Remodeling of the Cardiac Extracellular Matrix Proteome During Chronological and Pathological Aging.

Impaired extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling is a hallmark of many chronic inflammatory disorders that can lead to cellular dysfunction, aging, and disease progression. The ECM of the aged heart and its effects on cardiac cells during chronological and pathological aging are poorly understood across species. For this purpose, we first used mass spectrometry-based proteomics to quantitatively characterize age-related remodeling of the left ventricle (LV) of mice and humans during chronological and pathological (Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS)) aging. Of the approximately 300 ECM and ECM-associated proteins quantified (named as Matrisome), we identified 13 proteins that were increased during aging, including lactadherin (MFGE8), collagen VI α6 (COL6A6), vitronectin (VTN) and immunoglobulin heavy constant mu (IGHM), whereas fibulin-5 (FBLN5) was decreased in most of the data sets analyzed. We show that lactadherin accumulates with age in large cardiac blood vessels and when immobilized, triggers phosphorylation of several phosphosites of GSK3B, MAPK isoforms 1, 3, and 14, and MTOR kinases in aortic endothelial cells (ECs). In addition, immobilized lactadherin increased the expression of pro-inflammatory markers associated with an aging phenotype. These results extend our knowledge of the LV proteome remodeling induced by chronological and pathological aging in different species (mouse and human). The lactadherin-triggered changes in the proteome and phosphoproteome of ECs suggest a straight link between ECM component remodeling and the aging process of ECs, which may provide an additional layer to prevent cardiac aging.

A recurrent homozygous LMNA missense variant p.Thr528Met causes atypical progeroid syndrome characterized by mandibuloacral dysostosis, severe muscular dystrophy, and skeletal deformities.

Atypical progeroid syndromes (APS) are premature aging syndromes caused by pathogenic LMNA missense variants, associated with unaltered expression levels of lamins A and C, without accumulation of wild-type or deleted prelamin A isoforms, as observed in Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) or HGPS-like syndromes. A specific LMNA missense variant, (p.Thr528Met), was previously identified in a compound heterozygous state in patients affected by APS and severe familial partial lipodystrophy, whereas heterozygosity was recently identified in patients affected by Type 2 familial partial lipodystrophy. Here, we report four unrelated boys harboring homozygosity for the p.Thr528Met, variant who presented with strikingly homogeneous APS clinical features, including osteolysis of mandibles, distal clavicles and phalanges, congenital muscular dystrophy with elevated creatine kinase levels, and major skeletal deformities. Immunofluorescence analyses of patient-derived primary fibroblasts showed a high percentage of dysmorphic nuclei with nuclear blebs and typical honeycomb patterns devoid of lamin B1. Interestingly, in some protrusions emerin or LAP2α formed aberrant aggregates, suggesting pathophysiology-associated clues. These four cases further confirm that a specific LMNA variant can lead to the development of strikingly homogeneous clinical phenotypes, in these particular cases a premature aging phenotype with major musculoskeletal involvement linked to the homozygous p.Thr528Met variant.

Expanding the Spectrum of Neurological Manifestations in Cutis Laxa, Autosomal Recessive, Type IIIA.

Cutis laxa is a heterogeneous group of diseases, characterized by abundant and wrinkled skin and a variable degree of intellectual disability. Cutis laxa, autosomal recessive, type IIIA and autosomal dominant 3 syndromes are caused by autosomal recessive or de novo pathogenic variants in ALDH18A1. Autosomal recessive variants are known to lead to the most severe neurological phenotype, and very few patients have been described.We describe a 13-month-old patient with cutis laxa, autosomal recessive, type IIIA, with an extremely severe phenotype, including novel neurological findings. This description enlarges the neurological spectrum associated to cutis laxa, autosomal recessive, type IIIA, and provides an additional description of this syndrome.

