Maternal balanced translocation (4;21) leading to an offspring with partial duplication of 4q and 21q without phenotypic manifestations of Down syndrome
Author: El Ruby M, Hemly NA, Zaki MS.
Source:
Genetic counseling, 18(2), 217.
We describe an 8-years old female with supernumerary chromosome
der(21)t(4;21)(q25;q22) resulting in partial trisomy 4q25-qter and partial
trisomy 21(pter-q22). The extra material was originated from a reciprocal
balanced translocation carrier mother (4q;21q). Karyotyping was confirmed by FISH
using whole chromosome painting probes for 4 and 21q and using 21q22.13-q22.2
specific probe to rule out trisomy of Down syndrome critical region. Phenotypic
and cytogenetic findings were compared with previously published cases of partial
trisomy 4q and 21q. Our patient had the major criteria of distal trisomy 4q
namely severe psychomotor retardation, growth retardation, microcephaly, hearing
impairment, specific facies (broad nasal root, hypertelorism, ptosis, narrow
palpebral fissures, long eye lashes, long philtrum, carp like mouth and malformed
ears) and thumbs and minor feet anomalies. In spite of detection of most of the 3
copies of chromosome 21, specific features of Down syndrome (DS) were lacked in
this patient, except for notable bilateral symmetrical calcification of basal
gangliThis report represents further delineation of the phenotype-genotype
correlation of trisomy 4q syndrome. It also supports that DS phenotype is closely
linked to 21q22. Nevertheless, presence of basal ganglia calcification in this
patient may point out to a more proximal region contributing in its development
in DS, or that genes outside the critical region may influence or control
manifestations of DS features.