Sperm rates of 7q11.23, 15q11q13 and 22q11.2 deletions and duplications: a FISH approach

Genomic disorders are human diseases caused by meiotic chromosomal rearrangements of unstable regions flanked by Low Copy Repeats (LCRs). LCRs act as substrates for Non-Allelic Homologous Recombination (NAHR) leading to deletions and duplications. The aim of this study was to assess the basal frequency of deletions and duplications of the 7q11.23, 15q11-q13 and 22q11.2 regions in spermatozoa from control donors to check differences in the susceptibility to generate anomalies and to assess the contribution of intra- and inter-chromatid NAHR events. Semen samples from ten control donors were processed by FISH. A customized combination of probes was used to discriminate among normal, deleted and duplicated sperm genotypes. A minimum of 10,000 sperm were assessed per sample and region. There were no differences in the mean frequency of deletions and duplications (del + dup) among the 7q11.23, 15q11-q13 and 22q11.2 regions (frequency ± SEM, 0.37 ± 0.02; 0.46 ± 0.07 and 0.27 ± 0.07%, respectively) (P = 0.122). Nevertheless, hierarchical cluster analysis reveals interindividual differences suggesting that particular haplotypes could be the main source of variability in NAHR rates. The mean frequency of deletions was not different from the mean frequency of duplications in the 7q11.23 (P = 0.202) and 15q11-q13 (P = 0.609) regions, indicating a predominant inter-chromatid NAHR. By contrast, in the 22q11.2 region the frequency of deletions slightly exceed duplications (P = 0.032), although at the individual level any donor showed differences. Altogether, our results support the inter-chromatid NAHR as the predominant mechanism involved in the generation of sperm deletions and duplications.     

Patau's syndrome and 13q21q translocation

Summary This paper reports the case of a one-day-old male child presenting the typical features of Patau's syndrome. The cytogenetic study by means of conventional techniques and GTG and QFQ banding techniques showed that the chromosomal pattern of the propositus was 46,XYq+,-21,+t(13q21q) 15ps+,22ps+, and that the nondisjunction that originated the translocation and trisomy had occurred in the mother.     

Chromosomal region 13q21q31 and heterochrony of development

If the theory of evolution is now largely accepted, there are still many debates on the mechanisms of evolution, including human evolution. One of these mechanisms is heterochrony of development including progenesis and neoteny. We report on a patient who could be an example of human progenesis. This boy was born prematurely, after a cesarian section for preeclampsia. Family history was unremarkable. He walked unaided when he was 2.5 years old. At 5 years of age height was 95 cm (< 3rd centile), weight 18.6 kg (40th centile) and OFC 54 cm (98th centile is 53 cm). He had a macropenis. He attended elementary school. However, at 9 years of age he had to have special education. Puberty occurred when he was 8 years old. At 14 years of age height was 141 cm (3rd centile is 144 cm), weight 32.5 kg (3rd centile) and OFC 55.5 cm (75th centile). At physical examination he had hypertelorism, narrow forehead, short philtrum, retromicrognathia, large and low set ears, hyperlaxity, overcrowed teeth, dorsal kyphosis, and macropenis. Karyotype showed a deletion 13q21q31. The deletion was de novo and pure. In conclusion this case with sexual precocity and small final stature could be an example of progenesis, rising the question of the presence of a critical region for human evolution within chromosomal region 13q21q31.     

Colorectal cancer linkage on chromosomes 4q21, 8q13, 12q24, and 15q22

A substantial proportion of familial colorectal cancer (CRC) is not a consequence of known susceptibility loci, such as mismatch repair (MMR) genes, supporting the existence of additional loci. To identify novel CRC loci, we conducted a genome-wide linkage scan in 356 white families with no evidence of defective MMR (i.e., no loss of tumor expression of MMR proteins, no microsatellite instability (MSI)-high tumors, or no evidence of linkage to MMR genes). Families were ascertained via the Colon Cancer Family Registry multi-site NCI-supported consortium (Colon CFR), the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Memorial University of Newfoundland. A total of 1,612 individuals (average 5.0 per family including 2.2 affected) were genotyped using genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism linkage arrays; parametric and non-parametric linkage analysis used MERLIN in a priori-defined family groups. Five lod scores greater than 3.0 were observed assuming heterogeneity. The greatest were among families with mean age of diagnosis less than 50 years at 4q21.1 (dominant HLOD?=?4.51, α?=?0.84, 145.40 cM, rs10518142) and among all families at 12q24.32 (dominant HLOD?=?3.60, α?=?0.48, 285.15 cM, rs952093). Among families with four or more affected individuals and among clinic-based families, a common peak was observed at 15q22.31 (101.40 cM, rs1477798; dominant HLOD?=?3.07, α?=?0.29; dominant HLOD?=?3.03, α?=?0.32, respectively). Analysis of families with only two affected individuals yielded a peak at 8q13.2 (recessive HLOD?=?3.02, α?=?0.51, 132.52 cM, rs1319036). These previously unreported linkage peaks demonstrate the continued utility of family-based data in complex traits and suggest that new CRC risk alleles remain to be elucidated.     