Clinical profile of comorbidity of rare diseases in a Tunisian patient: a case report associating incontinentia pigmenti and Noonan syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Noonan syndrome (NS) is an autosomal dominant multisystem disorder caused by the dysregulation of several genes belonging to the RAS Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Incontinentia Pigmenti (IP) is an X-linked, dominantly inherited multisystem disorder. CASE PRESENTATION: This study is the first report of the coexistence of Noonan (NS) and Incontinentia Pigmenti (IP) syndromes in the same patient. We report on the clinical phenotype and molecular characterization of this patient. The patient was examined by a pluridisciplinary staff of clinicians and geneticist. The clinical diagnosis of NS and IP was confirmed by molecular investigations. The newborn girl came to our clinics due to flagrant dysmorphia and dermatological manifestations. The clinical observations led to characterize the Incontinentia Pigmenti traits and a suspicion of a Noonan syndrome association. Molecular diagnosis was performed by Haloplex resequencing of 29 genes associated with RASopathies and confirmed the NS diagnosis. The common recurrent intragenic deletion mutation in IKBKG gene causing the IP was detected with an improved PCR protocol. CONCLUSION: This is the first report in the literature of comorbidity of NS and IP, two rare multisystem syndromes.

Novel LMNA mutations cause an aggressive atypical neonatal progeria without progerin accumulation.

BACKGROUND: Progeroid syndromes are genetic disorders that recapitulate some phenotypes of physiological ageing. Classical progerias, such as Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), are generally caused by mutations in LMNA leading to accumulation of the toxic protein progerin and consequently, to nuclear envelope alterations. In this work, we describe a novel phenotypic feature of the progeria spectrum affecting three unrelated newborns and identify its genetic cause. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients reported herein present an extremely homogeneous phenotype that somewhat recapitulates those of patients with HGPS and mandibuloacral dysplasia. However, pathological signs appear earlier, are more aggressive and present distinctive features including episodes of severe upper airway obstruction. Exome and Sanger sequencing allowed the identification of heterozygous de novo c.163G>A, p.E55K and c.164A>G, p.E55G mutations in LMNA as the alterations responsible for this disorder. Functional analyses demonstrated that fibroblasts from these patients suffer important dysfunctions in nuclear lamina, which generate profound nuclear envelope abnormalities but without progerin accumulation. These nuclear alterations found in patients' dermal fibroblasts were also induced by ectopic expression of the corresponding site-specific LMNA mutants in control human fibroblasts. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate the causal role of p.E55K and p.E55G lamin A mutations in a disorder which manifests novel phenotypic features of the progeria spectrum characterised by neonatal presentation and aggressive clinical evolution, despite being caused by lamin A/C missense mutations with effective prelamin A processing.

Nuclear matrix, nuclear envelope and premature aging syndromes in a translational research perspective.

Lamin A-related progeroid syndromes are genetically determined, extremely rare and severe. In the past ten years, our knowledge and perspectives for these diseases has widely progressed, through the progressive dissection of their pathophysiological mechanisms leading to precocious and accelerated aging, from the genes mutations discovery until therapeutic trials in affected children. A-type lamins are major actors in several structural and functional activities at the nuclear periphery, as they are major components of the nuclear lamina. However, while this is usually poorly considered, they also play a key role within the rest of the nucleoplasm, whose defects are related to cell senescence. Although nuclear shape and nuclear envelope deformities are obvious and visible events, nuclear matrix disorganization and abnormal composition certainly represent the most important causes of cell defects with dramatic pathological consequences. Therefore, lamin-associated diseases should be better referred as laminopathies instead of envelopathies, this later being too restrictive, considering neither the key structural and functional roles of soluble lamins in the entire nucleoplasm, nor the nuclear matrix contribution to the pathophysiology of lamin-associated disorders and in particular in defective lamin A processing-associated aging diseases. Based on both our understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms and the biological and clinical consequences of progeria and related diseases, therapeutic trials have been conducted in patients and were terminated less than 10 years after the gene discovery, a quite fast issue for a genetic disease. Pharmacological drugs have been repurposed and used to decrease the toxicity of the accumulated, unprocessed and truncated prelaminA in progeria. To date, none of them may be considered as a cure for progeria and these clinical strategies were essentially designed toward reducing a subset of the most dramatic and morbid features associated to progeria. New therapeutic strategies under study, in particular targeting the protein expression pathway at the mRNA level, have shown a remarkable efficacy both in vitro in cells and in vivo in mice models. Strategies intending to clear the toxic accumulated proteins from the nucleus are also under evaluation. However, although exceedingly rare, improving our knowledge of genetic progeroid syndromes and searching for innovative and efficient therapies in these syndromes is of paramount importance as, even before they can be used to save lives, they may significantly (i) expand the affected childrens' lifespan and preserve their quality of life; (ii) improve our understanding of aging-related disorders and other more common diseases; and (iii) expand our fundamental knowledge of physiological aging and its links with major physiological processes such as those involved in oncogenesis.

