Detection of SHOX gene aberrations in routine diagnostic practice and evaluation of phenotype scoring form effectiveness.

Heterozygous aberrations of SHOX gene have been reported to be responsible for Léri-Weill dyschondrosteosis (LWD) and small portion of idiopathic short stature. The study was established to assess effectiveness of using phenotype 'scoring form' in patients indicated for SHOX gene defect analysis. The submitted study is based on a retrospective group of 352 unrelated patients enrolled as a part of the routine diagnostic practice and analyzed for aberrations affecting the SHOX gene. All participants were scanned for deletion/duplication within the main pseudoautosomal region (PAR1) using the multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) method. The phenotype 'scoring form' is used in our laboratory practice to preselect patients for subsequent mutation analysis of SHOX gene-coding sequences. The overall detection rate was 11.1% but there was a significant increase in frequency of SHOX gene defect positive with increasing achieved score (P<0.0001). The most frequent aberration was a causal deletion within PAR1. In three probands, MLPA analysis indicated a more complex rearrangement. Madelung deformity or co-occurrence of disproportionate short stature, short forearm and muscular hypertrophy had represented the most potent markers to determine the likelihood of SHOX gene defect detection. We conclude that appliance of phenotype 'scoring form' had saved excessive sample analysis and enabled effective routine diagnostic testing.

Novel mutations of the APC gene and genetic consequences of splicing mutations in the Czech FAP families.

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an autosomal dominant syndrome with almost 100 % risk of colorectal cancer. The typical FAP is characterized by hundreds to thousands of colorectal adenomatous polyps and by extracolonic manifestations, later onset and lower number of polyps in colon is characteristic of an attenuated form (AFAP). We analyzed the APC gene for germline mutations in 90 FAP/AFAP patients. Mutation screening was performed using Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis. DNA fragments showing an aberrant electrophoretic banding pattern were sequenced. APC-mutation-negative probands were screened for large deletions of the APC gene using multiplex ligation dependent probe amplification. Analysis of mRNA variants followed in probands with possible splicing mutation by PCR amplification of target site flanking exons and sequencing the normal and aberrant products. We identified 30 germline variants among 36 unrelated probands including large deletions. Eleven APC variants detected last two years have not been reported yet. At all, fifteen of them are expected to cause errors in mRNA splicing. Analysis of mRNA in ten of these patients revealed exon skipping in seven cases, exonisation of intron in one of these as well, change of the amount of alternatively spliced product in one case, and no effect was found in three cases. In two of the patients, the biopsy of colon mucosa and polyp enabled us to examine the effect of the mutation on splicing pattern in colon cells directly. The comparison of alternative and standard transcript amount showed similar transcription pattern of exon 14 in control colon mucosa tissue (9 samples) as in 51 blood control samples.

Application of the new insertion-deletion polymorphism kit for forensic identification and parentage testing on the Czech population.

Insertion-deletion polymorphisms (INDELs) are diallelic markers derived from a single mutation event. Their low mutation frequency makes them suitable for forensic and parentage testing. The examination of INDELs thus combines advantages of both short tandem repeats (STR) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP). This type of polymorphisms may be examined using as small amplicon size as SNP (about 100 bp) but could be analyzed by techniques used for routine STR analysis. For our population study, we genotyped 55 unrelated Czech individuals. We also genotyped 11 trios to analyze DIPplex Kit (QIAGEN, Germany) suitability for parentage testing. DIPplex Kit contains 30 diallelic autosomal markers. INDELs in DIPplex Kit were tested with linkage disequilibrium test, which showed that they could be treated as independent markers. All 30 loci fulfill Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. There were several significant differences between Czech and African populations, but no significant ones within European population. Probability of a match in the Czech population was 1 in 6.8 × 10(12); combined power of discrimination was 99.9999999999%. Average paternity index was 1.13-1.77 for each locus; combined paternity index reached about 27,000 for a set of 30 loci. We can conclude that DIPplex kit is useful as an additional panel of markers in paternity cases when mutations in STR polymorphisms are present. For application on degraded or inhibited samples, further optimization of buffer and primer concentrations is needed.

Cryptic chromosomal rearrangements in children with idiopathic mental retardation in the Czech population.

