Norrie disease: first mutation report and prenatal diagnosis in an Indian family

Norrie Disease (ND) is a rare X-linked recessive disorder characterised by congenital blindness due to severe retinal dysgenesis. Hearing loss and intellectual disability is present in 30-50 % cases. ND is caused by mutations in the NDP gene, located at Xp11.3. The authors describe mutation analysis of a proband with ND and subsequently prenatal diagnosis. Sequence analysis of the NDP gene revealed a hemizygous missense mutation arginine to serine in codon 41 (p.Arg41Ser) in the affected child. Mother was carrier for the mutation. In a subsequent di-chorionic di-amniotic pregnancy, the authors performed prenatal diagnosis by mutation analysis on chorionic villi sample at 11 wk of gestation. The fetuses were unaffected. This is a first mutation report and prenatal diagnosis of a familial case of Norrie disease from India. The importance of genetic testing of Norrie disease for confirmation, carrier testing, prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling is emphasized.