ALBERT

Notes: Summary Translocation between the long arms of chromosomes 11 and 22 is usually detected in offspring with an unbalanced karyotype following a 3:1 disjunction resulting in “partial trisomy.” Since by the end of 1976 it was suspected that this translocation might be more frequent than one would deduce from published reports, it was decided to call for a collaborative effort in Europe to collect unpublished cases. In response, 42 cases were collected in Europe, and one case from New Zealand was added. The following countries were represented with the number of cases indicated in parentheses: Czechoslovakia (2), Denmark (4), Finland (3), France (6), Germany (1), Italy (5), The Netherlands (9), Sweden (6), United Kingdom (4), Yugoslavia (2). The wide geographical distribution indicates a multifocal origin of the translocation. Among the unpublished cases, 31 were ascertained as unbalanced carriers [47,XX or XY,+der(22),t(11;22)] and 12 as balanced balanced carriers [46,XX and XY,t(11;22)]. Among the published cases, 10 were ascertained in unbalanced and 3 in balanced carriers. The breakpoints of the translocations indicated by the contributors varied, the most frequently reported being 11q23;22q11 (25 cases), followed by q25;q13 (10 cases). While the first one seems more likely, it was not possible to decide whether the breakpoints were the same in all cases. All 32 probands with unbalanced karyotypes had inherited the translocation, 31 from the mother and only 1 from the father. This ratio became 43:1 when the published cases were added. A segregation analysis revealed that in families ascertained through probands with unbalanced karyotypes there was a ratio of carriers to normal (all karyotyped) 54:55, not a significant difference. The formal maximum (minimum) recurrence risk for this unbalanced translocation was calculated to be 5.6% (2.7%). When the ascertainment was through a balanced proband, the maximum risk was 2.7%. The risk was calculated as 5.7% for female and 4.3% for male carriers. The mean family size was 1.67 for the offspring of female carriers and 0.78 for the offspring of male carriers. This significant difference suggests that heterozygosity for the translocation reduces fertility in males. Indeed, several of the probands with balanced karyotypes were ascertained because of sub- or infertility. Only 2 de novo translocations were found among the 59 probands, and both, were among the 12 cases ascertained as balanced carriers. The source, quality, and quantity of the clinical data for the subjects with unbalanced karyotypes were variable, and no definite conclusions were possible about phenotypes. The following signs were recorded in 10 or more of the 45 cases: low birth weight, delayed psychomotor development, hypotonia, microcephaly, craniofacial asymmetry, malformed ears with pits and tags, cleft palate, micro-/retrognathia, large beaked nose, strabismus, congenital heart disease, cryptorchidism, and congenital dislocation of the hip joints. Many signs were similar to those considered typical of trisomy 11q, and the phenotype coincided almost completely with the presumptive phenotype of complete trisomy 22. No cases with coloboma was recorded, while other signs of the “cat-eye” syndrome were found in several probands. This might indicate that individuals with the cat-eye syndrome and carriers of the unbalanced 11/22 translocation have the same segment of 22 in triplicate plus or minus another chromosome segment.

Notes: Summary Following a previous collaborative study (Fraccaro et al. 1980), 20 new cases of 11q;22q translocation are described. Twelve families were ascertained through an unbalanced carrier of the translocation and eight cases were ascertained as balanced carriers. A segregation analysis was performed on the 110 families so far published. It was concluded that the 11q;22q translocation is a relatively frequent event, and that all the cases thus far reported might have the same breakpoints at 11q23.3 and 22q11.2. The translocation seems to be independent of environmental factors and it seems to have a low rate of mutation as indicated by the scarcity of de novo cases. The new data confirmed that only one type of unbalanced karyotype (47,XX or XY+der(22)t(11;22)(q23.3;q11.2)) is found among the offspring of the translocation carriers. The minimal overall recurrence risk for an unbalanced translocation was estimated to 2%. There was no difference between the recurrence risks for male and female balanced carriers, while the trend was confirmed of an excess of female balanced carriers among the phenotypically normal offspring of the t(11;22) female carriers.

Notes: Summary Cytogenetic studies were carried out on 150 oocytes obtained in a human in vitro fertilization (IVF) program. Although all cells lacked signs of fertilization at light microscopy, 46 (30.7%) appeared to show cytological evidence of fertilization. At least one-third of these cells (with development arrested before first cleavage) had chromosomal aberrations. An aneuploidy rate of 35% was found in unfertilized oocytes. The results of this study explain some of the fertilization failures and of the failures of postfertilization development.

Notes: Abstract Structural chromosome abnormalities in spermatozoa represent an important category of paternally transmittable genetic damage. A couple was referred to our centre because of repetitive abortions and the man was found to be a carrier of a reciprocal translocation t(3;11)(q27.3;q24.3). A tailored fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) approach was developed to study the meiotic segregation patterns in spermatozoa from this translocation carrier. A combination of three DNA probes was used, a centromeric probe for chromosome 11, a cosmid probe for chromosome 11q and a YAC probe for chromosome 3q. The frequency of spermatozoa carrying an abnormal chromosome constitution was compared with baseline frequencies in control semen specimens and it was found that a significantly higher percentage of spermatozoa carried an abnormal constitution for the chromosomes involved in the translocation. A normal or balanced chromosome constitution was found in 44.3% of the analysed spermatozoa, while the remainder exhibited an abnormal chromosome constitution reflecting different modes of segregation (15.9% adjacent I segregation, 6.5% adjacent II segregation, 28.9% 3 : 1 segregation, 0.8% 4 : 0 segregation, 3.6% aberrant segregation). The frequency of aneuploidy for chromosomes X, Y, 13 and 21 was assessed using specific probes but there was no evidence of interchromosomal effects or variations in the sex ratio in spermatozoa from the translocation carrier. In conclusion, structural aberrations can be reliably assessed in interphase spermatozoa using unique DNA probe cocktails, and this method provides insight into the genetic constitution of germ cells and enables evaluation of potential risks for the offspring.

Notes: Summary A clone with 47 chromosomes was observed in the bone marrow of a patient with aplastic anemia and found to be trisomic for chromosome 6. The abnormal clone was not observed in the peripheral blood.

Notes: Synopsis In this paper, model experiments on chicken red blood cell nuclei are described concerning the influence of methanol-acetic acid fixation and irradiation at different wavelengths, with and without prior Atebrin staining on subsequent Feulgen-stainability. In addition, data are reported on the influence on Feulgenstainability of Giemsa-banding procedures, illumination of unstained chromosomes at 220 and 515 nm and exposure of unstained and Atebrin-stained chromosomes to illumination at 440 nm. The ASG and especially the trypsin-Giemsa technique appeared to reduce markedly Feulgen-stainability. The same holds true for Atebrin fluorescence of chromosomes. The data are discussed in relation to their implications for the assumed cause of the Q- and G-banding phenomena. Techniques are described that allow reliable Feulgen DNA measurements of individual chromosomes after application of either G- or Q-banding.