WITHDRAWN: Nuclear matrix, nuclear envelope and premature aging syndromes in a translational research perspective.

The Publisher regrets that this article is an accidental duplication of an article that has already been published, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.semcdb.2014.03.022. The duplicate article has therefore been withdrawn. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy.

Exome sequencing identifies a novel mutation in PIK3R1 as the cause of SHORT syndrome.

BACKGROUND: SHORT syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant condition whose name is the acronym of short stature, hyperextensibility of joints, ocular depression, Rieger anomaly and teething delay (MIM 269880). Additionally, the patients usually present a low birth weight and height, lipodystrophy, delayed bone age, hernias, low body mass index and a progeroid appearance. CASE PRESENTATION: In this study, we used whole-exome sequencing approaches in two patients with clinical features of SHORT syndrome. We report the finding of a novel mutation in PIK3R1 (c.1929_1933delTGGCA; p.Asp643Aspfs*8), as well as a recurrent mutation c.1945C > T (p.Arg649Trp) in this gene. CONCLUSIONS: We found a novel frameshift mutation in PIK3R1 (c.1929_1933delTGGCA; p.Asp643Aspfs*8) which consists of a deletion right before the site of substrate recognition. As a consequence, the protein lacks the position that interacts with the phosphotyrosine residue of the substrate, resulting in the development of SHORT syndrome.

A conserved splicing mechanism of the LMNA gene controls premature aging.

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a rare genetic disorder phenotypically characterized by many features of premature aging. Most cases of HGPS are due to a heterozygous silent mutation (c.1824C>T; p.Gly608Gly) that enhances the use of an internal 5' splice site (5'SS) in exon 11 of the LMNA pre-mRNA and leads to the production of a truncated protein (progerin) with a dominant negative effect. Here we show that HGPS mutation changes the accessibility of the 5'SS of LMNA exon 11 which is sequestered in a conserved RNA structure. Our results also reveal a regulatory role of a subset of serine-arginine (SR)-rich proteins, including serine-arginine rich splicing factor 1 (SRSF1) and SRSF6, on utilization of the 5'SS leading to lamin A or progerin production and a modulation of this regulation in the presence of the c.1824C>T mutation is shown directly on HGPS patient cells. Mutant mice carrying the equivalent mutation in the LMNA gene (c.1827C>T) also accumulate progerin and phenocopy the main cellular alterations and clinical defects of HGPS patients. RNAi-induced depletion of SRSF1 in the HGPS-like mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) allowed progerin reduction and dysmorphic nuclei phenotype correction, whereas SRSF6 depletion aggravated the HGPS-like MEF's phenotype. We demonstrate that changes in the splicing ratio between lamin A and progerin are key factors for lifespan since heterozygous mice harboring the mutation lived longer than homozygous littermates but less than the wild-type. Genetic and biochemical data together favor the view that physiological progerin production is under tight control of a conserved splicing mechanism to avoid precocious aging.

Acro-osteolysis, keloid like-lesions, distinctive facial features, and overgrowth: two newly recognized patients with premature aging syndrome, Penttinen type.

We report on two unrelated patients with a rare progeroid syndrome first described by Penttinen. Patients presented with prematurely aged appearance, delayed dental development, acro-osteolysis, diffuse keloid-like lesions, and ocular pterygia. Facial features are progressive but recognizable at birth. Premaxillary and maxillary retraction with pseudo-prognathism and palpebral malocclusion are characteristic. Thumbs and halluces are broad and spatulated. Linear growth is increased and intellectual functions are preserved. Skin retractions and joint contractures progressively developed during adolescence. Death occurred in the second decade in one of the patient due to restrictive respiratory insufficiency and cachexia. LMNA and ZMPSTE24 sequencing were normal. The molecular basis of the disorder remains unknown.

An inherited LMNA gene mutation in atypical Progeria syndrome.

Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a rare genetic disorder, characterized by several clinical features that begin in early childhood, recalling an accelerated aging process. The diagnosis of HGPS is based on the recognition of common clinical features and detection of the recurrent heterozygous c.1824C>T (p.Gly608Gly) mutation within exon 11 in the Lamin A/C encoding gene (LMNA). Besides "typical HGPS," several "atypical progeria" syndromes (APS) have been described, in a clinical spectrum ranging from mandibuloacral dysplasia to atypical Werner syndrome. These patients's clinical features include progeroid manifestations, such as short stature, prominent nose, premature graying of hair, partial alopecia, skin atrophy, lipodystrophy, skeletal anomalies, such as mandibular hypoplasia and acroosteolyses, and in some cases severe atherosclerosis with metabolic complications. APS are due in several cases to de novo heterozygous LMNA mutations other than the p.Gly608Gly, or due to homozygous BAFN1 mutations in Nestor-Guillermo Progeria syndrome (NGPS). We report here and discuss the observation of a non-consanguineous Moroccan patient presenting with atypical progeria. The molecular studies showed the heterozygous mutation c.412G>A (p.Glu138Lys) of the LMNA gene. This mutation, previously reported as a de novo mutation, was inherited from the apparently healthy father who showed a somatic cell mosaicism.

MG132 Induces Progerin Clearance and Improves Disease Phenotypes in HGPS-like Patients' Cells.

Progeroid syndromes (PS), including Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS), are premature and accelerated aging diseases, characterized by clinical features mimicking physiological aging. Most classical HGPS patients carry a de novo point mutation within exon 11 of the LMNA gene encoding A-type lamins. This mutation activates a cryptic splice site, leading to the production of a truncated prelamin A, called prelamin A ∆50 or progerin, that accumulates in HGPS cell nuclei and is a hallmark of the disease. Some patients with PS carry other LMNA mutations and are named "HGPS-like" patients. They produce progerin and/or other truncated prelamin A isoforms (∆35 and ∆90). We previously found that MG132, a proteasome inhibitor, induced progerin clearance in classical HGPS through autophagy activation and splicing regulation. Here, we show that MG132 induces aberrant prelamin A clearance and improves cellular phenotypes in HGPS-like patients' cells other than those previously described in classical HGPS. These results provide preclinical proof of principle for the use of a promising class of molecules toward a potential therapy for children with HGPS-like or classical HGPS.

Mesenchymal stem cells derived from patients with premature aging syndromes display hallmarks of physiological aging.

Progeroid syndromes are rare genetic diseases with most of autosomal dominant transmission, the prevalence of which is less than 1/10,000,000. These syndromes caused by mutations in the <i>LMNA</i> gene encoding A-type lamins belong to a group of disorders called laminopathies. Lamins are implicated in the architecture and function of the nucleus and chromatin. Patients affected with progeroid laminopathies display accelerated aging of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)-derived tissues associated with nuclear morphological abnormalities. To identify pathways altered in progeroid patients' MSCs, we used induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) from patients affected with classical Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS, c.1824C&gt;T-p.G608G), HGPS-like syndrome (HGPS-L; c.1868C&gt;G-p.T623S) associated with farnesylated prelamin A accumulation, or atypical progeroid syndromes (APS; homozygous c.1583C&gt; T-p.T528M; heterozygous c.1762T&gt;C-p.C588R; compound heterozygous c.1583C&gt;T and c.1619T&gt;C-p.T528M and p.M540T) without progerin accumulation. By comparative analysis of the transcriptome and methylome of hiPSC-derived MSCs, we found that patient's MSCs display specific DNA methylation patterns and modulated transcription at early stages of differentiation. We further explored selected biological processes deregulated in the presence of <i>LMNA</i> variants and confirmed alterations of age-related pathways during MSC differentiation. In particular, we report the presence of an altered mitochondrial pattern; an increased response to double-strand DNA damage; and telomere erosion in HGPS, HGPS-L, and APS MSCs, suggesting converging pathways, independent of progerin accumulation, but a distinct DNA methylation profile in HGPS and HGPS-L compared with APS cells.

miR-376a-3p and miR-376b-3p overexpression in Hutchinson-Gilford progeria fibroblasts inhibits cell proliferation and induces premature senescence.

