Ovotestes and XY sex reversal in a female with an interstitial 9q33.3-q34.1 deletion encompassing NR5A1 and LMX1B causing features of Genitopatellar syndrome.

We describe our findings in a 46,XY female with a clinical features of Genitopatellar syndrome (GPS) and confirmed hermaphroditism with ovotestes, and five additional patients with GPS. GPS is a genetic disorder characterized by renal and genital anomalies, joint dislocation, aplastic or hypoplastic and often displaced patellae, minor facial anomalies, and mental retardation. The genital anomalies clearly distinguish GPS from nail-patella syndrome (NPS) that has similar features, but additionally shows hypoplastic finger- and toenails as found in the 46,XY female. In our patients no mutation was found in the coding regions of WNT4, WNT7A, TBX4, and LMX1B. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and array-based comparative genome hybridization (aCGH) analysis showed a 3 Mb deletion of LMX1B, NR6A1, and NR5A1 (SF1) in the 46,XY female. This is the first report of a microdeletion causing haploinsuffiency of LMX1B and NR5A1. The deletion of LMX1B is responsible for the knee anomalies and the deletion of NR5A1 likely causes the sex reversal. Cytogenetic analysis of the five additional patients with diagnosed GPS failed to identify a similar microdeletion, or inversion of a potentially regulatory element between the two genes. This suggests that the locus 9q33-9q34 can be excluded for GPS and that the presented case is unique in its combination of GPS and NPS features caused by a microdeletion associated with loss of function of LMX1B and NR5A1.

Split centromeric alpha-satellite FISH signals in a whole arm translocation 5p;10p: consequences and implications for interphase FISH studies.

This is a case report of an apparently balanced whole arm translocation between the short arms of chromosomes 5 and 10 in which the centromeric alpha-satellite DNA is split between both derivative chromosomes for both probes, leading to abnormal signal patterns. The patient requested preimplantation genetic testing for the unbalanced products of the translocation. However, using centromeric alpha-satellite DNA probes as controls for the subtelomeric-specific probes in interphase was not informative because of the split signals. The ramifications of such variation in the alpha-satellite regions of chromosomes for other interphase FISH tests are discussed.

The impact of clonal evolution on response to imatinib mesylate (STI571) in accelerated phase CML.

In chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), the development of chromosomal abnormalities in addition to the Philadelphia chromosome (clonal evolution) is considered by many to be a feature of accelerated phase (AP). Imatinib mesylate (STI571), a selective inhibitor of the Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase, has significant activity in AP CML. As clonal evolution could allow Bcr-Abl independent proliferation, we analyzed its impact on the outcome of 71 AP patients treated with 600 mg of imatinib mesylate. Fifteen patients had clonal evolution alone (AP-CE), 32 had AP features but no evidence of clonal evolution (HEM-AP), and 24 had AP features plus clonal evolution (HEM-AP + CE). Of the AP-CE patients, 73% had a major cytogenetic response, compared with 31% of the HEM-AP patients (P =.043) and 12.5% of the HEM-AP + CE patients (P =.007). Complete cytogenetic responses were seen in 60% of AP-CE patients, compared with 31% of HEM-AP patients (P =.19) and 8% of HEM-AP + CE patients (P <.001). With mean follow-up of 11.2 months, 35% of all patients failed treatment. The lowest estimated rate of treatment failure at 1 year, 0%, was seen in AP-CE patients, compared with rates of 31% for HEM-AP patients and 69% for HEM-AP + CE patients (P =.0004). After 1 year, 100% of AP-CE patients were still alive, compared with 85% of HEM-AP patients and 67.5% of HEM-AP + CE patients (P =.01). In conclusion, in patients with clonal evolution as the sole criterion of disease acceleration, good responses to imatinib are still possible. Once patients have other signs of acceleration, clonal evolution predicts lower response rates and a shorter time to treatment failure.