• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.3615-3617
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• 2016

Background: Breast cancer molecular analysis by linkage analysis has the advantage of facilitating early diagnosis in asymptomatic genetic carriers, with a view to the preventive follow-up of these subjects and genetic counseling. The aim of this study was to evaluate BRCA1 gene D17S855 and D17S1322 markers in breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods: A series of 85 BC patients and 85 unrelated healthy women were recruited for haplotype analysis performed using two short tandem repeat markers located within the BRCA1 gene locus. Each marker was amplified with PCR genomic DNA from each individual and fluorescently end-labeled primers. Results: Both D17S855 and D17S1322 markers included 12 kinds of alleles. Results indicate that most of the BC patients shared two common 121-150 (11.2%, RR=1.56 and p=0.02) and 121-146 (5.6%, RR=1.9 and p=0.02) haplotypes. Conclusions: Our results should be helpful to understand the haplotype phase in the BRCA1 gene and establish a genetic screening strategy in the Iranian population.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.113-121
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• 2021

This article aims to introduce German discussion on the approval of the non-invasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD), which started with the development of PrenaTest^® by LifeCodexx AG. The discussion started with the concern that the non-invasive nature of NIPD, such as PrenaTest^®, may rapidly expand the use and scope of similar tests, thus leading to a new era of eugenics. Based on this concern, the need for clear clinical guidelines on specific indications for NIPD has been suggested. Along the same line, it was discussed whether PrenaTest^® is against the Basic Law prohibiting discrimination on grounds of disability and whether the test is outside the scope of the purpose of gene testing limited by Genetic Diagnosis Act. Through such discussion, the Federal Ministry of Health of Germany established the preconditions for inclusion of NIPD in the German public health insurance system. For this, the German motherhood guideline was amended and the information for the insured persons provided to pregnant women was included in the amended guideline. Such discussion made in Germany provides insight on which points should be considered when various gene testings are accepted in Korea, in which genetic communication has not been systematized yet. In particular, German counseling system for pregnant women will provide valuable insights for Korea where the direction for regulations on abortion has not been established even after the ruling by the Constitutional Court that charges for abortion are against the constitution.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.102-107
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• 2020

We report the case of an infant with a 4q35.1 deletion with 10p duplication. This mutation is rarely reported in the literature and has been found to have variable clinical findings, often including developmental delay. In this case, the condition was detected by chromosomal microarray analysis after initial manifestation of a feeding problem and developmental delay. Minor dysmorphic features with abnormal neurological examination led to further evaluation. The father's chromosome complement was 46, XY, t(4;10)(q35;p12.2). Parental balanced translocation can go unrecognized, because affected individuals are often phenotypically healthy until they have fertility issues such as recurrent miscarriages or children with severe congenital disorders. Genetic diagnoses help to establish a clear family genetic background that permits the development of clear treatment strategies. Prenatal counseling can also help to understand the possible risks associated with pregnancy or future child planning.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.117-120
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• 2021

We experienced a case of Xq deletion -- 46,X,del(X)(q22.3) -- detected by abnormal noninvasive prenatal screening, subsequently diagnosed by amniocentesis. Genetic counseling was a challenge because there are few reports of prenatal diagnosis of Xq deletion. In each female cell, one X chromosome is inactivated at random early in development, and there may be a preferential inactivation of the abnormal X chromosome. But some proportions of genes escape inactivation. The most common manifestation in women with Xq deletion is primary or secondary ovarian failure. Critical regions for ovarian function may be located at the long arm of the X chromosome. But, the onset and the severity of ovarian failure may vary with diverse, intricate factors. We anticipate that noninvasive prenatal screening can identify the broader range of chromosomal or genetic abnormalities with the advances in technology and analytic methods. We report our case with a brief review of the literature.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.27-31
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• 2022