De novo 10q(q21q22) interstitial deletion

Summary We report a girl with a de novo interstitial deletion in the long arm of a chromosome 10. Clinical features are described.     

Exceptional complex chromosomal rearrangement and microdeletions at the 4q22.3q23 and 14q31.1q31.3 regions in a patient with azoospermia

In this report we describe the first patient ever found to have azoospermia in association with both exceptional complex chromosomal rearrangements and microdeletions at two translocation breakpoints. A 36-year-old male who had been suffering from male factor infertility was admitted to our clinic. The patient also displayed mild dysmorphia. An analysis of the patient's semen revealed azoospermia. GTG banding revealed the presence of an exceptional complex chromosomal rearrangement involving chromosomes 1, 4, 10 and 14. Using subtelomeric FISH analysis, the patient's karyotype was designated as 46,XY,t(1;10)(q43q44;q21q26.1)(CEB108/T7+,D1S3738-;10PTEL006+,D10S2290+, D1S3738+), ins(14;4) (q31.3;q23q33)(D14S1420+; D4S3359+, D4S2930+). Array-CGH analysis revealed two microdeletions at the 4q22.3q23 and 14q31.1q31.3 chromosomal regions. We suggest that microdeletions at the 4q22.3q23 and 14q31.1q31.3 chromosomal regions associated with both an exceptional complex chromosomal rearrangement and the Homo sapiens chromosome 4 open reading frame 37 (C4orf37) gene located at the 4q22.3q23 region might be associated with male factor infertility.     

Human homeo box-containing genes located at chromosome regions 2q31----2q37 and 12q12----12q13

Four human homeo box-containing cDNAs isolated from mRNA of an SV40-transformed human fibroblast cell line have been regionally localized on the human gene map. One cDNA clone, c10, was found to be nearly identical to the previously mapped Hox-2.1 gene at 17q21. A second cDNA clone, c1, which is 87% homologous to Hox-2.2 at the nucleotide level but is distinct from Hox-2.1 and Hox-2.2, also maps to this region of human chromosome 17 and is probably another member of the Hox-2 cluster of homeo box-containing genes. The third cDNA clone, c8, in which the homeo box is approximately 84% homologous to the mouse Hox-1.1 homeo box region on mouse chromosome 6, maps to chromosome region 12q12----12q13, a region that is involved in chromosome abnormalities in human seminomas and teratomas. The fourth cDNA clone, c13, whose homeo box is approximately 73% homologous to the Hox-2.2 homeo box sequence, is located at chromosome region 2q31----q37. The human homeo box-containing cluster of genes at chromosome region 17q21 is the human cognate of the mouse homeo box-containing gene cluster on mouse chromosome 11. Other mouse homeo box-containing genes of the Antennapedia class (class I) map to mouse chromosomes 6 (Hox-1, proximal to the IgK locus) and 15 (Hox-3). A mouse gene, En-1, with an engrailed-like homeo box (class II) and flanking region maps to mouse chromosome 1 (near the dominant hemimelia gene). Neither of the class I homeo box-containing genes--c8 and c13--maps to a region of obvious homology to chromosomal positions of the presently known mouse homeo box-containing genes.     

A jumping translocation (5p;15q), (8q;15q), and (12q;15q) (author's transl)]

Three balanced karyotypes (5p;15q), (8q;15q), and (12q;15q) were found simultaneously in a child with the Willi-Prader syndrome. The hypothesis is presented of a "jumping# translocation by affinity of telomeric and interstitial palindromes. The relationship between the Willi-Prader syndrome and a juxtacentric anomaly of the long arm of chromosome 15 is discussed.     

Translocation (13q21q)

Summary A (13q21q) translocation was found in an infant with Down's syndrome. The 17-year-old mother and the grandmother carried the translocation 45,XX,t(13;21)(p12;q11). The great grandparents had normal karyotypes. Fluorescence marker studies suggested that the translocation originated in the great grandmother. The hypothesis was supported by satellite association studies which showed a significant excess of 13–21 and 13–15 associations in the great grandmother.     

Homologous Robertsonian translocation (21q21q) and abortions

Summary Instances of balanced Robertsonian translocations between the homologues of chromosome 21 were observed in two couples with a history of repeated abortions. The male partner of one couple and the female partner of another couple exhibited this anomaly. The translocation (21q21q) was found to be transmitted to their live children with Down's syndrome.     

