Clinical Research Directory

Breakpoint Analysis of de Novo Apparently Balanced Chromosomal Translocations

For every child with developmental delay, the investigators do a constitutional karyotype. This karyotype can reveal an apparently balanced chromosomal rearrangement (no visible loss or gain of genetic material), such as a translocation between two or more chromosomes of accidental occurrence (not transmitted by parents). However, an apparently balanced translocation does not explain the phenotype of the child. Among the hypotheses that could explain the child's symptoms, there is the possibility of another chromosomal abnormality at the translocation breakpoints, another defect elsewhere on the chromosomes or gene disruption at or near the breakpoints. Because the resolution of a constitutional karyotype is limited, these microanomalies can go undiagnosed. The goal of this study is to look for a microanomaly on a chromosome using a technology of higher resolution than that of the conventional karyotype. The proposed study uses DNA microarray technology on DNA extracted from blood lymphocytes to perform high-resolution analysis of all chromosomes to search for an unbalanced microrearrangement (such as loss or gain of chromosomal material). If no microrearrangement is found, the investigators will pursue by looking for a gene disruption defect at or near the breakpoints involved in the translocation. This will be done by first isolating the chromosomes involved in the translocation by flow cytometry and then hybridizing each of the isolated chromosomes on a new microarray. The purpose of this study is to find a possible cause to explain the phenotype (microrearrangement or gene disruption).