A Novel PAX6 Heterozygous Mutation Found in a Chinese Family with Congenital Aniridia

Abstract

Purpose:

Congenital aniridia is a kind of panocular disorder characterized by the absence of the iris in both eyes. Paired box 6 (PAX6) gene mutations have been identified as the most common cause of congenital aniridia. The aim of this study was to reveal the genetic defect in PAX6 in a Chinese family with congenital aniridia.

Methods:

Twelve individuals from a three-generation Chinese family were recruited. All the family members underwent comprehensive ophthalmologic examinations. The entire coding region of PAX6 was amplified by polymerase chain reaction, followed by direct Sanger sequencing. Possible structural and functional changes of protein were predicted by bioinformatic analysis using SIFT and Polyohen-2.

Results:

Among all the 12 members, four were clinically diagnosed with congenital aniridia. A novel heterozygous mutation c.275G>A (p.R92Q) in exon 6 of PAX6 was identified in all the patients, but not in the unaffected individuals or 1186 healthy subjects. This missense mutation is a G-A transition, converting Arginine (R) to Glutamine (Q) at amino acid 92. The substitution of amino acid in the PAX6 protein changed the local charge density and was predicted to damage the normal protein function.

Conclusions:

Our study identified a novel mutation of PAX6 responsible for congenital aniridia in a Chinese family, which may contribute to understanding the molecular basis and clinical diagnosis of congenital aniridia.