No description available.

MMed (Haematology), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand / Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a malignancy of plasma cells. The incidence worldwide has been reported to be 3-4/100 000 of the population. The exact aetiology is not known, but several factors have been implicated in the aetio-pathogenesis of the disease. Chromosomal abnormalities are well documented in MM. Their detection is important, as some of the cytogenetic abnormalities such as the 13q deletion are associated with a poor prognosis. Knowledge of the prognostic factors guides the clinician with respect to the appropriate management of the patient. Prior to the use of fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) as a technique for detecting cytogenetic abnormalities in MM, progress was slow in this field because of the difficulty of obtaining analysable metaphases in view of the low proliferative activity of plasma cells. FISH has significantly improved the detection rate over conventional cytogenetics. Objective: The present study set out to determine the proportion of patients with MM who have a detectable chromosome 13q deletion using conventional cytogenetic and FISH analysis. The FISH technique was specifically studied to see if the detection rate of the 13q deletion is improved compared to conventional cytogenetics. Furthermore, the cytogenetic abnormalities detected were correlated with the course of the disease, as well as other parameters of prognostic significance. vi Methods: Bone marrow aspiration specimens were obtained from thirty (30) patients with MM. Both newly and previously diagnosed patients were included. The sample size was however reduced to twenty (20) because of the need to optimise the technique and improve signal detection. Conventional cytogenetic and FISH analysis was performed using the LSI D13S319 DNA probe as the test probe, and the centromeric alpha 11 and 18 as control probes. The analysis was carried out by two observers. Results: In the current study, the detection of chromosomal aberrations was much better with FISH analysis compared to conventional cytogenetics i.e. 25% versus 5%. Of all the patients with chromosomal aberrations, 25% (5/20) had the specific deletion 13q14 (D13S319). Most of our patients (70%) presented with stage III disease. 60% of those were positive for deletion 13q14 (D13S319), i.e 3/5 patients had stage III disease. However, there was no correlation between disease stage and chromosome status, as the majority of the patients presented with advanced stage disease, irrespective of their chromosomal status. Other factors of prognostic significance such as the haemoglobin level, beta-2 microglobulin and creatinine levels were not found to correlate with the presence of the chromosomal aberration but with disease stage. Furthermore, median survival did not correlate with the presence of the chromosomal abnormality. Conclusion: FISH analysis improves the detection rate of chromosomal abnormalities in MM compared to conventional cytogenetics. The prevalence of 13q14 deletion in our patient population is lower than that reported in the

No description available.

Objetivos: Investigar possíveis alterações citogenéticas, através da técnica de bandamento de alta resolução, em indivíduos com anomalias craniofaciais associadas ao atraso no desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor e sem diagnóstico clínico-genético definido, com cariótipo (com bandas) prévio normal e estabelecer possível correlação entre o fenótipo dos indivíduos e as regiões cromossômicas alteradas. Local de execução: Laboratório de Citogenética Humana e Serviço de Genética Clínica, HRAC-USP, Bauru-SP. Indivíduos estudados e Resultados: O cariótipo de alta resolução de 16 indivíduos com anomalias craniofaciais associadas ao atraso no desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor pertencentes ao HRAC-USP, Bauru permitiu detectar alterações citogenéticas estruturais em 4 (25%) dos 16 indivíduos. Em 3 indivíduos detectou-se deleções em regiões subteloméricas (cromossomos 4p, 9p e 18q) e, em 1 indivíduo detectou-se adição de segmento cromossômico de origem desconhecida na região telomérica do cromossomo 12p. Conclusões: A frequência alta (25%) de alterações cromossômicas estruturais em regiões cromossômicas terminais (teloméricas e subteloméricas) mostra que a técnica de alta resolução é útil na identificação de alterações nessas regiões, portanto, indivíduos com anomalias craniofaciais e atraso mental, sem diagnóstico genético-clínico definido, cujo cariótipo convencional foi normal, devem ser, submetidos à análise dos cromossomos por meio do cariótipo de alta resolução antes do procedimento de CGHarray. / Objective: To investigate possible cytogenetic abnormalities through high resolution banding technique in individuals with craniofacial anomalies presenting previous normal karyotype, associated to neuropsychological development delay, without clinic-genetic diagnoses, and establish possible correlation between phenotype and possible candidate chromosomal regions. Local: Human Cytogenetic Laboratory and Clinical Genetic Service, HRAC-USP, Bauru, SP. Individuals and Results: High resolution karyotype of 16 individuals with craniofacial anomalies associated to neuropsychological development delay in follow-up at the HRAC-USP, Bauru allowed the detection of structural chromosomal abnormalities in 4 (25%) of them. Three individuals presented deletion in the subtelomeric region (chromosomes 4p, 9p, and 18q), and one individual presented an addition of an unknown chromosomal fragment in the telomeric region of chromosome 12p. Conclusions: The high frequency (25%) of structural chromosomal abnormalities in terminal region (telomeric and subtelomeric) shows that the high resolution technique is useful for identification of structural anomalies in these regions. Therefore, individuals with craniofacial anomalies associated to neuropsychological development delay without a definitive clinic-genetic diagnoses presenting a normal conventional karyotype, should be submitted to chromosomal analysis through high resolution karyotype before CGH-array procedure.

