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Turner syndrome and genetic polymorphism: a systematic review

Abstract

Objective:

To present the main results of the literature on genetic polymorphisms in Turner syndrome and their association with the clinical signs and the etiology of this chromosomal disorder.

Data sources:

The review was conducted in the PubMed database without any time limit, using the terms Turner syndrome and genetic polymorphism. A total of 116 articles were found, and based on the established inclusion and exclusion criteria 17 were selected for the review.

Data synthesis:

The polymorphisms investigated in patients with Turner syndrome were associated with growth deficit, causing short stature, low bone mineral density, autoimmunity and cardiac abnormalities, which are frequently found in patients with Turner syndrome. The role of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the etiology of Turner syndrome, i.e., in chromosomal nondisjunction, was also confirmed.

Conclusions:

Genetic polymorphisms appear to be associated with Turner syndrome. However, in view of the small number of published studies and their contradictory findings, further studies in different populations are needed in order to clarify the role of genetic variants in the clinical signs and etiology of the Turner syndrome.

KEYWORDS
Turner syndrome; Genetic polymorphism; Growth hormone; Aneuploidy

Resumo

Objetivo:

Apresentar os principais resultados dos estudos que investigaram polimorfismos genéticos em síndrome de Turner, bem como sua associação com alguns sinais clínicos e etiologia desse distúrbio cromossômico.

Fontes de dados:

Revisão bibliográfica feita no PubMed, sem limite de período, com os seguintes termos: Turner syndrome and genetic polymorphism. Foram identificados 116 artigos e, de acordo com os critérios de inclusão e exclusão, 17 foram selecionados para leitura.

Síntese dos dados:

Os polimorfismos investigados em pacientes com síndrome de Turner estavam relacionados com déficit de crescimento, que causou baixa estatura, densidade mineral óssea baixa, autoimunidade e anomalias cardíacas, que podem estar presentes com frequências significativas nas pacientes. Também foi verificado o papel dos polimorfismos de único nucleotídeo (SNPs) na etiologia da síndrome de Turner, ou seja, na não disjunção cromossômica.

Conclusões:

Os polimorfismos genéticos parecem estar associados à síndrome de Turner. Entretanto, por conta dos poucos estudos publicados e dos achados contraditórios, pesquisas em diferentes populações são necessárias para esclarecer o papel dessas variantes genéticas para os sinais clínicos e a etiologia do distúrbio cromossômico.

PALAVRAS-CHAVE
Síndrome de Turner; Polimorfismo genético; Hormônio do crescimento; Aneuploidia

Introduction

The description of female patients with Turner syndrome (TS) was published in 1938 by Henry Turner1Turner HH. A syndrome of infantilism, congenital webbed neck, and cubitus valgus. Endocrinology. 1938;23:566-74.; however, in 1930, German pediatrician Dr. Otto Ullrich had already reported a case of an 8-year-old girl with signs suggestive of TS.2Ullrich O. Über typische Kombinationsbilder multipler Abartungen. Eur J Pediatr. 1930;49:271-6. Therefore, this syndrome is also called Ullrich-Turner syndrome.

The disorder has an incidence of 1/2500 girls and clinical signs include lymphedema of hands and feet, short and webbed neck, low hairline at the nape of the neck, cubitus valgus, hypoplastic or hyperconvex nails, micrognathia, high-arched palate, short stature, gonadal dysgenesis, primary amenorrhea, sexual infantilism, infertility, shield chest, breast hypertelorism, cardiac (coarctation of the aorta and ventricular septal defects) and renal anomalies (horseshoe kidney, urethral duplication and unilateral kidney agenesis), multiple pigmented nevi, scoliosis, fourth/fifth metacarpal or metatarsal hypoplasia or both. The following problems may also be present: hearing impairment, arterial hypertension, osteoporosis, obesity, visual disturbances, impaired glucose tolerance, learning disabilities, psychosocial problems and thyroid diseases, among other autoimmune diseases.3Santos V, Marçal M, Amaral D, Pina R, Lopes L, Fonseca G. Turner syndrome. From child to adult. A multidisciplinary approach. Acta Med Port. 2010;23:873-82.

