MLPA Method does not Always Confirm the Results of aCGH: A Study of KANSL1 Gene Deletion Patients

Abstract

Background: Microdeletion and microduplications are detected on chromosomes as a pathological subgroup of copy number variants of DNA. It has become easierto identify such chromosomal syndromes after use of array-based comparative genomic hybridization technology. One of them is the 17q21.31 microdeletion and microduplication syndrome. A 500-650 kb sized copy loss on 17q21.31 results in a phenotype which was described as Koolen-de Vries Syndrome including mental retardation, epilepsia, hypotonia and characteristic facial features. Today, we know that haplo-insufficiency of KANSL1 gene located in this region is responsible for these findings.

A total of 30 patients with KANSL1 deletion detected during aCGH analyses were enrolled in the current study. All patients were analyzed by Multiplex Ligation-Dependent Probe Amplication (MLPA) method in order to confirm the results.

Results: Three of the 30 patients had KANSL1 gene deletion detected by both methods and duplication was found in one patient.

Conclusion: As a result of the study, we concluded that although new generation molecular methods enable us to obtain big and valuable data, each method has its own limitations and confirming the reults with another method increases test reliability. Using together of these methods are useful for the geneticists during diagnosis, clinical assessment and genetic counseling of patients.