Screening for NLRP7 mutations in familial and sporadic recurrent hydatidiform moles: report of 2 Tunisian families

• Published in: International journal of gynecological pathology Vol. 30; no. 4; p. 348
• Main Authors: Landolsi, Hanène, Rittore, Cécile, Philibert, Laurent, Missaoui, Nabiha, Hmissa, Sihem, Touitou, Isabelle, Gribaa, Moez, Yacoubi, Mohamed Tahar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.2011
• Subjects: Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing - genetics; Adult; Female; Humans; Hydatidiform Mole - genetics; Microsatellite Repeats; Mutation; Pedigree; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; Pregnancy; Recurrence; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Tunisia; Uterine Neoplasms - genetics; Tunisia
• ISSN: 1538-7151
• DOI: 10.1097/PGP.0b013e31820dc3b0

A familial or sporadic recurrent hydatidiform mole is a rare autosomal recessive condition that has been associated with biallelic mutations in the nucleotide-binding, leucine-rich repeat, pyrin domain 7 (NLRP7) gene (19q13.42). Cases from different ethnic origins have been reported earlier. Here we report the first Tunisian patients: 2 sisters with homozygous NLRP7 mutations (p.E570X) and 1 sporadic case with no mutation in NLRP7. Our results extend the number of familial recurrent reproductive wastages due to mutations in NLRP7. We suggest that mutations screening of NLRP7 could be proposed more systematically in women with recurrent pathologic pregnancy outcomes of unknown origin. The rare cases with a typical clinical picture, which were not related to NLRP7 mutation as in our sporadic case, should be investigated more to identify the causative gene.