title: Genotype-phenotype correlation in Brazillian Rett syndrome patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rett syndrome (RS) is a severe neurodevelopmental X-linked dominant disorder caused by mutations in the MECP2 gene.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To search for point mutations on the MECP2 gene and to establish a correlation between the main point mutations found and the phenotype.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical evaluation of 105 patients, following a standard protocol. Detection of point mutations on the MECP2 gene was performed on peripheral blood DNA by sequencing the coding region of the gene.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Classical RS was seen in 68% of the patients. Pathogenic point mutations were found in 64.1% of all patients and in 70.42% of those with the classical phenotype. Four new sequence variations were found, and their nature suggests patogenicity. Genotype-phenotype correlations were performed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Detailed clinical descriptions and identification of the underlying genetic alterations of this Brazilian RS population add to our knowledge of genotype/phenotype correlations, guiding the implementation of mutation searching programs.
authors.affiliation: Médica Geneticista Clínico, Doutorado em Ciências, Centro de Genética Médica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. ftlima@terra.com.br
authors.forename: Fernanda T de
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Decio
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brunoni
authors.forename: José Salomão
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Schwartzman
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Pozzi
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kok
authors.forename: Yara
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Juliano
authors.forename: Lygia da Veiga
authors.initials: Lda V
authors.lastname: Pereira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D051783:Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D017354:Point Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015518:Rett Syndrome / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D051783:Methyl-CpG-Binding Protein 2; D004247:DNA