title: Unexpected familial recurrence in Angelman syndrome.
abstract: We report on two instances of familial recurrence of Angelman syndrome which, from pedigree analysis, appear incompatible with currently known mechanisms of inheritance of this disorder. In these two families, deletion-positive Angelman syndrome has recurred in cousins. Several established mechanisms for deletion-positive familial recurrence have been ruled out. In each family, molecular cytogenetic studies show typical chromosome 15 deletions, and DNA methylation analysis verifies the maternal origin of the deleted chromosomes in all four individuals. Since the mothers of the affected individuals in each family are not known to be related, these recurrences appear to be secondary to coincidental, de novo events. This conclusion is consistent with direct and indirect estimates of the population frequency of Angelman syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Connerton-Moyer
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Nicholls
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Driscoll
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hendrickson
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Pauli
mesh_terms: D017204:Angelman Syndrome / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002871:Chromosome Banding; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012008:Recurrence