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BMC Medical Genetics
Published in: BMC Medical Genetics 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research article

Functional study on new FOXL2 mutations found in Chinese patients with blepharophimosis, ptosis, epicanthus inversus syndrome

Authors: Lu Zhou, Jiaqi Wang, Tailing Wang

Published in: BMC Medical Genetics | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Background

Blepharophimosis, ptosis, epicanthus inversus syndrome (BPES) is a rare inheritable disease that mainly affects eyelid development associated with (type I) or without (type II) ovarian dysfunction, resulting in premature ovarian failure (POF). Mutations in the gene forkhead box L2 (FOXL2) have been shown to be responsible for BPES. The aim of this study was to determine and functionally validate the FOXL2 mutation in a Chinese BPES family.

Methods

Twelve individuals including five BPES patients from a Chinese family were enrolled. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood of enrolled subjects. The coding region of the FOXL2 gene was amplified and mutations were determined by sequencing analyses. Functional analysis was carried out to study changes in expression and transcriptional activity of the mutant FOXL2 protein.

Results

A novel mutation in the FOXL2 gene (c.931C > T) was detected in all five BPES patients, which converts a histidine residue into a tyrosine (p.H311Y) in the FOXL2 protein. Functional analysis revealed that this point mutation reduces FOXL2 protein expression, concomitant with decreased transcriptional activity on the steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) gene promotor.

Conclusions

Our results expand the mutational spectrum of the FOXL2 gene and provide additional insights to the research on the molecular pathogenesis of FOXL2 in BPES.
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Metadata
Title
Functional study on new FOXL2 mutations found in Chinese patients with blepharophimosis, ptosis, epicanthus inversus syndrome
Authors
Lu Zhou
Jiaqi Wang
Tailing Wang
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Medical Genetics / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2350
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12881-018-0631-8

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