TS is characterized by large phenotypic variability, ranging from the classical form (girls with pubertal development and growth delay) to those with few dysmorphic signs, which are almost indistinguishable from the general population.4Carvalho AB, Guerra-Junior G, Baptista MT, Marques-de-Faria AP, Lemos-Marini SH, Maciel-Guerra AT. Turner syndrome: a pediatric diagnosis frequently made by non-pediatricians. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2010;86:121-5. The definitive diagnosis of TS is carried out by analyzing the karyotype, which allows the identification of the individual's chromosomal constitution. TS chromosomal etiology was only elucidated in 1959, when the first patient was investigated by cytogenetics and showed the 45, X chromosomal constitution.5Ford CE, Jones KW, Polani PE, De Almeida JC, Briggs JH. A sex-chromosome anomaly in a case of gonadal dysgenesis (Turner's syndrome). Lancet. 1959;1:711-3. Brazilian studies in patients with TS showed that the karyotype 45, X, i.e., monosomy of the sex chromosome X, was found in 40-60% of patients with TS, but mosaicisms and karyotypes with structural alterations, mainly isochromosomes, are also found.4Carvalho AB, Guerra-Junior G, Baptista MT, Marques-de-Faria AP, Lemos-Marini SH, Maciel-Guerra AT. Turner syndrome: a pediatric diagnosis frequently made by non-pediatricians. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2010;86:121-5.,6Barros BA, Maciel-Guerra AT, De Mello MP, Coeli FB, Carvalho AB, Viguetti-Campos N, et al. The inclusion of new techniques of chromosome analysis has improved the cytogenetic profile of Turner syndrome. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab. 2009;53:1137-42.

Jung MP, Amaral JL, Fontes RG, Costa AT, Wuillaume SM, Cardoso MH. Diagnosis of Turner's Syndrome: the experience of the Rio de Janeiro State Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology between 1970 and 2008. Rev Bras Mater Infant. 2010;10:117-24.
-8De Araújo C, Galera BB, Galera MF, De Medeiros SF. Clinical and cytogenetic aspects of the Turner syndrome in the Brazilian Western region. Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2010;32:381-5. A retrospective study indicated that better-quality diagnosis has improved the quality of the cytogenetic result of TS, with modification of the proportion between the types of karyotype observed, especially the progressive decrease in the identification of 45, X patients and increased detection of karyotypes with structural aberrations.6Barros BA, Maciel-Guerra AT, De Mello MP, Coeli FB, Carvalho AB, Viguetti-Campos N, et al. The inclusion of new techniques of chromosome analysis has improved the cytogenetic profile of Turner syndrome. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab. 2009;53:1137-42.