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a rare genetic disorder, in which an abnormal and toxic protein called progerin, accumulates in cell nuclei, leading to major cellular defects. Among them, chromatin remodeling drives gene expression changes, including miRNA dysregulation. In our study, we evaluated miRNA expression profiles in HGPS and control fibroblasts. We identified an enrichment of overexpressed miRNAs belonging to the 14q32.2-14q32.3 miRNA cluster. Using 3D FISH, we demonstrated that overexpression of these miRNAs is associated with chromatin remodeling at this specific locus in HGPS fibroblasts. We then focused on miR-376b-3p and miR-376a-3p, both overexpressed in HGPS fibroblasts. We demonstrated that their induced overexpression in control fibroblasts decreases cell proliferation and increases senescence, whereas their inhibition in HGPS fibroblasts rescues proliferation defects and senescence and decreases progerin accumulation. By targeting these major processes linked to premature aging, these two miRNAs may play a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of HGPS.

LBR mutation and nuclear envelope defects in a patient affected with Reynolds syndrome.

BACKGROUND Lamins are proteins of the nuclear envelope involved in 'laminopathies', an heterogeneous group of diseases sharing clinical similarities with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Methods In this context, a search was undertaken for mutations in LMNA, encoding Lamins A/C, and ZMPSTE24, LBR, LMNB1, LMNB2, MAN1, SYNE1a and LAP2, encoding Lamins A/C molecular partners, in a Caucasian woman affected with Reynolds syndrome, a particular nosologic entity specifically associating limited cutaneous SSc and primary biliary cirrhosis. RESULTS Coding regions and intron-exon boundaries of these genes were PCR amplified and sequenced, revealing a single heterozygous missense mutation in LBR exon 9 (c.1114C/T; p.R372C). This variant was absent in 400 control chromosomes. The mutation was predicted to induce a change in Lamin B receptor (LBR) tertiary structure and molecular interactions by bioinformatic tools. Further functional explorations were performed on the patient's fibroblasts and lymphoblastoid cell lines. On the latter, the expression levels of LBR, Lamins A/C, Lamin B1, Lamin B2, and HP1a were conserved. Conversely, in the patient's skin fibroblasts, LBR and the aforementioned molecular partners showed dramatically reduced or abolished expression levels. The immunofluorescence analyses performed on both cell lines corroborated these findings. CONCLUSION The fibroblast specific abnormalities observed suggest that this particular LBR mutation might have dominant negative deleterious effects in a tissue specific fashion, possibly through the perturbation of the interactions or stability of the nuclear envelope protein network. LBR mutations might thus be associated with Reynolds syndrome.

Restrictive dermopathy in a Turkish newborn.

A 4-day-old boy presented with tight, translucent skin, prominent vessels, skin erosions, and dysmorphic findings, including hypertelorism, antimongoloid axis, sparse eyelashes and eyebrows, pinched nose, natal teeth, microretrognathia, and an "o-shaped" mouth. Multiple joint contractures, dysplastic clavicles, and thin ribs were also observed. He died at 2 weeks of age of respiratory distress. The patient was diagnosed as being affected with restrictive dermopathy, which is a rare, lethal genodermatosis caused by recessive mutations of the zinc metalloproteinase ZMPSTE24 gene or less frequently, by dominant lamin A/C gene mutations. Direct sequencing of the ZMPSTE24 gene was performed, and the most common, homozygous, inactivating mutation in exon 9 was identified in the patient (c.1085_1086insT; p.Leu362PhefsX19). Autosomal recessive transmission was confirmed by parental DNA analysis. After genetic counseling, a prenatal diagnosis could be performed during the subsequent pregnancy. ZMPSTE24 screening was performed by direct sequencing and fluorescent fragment analysis on DNA derived from a chorionic villus sample after exclusion of maternal contamination. The fetus had inherited both normal parental alleles, avoiding the recurrence of the disease.

Laminopathies' Treatments Systematic Review: A Contribution Towards a 'Treatabolome'.

