Oligophrenin 1 (OPHN1) gene mutation causes syndromic X-linked mental retardation with epilepsy, rostral ventricular enlargement and cerebellar hypoplasia

Brain. 2003 Jul;126(Pt 7):1537-44. doi: 10.1093/brain/awg173. Epub 2003 May 21.

Abstract

We identified an oligophrenin 1 (OPHN1) gene mutation in a family with five brothers affected by a recognizable pattern of clinical and neuroradiological hallmarks. The distinctive phenotype comprised moderate to severe mental retardation, myoclonic-astatic epilepsy, ataxia, strabismus and hypogenitalism. Neuroimaging displayed fronto-temporal atrophy with rostral enlargement of the lateral ventricles, lower vermian agenesis and asymmetric cerebellar hypoplasia. Mutation analysis of the OPHN1 gene on Xq12 disclosed a genomic deletion of exon 19 causing a frameshift. Notably, OPHN1 mutations have been previously reported as a rare cause of non-syndromic X-linked mental retardation. Our findings, however, indicate that OPHN1 mutations result in a recognizable syndrome. In addition, identification of OPHN1 as a further gene associated with epileptic seizures will help to unravel aetiologic factors of epilepsy.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Base Sequence
  • Cerebellum / pathology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins*
  • Epilepsies, Myoclonic / genetics
  • Female
  • GTPase-Activating Proteins*
  • Gene Deletion*
  • Humans
  • Lateral Ventricles / pathology
  • Male
  • Mental Retardation, X-Linked / genetics*
  • Mental Retardation, X-Linked / pathology
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics*
  • Pedigree
  • Phosphoproteins / genetics*
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Syndrome

Substances

  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • GTPase-Activating Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • OPHN1 protein, human
  • Phosphoproteins