FOXL2 mutations in Chinese patients with blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome

Blepharophimosis-ptosis-epicanthus inversus syndrome (BPES) is an autosomal dominant disorder where eyelid malformation associated with (type I) or without (type II) premature ovarian failure (POF). It is ascribed to mutations in the forkhead transcriptional factor2 (FOXL2) gene. The purpose of this study is to identify mutations in FOXL2 of Chinese patients with BPES.

Genomic DNA was prepared from leucocytes of peripheral venous blood. The coding regions and nearby intron sequences of FOXL2 were analyzed by cycle and cloning sequencing.

Four mutations in FOXL2 were identified in six families, including c.241T>C, c.650C>G, c.804dupC, and c.672_701dup. Of the four, the c.241T>C and c.650C>G were novel and would result in missense changes of the encoded proteins, i.e., p.Tyr81His and p.Ser217Cys, respectively. The c.672_701dup (p.Ala224_Ala234dup) was detected in three families, indicating a mutation hotspot. The c.804dupC (p.Gly269ArgfsX265) mutation was found in one family.

Our results expand the spectrum of FOXL2 mutations and confirm the mutation hotspot in FOXL2.