Ferri Lorenzo, Donati Maria A, Funghini Silvia, Cavicchi Catia, Pensato Viviana, Gellera Cinzia, Natacci Federica, Spaccini Luigina, Gasperini Serena, Vaz Frédéric M, Cooper David N, Guerrini Renzo, Morrone Amelia
Department of Neurosciences, Pharmacology and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Paediatric Neurology Unit and Laboratories, Neuroscience Department, Meyer Children's Hospital, Florence, Italy.
Eur J Hum Genet. 2015 Dec;23(12):1708-12. doi: 10.1038/ejhg.2015.50. Epub 2015 Mar 18.
Infantile-onset skeletal myopathy Barth syndrome (OMIM #302060) is caused by mutations in the X-linked TAZ gene and hence usually manifests itself only in hemizygous males. Confirmatory testing is provided by mutational analysis of the TAZ gene and/or by biochemical dosage of the monolysocardiolipin/tetralinoleoyl cardiolipin ratio. Heterozygous females do not usually display a clinical phenotype but may undergo molecular genetic prenatal diagnosis during pregnancy. We characterized two novel and non-identical TAZ gene rearrangements in the offspring of a single female carrier of Barth syndrome. The hg19chrX:g.153634427_153644361delinsKP_123427.1 TAZ gene rearrangement was identified in her affected son, whereas the NM_000116.3(TAZ)c.-72_109+51del TAZ gene deletion was identified in a male foetus during a subsequent pregnancy. The unaffected mother was surprisingly found to harbour both variants in addition to a wild-type TAZ allele. A combination of breakpoint junction sequencing, linkage analysis and assessment of allelic dosage revealed that the two variants had originated independently from an apparently unstable/mutable TAZ maternal allele albeit via different mutational mechanisms. We conclude that molecular prenatal diagnosis in Barth syndrome families with probands carrying TAZ gene rearrangements should include investigation of the entire coding region of the TAZ gene. The identification of the breakpoint junctions of such gross gene rearrangements is important to ensure accurate ascertainment of carriership with a view to providing appropriate genetic counselling.
婴儿期起病的骨骼肌病——巴特综合征(OMIM #302060)由X连锁TAZ基因突变引起,因此通常仅在半合子男性中表现出来。通过TAZ基因突变分析和/或单溶血心磷脂/四亚油酰基心磷脂比例的生化定量分析可进行确诊检测。杂合子女性通常不表现出临床表型,但在孕期可进行分子遗传学产前诊断。我们对一名巴特综合征女性携带者的后代中两种新的且不同的TAZ基因重排进行了特征分析。在她患病的儿子中鉴定出hg19chrX:g.153634427_153644361delinsKP_123427.1 TAZ基因重排,而在随后一次妊娠期间,在一名男性胎儿中鉴定出NM_000116.3(TAZ)c.-72_109+51del TAZ基因缺失。令人惊讶的是,未受影响的母亲除了野生型TAZ等位基因外,还携带这两种变异。断点连接测序、连锁分析和等位基因剂量评估相结合的结果显示,这两种变异尽管通过不同的突变机制,但均独立起源于一个明显不稳定/可变的TAZ母本等位基因。我们得出结论,在先证者携带TAZ基因重排的巴特综合征家族中,分子产前诊断应包括对TAZ基因整个编码区的检测。确定此类大基因重排的断点连接对于确保准确确定携带者状态以提供适当的遗传咨询非常重要。