Deletion at 12q12 increases the risk of developmental delay and intellectual disability

Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays have been widely used to identify novel genomic imbalances. Many of these genomic imbalances have been confirmed to interact with developmental delays, intellectual disabilities (IDs), and congenital defects. Here, we identify a Chinese girl with a 3.18-Mb deletion at 12q12 (human genome build 19: 43,418,911-46,601,627) who showed postnatal growth delay, low-set ears, small hands and feet, widely spaced nipples, and blue sclerae. Deletions at 12q12 are extremely rare chromosomal imbalances; only four cases involving a deletion of this type have previously been reported. In these five sporadic cases, all of the patients exhibited developmental issues accompanied by different degrees of ID. A review of DECIPHER patient data revealed an additional six cases involving genomic deletion at 12q12. Many of the patients in these cases exhibited developmental delay and ID. When these patients were included, 91% and 73% of individuals with a deletion in this chromosomal region presented with developmental retardation and ID, respectively. Database searches indicated that this copy number variant (CNV) has not been found in normal humans. Therefore, we suggest that a CNV in this region is a risk factor for developmental retardation and ID.