tags and pits, downslanting palpebral fissures, hypertelorism, ectopic anus, hypospadias, and hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The clinical features in our patient show phenotypic overlap with the cat eye syndrome, as illustrated by the review of 105 reported cases. Cytogenetic analysis revealed a supernumerary marker chromosome, which was identified by microdissection and fluorescence in situ hybridization as an isodicentric chromosome 22(pter --> q11.2::q11.2 --> pter). It was proved with probes specific for the cat eye syndrome critical region that this region was present in quadruplicate in the propositus. We conclude that CES is characterized by large phenotypic variability, ranging from near normal to severe malformations, as reflected in the neurodevelopmental outcome. Preauricular skin tags and/or pits are the most consistent features, and suggest the presence of a supernumerary bisatellited marker chromosome 22 derived from duplication of the CES critical region.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Phenotypic variability in isodicentric Y patients: study of nine cases.

Isodicentric chromosomes are the most commonly reported aberrations of the human Y chromosome. As they are unstable during cell division and can generate various types of cell lines, most reported patients are chromosomal mosaics, generally including a 45,X cell line. Phenotypes depend on the location of the breakpoints as well as on the proportion of each cell line and vary from male to abnormal female or individual with ambiguous genitalia. Although phenotypic variability is known to also depend on the degree of mosaicism in the various tissues, gonads are rarely studied. We report nine cases of isodicentric Y chromosomes studied by conventional and molecular cytogenetic: three males, five females, and one individual with sexual ambiguity. Two males had a non-mosaic karyotype, while the third male was a mosaic with a predominant 46,XY cell line. Three of the females had a major 45,X cell line, while the last two females and the patient with ambiguous genitalia had a major 46,X,idic(Y) cell line. Analyses of gonadal tissues from the individual with sexual ambiguity and of three of the five female patients gave results concordant with their phenotype, allowing us to better understand the sexual differentiation of these patients.

Adolescent↗