Em estudos etiológicos sobre a deficiência mental (DM), as anomalias cromossômicas, tanto numéricas quanto estruturais, são fatores que apresentam frequência relativa significante. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar as frequências e os tipos de anomalias cromossômicas em afetados por DM nas APAEs (Associação de Pais e Amigos dos Deficientes) de Batatais, Altinópolis e Serrana, objetivando conhecer melhor a contribuição destas anomalias na DM nessa região, caracterizando os tipos e as freqüências das aberrações cromossômicas observadas e compará-las entre as APAEs. Pacientes com suspeita de anomalias cromossômicas foram selecionados para o estudo. O critério usado para a seleção da amostra foi a realização do cariótipo em todos os afetados por DM com anomalias estruturais maiores e/ou menores. A análise citogenética foi feita através de cultura de linfócitos do sangue periférico e a coloração utilizada foi banda G, sendo analisadas 20 metáfases por paciente. Dos 505 indivíduos avaliados nas três APAES, 265 realizaram estudo citogenético, sendo encontradas 61 alterações cromossômicas (12,1% do total e 23,0% dos selecionados para cariótipo). Na APAE de Batatais, dos 305 indivíduos avaliados, 174 realizaram cariótipo, sendo encontradas 33 (10,8% do total) anomalias cromossômicas. Em Altinópolis, dos 107 indivíduos avaliados, 54 realizaram cariótipo, sendo observados 16 cariótipos anômalos (14,9% do total). Na APAE de Serrana, dos 93 indivíduos avaliados, 37 realizaram cariótipo, sendo encontradas 12 (12,9% do total) anomalias cromossômicas. Esses resultados demonstram que anomalias cromossômicas contribuem significativamente para a etiologia da DM e que a citogenética clássica possui importantes implicações na prática médica para o diagnóstico dos indivíduos afetados, assim como, para o aconselhamento genético das famílias. Além disso, observa-se que a APAE de Batatais, por apresentar uma porcentagem menor de indivíduos afetados por DM grave, 60,7%, possui uma menor incidência de anomalias cromossômicas quando comparada as APAEs de Altinópolis e Serrana que apresentam uma frequência de 87,8% e 83,9% de indivíduos com DM grave, respectivamente, indicando que alterações cromossômicas são mais frequentes em indivíduos afetados por DM grave. / In etiological studies on mental retardation (MR), the chromosomal abnormalities, both numerical and structural, are factors that have significant relative frequencies. The objective was to study the frequencies and types of chromosomal abnormalities in patients affected by MR in APAEs (Associação de Pais e Amigos dos Deficientes) of Batatais, Altinópolis and Serrana. This aims to better understand the contribution of these abnormalities to MR in these regions, and thus characterizing the types and frequencies of chromosomal aberrations observed in order to compare them between APAEs. Patients suspected of chromosomal abnormalities were selected for the study. The criterion used for sample selection was the achievement of the karyotype of all patients affected by MR with major and/or minor structural abnormalities. Cytogenetic analysis was performed on cultures of peripheral blood lymphocytes, where the band G was used for staining. Twenty metaphases were analyzed per patient. Of the 505 individuals evaluated in three APAEs, a cytogenetic study was performed on 265 patients, and 61 chromosomal abnormalities were found (12.1% of the total and 23.0% of the selected karyotypes). In APAE of Batatais, karyotypes were performed on 174 of the 305 subjects studied, and we found 33 chromosomal abnormalities (10.8% of total). In Altinópolis, 54 karyotypes were performed out of the 107 subjects studied, and we observed 16 abnormal karyotypes (14.9% of total). In APAE Serrana, 37 karyotypes were performed out of the 93 subjects studied, and 12 chromosomal abnormalities (12.9% of total) were found. These results show that chromosomal abnormalities contribute significantly to the etiology of MR and that classical cytogenetics have important implications in medical practice for diagnosis of affected individuals as well as for genetic counseling of the families. Moreover, it is noted that in the APAE of Batatais, because of the smaller percentage of individuals affected by severe MR, 60.7% have a lower incidence of chromosomal abnormalities when compared to the APAEs of Altinópolis and Serrana which have frequencies of 87.8% and 83.9% of individuals with severe MR, respectively. This indicates that chromosomal abnormalities are more frequent in individuals affected by severe MR.