X-linked dominant hypophosphatemic rickets are the most common form of familial hypophosphatemic rickets resulting from hypophosphatemia caused by renal phosphate wasting, which in turn is a result of loss-of-function mutations in PHEX. Herein, we report a 39-year-old female with short stature and skeletal deformities and 12-month-old asymptomatic daughter. The female has a history of multiple surgical treatments because of lower limb deformities. Her biochemical findings revealed low serum phosphorus levels with elevated serum alkaline phosphatase activity and normal serum calcium levels, suggesting presence of hypophosphatemic rickets. To identify the molecular causes, we used a multigene testing panel and found a mutation, c.667dup (p.Asp223GlyfsTer15), in PHEX gene. To the best of our knowledge, this is a novel mutation. A heterozygous form of the same variant was detected in daughter, who showed no typical symptoms such as bow legs, frontal bossing, or waddling gate, but presented early signs of impaired mineralization in both X-ray and biochemical findings. The daughter was initiated onto early medical treatment with oral phosphate supplementation and an active vitamin D analog. Because the daughter was genetically diagnosed based on a family history before the onset of symptoms, appropriate medical management was possible from early infancy.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.13-22
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to investigate and analyze current educational requirements related to genetics curriculum(from June 2002 to September 2002) established at nursing institutions and to provide the basic data for the development of genetics science program at the undergraduate. Subjects of this study were comprised of twenty-three colleges of nursing in 4-year baccalaureate and thirty colleges in 3-year diploma programs. The results of this study were as follows : 1) 32 colleges offer courses related to genetics. 29 among 32 colleges have that integrated. Three schools have established completely independent courses of genetics. 21 colleges do not have any courses dealing with genetics. 2) The contents of courses related to genetics include: Congenital abnormalities, chromosomal aberrations, congenital metabolic disease, prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling, genes and chromosomes, immune genetics, blood type and genetics, rule of genetics, variation in gene expression, the map of the human gene, gene linkage genetics, interaction of genes, single inheritance in order and genetic biochemistry. 3) For course credit, 14colleges(48.3%) offered at most 1 credit per course. The grade of student who can take the course, 51.7% were in their second year while 37.9% were in their third year. The majors of nursing faculty who taught the course were nursing(51.7%) and basic nursing science(17.2%). 4) As far as the need of opening the courses related to genetics, 36 colleges(67.0%) have made a 'need', 12 schools(22.6%) state 'dose not need'. 711e reason for need were the following development of bio engineering, increase number of patients who are related to genetics, recognition of the need in clinical nursing. 7 schools(13.2%) agreed to offer independent course in genetics but 39 schools(73.6%) are in disagreement with that. When the school offers the course with other courses, 27 schools(50.0%) are opening basic nursing science and 14 schools(26.4%) are opening nursing as an integrated courses. If the name of course was either genetic nursing(34.0%) or genetics(28.3%), the credits for the course was one or 2 credits. 33 schools(62.3%) students were in the first or second years. 41 schools(84.9%), the majors of the faculty who had taught the course were either basic nursing science(35.8%), nursing(28.3%) or basic medicine(24.5%). The contents of the course should include in that order: Chromosome aberrations, prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling, congenital metabolic disease, congenital abnormalities, genes and chromosomes, the rules of genetics, immune genetics, interaction of genes, variation in gene expression, etc. The results and discussions of the study indicate that the entire curriculums need to be investigated with respect to contents of education, nursing curriculums and name of courses because of the increasing need of knowledge related to genetics in the clinical practice.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.5-12
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• 2004

Purpose Phenylketonuria is an inborn error of metabolism, which is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. PKU is resulting from deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase. PAH gene spans about 90 kb on chromosome 12q and comprises 13 exons. In order to define the genetic basis of PKU and the frequencies and distribution of PAH mutations in the Korean population, we analyzed PAH gene in independent 80 patients with PKU. Methods All 13 exons including exon-intron boundaries and 2 kb of 5' upstream region of the PAH gene were analyzed by PCR-direct sequencing methods. Results PAH gene analysis revealed 39 different mutations including 10 novel mutations. The novel mutations consisted of 9 missense mutations (P69S, G103S, N207D, T278S, P281A, L293M, G332V, S391I and A447P) and a novel splice site variant (IVS10-3C>G). R243Q, IVS4-1G>A, and E6-96A>G were the most relevant mutations and they accounted in the whole for 38% of the mutant alleles identified in this study. We also observed that. $BH_4$ responsibility was. associated with genotype of R241C, R53H and R408Q. Conc1ustion Our present study with 80 participants extends the previous results to more comprehensive understanding of PAH allele distribution and frequency in Koreans. Although Korean mutation profile of PAH is similar to those of the nearest oriental populations (Japanese, Chinese, and Taiwanese), several different characteristic features are revealed. The characterization of the genotype-phenotype relationship was also performed. Our data would be very useful information for diagnosis, genetic counseling and planning of dietary and therapeutic strategies in Korean PAH patients.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.24-36
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• 2010

