Genetic Epidemiology, Translational Neurogenomics, Psychiatric Genetics and Statistical Genetics Laboratories investigate the pattern of disease in families, particularly identical and non-identical twins, to assess the relative importance of genes and environment in a variety of important health problems.
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PMID
17165045
TITLE
A case of true hermaphroditism reveals an unusual mechanism of twinning.
ABSTRACT
Traditionally twins are classified as dizygous or fraternal and monozygous or identical (Hall Twinning, 362, 2003 and 735-743). We report a rare case of 46,XX/46,XY twins: Twin A presented with ambiguous genitalia and Twin B was a phenotypically normal male. These twins demonstrate a third, previously unreported mechanism for twinning. The twins underwent initial investigation with 17-hydroxyprogesterone and testosterone levels, pelvic ultrasound and diagnostic laparoscopy. Cytogenetic analysis was performed on peripheral blood cells and skin fibroblasts. Histological examination and Fluorescence in situ hybridization studies on touch imprints were performed on gonadal biopsies. DNA analysis using more than 6,000 DNA markers was performed on skin fibroblast samples from the twins and on peripheral blood samples from both parents. Twin A was determined to be a true hermaphrodite and Twin B an apparently normal male. Both twins had a 46,XX/46,XY chromosome complement in peripheral lymphocytes, skin fibroblasts, and gonadal biopsies. The proportion of XX to XY cells varied between the twins and the tissues evaluated. Most significantly the twins shared 100% of maternal alleles and approximately 50% of paternal alleles in DNA analysis of skin fibroblasts. The twins are chimeric and share a single genetic contribution from their mother but have two genetic contributions from their father thus supporting the existence of a third, previously unreported type of twinning.
DATE PUBLISHED
2007 Apr
HISTORY
PUBSTATUS PUBSTATUSDATE
received 2006/09/08
accepted 2006/10/08
aheadofprint 2006/12/13
pubmed 2006/12/14 09:00
medline 2007/07/21 09:00
entrez 2006/12/14 09:00
AUTHORS
NAME COLLECTIVENAME LASTNAME FORENAME INITIALS AFFILIATION AFFILIATIONINFO
Souter VL Souter Vivienne L VL Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ 85006, USA. vsouter@yahoo.com
Parisi MA Parisi Melissa A MA
Nyholt DR Nyholt Dale R DR
Kapur RP Kapur Raj P RP
Henders AK Henders Anjali K AK
Opheim KE Opheim Kent E KE
Gunther DF Gunther Daniel F DF
Mitchell ME Mitchell Michael E ME
Glass IA Glass Ian A IA
Montgomery GW Montgomery Grant W GW
INVESTIGATORS
JOURNAL
VOLUME: 121
ISSUE: 2
TITLE: Human genetics
ISOABBREVIATION: Hum. Genet.
YEAR: 2007
MONTH: Apr
DAY:
MEDLINEDATE:
SEASON:
CITEDMEDIUM: Print
ISSN: 0340-6717
ISSNTYPE: Print
MEDLINE JOURNAL
MEDLINETA: Hum Genet
COUNTRY: Germany
ISSNLINKING: 0340-6717
NLMUNIQUEID: 7613873
PUBLICATION TYPE
PUBLICATIONTYPE TEXT
Case Reports
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
COMMENTS AND CORRECTIONS
GRANTS
GENERAL NOTE
KEYWORDS
MESH HEADINGS
DESCRIPTORNAME QUALIFIERNAME
17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone blood
Chromosomes, Human, X blood
Chromosomes, Human, Y blood
Female blood
Fibroblasts metabolism
Genetic Linkage metabolism
Genetic Markers metabolism
Genitalia metabolism
Humans metabolism
Infant, Newborn metabolism
Male metabolism
Ovotesticular Disorders of Sex Development genetics
Phenotype genetics
Testosterone blood
Twins genetics
SUPPLEMENTARY MESH
GENE SYMBOLS
CHEMICALS
REGISTRYNUMBER NAMEOFSUBSTANCE
0 Genetic Markers
3XMK78S47O Testosterone
68-96-2 17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone
OTHER ID's