Publication
Title
Familial mental retardation syndrome ATR-16 due to an inherited cryptic subtelomeric translocation t(3;16)(q29;p13.3)
Author
Abstract
In the search for genetic causes of mental retardation, we have studied a five-generation family that includes 10 individuals in generations IV and V who are affected with mild-to-moderate mental retardation and mild, nonspecific dysmorphic features. The disease is inherited in a seemingly autosomal dominant fashion with reduced penetrance. The pedigree is unusual because of (1) its size and (2) the fact that individuals with the disease appear only in the last two generations, which is suggestive of anticipation. Standard clinical and laboratory screening protocols and extended cytogenetic analysis, including the use of high-resolution karyotyping and multiplex FISH (M-FISH), could not reveal the cause of the mental retardation. Therefore, a whole-genome scan was performed, by linkage analysis, with microsatellite markers. The phenotype was linked to chromosome 16p13.3, and, unexpectedly, a deletion of a part of 16pter was demonstrated in patients, similar to the deletion observed in patients with ATR-16 syndrome. Subsequent FISH analysis demonstrated that patients inherited a duplication of terminal 3q in addition to the deletion of 16p. FISH analysis of obligate carriers revealed that a balanced translocation between the terminal parts of 16p and 3q segregated in this family. This case reinforces the role of cryptic (cytogenetically invisible) subtelomeric translocations in mental retardation, which is estimated by others to be implicated in 5%10% of cases.
Language
English
Source (journal)
The American journal of human genetics / American Society of Human Genetics [Bethesda, Md] - New York, N.Y., 1949, currens
Publication
New York, N.Y. : 2000
ISSN
0002-9297 [print]
1537-6605 [online]
DOI
10.1086/302703
Volume/pages
66 (2000) , p. 16-25
ISI
000085033600004
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Publication type
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 08.10.2008
Last edited 04.03.2024
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