Pallister-Killian Syndrome versus Trisomy 12p-A Clinical Study of 5 New Cases and a Literature Review.

Pallister-Killian syndrome (PKS) is a rare, sporadic disorder defined by a characteristic dysmorphic face, pigmentary skin anomalies, intellectual disability, hypotonia, and seizures caused by 12p tetrasomy due to an extra isochromosome 12p. We present three cases of PKS and two cases of trisomy 12p to illustrate and discuss features rarely cited in the literature, present certain particularities that not yet been cited, and analyze the differences between entities. Moreover, we present alternative methods of diagnosis that could be easily used in daily practice.

Monitoring Methylmalonic Aciduria by NMR Urinomics.

The paper reports on monitoring methylmalonic aciduria (MMA)-specific and non-specific metabolites via NMR urinomics. Five patients have been monitored over periods of time; things involved were diet, medication and occasional episodes of failing to comply with prescribed diets. An extended dataset of targeted metabolites is presented, and correlations with the type of MMA are underlined.

Haploinsufficiency of BAZ1B contributes to Williams syndrome through transcriptional dysregulation of neurodevelopmental pathways.

Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a genomic deletion of ∼28 genes that results in a cognitive and behavioral profile marked by overall intellectual impairment with relative strength in expressive language and hypersocial behavior. Advancements in protocols for neuron differentiation from induced pluripotent stem cells allowed us to elucidate the molecular circuitry underpinning the ontogeny of WS. In patient-derived stem cells and neurons, we determined the expression profile of the Williams-Beuren syndrome critical region-deleted genes and the genome-wide transcriptional consequences of the hemizygous genomic microdeletion at chromosome 7q11.

Microduplications of 3p26.3p26.2 containing CRBN gene in patients with intellectual disability and behavior abnormalities.

We report on the clinical data and molecular cytogenetic findings in three unrelated patients presenting with intellectual disability and behavior abnormalities. An overlapping microduplication involving 3p26.2-26.

Diagnostic approach of angelman syndrome.

Background: Angelman syndrome (AS) is a genetic condition, characterized by severe mental retardation, ataxic gait, severe speech delay, dysmorphic features, abnormal behaviour, movement disorder. It is caused by a variety of genetic mechanisms which all interfere with expression of the UBE3A gene on chromosome 15q11-13.

Objectives: To present our experience regarding diagnosis of children with Angelman syndrome.

Atypical presentations of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome: explaining the genetic defects and genome architecture.

22q11.2 deletion syndrome, the most common microdeletion syndrome, exhibits a broad range of phenotypes, implying a cumbersome diagnosis due to atypical or paucisymptomatic presentations. We present two atypical cases of 22q11.

3p interstitial deletion: novel case report and review.

3p interstitial deletions have emerged in recent years as a new cause of neurodevelopmental delay and intellectual disability. Since the first report of this condition in 1979, 16 cases have been described in the literature, delineating it as a presumptive syndrome. Here, we add a novel case presenting severely delayed neurodevelopment and psychomotor development; facial dysmorphism (square facies, broad forehead, short palpebral fissures, epicanthic folds, broad nasal bridge, and low-set malformed ears); cerebral, cardiac, and genital malformations; hand and feet anomalies; sacral sinus; and hearing impairment.

Variant e19a2 BCR-ABL1 fusion transcript in typical chronic myeloid leukemia.

Background: The landmark of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is the reciprocal translocation t(9;22)(q34;q11), generating the BCR-ABL1 hybrid gene. About 15 types of fusion transcripts have been described to date. Among the rarer types, e19a2 was described for the first time in 1990 by Saglio et al.

RFC - 1 Gene Polymorphism and the Risk of Down Syndrome in Romanian Population.

Background And Aims: There is evidence that the polymorphisms of the genes involved in folate metabolism may be associated with higher risk of Down syndrome (DS) pregnancy. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of A80G polymorphism in reduced folate carrier 1 (RFC1) gene on the maternal risk for DS.

Methods: In our study, twenty-two DS mothers and forty-two mothers who had no children with DS were evaluated.

Methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (MTHFD) enzyme polymorphism as a maternal risk factor for trisomy 21: a clinical study.

Recent reports linking Down syndrome (DS) to maternal polymorphism at the methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (MTHFD) locus have generated a great interest among investigators in the field. In the current study, we examine one genetic polymorphism involved in homocysteine/folate pathway as a risk factor for DS in a Romanian urban-area women cohort. Our results show that the frequencies of MTHFD1 alleles, as well as the frequencies of MTHFD11958 genotypes (GG, GA, AA, GA+AA) do not correlate with DS pregnancies, demonstrating no difference between the case and control groups, as opposed to the findings of Scala et al.

18q deletion syndrome - A case report.

We report on a 3 years old boy with severe mental retardation, hypotonia, deafness, cerebral dysmyelination, low levels of immunoglobulin A and dysmorphic features, bearing a distal deletion of 18q: 18q21-qter. Karyotype analysis by GTG banding was performed, revealing a deletion of the distal fragment of chromosome 18q, ranging from band q21 to qter, later confirmed by Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (FISH). Whole chromosome painting for chromosome 18 ruled out any cryptic rearrangements involving other chromosomes.

Deletion of the high-affinity cAMP phosphodiesterase encoded by PDE2 affects stress responses and virulence in Candida albicans.

Previously, we have shown that PDE2 is required for hyphal development and cell wall integrity in Candida albicans. In the present study, we have investigated the effects of its deletion by genome-wide transcriptome profiling. Changes in expression levels of genes involved in metabolism, transcription, protein and nucleic acids synthesis, as well as stress responses, cell wall and membrane biogenesis, adherence and virulence have been observed.

Involvement of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Pdr5p ATP-binding cassette transporter in calcium homeostasis.

Deletion of PDR5 gene (Deltapdr5) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae led to increased resistance to calcium. The cellular Ca2+ level in the presence of high calcium as estimated by reporter assay in Deltapdr5 cells was significantly lower than that in wild-type cells. Membrane Pdr5p levels diminished rapidly during incubation with high calcium in a manner dependent on calcineurin and Pep4p, suggesting a feedback regulatory mechanism for Pdr5p abundance.

Mutational analysis of the yeast multidrug resistance ABC transporter Pdr5p with altered drug specificity.

Multidrug resistance ABC transporter Pdr5p of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is particularly important due to its ability to export a wide range of unrelated substrates. To clarify its function, we generated Pdr5p mutants by random mutagenesis and screened for mutants with altered drug specificity in vivo by using 5 drug compounds. Nine point mutations that caused significant changes in drug specificity distributed throughout the length of Pdr5p, namely, in the extracellular, transmembrane or cytoplasmic regions of the transporter.