We report on a 3-year-old girl, from a 3-generation family with an FGFR3Pro250Arg mutation, who in addition to craniosynostosis, had a laterality disorder and hepatoblastoma, following a pregnancy complicated by maternal insulin-dependent diabetes.
Mutations in the FGFR1-FGFR3 and TWIST genes are known to cause craniosynostosis, the former by constitutive activation and the latter by haploinsufficiency.
Germline specific point mutations in the gene encoding fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) are associated with autosomal dominant human skeletal dysplasia and craniosynostosis syndromes.
Activating mutations of the FGFR3 gene lead to craniosynostosis and multiple types of skeletal dysplasia with varying degrees of severity: thanatophoric dysplasia (TD), achondroplasia and hypochondroplasia.
Muenke syndrome is an autosomal dominant craniosynostosis syndrome resulting from a defining point mutation in the Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor3 (FGFR3) gene.
The heterozygous Pro250Arg substitution mutation in fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3), which increases ligand-dependent signalling, is the most common genetic cause of craniosynostosis in humans and defines Muenke syndrome.
In general, mutations in FGFR1 and FGFR2 cause the majority of syndromes involving craniosynostosis, whereas the dwarfing syndromes are largely associated with FGFR3 mutations.
Studying the calvaria and skull base, we observed abnormal cartilage and premature fusion of the synchondroses leading to modifications of foramen magnum shape and size in Fgfr3(Y367C/+) mice, ACH and FGFR3-related craniosynostoses patients.
Thirty-two unrelated patients with features of Saethre-Chotzen syndrome, a common autosomal dominant condition of craniosynostosis and limb anomalies, were screened for mutations in TWIST, FGFR2, and FGFR3.
The C749G (Pro250Arg) mutation in the gene for fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) has been found in patients with various types of craniosynostosis.
Activating mutations in the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) gene are responsible for several autosomal dominant craniosynostosis syndromes and chondrodysplasias i.e. hypochondroplasia, achondroplasia, SADDAN and thanatophoric dysplasia--a neonatal lethal dwarfism syndrome.
The family provides a further example of genetic heterogeneity and variable expression of the craniosynostosis syndromes and broadens the phenotypic spectrum associated with the FGFR3 mutation P250R.
Activating mutations of FGFR3, a negative regulator of bone growth, are well known to cause a variety of short-limbed bone dysplasias and craniosynostosis syndromes.
During the last few years, it has been demonstrated that some syndromic craniosynostosis and short-limb dwarfism syndromes, a heterogeneous group comprising of 11 distinct clinical entities, are caused by mutations in one of three fibroblast growth factor receptor genes (FGFR1, FGFR2, and FGFR3).
The aim of the study is to determine whether the family has the pro250arg mutation in the gene for fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3), a mutation found in patients with various types of craniosynostosis.