Objetivos: avaliar a contribuição do fluxo anormal no ducto venoso de 11 a 13 6/7 semanas no rastreamento de anomalias cromossômicas, defeitos estruturais e prognóstico gestacional. Método: 1221 gestações únicas foram submetidas a Dopplervelocimetria do ducto venoso após o rastreamento pela translucência nucal (TN). Resultados: os defeitos cromossômicos foram diagnosticados em 22 fetos. O fluxo no ducto venoso estava anormal em 84 fetos, a TN estava acima do 95o percentil em 160 casos e ambos marcadores estiveram anormais em 41 fetos. A sensibilidade, especificidade, valores preditivos positivo e negativo para defeitos cariotípicos corresponderam respectivamente a 86,4%, 86,9%, 11,9% e 99,7% considerando a TN aumentada, 68,2%, 96,9%, 31,3%, 99,3% para anomalias do fluxo do ducto venoso e 68,2%, 97,6%, 36,6%, 99,3% analisando ambos os marcadores. Investigando malformações estruturais, esses valores foram de 43,8%, 92,9%, 8,3%, 99,1% para uma TN aumentada, 25%, 92,6%, 4,8%, 98,8% para anomalias do fluxo do ducto venoso e 25%, 97,9%, 15,4%, 98,9% para ambos os marcadores. Nos casos com TN aumentada, a proporção de nascidos vivos morfológica e cariotipicamente normais diminui de 93,8% nos fetos com fluxo no ducto venoso normal para 77,3%, quando anormal. Conclusão: a avaliação do ducto venoso de 11 a 13 6/7 semanas de gestação pode ser utilizada no rastreamento de anomalias cromossômicas fetais e pode ajudar a reduzir a taxa de falso-positivo quando combinado com a medida da TN. Em fetos com TN aumentada o fluxo anormal no ducto venoso aumenta a probabilidade de resultados gestacionais adversos / Objective: To evaluate the association between abnormal ductus venosus at 11 - 13 6/7 weeks\' gestation and chromosomal abnormalities, structural defects and fetal outcome. Methods: Ductus venosus waveform (DVFVW) and nuchal translucency (NT) thickness were prospectively evaluated in 1221 singleton pregnancies. Results: The DVFVW was abnormal in 84 cases, NT was above the 95th centile in 160 cases and both markers were observed in 41 fetuses. Chromosomal defects were diagnosed in 22 fetuses. The sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive values for an abnormal karyotype were respectively 86.4%, 86.9%, 11.9% for an increased NT; 68.2%, 96.9%, 31.3% for DVFVW abnormalities and 68.2%, 97.6%, 36.6% for both markers. Regarding structural defects, this values were 43.8%, 92.9%, 8.3% for an abnormal NT, 25%, 92.6%, 4.8% for DVFVW abnormalities and 25%, 97.9%, 15.4% for both. Considering those cases of unexplained fetal demise, the percentages were 44.4%, 85.9%, 5% for NT abnormalities, 22.2%, 92.6%, 4.8% for an abnormal DVFVW and 22.2%, 98%, 15.4% for both. In cases with increased NT measurement, the percentage of livebirths with normal karyotype and no major fetal structural defects decreased from 93.8% in normal DVFVW fetuses to 77.3%, when abnormal. Conclusion: Ductus venosus assessment at 11 - 13 6/7 weeks\' gestation is useful in screening for fetal chromosomal abnormalities and may help to reduce the false-positive rate when combining with NT thickness measurement. Abnormal DVFVW is also associated with an increase of adverse perinatal outcome in fetuses with enlarged NT. However, the value of DVFVW assessment in cases with normal NT measurement is unclear

As síndromes mielodisplásicas (SMD) constituem um grupo heterogêneo de doenças hematológicas de origem clonal, caracterizado por hematopoese ineficaz, citopenia e risco de evolução para leucemia mieloide aguda (LMA). As anormalidades citogenéticas adquiridas são marcadores prognósticos bem estabelecidos em SMD. No entanto, a técnica de citogenética metafásica apresenta limitações, incluindo baixa resolução e necessidade de divisão celular, sendo que defeitos cromossômicos podem não ser detectados. Tecnologias baseadas em microarranjo (array) de DNA, como o Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Array (SNP-A), são importantes para avaliação do genoma normal e neoplásico. O SNP-A foi desenvolvido para o estudo de todo o genoma, apresenta uma resolução superior a citogenética metafásica convencional, pode ser realizado em células na interfase, e detecta alterações cromossômicas não visualizadas pela citogenética metafásica. Além disso, o SNPA fornece dados de