Project description:Radioulnar synostosis with amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (RUSAT) is an inherited bone marrow failure syndrome, characterized by thrombocytopenia and congenital fusion of the radius and ulna. A heterozygous HOXA11 mutation has been identified in two unrelated families as a cause of RUSAT. However, HOXA11 mutations are absent in a number of individuals with RUSAT, which suggests that other genetic loci contribute to RUSAT. In the current study, we performed whole exome sequencing in an individual with RUSAT and her healthy parents and identified a de novo missense mutation in MECOM, encoding EVI1, in the individual with RUSAT. Subsequent analysis of MECOM in two other individuals with RUSAT revealed two additional missense mutations. These three mutations were clustered within the 8(th) zinc finger motif of the C-terminal zinc finger domain of EVI1. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and qPCR assays of the regions harboring the ETS-like motif that is known as an EVI1 binding site showed a reduction in immunoprecipitated DNA for two EVI1 mutants compared with wild-type EVI1. Furthermore, reporter assays showed that MECOM mutations led to alterations in both AP-1- and TGF-β-mediated transcriptional responses. These functional assays suggest that transcriptional dysregulation by mutant EVI1 could be associated with the development of RUSAT. We report missense mutations in MECOM resulting in a Mendelian disorder that provide compelling evidence for the critical role of EVI1 in normal hematopoiesis and in the development of forelimbs and fingers in humans.
Project description:Radioulnar synostosis with amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (RUSAT) type 2, caused by MDS1 and EVI1 complex locus (MECOM) gene mutations, is a rare inherited bone marrow failure syndrome (IBMFS) with skeletal anomalies, characterized by varying presentation of congenital thrombocytopenia (progressing to pancytopenia), bilateral proximal radioulnar synostosis, and other skeletal abnormalities. Due to limited knowledge and heterogenous manifestations, clinical diagnosis of the disease is challenging. Here we reported a novel MECOM mutation in a Chinese boy with typical clinical features for RUSAT-2. Trio-based whole exome sequencing of buccal swab revealed a novel heterozygous missense mutation in exon 11 of the MECOM gene (chr3:168818673; NM_001105078.3:c.2285G > A). The results strongly suggest that the variant was a germline mutation and disease-causing mutation. The patient received matched unrelated donor hematopoetic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). This finding was not only expanded the pathogenic mutation spectrum of MECOM gene, but also provided key information for clinical diagnosis and treatment of RUSAT-2.
Project description:Heterozygous mutations in MECOM (MDS1 and EVI1 complex locus) have been reported to be causative of a rare association of congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia and radioulnar synostosis. Here we report on 12 patients with congenital hypomegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia caused by MECOM mutations (including 10 novel mutations). The mutations affected different functional domains of the EVI1 protein. The spectrum of phenotypes was much broader than initially reported for the first 3 patients; we found familial as well as sporadic cases, and the clinical spectrum ranged from isolated radioulnar synostosis with no or mild hematological involvement to severe bone marrow failure without obvious skeletal abnormality. The clinical picture included radioulnar synostosis, bone marrow failure, clinodactyly, cardiac and renal malformations, B-cell deficiency, and presenile hearing loss. No single clinical manifestation was detected in all patients affected by MECOM mutations. Radioulnar synostosis and B-cell deficiency were observed only in patients with mutations affecting a short region in the C-terminal zinc finger domain of EVI1. We propose the term MECOM-associated syndrome for this heterogeneous hereditary disease and inclusion of MECOM sequencing in the diagnostic workup of congenital bone marrow failure.
Project description:Congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (CAMT) is an inherited disorder characterized at birth by thrombocytopenia with reduced megakaryocytes, which evolves into generalized bone marrow aplasia during childhood. Although CAMT is genetically heterogeneous, mutations of MPL, the gene encoding for the receptor of thrombopoietin (THPO), are the only known disease-causing alterations. We identified a family with three children affected with CAMT caused by a homozygous mutation (p.R119C) of the THPO gene. Functional studies showed that p.R119C affects not only ability of the cytokine to stimulate MPL but also its release, which is consistent with the relatively low serum THPO levels measured in patients. In all the three affected children, treatment with the THPO-mimetic romiplostim induced trilineage hematological responses, remission of bleeding and infections, and transfusion independence, which were maintained after up to 6.5 years of observation. Recognizing patients with THPO mutations among those with juvenile bone marrow failure is essential to provide them with appropriate substitutive therapy and prevent the use of invasive and unnecessary treatments, such as hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or immunosuppression.
Project description:Congenital radioulnar synostosis is a rare disorder resulting in the fusion of the radius and ulna from birth. Management is conservative. Operative treatment rarely succeeds.
