Molecular cytogenetic characterization of a de novo small supernumerary marker chromosome derived from chromosome 15 in a pregnancy with incidental detection of a maternal Robertsonian translocation of 45,XX,der(13;14) (q10;q10)

Abstract

Objective: We present molecular cytogenetic characterization of a small supernumerary marker chromosome (sSMC) derived from chromosome 15 in a pregnancy with incidental detection of a maternal Robertsonian translocation of 45,XX,der(13; 14) (q10; q10). Case report: A 37-year-old, primigravid woman underwent amniocentesis at 16 weeks of gestation because of advanced maternal age. Amniocentesis revealed a karyotype of 47,XY,+mar. Simultaneous array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) analysis on the DNA extracted from uncultured amniocytes showed the result of no genomic imbalance or arr (1–22) × 2, (X,Y) × 1. Cytogenetic analysis of the parents showed a karyotype of 45,XX,der(13; 14) (q10; q10) in the mother and a karyotype of 46,XY in the father. Prenatal ultrasound was unremarkable. At 38 weeks of gestation, a 2790-g phenotypically normal male baby was delivered. The cord blood had a karyotype of 47,XY,+mar. Metaphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis showed the result of +mar.ish dic(15) (D15Z1++, SNRPN-, PML-) (18/20). The extra chromosome was derived from chromosome 15. Conclusion: Metaphase FISH analysis is useful for the identification of the origin of an sSMC in the presence of no genomic imbalance at aCGH analysis. Prenatal diagnosis of a de novo sSMC may be associated with a Robertsonian translocation in the parents, and parental cytogenetic analysis is necessary under such a circumstance.

Keywords

• Chromosome 15
• Prenatal diagnosis
• Robertsonian translocation
• Small supernumerary marker chromosome