AIMS: The aim of our study was to scan for cryptic rearrangements using the multiplex ligation probe amplification method in a cohort of 64 probands with mental retardation or developmental delays in combination with at least one of the following symptoms: hypotonia after birth, congenital anomalies, or face dysmorphisms; but without a positive cytogenetic finding. The study contributes to the knowledge of microdeletion syndromes and helps disclose their natural phenotypic variability. RESULTS: In total, 10 positives (16%) were detected, particularly 3 duplications (Xpter-p22.32; 17p11.2; 22q11) and 6 different deletions (1p36; 7q11.23; 10p15; 15q11-q13; 17p11.2; 17p13.3), 1 of these in 2 probands. Besides the well-characterized syndromes, less-often described rearrangements with ambiguous phenotype associations were also detected. CONCLUSIONS: Some rearrangements, particularly duplications, are associated with vague phenotypes; and their frequency could be underestimated.

New mutations in the PKD1 gene in Czech population with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common hereditary renal disease. The disease is caused by mutations of the PKD1 (affecting roughly 85% of ADPKD patients) and PKD2 (affecting roughly 14% of ADPKD patients) genes, although in several ADPKD families, the PKD1 and/or PKD2 linkage was not found. Mutation analysis of the PKD1 gene is complicated by the presence of highly homologous genomic duplications of the first two thirds of the gene. METHODS: The direct detection of mutations in the non-duplicated region of the PKD1 gene was performed in 90 unrelated individuals, consisting of 58 patients with end-stage renal failure (manifesting before their 50th year of life) and 32 individuals from families where the disease was clearly linked to the PKD1 gene. Mutation screening was performed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). DNA fragments showing an aberrant electrophoretic banding pattern were sequenced. RESULTS: In the non-duplicated region of the PKD1 gene, 19 different likely pathogenic germline sequence changes were identified in 19 unrelated families/individuals. Fifteen likely pathogenic sequence changes are unique for the Czech population. The following probable mutations were identified: 9 nonsense mutations, 6 likely pathogenic missense mutations, 2 frameshifting mutations, one in-frame deletion and probable splice site mutation. In the non-duplicated region of the PKD1 gene, 16 different polymorphisms or unclassified variants were detected. CONCLUSION: Twenty probable mutations of the PKD1 gene in 90 Czech individuals (fifteen new probable mutations) were detected. The establishment of localization and the type of causal mutations and their genotype phenotype correlation in ADPKD families will improve DNA diagnosis and could help in the assessment of the clinical prognosis of ADPKD patients.

Novel APC mutations in Czech and Slovak FAP families: clinical and genetic aspects.

BACKGROUND: Germline mutations in the adenomatous polyposis gene (APC) result in familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). FAP is an autosomal dominantly inherited disorder predisposing to colorectal cancer. Typical FAP is characterized by hundreds to thousands of colorectal adenomatous polyps and by several extracolonic manifestations. An attenuated form of polyposis (AFAP) is characterized by less than 100 adenomas and later onset of the disease. METHODS: Here, we analyzed the APC gene for germline mutations in 59 Czech and 15 Slovak FAP patients. In addition, 50 apparently APC mutation negative Czech probands and 3 probands of Slovak origin were screened for large deletions encompassing the APC gene. Mutation screening was performed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and/or protein truncation test. DNA fragments showing an aberrant electrophoretic banding pattern were sequenced. Screening for large deletions was performed by multiplex ligation dependent probe amplification. The extent of deletions was analyzed using following microsatellite markers: D5S299, D5S82, D5S134 and D5S346. RESULTS: In the set of Czech and Slovak patients, we identified 46 germline mutations among 74 unrelated probands. Total mutation capture is 62,2% including large deletions. Thirty seven mutations were detected in 49 patients presenting a classical FAP phenotype (75,5%) and 9 mutations in 25 patients with attenuated FAP (36%). We report 20 novel germline APC mutations and 3 large deletions (6%) encompassing the whole-gene deletions and/or exon 14 deletion. In the patients with novel mutations, correlations of the mutation localization are discussed in context of the classical and/or attenuated phenotype of the disease. CONCLUSION: The results of the molecular genetic testing are used both in the establishment of the predictive diagnosis and in the clinical management of patients. In some cases this study has also shown the difficulty to classify clinically between the classical and the attenuated form of FAP according to the established criteria. Interfamilial and/or intrafamilial phenotype variability was also confirmed in some cases which did not fit well with predicted genotype-phenotype correlation. All these findings have to be taken into consideration both in the genetic counselling and in the patient care.

Detection of variability in apo(a) gene transcription regulatory sequences using the DGGE method.