genotipagem para detecção de perda neutra de heterozigose, também denominada de dissomia uniparental somática. Regiões cromossômicas com deleção, perda neutra de heterozigose ou ganho são comuns em pacientes com neoplasias hematológicas e sugeriu genes candidatos a supressores de tumor e oncogenes. O objetivo do presente estudo foi a caracterização da coorte de pacientes com suspeita clínica de SMD e o uso integrado do método de citogenética convencional e SNP-A no serviço de hematologia da nossa instituição na investigação de alterações citogenéticas em pacientes com SMD e doenças relacionadas. Durante o período do estudo, foram recebidas um total de 114 amostras de pacientes com suspeita clínica de SMD. A análise clínica, morfológica e citogenética permitiu confirmar o diagnóstico de SMD ou doenças relacionadas em 43 pacientes (SMD [n=34], SMD/NMP [n=5], LMA com alterações mielodisplásicas [n=4]). Vinte e um pacientes foram classificados como citopenia idiopática de significado indeterminado (CISI) e 50 indivíduos apresentaram outros diagnósticos. SNP-A foi realizado em 17 pacientes com SMD e doenças relacionadas. Dentre os pacientes selecionados para o SNP-A, anormalidades cromossômicas foram observadas em 6/17 (35%) casos pelo cariótipo convencional e em 8/17 (47%) casos pela técnica de SNP-A. SNP-A não detectou quatro alterações cromossômicas previamente identificadas pela citogenética convencional: duas translocações balanceadas e duas alterações numéricas. SNP-A confirmou os demais achados identificados pela citogenética convencional e detectou um total de 32 novas lesões (1 ganho, 19 perdas e 12 UPDs) em 6 pacientes com SMD ou doenças relacionadas. SNP-A pode complementar a citogenética convencional na detecção de anormalidades cromossômicas em neoplasias mieloides. / Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of clonal hematopoietic diseases, characterized by inefficient hematopoiesis, peripheral blood cytopenias and a risk to progress to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Acquired chromosomal abnormalities have prognostic value in MDS. However, metaphase cytogenetics has some limitations including low resolution and the requirement of cell division, and chromosomal abnormalities may not be detected. New technologies based on array, the Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Array (SNP-A), are able to evaluate the whole genome. The SNP-A has superior resolution compared to metaphase cytogenetics, may be used in interphase cells, and may detect chromosomal abnormalities not detected by metaphase cytogenetics. In addition, the SNP-A read-out includes genotyping calls and hybridization signal strength, corresponding to gene copy number, allowing detecting copy neutral loss of heterozigosity (CN-LOH), also known as uniparental dissomy (UPD). Deletions, copy neutral loss of heterozigosity or gain are frequent in patients with haematopoietic neoplasms and has already suggested the location of tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes. The aim of this study was to characterize the cohort of patients with clinical suspicion of MDS and to establish the integrative use of the conventional cytogenetic and the SNP-A in the investigation of chromosomal abnormalities in patients with MDS and related diseases followed at our institution. The clinical, morphological and cytogenetic evaluation allowed us to confirm the diagnosis of MDS or related disease in 43 patients (MDS [n=34], MDS/MPN [n=5], AML with myelodysplastic changes [n=4]). Twenty-one patients were diagnosed with idiopathic cytopenia with undetermined significance (ICUS) and 50 patients had other diagnosis. SNP-A were performed in 17 patients with MDS and related disease. Chromosomal abnormalities were observed in 6/17 (35%) cases by metaphase cytogenetics, and in 8/17 (47%) of the cases by SNP-A. SNP-A did not detected two balanced translocations and two numerical alterations previously observed by metaphase cytogenetics. SNP-A confirmed all the other findings observed by metaphase cytogenetics and SNP-A detected a total of 32 new lesions (1 gain, 19 losses and 12 UPDs) in 6 MDS and related diseases. SNP-A may complement metaphase cytogenetics to improve the detection of chromosomal abnormalities in myeloid neoplasms.

