Novel finding of lissencephaly and severe osteopenia in a Chinese patient with SATB2-associated syndrome and a brief review of literature

Am J Med Genet A. 2022 Jul;188(7):2168-2172. doi: 10.1002/ajmg.a.62732. Epub 2022 Mar 22.

Abstract

SATB2-associated syndrome (SAS) is a rare disorder characterized by developmental delay, behavioral problems, and craniofacial anomalies in particular dental and palatal abnormalities. We describe the clinical course, genetic and autopsy findings in a Chinese boy with global developmental delay, hypotonia, epilepsy, recurrent fractures and osteopenia. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed pachygyria, white matter hypoplasia and hypogenesis of the corpus callosum. Whole-exome sequencing identified a novel heterozygous missense variant c.1555G>A p.(Glu519Lys) in the SATB2 gene. Unfortunately, he died at 26 months of bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Autopsy revealed pachygyria which was more severe anteriorly, dilated lateral and third ventricles and partial agenesis of the corpus callosum. Histology showed features compatible with two-layered lissencephaly. The bone showed disordered lamination and bone matrix. Although SATB2 has been shown to be involved in the regulation of neuronal migration in the developing brain, lissencephaly has not been reported so far. This could represent a more severe phenotype of SAS.

Keywords: SATB2 gene; SATB2-associated syndrome; autopsy; lissencephaly; osteopenia; pachygyria.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Bone Diseases, Metabolic* / diagnosis
  • Bone Diseases, Metabolic* / genetics
  • Bone Diseases, Metabolic* / pathology
  • Brain / abnormalities
  • China
  • Humans
  • Lissencephaly* / pathology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Matrix Attachment Region Binding Proteins* / genetics
  • Syndrome
  • Transcription Factors / genetics

Substances

  • Matrix Attachment Region Binding Proteins
  • SATB2 protein, human
  • Transcription Factors