Purpose: Bowman's layer corneal dystrophies (CDBs) include 2 distinct types: CDB1, or Reis-Bücklers (RBCD), and CDB2, or Thiel-Behnke (TBCD). We studied the genetic basis of 2 cases of apparent spontaneous CDB mutations and attempted to determine if these are sporadic and inheritable mutations.
Design: Retrospective molecular genetic study and case report.
Participants: Twelve patients were recruited from 2 unrelated families for this study, including 2 affected individuals from one family (family A) and 1 affected individual from another (family B).
Methods: Slit-lamp examination was performed for each patient to determine the disease phenotype. Histological analysis of affected cornea specimens was used for identification of pathogenic corneal opacities in 2 affected patients from family A.
Main outcome measures: Genomic DNA was isolated from the blood samples and used for mutation screening of the TGFBI/BIGH3 gene. Sixteen polymorphic DNA markers from 9 different chromosomes were used to establish the maternity and paternity of the 2 probands.
Results: The 2 families were confirmed to be unrelated. The age onset of ocular symptoms was <2 years for all 3 affected patients. Clinical diagnoses of CDB1 (RBCD) and CDB2 (TBCD) were made for probands A and B, respectively. The affected corneas showed epithelial haze with diffuse, irregular, patchy opacities in a honeycomb and geographic pattern. Subepithelial plaques, increased trichome staining of anterior stroma, and irregular Bowman's layer were observed. An R555Q mutation was found in TGFBI/BIGH3 in the 2 probands but not in their parents. The son of proband A was also affected and apparently inherited his disease allele from his father.
Conclusion: The R555Q mutation occurred spontaneously and independently in the 2 unrelated CDB families and was confirmed to be transmitted to the next generation in 1 of the 2 families. These findings strongly support the notion that a genetic diagnosis should be determined for CDB and other dystrophies associated with mutations in TGFBI/BIGH3. The discovery of a spontaneous mutation should alert clinicians to be aware of the existence of genetic alterations for their patients without apparent family history of the disease.