title: Pubertal androgenization and gonadal histology in two 46,XY adolescents with NR5A1 mutations and predominantly female phenotype at birth.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Most patients with NR5A1 (SF-1) mutations and poor virilization at birth are sex-assigned female and receive early gonadectomy. Although studies in pituitary-specific Sf-1 knockout mice suggest hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, little is known about endocrine function at puberty and on germ cell tumor risk in patients with SF-1 mutations. This study reports on the natural course during puberty and on gonadal histology in two adolescents with SF-1 mutations and predominantly female phenotype at birth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical and hormonal data and histopathological studies are reported in one male and one female adolescent with, respectively, a nonsense mutation (c.9T>A, p.Tyr3X) and a deletion of the first two coding exons (NCBI36/hg18 Chr9:g.(126306276-126307705)_(126303229-126302828)del) of NR5A1, both predicted to fully disrupt gene function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LH and testosterone concentrations were in the normal male range, virilization was disproportionate to the neonatal phenotype. In the girl, gonadectomy at 13 years revealed incomplete spermatogenesis and bilateral precursor lesions of testicular carcinoma in situ. In the boy, at the age of 12, numerous germ cells without signs of malignancy were present in bilateral testicular biopsy specimen.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In SF-1 mutations, the neonatal phenotype poorly predicts virilization at puberty. Even in poorly virilized cases at birth, male gender assignment may allow spontaneous puberty without signs of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, and possibly fertility. Patients with SF-1 mutations are at increased risk for malignant germ cell tumors. In case of preserved gonads, early orchidopexy and germ cell tumor screening is warranted. The finding of premalignant and/or malignant changes should prompt gonadectomy or possibly irradiation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital Ghent, Ghent University, Building 3K12D, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. martine.cools@ugent.be
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cools
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hoebeke
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Wolffenbuttel
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stoop
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hersmus
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barbaro
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wedell
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brüggenwirth
authors.forename: L H J
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Looijenga
authors.forename: S L S
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Drop
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001483:Base Sequence; D005260:Female; D006061:Gonadal Dysgenesis, 46,XY / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D006066:Gonads / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation / Q000502:physiology; D036801:Parturition / Q000502:physiology*; D010641:Phenotype; D011627:Puberty / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D054339:Steroidogenic Factor 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D014770:Virilism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: C515057:NR5A1 protein, human; D054339:Steroidogenic Factor 1