A novel WT1 heterozygous nonsense mutation (p.K248X) causing a mild and slightly progressive nephropathy in a 46,XY patient with Denys-Drash syndrome

Pediatr Nephrol. 2011 Aug;26(8):1311-5. doi: 10.1007/s00467-011-1847-4. Epub 2011 May 11.

Abstract

WT1 mutations have been described in a variety of syndromes, including Denys-Drash syndrome (DDS), which is characterized by predisposition to Wilms' tumor, genital abnormalities and development of early nephropathy. The most frequent WT1 defects in DDS are missense mutations located in exons 8-9. Our aim is to report a novel WT1 mutation in a 46,XY patient with a DDS variant, who presented a mild nephropathy with a late onset diagnosed during adolescence. He had ambiguous genitalia at birth. At 4 months of age he underwent nephrectomy (Wilms' tumor) followed by chemotherapy. Ambiguous genitalia were corrected and bilateral gonadectomy was performed. Sequencing of WT1 identified a novel heterozygous mutation (c.742A>T) in exon 4 that generates a premature stop codon (p.K248X). Interestingly, this patient has an unusual DDS nephropathy progression, which reinforces that patients carrying WT1 mutations should have the renal function carefully monitored due to the possibility of late-onset nephropathy.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Base Sequence
  • Codon, Nonsense*
  • Denys-Drash Syndrome / etiology
  • Denys-Drash Syndrome / genetics*
  • Denys-Drash Syndrome / pathology
  • Genes, Wilms Tumor*
  • Heterozygote
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Kidney Diseases / complications
  • Kidney Diseases / genetics*
  • Male
  • WT1 Proteins / genetics*
  • Wilms Tumor / genetics
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Codon, Nonsense
  • WT1 Proteins