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Malaysian Siblings with Friedreich Ataxia and Chorea: A Novel Deletion in the Frataxin Gene

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 December 2014

Siân D. Spacey ,
Blazej I. Szczygielski ,
Sean P. Young ,
Juliette Hukin ,
Kathy Selby  and
Terrance P. Snutch
Siân D. Spacey
Affiliation:
Division of Neurology and the Biotechnology Laboratory and the Brain Research Center, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Blazej I. Szczygielski
Affiliation:
Biotechnology Laboratory, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Sean P. Young
Affiliation:
Dept. of Medical Genetics, B.C. Children's Hospital, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Juliette Hukin
Affiliation:
Dept. of Pediatrics, B.C. Children's Hospital, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Kathy Selby
Affiliation:
Dept. of Pediatrics, B.C. Children's Hospital, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Terrance P. Snutch
Affiliation:
Biotechnology Laboratory, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
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Abstract

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Background:

Friedrich ataxia (FRDA1) is most often the result of a homozygous GAA repeat expansion in the first intron of the frataxin gene (FRDA gene). This condition is seen in individuals of European, North African, Middle Eastern and Indian descent and has not been reported in Southeast Asian populations. Approximately 4% of FRDA1 patients are compound heterozygotes. These patients have a GAA expansion on one allele and a point mutation on the other and have been reported to have an atypical phenotype.

Objective:

To describe a novel dinucleotide deletion in the FRDA gene in two Malaysian siblings with FRDA1.

Setting:

Tertiary referral university hospital setting. Patients and

Methods:

A previously healthy 10-year-old Malaysian boy, presented with fever, lethargy, headaches, dysarthria, dysphagia, vertigo and ataxia which developed over a one week period. His neurological exam revealed evidence of dysarthria and ataxia, mild generalized weakness and choreoform movements of the tongue and hands. His reflexes were absent and Babinski sign was present bilaterally. A nine-year-old sister was found to have mild ataxia but was otherwise neurologically intact.

Results:

Molecular genetic studies demonstrated that both siblings were compound heterozygotes with a GAA expansion on one allele and a novel dinucleotide deletion on the other allele.

Conclusion:

We describe a novel dinucleotide deletion in the first exon of the FRDA gene in two siblings with FRDA1. Additionally this is the first report of FRDA1 occurring in a family of southeast Asian descent, it demonstrates intrafamilial phenotypic variability, and confirms that atypical phenotypes are associated with compound heterozygosity.

Type
Research Article
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , Volume 31 , Issue 3 , August 2004 , pp. 383 - 386
Copyright
Copyright © The Canadian Journal of Neurological 2004

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