Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome in diverse populations.

Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome (RSTS) is an autosomal dominant disorder, caused by loss-of-function variants in CREBBP or EP300. Affected individuals present with distinctive craniofacial features, broad thumbs and/or halluces, and intellectual disability. RSTS phenotype has been well characterized in individuals of European descent but not in other populations. In this study, individuals from diverse populations with RSTS were assessed by clinical examination and facial analysis technology. Clinical data of 38 individuals from 14 different countries were analyzed. The median age was 7 years (age range: 7 months to 47 years), and 63% were females. The most common phenotypic features in all population groups included broad thumbs and/or halluces in 97%, convex nasal ridge in 94%, and arched eyebrows in 92%. Face images of 87 individuals with RSTS (age range: 2 months to 47 years) were collected for evaluation using facial analysis technology. We compared images from 82 individuals with RSTS against 82 age- and sex-matched controls and obtained an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.99 (p < .001), demonstrating excellent discrimination efficacy. The discrimination was, however, poor in the African group (AUC: 0.79; p = .145). Individuals with EP300 variants were more effectively discriminated (AUC: 0.95) compared with those with CREBBP variants (AUC: 0.93). This study shows that clinical examination combined with facial analysis technology may enable earlier and improved diagnosis of RSTS in diverse populations.

Williams-Beuren syndrome in diverse populations.

Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) is a common microdeletion syndrome characterized by a 1.5Mb deletion in 7q11.23. The phenotype of WBS has been well described in populations of European descent with not as much attention given to other ethnicities. In this study, individuals with WBS from diverse populations were assessed clinically and by facial analysis technology. Clinical data and images from 137 individuals with WBS were found in 19 countries with an average age of 11 years and female gender of 45%. The most common clinical phenotype elements were periorbital fullness and intellectual disability which were present in greater than 90% of our cohort. Additionally, 75% or greater of all individuals with WBS had malar flattening, long philtrum, wide mouth, and small jaw. Using facial analysis technology, we compared 286 Asian, African, Caucasian, and Latin American individuals with WBS with 286 gender and age matched controls and found that the accuracy to discriminate between WBS and controls was 0.90 when the entire cohort was evaluated concurrently. The test accuracy of the facial recognition technology increased significantly when the cohort was analyzed by specific ethnic population (P-value < 0.001 for all comparisons), with accuracies for Caucasian, African, Asian, and Latin American groups of 0.92, 0.96, 0.92, and 0.93, respectively. In summary, we present consistent clinical findings from global populations with WBS and demonstrate how facial analysis technology can support clinicians in making accurate WBS diagnoses.

Triplication of 16p12.1p12.3 associated with developmental and growth delay and distinctive facial features.

The 16p12 region is particularly prone to genomic disorders due to the large number of low copy repeats [Martin et al., 2004; Nature 432:988-994]. We report two unrelated patients with de novo triplication of 16p12.1p12.3 who had developmental delay and similar facial features. Patient 1 is a 4-year-old male with a congenital heart anomaly, bilateral cryptorchidism, chronic constipation, and developmental delay. Patient 2 is a 12-year-old female with prenatally diagnosed hydronephrosis, hepatobiliary disease, failure to thrive, and developmental delay. Distinctive facial features common to both patients include short palpebral fissures, bulbous nose, thin upper vermillion border, apparently lowset ears, and large ear lobes. We compare the clinical manifestations of our patients with a previously reported patient with triplication of 16p12.2.

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 familial case in a patient with insulinoma and primary hyperparathyroidism: First report in literature and in the Costa Rican population of the c.1224_1225insGTCC pathogenic variant.

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder without a good genotype-phenotype correlation, characterized by tumor predisposition in the parathyroid gland, anterior pituitary, and pancreatic islet cells. Here, we describe a 37-year-old male with previous history of nephrolithiasis, with a 1-year history of recurrent hypoglycemic episodes. Physical examination revealed the presence of two lipomas. Family history revealed primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), hyperprolactinemia, and multiple non-functioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Initial laboratories revealed hypoglycemia and primary hyperparathyroidism. A fasting test was positive after 3 hours of initiation. An abdominal CT Scan demonstrated a 28 × 27 mm mass in the pancreatic tail and bilateral nephrolithiasis. A distal pancreatectomy was done. After surgery, the patient persisted with hypoglycemic episodes that were managed with diazoxide and frequent feedings. A parathyroid Tc-99 m MIBI scan with SPECT/CT imaging demonstrated two hot uptake lesions compatible with abnormally functioning parathyroid tissue. Surgical treatment was offered; however, the patient decided to postpone the procedure. Direct sequence analysis of MEN1 gene revealed heterozygosity for a pathogenic insertion c.1224_1225insGTCC (p.Cys409Valfs*41). DNA sequence analysis was done to six of his first-degree relatives. A sister with clinical diagnosis of MEN1 and a pre-symptomatic brother were positive for the same MEN1 variant. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a genetically confirmed case of MEN1 in our country and is the first report in literature of the c.1224_1225insGTCC variant related to a clinically affected family.

Extracellular matrix and platelet function in patients with musculocontractural Ehlers-Danlos syndrome caused by mutations in the CHST14 gene.