BACKGROUND: Increased lipoprotein(a), Lp(a), concentration is an independent risk factor for premature atherosclerosis. Apolipoprotein(a), apo(a), determines properties of the lipoprotein and its production rate is the limiting step in Lp(a) particle formation. METHODS: Subjects covering the whole range of Lp(a) concentration were separated into quintiles. A randomly chosen sample from each quintile was derived, there being a total number of 713 individuals. The DGGE method was used to scan the known transcription regulatory regions of apo(a) gene (promoter; DHII and DHIII enhancers) for variability and its distribution across quintiles. RESULTS: Besides 5 previously reported nucleotide substitutions (+121 G>A; +93 C>T; -1712 G>T; -1617 C>A; -1230 A>G) 16 unreported rare sequence variants were detected. All polymorphic variants were distributed throughout the quintiles with several significant differences. The novel +62 C variant was found only among individuals with Lp(a) levels over 16 mg/dl. CONCLUSION: The apo(a) gene transcription regulatory regions were not revealed to be extremely polymorphic. However, we should consider a combined effect of all polymorphic sites from the whole apo(a) gene locus, including the apo(a) gene length polymorphism, when dealing with high population variability of Lp(a) levels.

Genetic analysis of candidate genes modifying the age-at-onset in Huntington's disease.

The expansion of a polymorphic CAG repeat in the HD gene encoding huntingtin has been identified as the major cause of Huntington's disease (HD) and determines 42-73% of the variance in the age-at-onset of the disease. Polymorphisms in huntingtin interacting or associated genes are thought to modify the course of the disease. To identify genetic modifiers influencing the age at disease onset, we searched for polymorphic markers in the GRIK2, TBP, BDNF, HIP1 and ZDHHC17 genes and analysed seven of them by association studies in 980 independent European HD patients. Screening for unknown sequence variations we found besides several silent variations three polymorphisms in the ZDHHC17 gene. These and polymorphisms in the GRIK2, TBP and BDNF genes were analysed with respect to their association with the HD age-at-onset. Although some of the factors have been defined as genetic modifier factors in previous studies, none of the genes encoding GRIK2, TBP, BDNF and ZDHHC17 could be identified as a genetic modifier for HD.

The S18Y polymorphism in the UCHL1 gene is a genetic modifier in Huntington's disease.

An expanded polyglutamine stretch in the huntingtin protein has been identified as the pathogenetic cause of Huntington's disease (HD). Although the length of the expanded polyglutamine repeat is inversely correlated with the age-at-onset, additional genetic factors are thought to modify the variance in the disease onset. As linkage analysis suggested a modifier locus on chromosome 4p, we investigated the functional relevance of S18Y polymorphism of the ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L1 in 946 Caucasian HD patients. In this group, the allelic variation on locus S18Y is responsible for 1.1% of the variance in the HD age-at-onset, and the rare Y allele is associated with younger-aged cases.

PKD2 mutations in a Czech population with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is genetically heterogeneous and caused by mutations in at least three different loci. Based on linkage analysis, mutations in the PKD2 gene are responsible for approximately 15% of the cases. PKD2-linked ADPKD is supposed to be a milder form of the disease, its mean age of end-stage renal failure (ESRF) approximately 20 years later than PKD1. METHODS: We screened all coding sequences of the PKD2 gene in 115 Czech patients. From dialysis centres in the Czech Republic and from the Department of Nephrology of the General Hospital in Prague, we selected 52 patients (29 males, 23 females), who reached ESRF after the age of 63, and 10 patients (three males, seven females) who were not on renal replacement therapy at that age. The age of 63 was used as the cut-off because it is between the recently published ages of onset of ESRF for PKD1 and PKD2. From PKD families we also selected 53 patients (26 males, 27 females) who could be linked to either the PKD1 or PKD2 genes by linkage analysis. An affected member from each family was analysed by heteroduplex analysis (HA) for all 15 coding regions. Samples exhibiting shifted bands on gels were sequenced. RESULTS: We detected 22 mutations (six new mutations)-14 mutations in 62 patients (23%) with mild clinical manifestations, eight in 53 families (15%) with possible linkage to both PKD genes. As the detection rate of HA is approximately 70-80%, we estimate the prevalence of PKD2 cases in the Czech ADPKD population to be 18-20%. We identified nonsense mutations in eight patients (36.5%), frameshifting mutations in 12 patients (54.5%) and missense mutations in two patients (9%). CONCLUSION: In this study in the Czech population we identified 22 mutations (six of which were new mutations). The prevalence of PKD2 cases was 18-20% and the mean age of ESRF was 68.3 years. An at-least weak hot spot in exon 1 of the PKD2 gene was found.