A beta-thalassemia lesion abolishes the same Mst II site as the sickle mutation.

Digestion of DNA from a patient with homozygous beta zero thalassemia from Calabria, Italy with the restriction endonuclease Mst II produced a pattern similar to the one obtained with sickle cell trait DNA in that the Mst II site at the beta 6 position on one chromosome was abolished. We cloned the DNA from this beta-thalassemia chromosome and performed sequence analysis. The deletion of a single nucleotide (A) at the GAG codon of the beta 6 position results in a frame shift and early beta-globin chain termination. This mutation occurs on a chromosome with a haplotype similar to two other Mediterranean beta-thalassemia lesions. The Mst II enzyme is useful for prenatal diagnosis of beta thalassemia in this population.     

Hereditary angioneurotic edema and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease in the same family.

In one family two genetic diseases were transmitted as autosomal dominant traits; hereditary angioneurotic edema was inherited from the paternal side and Charcot-Marie Tooth disease from the maternal side of the family. The conditions occurred separately in 8 and 11 members respectively and together (an exceedingly rare occurrence) in 3. Of six siblings, two girls and four boys, all had Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, and three, the two girls and one of the boys, also had hereditary angioneurotic edema.     

Triphalangeal thumb and split foot in the same family

The authors report a family with triphalangeal thumb with nail hypoplasia: one of them has also split feet. They believe that the existence of such families must make very circumspect with regard to genetic counseling for a minor problem such as triphalangeal thumb.     

Polysyndactyly with complex cardiopathy. Apropos of 3 cases in the same family

This study deals with a family where three successive children presenting with a complicated polymalformative syndrome, died. The first child, a boy, had atrial and ventricular septal defect. The second and third children, both females, had cardiac abnormalities with a single ventricle with common auriculo-ventricular valve. Each case was associated with low ear insertion and first toe bilateral polysyndactyly. Familial inquiry showed neither consanguinity nor similar cases in relatives and ancestors within three generations. This polymalformative syndrome could be genetically determined.     

On the occurrence of BBB syndrome and hereditary sensory motor neuropathy in the same family.

We report the occurrence of the BBB syndrome and type 1 hereditary sensorimotor neuropathy (HSMN) in the same family: both disorders concurred in two brothers and a third presented only type 1 HSMN. The clinical findings in this family support the idea that the BBB and the G syndromes are variable manifestations of the same entity. The hypothesis that the BBB syndrome and type 1 HSMN might represent a contiguous gene syndrome is, however, not fully supported.     

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia or Rendu-Osler-Weber syndrome in the same family

The authors present the case of three patients from the same family in whom hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) or Rendu-Osler-Weber syndrome was diagnosed. The disease is rare and occurs with multiple telangiectases of the skin and mucosa, and pulmonary arteriovenous fistulae. The clinical status of our patients included multiple telangiectases of the skin and mucosa, recurrent epistaxis, exertion dyspnea and cyanosis. Polycythemia and hypoxemia were observed in the blood. The clinical status and conventional radiological examination of the thoracic region, with the suspicion of arteriovenous (A-V) fistulae, pointed to HHT. A-V fistulae were confirmed by pulmonary angiography. The pulmonary A-V fistulae were operated in all three patients and diagnosis was confirmed by histopathological examination of the operated samples. Clinical improvement was observed after the operation and cyanosis, dyspnea, hypoxemia and polycythemia disappeared.     

Sea-blue histiocytes in canine ceroid-lipofuscinosis (CCL)

Cells corresponding to sea-blue histiocytes are described in bone marrow aspirates from dogs suffering hereditary ceroid-lipofuscinosis. Sea-blue histiocytes also occur in humans with so-called neuronal ceroid-lipofuscinosis and both exhibit strong autofluorescence. By quantitative fluorometric techniques, each species have similar spectral characteristics and, thus, the English setter with CCL can serve as a useful animal model.     

Escobar syndrome in three male patients of same family

We describe three male individuals from a consanguineous south Indian family affected with the multiple pterygium syndrome (Escobar syndrome). Common clinical features included short stature, multiple pterygium, skeletal anomalies, and normal intelligence. The first report of this condition was made in 1902 from this same place (Pondicherry) and the disease received its present popular name Escobar syndrome in 1982. The genetic defect for this condition was identified in 2006 as mutation in the fetal acetylcholine receptor.     

Molecular characterization of beta-thalassemia in the Sardinian population.

This study reports the molecular characterization of beta-thalassemia in the Sardinian population. Three thousand beta-thalassemia chromosomes from prospective parents presenting at the genetic service were initially analyzed by dot blot analysis with oligonucleotide probes complementary to the most common beta-thalassemia mutations in the Mediterranean at-risk populations. the mutations which remained uncharacterized by this approach were defined by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) followed by direct sequence analysis on amplified DNA. We reconfirmed that the predominant mutation in the Sardinian population is the codon 39 nonsense mutation, which accounts for 95.7% of the beta-thalassemia chromosomes. The other two relatively common mutations are frameshifts at codon 6 (2.1%) and at codon 76 (0.7%), relatively uncommon in other Mediterranean-origin populations. In this study we have detected a novel beta-thalassemia mutation, i.e., a frameshift at codon 1, in three beta-thalassemia chromosomes. The DGGE procedure followed by direct sequencing on amplified DNA is a powerful approach for the characterization of unknown mutations in this genetic system. The results herein presented allowed an expansion of the applicability of prenatal diagnosis by DNA analysis, to all couples at risk for beta-thalassemia in our population.     

家庭内红色毛癣菌病患者间菌株差异性分析

目的用PCR技术比较分离自同一家庭红色毛癣菌病患者的菌株差异性,分析家庭内多发的红色毛癣菌病的致病菌株是家内相互感染,还是家外感染。方法以家庭内多发的皮肤癣菌病患者为研究对象,分离致病菌株并以传统方法鉴定菌种。再分别用随机扩增多态性DNA(RAPD)和巢式PCR特异扩增红色毛癣菌的串联重复亚元件(TRSS:TRS-1/TRS-2)产生的指纹图谱分析种内株间有无差异性。结果纳入实验的16株菌分离自8个家庭,用形态学等方法及种特异引物均鉴定为红色毛癣菌。RAPD显示4个家庭内的菌株间有差异性,TRS-1区PCR指纹图谱显示5个家庭内菌株有株间差异,TRS-2区能鉴定出2个家庭内菌株间有差异。综合各方法共区分出6个家庭内的菌株间有带型差异。结论该研究提示家庭内多发红色毛癣菌病从家外途径感染率高于家内感染。TRS-1区PCR指纹图谱对红色毛癣菌的菌株区分度高于RAPD,更适于红色毛癣菌株间分型。结合多种分子分型方法可最大限度发现不同菌株间的差异。     

SRY-negative true hermaphrodites and an XX male in two generations of the same family

Two 46,XX true hermaphrodites and one XX male without genital ambiguities are reported. They coexist in two generations of the same pedigree, with paternal transmission and in the absence of SRY (sex-determining region, Y chromosome). These familial cases provide evidence to support the hypothesis that these disorders are alternative manifestations of the same genetic defect, probably an autosomal dominant mutation (with incomplete penetrance) or an X-linked mutation (limited by the presence of the Y chromosome).