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, resulting in an estimated 1.6 million mortalities and 600,000 new cases in the US alone in 2015. Gene fusions, hybrid genes formed from two originally separated genes, are known drivers of cancer. However, gene fusions have also been found in healthy cells due to routine errors in replication. This project aims to understand the role of gene fusion in cancer. Specifically, we seek to achieve two goals. First, we would like to develop a computational method that predicts if a gene fusion event is associated with the cancer or healthy sample. Second, we would like to use this information to determine and characterize molecular mechanisms behind the gene fusion events. Recent studies have attempted to address these problems, but without explicit consideration of the fact that there are overlapping fusion events in both cancer and healthy cells. Here, we address this problem using FUsion Enriched Learning of CANcer Mutations (FUELCAN), a semi-supervised model, which classifies all overlapping fusion events as unlabeled to start. The model is trained using the known cancer and healthy samples and tested using the unlabeled dataset. Unlabeled data is classified as associated with healthy or cancer samples and the top 20 data points are put back into the training set. The process continues until all have been appropriately classified. Three datasets were analyzed from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL), breast cancer and colorectal cancer. We obtained similar results for both supervised and semi-supervised classification. To improve our model, we assessed the functional landscape of gene fusion events and observed that the pathway neighbors of both gene fusion partners are differentially expressed in each cancer dataset. The significant neighbors are also shown to have direct connections to cancer pathways and functions, indicating that these gene fusions are important for cancer development. Future directions include applying the acquired transcriptomic knowledge to our machine learning algorithm, counting transcription factors and kinases within the gene fusion events and their neighbors and assessing the differences between upstream and downstream effects within the pathway neighbors.

As síndromes mielodisplásicas (SMD) constituem um grupo heterogêneo de doenças hematológicas de origem clonal, caracterizado por hematopoese ineficaz, citopenia e risco de evolução para leucemia mieloide aguda (LMA). As anormalidades citogenéticas adquiridas são marcadores prognósticos bem estabelecidos em SMD. No entanto, a técnica de citogenética metafásica apresenta limitações, incluindo baixa resolução e necessidade de divisão celular, sendo que defeitos cromossômicos podem não ser detectados. Tecnologias baseadas em microarranjo (array) de DNA, como o Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Array (SNP-A), são importantes para avaliação do genoma normal e neoplásico. O SNP-A foi desenvolvido para o estudo de todo o genoma, apresenta uma resolução superior a citogenética metafásica convencional, pode ser realizado em células na interfase, e detecta alterações cromossômicas não visualizadas pela citogenética metafásica. Além disso, o SNPA fornece dados de genotipagem para detecção de perda neutra de heterozigose, também denominada de dissomia uniparental somática. Regiões cromossômicas com deleção, perda neutra de heterozigose ou ganho são comuns em pacientes com neoplasias hematológicas e sugeriu genes candidatos a supressores de tumor e oncogenes. O objetivo do presente estudo foi a caracterização da coorte de pacientes com suspeita clínica de SMD e o uso integrado do método de citogenética convencional e SNP-A no serviço de hematologia da nossa instituição na investigação de alterações citogenéticas em pacientes com SMD e doenças relacionadas. Durante o período do estudo, foram recebidas um total de 114 amostras de pacientes com suspeita clínica de SMD. A análise clínica, morfológica e citogenética permitiu confirmar o diagnóstico de SMD ou doenças relacionadas em 43 pacientes (SMD [n=34], SMD/NMP [n=5], LMA com alterações mielodisplásicas [n=4]). Vinte e um pacientes foram classificados como citopenia idiopática de significado indeterminado (CISI) e 50 indivíduos apresentaram outros diagnósticos. SNP-A foi realizado em 17 pacientes com SMD e doenças relacionadas. Dentre os pacientes selecionados para o SNP-A, anormalidades cromossômicas foram observadas em 6/17 (35%) casos pelo cariótipo convencional e em 8/17 (47%) casos pela técnica de SNP-A. SNP-A não detectou quatro alterações cromossômicas previamente identificadas pela citogenética convencional: duas translocações balanceadas e duas alterações numéricas. SNP-A confirmou os demais achados identificados pela citogenética convencional