Macrophage C1q: characterization of a membrane form of C1q and of multimers of C1q subunits

It has been shown recently that C1q, a subcomponent of the first component of the classical complement pathway, is synthesized by macrophages and that endogenous C1q is detectable on the macrophage membrane. In this report, we demonstrate that membrane-associated C1q, which contains the A, B, and C chains of C1q, is structurally distinct from fluid-phase C1q in that the B chain of the membrane species is approximately 1000 m.w. less than its fluid-phase counterpart. By using biosynthetically ([3H]proline) labeled C1q from guinea pig peritoneal macrophages, we found that the membrane form of C1q is derived from already secreted C1q. The demonstration of a distinct membrane form of C1q supports earlier functional studies which implicated C1q as a membrane-associated molecule with receptor functions for those molecules which also interact with fluid-phase C1q, such as polyanions, immune complexes, and bacteria. Furthermore, we show that, in the vicinity of macrophages, C1q is very susceptible to oxidation manifested by the formation of disulfide bonds. By SDS-PAGE (nonreduced and reduced), we demonstrate the existence of disulfide-linked multimers (180,000 m.w., 360,000 m.w.) which are composed of the A, B, and C chains of C1q.     

A case of (13q;18q) translocation with proximal 13q monosomy

Summary A case of partial monosomy of the 13p terminal to 13q12, associated with a de novo 13/18 translocation, is reported. The symptoms appeared to be derived from both 18q- and partial monosomy 13, the latter giving rise to: high arched palate, epicanthus, antimongolian slant, small eye fissure, flat nasal bridge, hypoplastic helix, and large clitoris. Serum Ig-A and Ig-M levels were normal in our case.     

Partial trisomy 14q and familial translocation (2;14) (q12;q13).

A female patient with moderate psychomotor retardation, minor anomalies and proximal trisomy 14q due to segregation of a maternal translocation is reported.     

Familial paracentric inversions inv(2)(q31q35) and inv(8)(q22.3q24.13) ascertained through reproductive abnormalities

Summary Two cases of familial paracentric inversion, one in the long arm of chromosome 2 and the other in the long arm of chromosome 8, are described. The first was ascertained in a woman who was studied because of recurrent abortions. The second was ascertained in the father of a girl with the trichorhinophalangeal syndrome and an interstitial deletion in 8q. The latter is the first case in which unequal crossing over in an inversion loop can be inferred in a male carrier of a paracentric inversion. The reasons for the relatively low frequency of paracentric inversions observed and factors which affect the pregnancy outcome are discussed.     

Replication timing of extremely large genes on human chromosomes 11q and 21q

Many human genes have been mapped precisely in the genome. These genes vary from a few kb to more than 1 Mb in length. Previously, we measured replication timing along the entire lengths of human chromosomes 11q and 21q at the sequence level. In the present study, we used the newest information for human chromosomes 11q and 21q to analyze the replication timing of 30 extremely large genes (>250 kb) in two human cell lines (THP-1 and Jurkat). The timing of replication differed between the 5'- and 3'-ends of each of extremely large genes on 11q and 21q, and the time interval between their replication varied among genes of different lengths. The large genes analyzed here included several tissue-specific genes associated with neural diseases and genes encoding cell adhesion molecules: some of these genes had different patterns of replication timing between the two cell lines. The amyloid precursor protein gene (APP), which is associated with familial Alzheimer's disease (AD1), showed the largest difference in timing of replication between its 5'- and 3'-ends in relation to gene length of all the large genes studied on 11q and 21q. These extremely large genes were concentrated in and around genomic regions in which replication timing switches from early to late on both 11q and 21q. The differences of replication timing between the 5'- and 3'-terminal regions of large genes may be related to the molecular mechanisms that underlie tissue-specific expression.     

Precocious puberty associated with partial trisomy 18q and monosomy 11q

We report a 10-years-old female patient with a partial trisomy 18q and monosomy 11q due to a maternal translocation. The phenotype of our proband is partially common with Jacobsen syndrome and duplication 18q but she has also some atypical anomalies such as precocious puberty, a retinal albinism and hypermetropia. Based on cytogenetics and FISH analysis, the karyotype of the proband was 46,XX,der(11)t(11;18)(q24;q13). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of precocious puberty associated with either dup(18q) or del(11q) syndromes.     

Partial trisomy 2q and familial translocation t(2;12)(q31;q24)

Summary Report is given of a boy with trisomy of the distal part of the long arm of chromosome 2 (q31ter) due to a balanced 2/12 translocation in the mother: 46,XX,t(2;12) (q31;q24). Other phenotypically normal carriers of this balanced translocation are the patients sister and grandfather. The patient shows a variety of dysplastic signs mainly of the face.