We report on a consanguineous, Afghani family with two sisters affected with characteristic facial features, multiple contractures, progressive joint and skin laxity, hemorrhagic diathesis following minor trauma and multisystem fragility-related manifestations suggestive of a diagnosis of musculocontractural Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS). This novel form of connective tissue disorder was recently reported in patients of Japanese, Turkish, and Indian descent who were formerly classified as having EDS type VIB and has now been recognized to be a part of spectrum including patients previously classified as having adducted thumb-clubfoot syndrome. We identified a previously unreported mutation in the CHST14 gene, which codes for the enzyme dermatan 4-O-sulfotransferase. We discuss the prenatal presentation, detailed clinical manifestations, and neurological findings in two sisters with this newly described musculocontractural EDS-CHST14 type. We demonstrate that fibroblasts from one of our patients produce more chondroitin sulfate than normal and show lower than normal deposition of collagens I and II and fibrillin 1-containing microfibrills. These findings suggest that the imbalance in the glycosaminoglycan content in developing tissues might interfere with normal deposition of other extracellular matrix components and ultimately contribute to the development of the phenotype observed in these patients. Furthermore, we ruled out the contribution of intrinsic platelet factors to the bleeding diathesis observed in some affected individuals.

Platelet VPS16B is dependent on VPS33B expression, as determined in two siblings with arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction, and cholestasis syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Platelet α-granule biogenesis in precursor megakaryocytes is critically dependent on VPS33B and VPS16B, as demonstrated by the platelet α-granule deficiency seen in the rare multisystem disorder arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction, and cholestasis (ARC) syndrome associated with biallelic pathogenic variants in VPS33B and VIPAS39 (encoding VPS16B). VPS33B and VPS16B are ubiquitously expressed proteins that are known to interact and play key roles in protein sorting and trafficking between subcellular locations. However, there remain significant gaps in our knowledge of the nature of these interactions in primary cells from patients with ARC syndrome. OBJECTIVES: To use primary cells from patients with ARC syndrome to better understand the interactions and roles of VPS33B and VPS16B in platelets and precursor megakaryocytes. PATIENTS/METHODS: The proband and his male sibling were clinically suspected to have ARC syndrome. Confirmatory genetic testing and platelet phenotyping, including electron microscopy and protein expression analysis, was performed with consent in a research setting. RESULTS: We describe the first case of ARC syndrome identified in Costa Rica, associated with a novel homozygous nonsense VPS33B variant that is linked with loss of expression of both VPS33B and VPS16B in platelets. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that stable expression of VPS16B in platelets, their precursor megakaryocytes, and other cells is dependent on VPS33B. We suggest that systematic evaluation of primary cells from patients with a range of VPS33B and VIPAS39 variants would help to elucidate the interactions and functions of these proteins.

Wilson disease in Costa Rica: Pediatric phenotype and genotype characterization.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of Wilson disease (WD) in Costa Rica is among the highest reported in the world, 4.9:100 000. Previous investigators have also described a burden of autosomal recessive conditions in this country. Genetic testing for WD began in 2010 as a strategy for earlier detection due to the country's high prevalence. Here we describe what we have learned about the genotype and phenotype of the Costa Rican pediatric population with WD. METHODS: We completed a retrospective review of medical records from pediatric individuals (<18 years of age) with molecular testing for ATP7B between 2010 and 2015. We documented phenotype and genotype for cases with WD as defined by the international scoring system. RESULTS: Thirty-four WD cases from 28 families were included, 15 female and 19 male patients. The most frequent pathogenic variant in ATP7B was NM_000053:c.3809A>G, p.Asn1270Ser, with 58.8% of affected individuals homozygous for this variant. Age of diagnosis ranged from 1 to 17 years, with an average of 8.8 ± 3.6 years. All individuals who presented with acute liver failure (n = 6) were homozygous for the p.Asn1270Ser variant (Chi-squared, P < .05). DISCUSSION: Molecular testing has facilitated the detection of presymptomatic patients with WD in Costa Rica. We hope that ongoing efforts in the delivery of clinical services lead to optimized molecular screening for WD and other genetic conditions in Costa Rica.

Severe scoliosis in a patient with severe methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase deficiency.

Severe methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) deficiency is a rare autosomal recessively inherited inborn error of folate metabolism. We report a new patient with severe MTHFR deficiency who presented at age 4 months with early onset severe scoliosis associated with severe hypotonia. Markedly decreased MTHFR enzyme activity (0.3 nmoles CHO/mg protein/h; reference range>9) and compound heterozygous mutations (c. 1304T>C; p.Phe435Ser and c.1539dup; p.Glu514Argfs∗24) in the MTHFR gene confirmed the diagnosis. She was treated with vitamin B12, folic acid and betaine supplementation and showed improvements in her developmental milestones and hypotonia. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first patient with MTHFR deficiency reported with severe early onset scoliosis. Despite the late diagnosis and treatment initiation, she showed favorable short-term neurodevelopmental outcome. This case suggests that homocysteine measurement should be included in the investigations of patients with developmental delay, hypotonia and scoliosis within first year of life prior to organizing genetic investigations.