Retinoblastoma and mental retardation microdeletion syndrome: clinical characterization and molecular dissection using array CGH

J Hum Genet. 2007;52(6):535-542. doi: 10.1007/s10038-007-0151-4. Epub 2007 May 15.

Abstract

We describe three patients with retinoblastoma, dysmorphic features and developmental delay. Patients 1 and 2 have high and broad forehead, deeply grooved philtrum, thick anteverted lobes and thick helix. Patient 1 also has dolicocephaly, sacral pit/dimple and toe crowding; patient 2 shows intrauterine growth retardation and short fifth toe. Both patients have partial agenesis of corpus callosum. Patient 3 has growth retardation, microcephaly, thick lower lip and micrognathia. Using array-comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), we identified a 13q14 de novo deletion in patients 1 and 2, while patient 3 had a 7q11.21 maternally inherited deletion, probably not related to the disease. Our results confirm that a distinct facial phenotype is related to a 13q14 deletion. Patients with retinoblastoma and malformations without a peculiar facial phenotype may have a different deletion syndrome or a casual association of mental retardation and retinoblastoma. Using array-CGH, we defined a critical region for mental retardation and dysmorphic features. We compared this deletion with a smaller one in a patient with retinoblastoma (case 4) and identified two distinct critical regions, containing 30 genes. Four genes appear to be good functional candidates for the neurological phenotype: NUFIP1 (nuclear fragile X mental retardation protein 1), HTR2A (serotonin receptor 2A), PCDH8 (prothocaderin 8) and PCDH17 (prothocaderin 17).

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Abnormalities, Multiple / genetics*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Chromosome Deletion*
  • Developmental Disabilities / genetics
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Intellectual Disability / genetics*
  • Male
  • Microcephaly / genetics
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Retinal Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Retinoblastoma / genetics*
  • Syndrome