Colorectal cancer is one of the most steeply increasing malignancies in Korea. Among 398,824 new patients recorded by the Korea Central Cancer Registry between 2003 and 2005, 47,915 cases involved colorectal cancers, accounting for 12.0 % of all malignancies. In 2002, total number of colorectal cancer cases had accounted for 11.2 % of all malignancies. Hereditary syndromes are the source of approximately 5% to 15% of overall colorectal cancer cases. Hereditary colorectal cancers are divided into two types: hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), and cancers associated with hereditary colorectal polyposis, including familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, juvenile polyposis, and the recently reported hMutYH (MYH)-associated polyposis (MAP). Hereditary colorectal cancers have unique clinical features distinct from sporadic cancer because these are due to germline mutations of the causative genes; (i) early age-of-onset of cancer, (ii) frequent association with synchronous or metachronous tumors, (iii) frequent association with extracolonic manifestations. The management strategy for patients with hereditary colorectal cancer is quite different from that for sporadic cancer. Furthermore, screening, genetic counseling, and surveillance for at-risk familial member are also important. A well-organized registry can plays a central role in the surveillance and management of families affected by hereditary colorectal cancers. Here, we discuss each type of hereditary colorectal cancer, focusing on the clinical and genetic characteristics, management, genetic screening, and surveillance.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.130-134
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• 2011

Saethre-Chotzen syndrome is an autosomal dominant craniosynostosis syndrome, usually involving unior bilateral coronal synostosis and mild limb deformities, and is induced by loss-of-function mutations of the TWIST1 gene. Other clinical features of this syndrome include ptosis, low-set ears, hearing loss, hypertelorism, broad great toes, clinodactyly, and syndactyly. The authors of the present study report 2 children with clinical features of Saethre-Chotzen syndrome who showed mutations in the TWIST1 gene, and is the first molecular genetic confirmation of Saethre-Chotzen syndrome in Korea. The molecular genetic testing of the TWIST1 gene for patients with coronal synostoses is important to confirm the diagnosis and to provide adequate genetic counseling.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2012

About 7% of all breast cancer (BC) cases result from a genetic predisposition, and approximately 1,000 patients develop hereditary BC (HBC) every year in Korea. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are the primary genes underlying HBC. The average cumulative risks in BRCA1 mutation carriers at 70 years of age are 65% (95% confidence interval 44-78%) for BC and 39% (18-54%) for ovarian cancer (OC). The corresponding estimates for BRCA2 are 45% (31-56%) and 11% (2.4-19%), respectively. The penetrance of BRCA mutations is not the same between patients and can depend on factors such as race and birth-cohort. The Korean Hereditary Breast Cancer (KOHBRA) study is a large prospective nationwide study that includes 39 participating centers. Between May 2007 and May 2010, the first phase of the KOHBRA study was planned and fulfilled successfully. The primary aim of phase I was to estimate the prevalence of BRCA1/2 mutations and OC among a high-risk group of patients with HBC and their families. According to data collected during phase I of the study, the prevalence and penetrance of BRCA mutations were comparable to corresponding data from Western countries. For the second phase of the KOHBRA study, we are currently investigating a Korean BRCA mutation prediction model, prognostic factors in BRCA-related BC, environmental/genetic modifiers, and implementing a genetic counseling network. The final goal of the KOHBRA study is to create clinical practice guidelines for HBC in Korea. In this article, I review the genetics of HBC, summarize the characteristics of Korean HBC, and discuss current and future HBC research in Korea.