Further evidence that the WT1 gene does not have a role in the development of the derivatives of the müllerian duct.
OBJECTIVE
Several lines of evidence suggest that expression of the WT1 transcription factor gene is necessary for normal development of the renal and male reproductive systems. Female patients with severe reproductive tract developmental defects were examined for WT1 gene mutations.


METHODS
The WT1 gene was analyzed in 25 patients with congenital absence of the uterus and vagina for mutations. Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid prepared from blood leukocytes was subjected to Southern blot analysis and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis.


RESULTS
Common WT1 gene deoxyribonucleic acid sequence polymorphisms were found in both normal control subjects and patients with congenital absence of the uterus and vagina. No deoxyribonucleic sequence differences or mutations likely to cause congenital absence of the uterus and vagina were detected in the patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The absence of WT1 gene mutations in patients with congenital absence of the uterus and vagina supports the hypothesis that WT1 expression is required only for later urogenital development, after the mesonephric and paramesonephric ducts have already formed.
Department of Anatomy and Cellular Biology, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
B L
BL
van Lingen
R H
RH
Reindollar
A J
AJ
Davis
M R
MR
Gray
D001483:Base Sequence; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004586:Electrophoresis; D005260:Female; D016162:Genes, Wilms Tumor / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009095:Mullerian Ducts / Q000254:growth & development*; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D014599:Uterus / Q000002:abnormalities*; D014621:Vagina / Q000002:abnormalities*; D025721:WT1 Proteins
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D025721:WT1 Proteins; D004247:DNA