Abstract
Background
It is known that the Y chromosome or Y-specific sequence is present in about 6% of Turner syndrome (TS) patients and that it predisposes them to gonadoblastoma formation with an estimated risk of 15–25%. In this study, we performed a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 32 patients with TS to detect Y-specific sequence. The results were compared with those obtained by the fluorescence in situ hybridaization (FISH) method.
Methods
Cytogenetic analysis was performed by phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated peripheral lymphocyte cultures, using G-banding. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood for PCR. Seven different sets of oligonucleotide primers, sex determining region Y (SRY), zinc finger gene on the Y chromosome (ZFY), testis specific protein Y (TSPY), DYZ3, DYF49S1, RNA binding motif protein (RBM), and DYZ1, spanning on centromeres and short and long arms of the Y chromosome were used for PCR. FISH was carried out using X and Y chromosome enumeration probe for Xp11.1-q11.1 (DXZ1 locus) and Yp11.1-q11.1 (DYZ3 locus), respectively.
Results
Among 32 patients with TS, four (12.5%) were positive for Y specific sequence by PCR. Of these, two patients were detected previously by a cytogenetic analysis: 45,X/47,XYY and 45,X/46,XY. Only one Y specific sequence, DYZ3, was detected by PCR in the other two patients without cytogenetically obvious Y chromosome. Y signal was not detected by FISH for the last two patients.
Conclusions
It may be reasonable to consider using a PCR method to screen for Y-specific sequences in all patients with TS. Even though we did not demonstrate Y-signal by FISH in patients with PCR positive and cytogenetically no obvious Y chromosome, FISH may be another useful method in TS patient, and futher investigation is nessessary.
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![]() | Fig. 1.Multiplex PCR amplification of the DYZ3 gene (M, marker; C, negative control; P, positive control; lanes 1–4, Cases 1–4 was described in Table 3).
Abbreviation: PCR, polymerase chain reaction.
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Table 1.
Primers and product for PCR amplication
Table 2.
Various karyotypes of 32 patients with Turner syndrome
Table 3.
Summary of positive results of PCR and FISH analyses for presence of Y-chromosome material