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Broad and unexpected phenotypic expression in Greek children with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome due to mutations in the Wilms’ tumor 1 (WT1) gene

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Abstract

Mutations in the Wilms’ tumor suppressor gene 1 (WT1), most commonly within exons 8 or 9 or intron 9, are found in cases with the overlapping conditions of Denys–Drash and Frasier syndromes, as well as in patients with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS). This study investigated the presence of WT1 gene mutations in cases with childhood SRNS, along with an evaluation of their clinical outcome. Twenty-seven Greek children with sporadic (19 cases) and familial (8 cases) SRNS were tested. Four phenotypically female patients with sporadic SRNS were found to carry de novo WT1 mutations, including two cases with p.R394W, and one case each with p.R366H, or n.1228+5G>A. Karyotype analysis found 46XX in three cases, but 46XY in one. No phenotype–genotype correlations were apparent in the WT1 gene positive cases since their clinical presentation varied broadly. Interestingly, one patient with a pathological WT1 nucleotide variation responded fully to combined therapy with cyclosporine A and corticosteroids. This study further illustrates that investigation of WT1 gene mutations is clinically useful to support definitive diagnosis in children presenting with SRNS in order to direct the most appropriate clinical management.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Greek Society of Families with Kidney Disease “ELPIDA” for the financial support as well as Stavroula Papadopoulou and Konstantina Pouliou for their technical assistance.

Financial and competing interest disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Genetics, Athens University, “Aghia Sofia” Children’s Hospital, Athens, 115 27, Greece

    Spyridon Megremis, Irene Fylaktou, Sofia Kitsiou Tzeli, Emmanuel Kanavakis & Joanne Traeger-Synodinos

  2. Departement of Pediatric Nephrology, “P. and A. Kyriakou” Children’s Hospital, Athens, 115 27, Greece

    Andromachi Mitsioni & Constantinos J. Stefanidis

  3. Department of Pediatric Nephrology, “Aghia Sofia” Children’s Hospital, Athens, 115 27, Greece

    Filadelfia Komianou

Authors
  1. Spyridon Megremis
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  2. Andromachi Mitsioni
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  3. Irene Fylaktou
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  4. Sofia Kitsiou Tzeli
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  5. Filadelfia Komianou
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  6. Constantinos J. Stefanidis
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  7. Emmanuel Kanavakis
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  8. Joanne Traeger-Synodinos
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Correspondence to Joanne Traeger-Synodinos.

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Megremis, S., Mitsioni, A., Fylaktou, I. et al. Broad and unexpected phenotypic expression in Greek children with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome due to mutations in the Wilms’ tumor 1 (WT1) gene. Eur J Pediatr 170, 1529–1534 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-011-1450-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-011-1450-5

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