[Prenatal exclusion of von Hippel-Lindau syndrome in a Mexican family carrying a novel VHL gene mutation].

BACKGROUND

von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease is an autosomal dominant and familial multisystemic syndrome that is caused by the inactivation of the VHL gene and it is characterized by diverse types of high vasculated tumours of benign and malign nature. In this work we describe the clinical characteristics and the prenatal diagnosis of a woman with VHL.

OBJECTIVE

Describe the first exclusion prenatal case by DNA analysis of the VHL syndrome in Latinoamerican population.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Analysis of a Mexican familial pedigree showed 5 affected subjects with VHL on 3 consecutive generations. The proband was a 7 weeks pregnancy woman who was referred to our service for familiar and personal history of this disease. Maternal DNA was obtained from peripheral blood leukocytes, while fetal DNA was isolated from amniotic liquid cells on the 15th week. The maternal and fetal DNA analysis were done by the Polymerase Chain reaction (PCR) and the direct nucleotide sequence of the VHL gene.

RESULTS

A novel mutation (c. 161_168 dup GGAGGCCG) in the VHL gene was identified in maternal DNA. Fetal DNA analysis indicated that the fetus inherited the wild-type allele from the mother.

CONCLUSION

A novel VHL gene mutation was identified in a familial case of the disease, expanding the mutational spectrum in this disorder. The molecular prenatal testing in the affected woman at 15 weeks of gestation, demonstrated that the fetus did nor inherited the mutated allele. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of prenatal-molecular exclusion on VHL syndrome in Latinoamerica population.