Search

The formation of a properly shaped eye is a complex developmental event that requires the coordination of many induction processes and differentiation pathways. Microphthalmia and anophthalmia (MA) represent the most severe defects that can affect the ocular globe during embryonic development. When genetic, these ocular disorders exhibit large genetic heterogeneity and extreme variable expressivity. Around 20 monogenic diseases are known to be associated with MA as main phenotype and the penetrance of mutations is usually full in the patients. Some of these genes encode proteins involved in the vitamin A pathway, tightly regulated during eye development. One of those retinoic acid synthesis genes is ALDH1A3 and biallelic mutations in that gene have been recently found to lead to MA phenotype in patients. Interestingly, we report here the lack of ocular defect in a girl carrying the same homozygous mutation in the ALDH1A3 gene than the affected members of her family. Thus, this report brings new information for the phenotype–genotype correlation of ALDH1A3 mutations and raises important questions, especially in terms of genetic counselling given to the patients and their families. Furthermore, these data contribute to the more general understanding that we have for the complex genetic inheritance of these MA phenotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Multiple sclerosis is not known to be a risk factor for subsequent development of cancer. Recently, a multiple sclerosis locus was mapped adjacent to BRCA1 gene. We present a familial case affected by multiple sclerosis and cancer. We identified a c.5266dupC (5382insC) frameshift mutation in a 33-year-old woman with breast cancer, multiple malignant melanomas and multiple sclerosis. The patient's family history shows further cases of multiple sclerosis in BRCA1 mutation carriers. Therefore the presented family may carry a monogenic predisposition for multiple sclerosis nearby to BRCA1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]