Muenke syndrome is an autosomal dominant craniosynostosis syndrome resulting from a defining point mutation in the Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor3 (FGFR3) gene.
P250R mutation in the FGFR3 gene also known as Muenke syndrome is associated with coronal craniosynostosis, sensorineural deafness, craniofacial, and digital abnormalities.
Fibroblasts from 10 individuals each with Apert syndrome (FGFR2 substitution S252W), Muenke syndrome (FGFR3 substitution P250R), Saethre-Chotzen syndrome (various mutations in TWIST1) and non-syndromic sagittal synostosis (no mutation detected) were cultured.
Mutations in the gene that encodes Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 3 (FGFR3) are associated with Achondroplasia (MIM 100800), Hypochondroplasia (MIM 146000), Muenke Syndrome (MIM 602849), Thanatophoric Dysplasia (MIM 187600, MIM 187601) and Lacrimo-Auriculo-Dento-Digital Syndrome (MIM 149730).Here we report a clinical and molecular study in a large cohort of 125 Portuguese patients with these skeletal disorders.
Novel FGFR3 mutations creating cysteine residues in the extracellular domain of the receptor cause achondroplasia or severe forms of hypochondroplasia.
The Muenke syndrome cohort showed significant, but incompletely penetrant, predominantly low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss, and the Fgfr3(P244R) mice showed dominant, fully penetrant hearing loss that was more severe than that in Muenke syndrome individuals, but had the same pattern of relative high-frequency sparing.
The FGFR3 pathogenic variation p.Pro250Arg responsible for MS was characterized in all probands by PCR-restriction assay; available first-degree relatives (15 parents, 5 siblings) of the confirmed p.Pro250Arg carriers were also tested.