SLC26A4 mutations are associated with a specific inner ear malformation.
OBJECTIVE
Inner ear anomalies have been reported in approximately 30% of children with early onset deafness. Identification of causative genetic factors in a large proportion of these patients was not successful. Mutations in the SLC26A4 gene have been detected in individuals with enlarged vestibular aqueduct (EVA) or Mondini dysplasia. We aimed to characterize the inner ear anomalies associated with SLC26A4 mutations.


METHODS
The SLC26A4 gene has been screened for mutations in 16 subjects from 14 unrelated Turkish families with a variety of inner ear anomalies ranging from Michel aplasia to incomplete partition-II and EVA. None of the patients was diagnosed to have a recognizable genetic syndrome. Additional four patients with Pendred syndrome from three families were included.


RESULTS
Only one patient with EVA was found to have a heterozygous mutation (c.1586delT) in SLC26A4. All patients with Pendred syndrome had homozygous mutations and were noted to have either EVA or EVA associated with incomplete partition-II on the computed tomography of the temporal bone.


CONCLUSIONS
SLC26A4 mutations are not associated with a large spectrum of inner ear anomalies. They, instead, result in a specific morphological appearance consistent with EVA or incomplete partition-II.
Fitoz
Suat
S
Department of Radiodiagnostics, Ankara University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Sennaroğlu
Levent
L
Incesulu
Armağan
A
Cengiz
Filiz Başak
FB
Koç
Yasemin
Y
Tekin
Mustafa
M
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics*; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D023281:Genomics; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017354:Point Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000076988:Sulfate Transporters; D013577:Syndrome; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; C085609:SLC26A4 protein, human; D000076988:Sulfate Transporters