e detectou um total de 32 novas lesões (1 ganho, 19 perdas e 12 UPDs) em 6 pacientes com SMD ou doenças relacionadas. SNP-A pode complementar a citogenética convencional na detecção de anormalidades cromossômicas em neoplasias mieloides. / Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a heterogeneous group of clonal hematopoietic diseases, characterized by inefficient hematopoiesis, peripheral blood cytopenias and a risk to progress to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Acquired chromosomal abnormalities have prognostic value in MDS. However, metaphase cytogenetics has some limitations including low resolution and the requirement of cell division, and chromosomal abnormalities may not be detected. New technologies based on array, the Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Array (SNP-A), are able to evaluate the whole genome. The SNP-A has superior resolution compared to metaphase cytogenetics, may be used in interphase cells, and may detect chromosomal abnormalities not detected by metaphase cytogenetics. In addition, the SNP-A read-out includes genotyping calls and hybridization signal strength, corresponding to gene copy number, allowing detecting copy neutral loss of heterozigosity (CN-LOH), also known as uniparental dissomy (UPD). Deletions, copy neutral loss of heterozigosity or gain are frequent in patients with haematopoietic neoplasms and has already suggested the location of tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes. The aim of this study was to characterize the cohort of patients with clinical suspicion of MDS and to establish the integrative use of the conventional cytogenetic and the SNP-A in the investigation of chromosomal abnormalities in patients with MDS and related diseases followed at our institution. The clinical, morphological and cytogenetic evaluation allowed us to confirm the diagnosis of MDS or related disease in 43 patients (MDS [n=34], MDS/MPN [n=5], AML with myelodysplastic changes [n=4]). Twenty-one patients were diagnosed with idiopathic cytopenia with undetermined significance (ICUS) and 50 patients had other diagnosis. SNP-A were performed in 17 patients with MDS and related disease. Chromosomal abnormalities were observed in 6/17 (35%) cases by metaphase cytogenetics, and in 8/17 (47%) of the cases by SNP-A. SNP-A did not detected two balanced translocations and two numerical alterations previously observed by metaphase cytogenetics. SNP-A confirmed all the other findings observed by metaphase cytogenetics and SNP-A detected a total of 32 new lesions (1 gain, 19 losses and 12 UPDs) in 6 MDS and related diseases. SNP-A may complement metaphase cytogenetics to improve the detection of chromosomal abnormalities in myeloid neoplasms.

<p>Chromosomal abnormalities are defined as changes in the chromosome structure and fall in one of two categories. The first category is numerical alterations while the second category consists of structural abnormalities. Structural chromosomal abnormalities do not always interrupt genes in order to cause disease. They can also affect gene expression by separating a gene and its promoter element from distant regulatory elements. We have used characterisation of structural chromosomal abnormalities to identify the genetic bases for several congenital disorders.</p><p>In papers I-III, we have applied molecular characterisation of chromosomal translocations in order to identify candidate genes involved in mental retardation, hypospadias and anal malformation and premature ovarian failure. In paper I, we localised the chromosome X translocation breakpoint in a t(X;15) to be in the immediate proximity of the gene <i>ZDHHC15 </i>in a patient with severe mental retardation. Subsequent experiments revealed loss of <i>ZDHHC15</i> transcription in the patient which suggests this gene to be involved in the aetiology of the patient’s phenotype. In paper II, we show that a balanced translocation between chromosomes 6 and 17 in a patient with urogential malformation disrupts 2 genes, one at each translocation breakpoint. We also identified a fusion-gene as a result of the translocation. Our hypethesis is that the translocation together with its molecular consequences is important for the phenotype in the patient. Similarly, in paper III, we have used molecular characterisation of the breakpoints in a balanced translocation between chromosomes X and 11 in order to localise candidate genes in ovarian function. Our results indicate a number of genes affected by the translocation. In paper IV, we have used array-based comparative genomic hybridisation (array-CGH) in order to investigate a cohort of autistic sib-pairs for submicroscopic chromosomal alterations. We have identified several novel duplications and one novel deletion with strong association with autism.</p>