BACKGROUND: Variants in the LMNA gene, encoding lamins A/C, are responsible for a growing number of diseases, all of which complying with the definition of rare diseases. LMNA-related disorders have a varied phenotypic expression with more than 15 syndromes described, belonging to five phenotypic groups: Muscular Dystrophies, Neuropathies, Cardiomyopathies, Lipodystrophies and Progeroid Syndromes. Overlapping phenotypes are also reported. Linking gene and variants with phenotypic expression, disease mechanisms, and corresponding treatments is particularly challenging in laminopathies. Treatment recommendations are limited, and very few are variant-based. OBJECTIVE: The Treatabolome initiative aims to provide a shareable dataset of existing variant-specific treatment for rare diseases within the Solve-RD EU project. As part of this project, we gathered evidence of specific treatments for laminopathies via a systematic literature review adopting the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) guidelines for scientific data production. METHODS: Treatments for LMNA-related conditions were systematically collected from MEDLINE and Embase bibliographic databases and clinical trial registries (Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Trials, clinicaltrial.gov and EudraCT). Two investigators extracted and analyzed the literature data independently. The included papers were assessed using the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine 2011 Levels of Evidence. RESULTS: From the 4783 selected articles by a systematic approach, we identified 78 papers for our final analysis that corresponded to the profile of data defined in the inclusion and exclusion criteria. These papers include 2 guidelines/consensus papers, 4 meta-analyses, 14 single-arm trials, 15 case series, 13 cohort studies, 21 case reports, 8 expert reviews and 1 expert opinion. The treatments were summarized electronically according to significant phenome-genome associations. The specificity of treatments according to the different laminopathic phenotypical presentations is variable. CONCLUSIONS: We have extracted Treatabolome-worthy treatment recommendations for patients with different forms of laminopathies based on significant phenome-genome parings. This dataset will be available on the Treatabolome website and, through interoperability, on genetic diagnosis and treatment support tools like the RD-Connect's Genome Phenome Analysis Platform.

Case Report: Identification of Novel Variants in ERCC4 and DDB2 Genes in Two Tunisian Patients With Atypical Xeroderma Pigmentosum Phenotype.

Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP) is a rare genetic disorder affecting the nucleotide excision repair system (NER). It is characterized by an extreme sensitivity to sunlight that induces cutaneous disorders such as severe sunburn, freckling and cancers. In Tunisia, six complementation groups have been already identified. However, the genetic etiology remains unknown for several patients. In this study, we investigated clinical characteristics and genetic defects in two families with atypical phenotypes originating from the central region in Tunisia. Clinical investigation revealed mild cutaneous features in two patients who develop multiple skin cancers at later ages, with no neurological disorders. Targeted gene sequencing revealed that they carried novel variants. A homozygous variation in the ERCC4 gene c.1762G>T, p.V588F, detected in patient XP21. As for patient XP134, he carried two homozygous mutations in the DDB2 gene c.613T>C, p.C205R and c.618C>A, p.S206R. Structural modeling of the protein predicted the identified ERCC4 variant to mildly affect protein stability without affecting its functional domains. As for the case of DDB2 double mutant, the second variation seems to cause a mild effect on the protein structure unlike the first variation which does not seem to have an effect on it. This study contributes to further characterize the mutation spectrum of XP in Tunisian families. Targeted gene sequencing accelerated the identification of rare unexpected genetic defects for diagnostic testing and genetic counseling.

FANCA Gene Mutations in North African Fanconi Anemia Patients.

Populations in North Africa (NA) are characterized by a high rate of consanguinity. Consequently, the proportion of founder mutations might be higher than expected and could be a major cause for the high prevalence of recessive genetic disorders like Fanconi anemia (FA). We report clinical, cytogenetic, and molecular characterization of FANCA in 29 North African FA patients from Tunisia, Libya, and Algeria. Cytogenetic tests revealed high rates of spontaneous chromosome breakages for all patients except two of them. FANCA molecular analysis was performed using three different molecular approaches which allowed us to identify causal mutations as homozygous or compound heterozygous forms. It included a nonsense mutation (c.2749C > T; p.Arg917Ter), one reported missense mutation (c.1304G > A; p.Arg435His), a novel missense variant (c.1258G > A; p.Asp409Glu), and the FANCA most common reported mutation (c.3788_3790delTCT; p.Phe1263del). Furthermore, three founder mutations were identified in 86.7% of the 22 Tunisian patients: (1) a deletion of exon 15, in 36.4% patients (8/22); (2), a deletion of exons 4 and 5 in 23% (5/22) and (3) an intronic mutation c.2222 + 166G > A, in 27.3% (6/22). Despite the relatively small number of patients studied, our results depict the mutational landscape of FA among NA populations and it should be taken into consideration for appropriate genetic counseling.