BackgroundIn a review of the literature in 2000 the different cytogenetic aspects of spontaneous miscarriages were well documented. This review also included the spontaneous miscarriage results of one large German study published in 1990. However, to our knowledge there are no new data on spontaneous miscarriages in the German population. Therefore, the aim of the present retrospective large study was to find out the incidence and types of chromosome aberrations in an unselected series of spontaneous miscarriages in the German population, and whether our more recent results were different to data published previously. In case of culture failure we implemented a quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (QF-PCR) for chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X and Y.ResultsIn the present German retrospective study cytogenetic analysis (CA) was attempted on 534 spontaneous miscarriages between weeks 7 and 34 of gestation, being successful in 73% (390/534) of them. Two hundred and thirty-seven of the cases (61%, 237/390) were chromosomally abnormal. Trisomy was the most common chromosome aberration and accounted for 53% (125/237) of the aberrant karyotypes. A multiple aneuploidy was observed in 7% (17/237) of the aberrant karyotypes. Chromosomes 16, 22, 15 and 21 were found most frequently involved in aneuploidies. Fifty-four cases (23%, 54/237) with a polyploidy were found in the present study. Single unbalanced structural chromosome aberrations accounted for 4% (10/237) of the aberrant karyotypes. Eleven samples (5%, 11/237) displayed a variety of numerical and/or structural chromosome aberrations. One hundred and forty-four spontaneous miscarriages (27%, 144/534) failed to grow in culture. A total of 27 cases were analysed by QF-PCR for chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X and Y, being informative in all cases.ConclusionIn our German retrospective large study of spontaneous miscarriages, the incidence and types of chromosome aberrations by CA are within the reported range of other studies published previously before and after 2000. Therefore, we can conclude that cytogenetic aspects of spontaneous miscarriages have not changed over the years. Additionally 8 of 27 cases (30%) without cell growth showed a numerical chromosome aberration by QF-PCR. Therefore QF-PCR played an important role as a supplementary test when culture failure occurred.

The molecular characterisation of chromosomal aberrations in Xp22

We describe the first inverted duplication of the p21.3p26 region of chromosome 3 in a child with phenotypic features of the trisomy 3p syndrome. This uncommon type of aberration was verified by multicolour fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) using yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) clones from chromosome 3 (CEPH library). With a newly constructed YAC clone from the 3p26 region an unexpected subtelomeric deletion was diagnosed in the aberrant chromosome 3. Using the primed in situ labelling (PRINS) method, telomeres were found to be present on the recombinant chromosome 3. The repeated appearance of concomitant distal deletions in inverted duplications suggests that an overall mechanism exists for the origin of such duplications/ deficiencies.

Yolk sac tumors are the most frequent kind of malignant pediatric germ cell tumor and may have a fundamentally different pathogenesis than adult germ cell tumors. Since few cytogenetic studies have been performed so far, in situ hybridization was applied to interphase cell nuclei of seven gonadal yolk sac tumors of childhood in routine paraffin-embedded tissue sections. The panel of chromosome-specific DNA probes was selected on the basis of their relevance in adult germ cell tumors and consisted of five DNA probes specific for the (peri)centromeric regions of chromosomes 1, 8, 12, 17 and/or X and/or one DNA probe specific for the subtelomeric region of chromosome 1 (p36.3). As in adult germ cell tumors, all pediatric gonadal yolk sac tumors had an increased incidence of numerical chromosome aberrations. All tumors showed an overrepresentation of at least three chromosomes. Gains of chromosome 12, which is highly specific in adult germ cell tumors, were diagnosed in six pediatric gonadal yolk sac tumors. The DNA indices determined in the paraffin-embedded tumor material correlated well with the in situ hybridization findings. A chromosome was either over- or underrepresented, compared with the corresponding DNA indices, in only a few cases. The short arm of chromosome 1 in adult germ cell tumors is often involved in structural aberrations. In pediatric germ cell tumors, the short arm of chromosome 1 is also a nonrandom site of structural aberrations. Moreover, the presence of a deletion at 1p36.3 in four out of five tumors suggests that the loss of gene(s) in this region is an important event in the pathogenesis of gonadal yolk sac tumors of childhood.

Recently, gain-of-function (GOF) mutations in the gene encoding signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) have been associated with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC). This case report describes a 10-year-old boy presenting with signs of common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), failure to thrive, impaired neurological development, and a history of recurrent mucocutaneous Candida infections. Sequencing of the STAT1 gene identified a heterozygous missense mutation in exon 7 encoding the STAT1 coiled-coil domain (c.514T>C, p.Phe172Leu). In addition to hypogammaglobulinemia with B-cell deficiency, and a low percentage of Th17 cells, immunological analysis of the patient revealed a marked depletion of forkhead-box P3(+)-expressing regulatory T cells (Tregs). In vitro stimulation of T cells from the patient with interferon-α (IFNα) and/or IFNɣ resulted in a significantly increased expression of STAT1-regulated target genes such as MIG1, IRF1, MX1, MCP1/CCL2, IFI-56K, and CXCL10 as compared to IFN-treated cells from a healthy control, while no IFNα/ɣ-mediated up-regulation of the FOXP3 gene was found. These data demonstrate that the STAT1 GOF mutation F172L, which results in impaired stability of the antiparallel STAT1 dimer conformation, is associated with inhibited Treg cell development and neurological symptoms.