Prenatal diagnosis of low-level mosaicism for a small supernumerary marker chromosome derived from chromosome 9q (9q13-q21.33) in a pregnancy with a favorable outcome, and cytogenetic discrepancy between cultured amniocytes and uncultured amniocytes

Objective We present prenatal diagnosis of low-level mosaicism for a small supernumerary marker chromosome (sSMC) derived from chromosome 9q (9q13-q21.33) in a pregnancy with a favorable outcome, and cytogenetic discrepancy between cultured amniocytes and uncultured amniocytes. Case report A 36-year-old, primigravid woman underwent amniocentesis at 17 weeks of gestation because of advanced maternal age. Cytogenetic analysis on cultured amniocytes revealed a karyotype of 46,XY in 20/20 colonies. Simultaneous array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) on the DNA extracted from uncultured amniocytes revealed 30% mosaicism for a de novo 20.3-Mb gene dosage increase at 9q13-q21.33. Repeat amniocentesis and cordocentesis were performed at 21 weeks of gestation. Cytogenetic analysis on cord blood revealed a karyotype of 47,XY,+mar [3]/46,XY [37]. aCGH analysis of cord blood revealed 7.5% mosaicism for a 17.15-Mb gene dosage increase at 9q21.11-q21.33. aCGH analysis of uncultured amniocytes revealed 11.7% mosaicism for a 17.15-Mb gene dosage increase at 9q21.11-q21.33. Polymorphic DNA marker analysis excluded uniparental disomy 9. The parental karyotypes were normal. The pregnancy was carried to 37 weeks of gestation, and a 2955-g phenotypically normal male baby was delivered. At birth, the cord blood had a karyotype of 47,XY,+mar [3]/46,XY [37], the placenta had a karyotype of 47,XY,+mar [10]/46,XY [30], and the umbilical cord had a karyotype of 47,XY,+mar [14]/46,XY [36]. aCGH analysis on the DNA extracted from cord blood at birth revealed no genomic imbalance. Interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis on buccal mucosal cells at age two months detected 3.8% (4/106 cells) mosaicism for the sSMC, compared with 2% (2/100 cells) in the normal control. The neonate had normal physical development at age two months. Conclusion Cytogenetic discrepancy between cultured amniocytes and uncultured amniocytes may exist in the pregnancy with fetal mosaic sSMC. Low-level mosaicism for an sSMC derived from chromosome 9q13-q21.33 at prenatal diagnosis can be associated with a favorable outcome in the fetus.