Project description:Background and Objectives: Proximal radioulnar synostosis (PRUS) is the most frequent congenital forearm disorder, although the prevalence in the general population is rare with a few hundred cases reported. Pfeiffer, Poland, Holt-Oram, and other serious congenital syndromes contain this abnormality. Non-syndromic cases with isolated PRUS very often exhibit as SMAD6, NOG genes variants, or sex chromosome aneuploidy. A subgroup of patients with haematological abnormalities presents with HOXA11 or MECOM genes variants. Case report: We present a non-syndromic adult elite ice-hockey player with unilateral proximal radioulnar synostosis of the left forearm. In early childhood he was able to handle the hockey stick only as a right-handed player and the diagnosis was set later at the age of 8 years due to lack of supination. Cleary-Omer Type III PRUS was found on x-ray with radial head hypoplasia and mild osteophytic degenerative changes of humeroulnar joint. Since the condition had minimal impact on sports activities, surgical intervention was not considered. The player continued his ice-hockey career at the top level and joined a national team for top tournaments. Upper extremity function assessment with questionnaires and physical testing resulted in minimal impairment. The most compromised tool was the Failla score with 10 points from a total of 15. Genetic testing with Sanger sequencing revealed no significant pathogenic variant in SMAD6, NOG, and GDP5 genes. No potentially pathogenic copy number variants were detected by array-based comparative genomic hybridization. Conclusions: In the reported case, the ability of an athlete to deal with an anatomic variant limiting the forearm supination is demonstrated. Nowadays, a comprehensive approach to rule out more complex musculoskeletal impairment and family burden is made possible by evolving genetics.
Project description:BackgroundSMAD6 variants have been reported in patients with radioulnar synostosis (RUS). This study aimed to investigate the genotypes and phenotypes for a large cohort of patients with RUS having mutant SMAD6.MethodsGenomic DNA samples were isolated from 251 RUS sporadic patients (with their parents) and 27 RUS pedigrees. Sanger sequencing was performed for the SMAD6 coding regions. For positive probands, co-segregation and parental-origin analysis of SMAD6 variants and phenotypic re-evaluation were performed for their family members.ResultsWe identified 50 RUS probands with SMAD6 variants (13 co-segregated with RUS in pedigrees and 37 in RUS-sporadic patients). Based on the new and previous data, we identified SMAD6 mutated in 16/38 RUS pedigrees and 61/393 RUS sporadic patients, respectively. Overall, 93 SMAD6 mutant patients with RUS were identified, among which 29 patients had unilateral RUS, where the left side was more involved than the right side (left:right = 20:9). Female protective effects and non-full penetrance were observed, in which only 6.90% mothers (vs. ~50% fathers) of SMAD6 mutant RUS probands had RUS. Pleiotropy was observed as a re-evaluation of SMAD6 mutant families identified: (a) three families had axial skeletal malformations; (b) two families had polydactyly; and (c) eight families had other known malformations.ConclusionSMAD6 was mutated in 42.11% RUS pedigrees and 15.52% RUS sporadic patients. The RUS patients with SMAD6 variants exhibit both non-full-penetrance, variable expressivity, pleiotropy, female protective effects, and the left side is more susceptible than the right side.
Project description:Association of thymoma with myasthenia gravis, pure red cell aplasia, and aplastic anemia is well documented. However, thymoma complicated by acquired amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (AAMT) is rarely reported. Here, we present a case of a 60-year-old male with past medical history of recurrent invasive thymoma who presented with cough and blood in sputum. He was found to have severe normocytic normochromic anemia and thrombocytopenia that did not improve with intravenous steroids or multiple transfusions of red cells and platelets. Subsequent bone marrow biopsy showed severely depleted megakaryocytes and erythroid precursor cells with relative myeloid hyperplasia suggestive of amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia and red cell aplasia. He was started on oral cyclosporine but subsequently developed leukopenia and refused any further treatment or diagnostic procedures and left the hospital against medical advice. AAMT, thus, may be a very early presentation of impending aplastic anemia, and treating physicians need to be aware of this entity.
Project description:Congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (CAMT) is caused by the loss of thrombopoietin receptor-mediated (MPL-mediated) signaling, which causes severe pancytopenia leading to bone marrow failure with onset of thrombocytopenia and anemia prior to leukopenia. Because Mpl(-/-) mice do not exhibit the human disease phenotype, we used an in vitro disease tracing system with induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from a CAMT patient (CAMT iPSCs) and normal iPSCs to investigate the role of MPL signaling in hematopoiesis. We found that MPL signaling is essential for maintenance of the CD34+ multipotent hematopoietic progenitor (MPP) population and development of the CD41+GPA+ megakaryocyte-erythrocyte progenitor (MEP) population, and its role in the fate decision leading differentiation toward megakaryopoiesis or erythropoiesis differs considerably between normal and CAMT cells. Surprisingly, complimentary transduction of MPL into normal or CAMT iPSCs using a retroviral vector showed that MPL overexpression promoted erythropoiesis in normal CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs), but impaired erythropoiesis and increased aberrant megakaryocyte production in CAMT iPSC-derived CD34+ HPCs, reflecting a difference in the expression of the transcription factor FLI1. These results demonstrate that impaired transcriptional regulation of the MPL signaling that normally governs megakaryopoiesis and erythropoiesis underlies CAMT.