Germline mutations in the Wilms' tumor suppressor gene are associated with abnormal urogenital development in denys-drash syndrome

Jerry Pelletier, Wendy Bruening, Clifford E. Kashtan, S. Michael Mauer, J. Carlos Manivel, Jane E. Striegel, Donald C. Houghton, Claudine Junien, Renée Habib, Laurie Fouser, Richard N. Fine, Bernard L. Silverman, Daniel A. Haber, David Housman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

859 Scopus citations

Abstract

Denys-Drash syndrome is a rare human condition in which severe urogenital aberrations result in renal failure, pseudohermaphroditism, and Wilms' tumor (nephroblastoma). To investigate its possible role, we have analyzed the coding exons of the Wilms' tumor suppressor gene (WT1) for germline mutations. In ten independent cases of Denys-Drash syndrome, point mutations in the zinc finger domains of one WT1 gene copy were found. Nine of these mutations are found within exon 9 (zinc finger III); the remaining mutation is in exon 8 (zinc finger II). These mutations directly affect DNA sequence recognition. In two families analyzed, the mutations were shown to arise de novo. Wilms' tumors from three individuals and one juvenile granulosa cell tumor demonstrate reduction to homozygosity for the mutated WT1 allele. Our results provide evidence of a direct role for WT1 in Denys-Drash syndrome and thus urogenital system development.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)437-447
Number of pages11
JournalCell
Volume67
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 18 1991

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

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