Germline and somatic mosaicism for FGFR2 mutation in the mother of a child with Crouzon syndrome: Implications for genetic testing in "paternal age-effect" syndromes

Am J Med Genet A. 2010 Aug;152A(8):2067-73. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.a.33513.

Abstract

Crouzon syndrome is a dominantly inherited disorder characterized by craniosynostosis and facial dysostosis, caused by mutations in the fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) gene; it belongs to a class of disorders that mostly arise as de novo mutations and exhibit a near-exclusive paternal origin of mutation and elevated paternal age ("paternal age effect"). However, even if this is the major mode of origin of mutations in paternal age-effect disorders, germline mosaicism may also occur. Here we describe the first molecularly documented evidence of germline and somatic mosaicism for FGFR2 mutation, identified in the mother of a child with Crouzon syndrome caused by a heterozygous c.1007A>G (p.Asp336Gly) substitution. Levels of maternal somatic mosaicism for this mutation, estimated by pyrosequencing, ranged from 3.3% in hair roots to 14.1% in blood. Our observation underlines the importance of parental molecular testing for accurate genetic counseling of the risk of recurrence for Crouzon, and other paternal age-effect syndromes.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Child
  • Craniofacial Dysostosis / diagnosis
  • Craniofacial Dysostosis / genetics*
  • Craniosynostoses / diagnosis
  • Craniosynostoses / genetics*
  • DNA / analysis
  • DNA / genetics
  • Female
  • Genetic Testing
  • Germ-Line Mutation / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mosaicism*
  • Mothers
  • Paternal Age
  • Pedigree
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2 / genetics*
  • Syndrome

Substances

  • DNA
  • FGFR2 protein, human
  • Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2