Biallelic variants in DNA2 cause poikiloderma with congenital cataracts and severe growth failure reminiscent of Rothmund-Thomson syndrome.

Rothmund-Thomson syndrome (RTS) is a rare, heterogeneous autosomal recessive genodermatosis, with poikiloderma as its hallmark. It is classified into two types: type I, with biallelic variants in ANAPC1 and juvenile cataracts, and type II, with biallelic variants in RECQL4, increased cancer risk and no cataracts. We report on six Brazilian probands and two siblings of Swiss/Portuguese ancestry presenting with severe short stature, widespread poikiloderma and congenital ocular anomalies. Genomic and functional analysis revealed compound heterozygosis for a deep intronic splicing variant in trans with loss of function variants in DNA2, with reduction of the protein levels and impaired DNA double-strand break repair. The intronic variant is shared by all patients, as well as the Portuguese father of the European siblings, indicating a probable founder effect. Biallelic variants in DNA2 were previously associated with microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism. Although the individuals reported here present a similar growth pattern, the presence of poikiloderma and ocular anomalies is unique. Thus, we have broadened the phenotypical spectrum of DNA2 mutations, incorporating clinical characteristics of RTS. Although a clear genotype-phenotype correlation cannot be definitively established at this moment, we speculate that the residual activity of the splicing variant allele could be responsible for the distinct manifestations of DNA2-related syndromes.

Clinical and laboratorial study of 19 cases of mucopolysaccharidoses

The mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) are a heterogeneous group of inborn errors of lysosomal glycosaminoglycan (GAG) metabolism. The importance of this group of disorders among the inborn errors of metabolism led us to report 19 cases. METHOD: We performed clinical, radiological, and biochemical evaluations of the suspected patients, which allowed us to establish a definite diagnosis in 19 cases. RESULTS: Not all patients showed increased GAG levels in urine; enzyme assays should be performed in all cases with strong clinical suspicion. The diagnosis was made on average at the age of 48 months, and the 19 MPS cases, after a full clinical, radiological, and biochemical study, were classified as follows: Hurler -- MPS I (1 case); Hunter -- MPS II (2 cases); Sanfilippo -- MPS III (2 cases); Morquio -- MPS IV (4 cases); Maroteaux-Lamy -- MPS VI (9 cases); and Sly -- MPS VII (1 case). DISCUSSION: The high relative frequency of Maroteaux-Lamy disease contrasts with most reports in the literature and could express a population variability

Clinical and radiological aspects in Melnick-needles syndrome

A sindrome de Melnick-Needles e uma displasia esqueletica ligada ao X e letal no sexo masculino. Caracteriza-se pela presenca de um facies tipico e dos seguintes achados radiologicos : esclerose dos ossos da base do cranio e mastoide, tibia em forma de "S", irregularidades corticais e costelas com aspecto de fita ("ribbon-like"). A maioria dos 48 casos ja relatados na literatura (bem documentados), eram esporadicos, observando-se transmissao parenteral em apenas 11 familias...

Anomalia de Pelger-Huet ou hipossegmentacao de leucocitos: relato de quatro casos / Pelger-Huet anomaly: report of four cases

Os autores apresentam quatro individuos com a anomalia de Pelger-Huet, em duas familias. Dois dos pacientes foram encaminhados para diagnostico de infeccao devido a interpretacao erronea de hemograma. Os outros dois eram parentes de um dos casos-indices. Os autores enfatizam a importancia do diagnostico da anomalia para nao se incorrer em condutas diagnosticas e terapeuticas desnecessarias

Displasia tanatoforica / Thanatophoric dysplasia

A Displasia Tanatoforica (DT) é uma displasia ossea letal caracterizada por encurtamento de costelas e membros, encurvamento de ossos longos e anomalias vertebrais. É uma condiçäo de caráter autossomico dominante. Os autores relatam o caso de um recém-nascido pré-termo com DT e discutem os achados clínicos e radiológicos, prognóstico e diagnóstico diferencial