In Brazil, the mean age of TS diagnosis is around 12 years of age,4Carvalho AB, Guerra-Junior G, Baptista MT, Marques-de-Faria AP, Lemos-Marini SH, Maciel-Guerra AT. Turner syndrome: a pediatric diagnosis frequently made by non-pediatricians. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2010;86:121-5.,7Jung MP, Amaral JL, Fontes RG, Costa AT, Wuillaume SM, Cardoso MH. Diagnosis of Turner's Syndrome: the experience of the Rio de Janeiro State Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology between 1970 and 2008. Rev Bras Mater Infant. 2010;10:117-24.,9Carvalho AB, Guerra Júnior G, Baptista MT, De Faria AP, Marini SH, Guerra AT. Cardiovascular and renal anomalies in Turner syndrome. Rev Assoc Med Bras. 2010;56:655-9.,1010 Miguel Neto J, Marini SH, Faria AP, Guerra Júnior G, Guerra AT. Variables associated with diagnostic delay in Turner syndrome. Rev Paul Pediatr. 2011;29:67-72. and 25.3% and 51.1% of the patients were respectively diagnosed in childhood (1-11 years) and adolescence (12-18 years), on account of the short stature.7Jung MP, Amaral JL, Fontes RG, Costa AT, Wuillaume SM, Cardoso MH. Diagnosis of Turner's Syndrome: the experience of the Rio de Janeiro State Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology between 1970 and 2008. Rev Bras Mater Infant. 2010;10:117-24. Therefore, it is important to assess girls with short stature, regardless of the presence of typical dysmorphic signs and pubertal delay, by requesting the karyotype analysis to confirm or rule out TS. The authors also point out that neonatologists and pediatricians should be aware about the possibility of genetic syndromes such as TS, considering that the main signs are present at birth, but are not taken into account at that time.7Jung MP, Amaral JL, Fontes RG, Costa AT, Wuillaume SM, Cardoso MH. Diagnosis of Turner's Syndrome: the experience of the Rio de Janeiro State Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology between 1970 and 2008. Rev Bras Mater Infant. 2010;10:117-24. Thus, medical training improvement aimed to recognize the spectrum of clinical manifestations of this chromosomal syndrome is necessary. In addition to the difficulty of achieving an early diagnosis of this genetic condition, other factors associated with late TS diagnosis include less severe growth retardation, presence of spontaneous pubertal signs, socioeconomic determinants and absence of obvious dysmorphic features.4Carvalho AB, Guerra-Junior G, Baptista MT, Marques-de-Faria AP, Lemos-Marini SH, Maciel-Guerra AT. Turner syndrome: a pediatric diagnosis frequently made by non-pediatricians. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2010;86:121-5.,1010 Miguel Neto J, Marini SH, Faria AP, Guerra Júnior G, Guerra AT. Variables associated with diagnostic delay in Turner syndrome. Rev Paul Pediatr. 2011;29:67-72.

Early diagnosis of TS is vital, as it also allows the identification of congenital and acquired anomalies, as well as the detection of cases with Y chromosome sequences in the karyotype, which is associated with gonadoblastoma, a tumor with high malignant potential that can be prevented through prophylactic gonadectomy,1111 Oliveira RM, Verreschi IT, Lipay MV, Eça LP, Guedes AD, Bianco B. Y chromosome in Turner syndrome: review of the literature. Sao Paulo Med J. 2009;127:373-8. besides allowing hormonal treatments with growth hormone (GH) and oxandrolone1212 Fonteles AV, Dondoni RS, Boguszewski MC, Nesi-França S, Marques-Pereira R, Sandrini Neto R, et al. Final height (FH) in Turner syndrome (TS): experience of 76 cases followed at the Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Hospital de Clinicas. Federal University of Paraná. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metabol. 2011;55:318-25. and estrogen/progestogen1212 Fonteles AV, Dondoni RS, Boguszewski MC, Nesi-França S, Marques-Pereira R, Sandrini Neto R, et al. Final height (FH) in Turner syndrome (TS): experience of 76 cases followed at the Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Hospital de Clinicas. Federal University of Paraná. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metabol. 2011;55:318-25.,1313 Negreiros LP, Bolina ER, Guimarães MM. Pubertal development profile in patients with Turner syndrome. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2014;27:845-9. to respectively increase final height and accentuate secondary sexual characteristics at the adequate chronological age, preventing further damage to patient health. Therefore, an early and accurate diagnosis is important for a successful therapeutic approach. It is noteworthy that there is no classical karyotype or phenotype associated with TS, and the diagnosis is not always evident, but should be actively sought, both from a clinical and cytogenetic point of view.6Barros BA, Maciel-Guerra AT, De Mello MP, Coeli FB, Carvalho AB, Viguetti-Campos N, et al. The inclusion of new techniques of chromosome analysis has improved the cytogenetic profile of Turner syndrome. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab. 2009;53:1137-42.

Additionally, TS is a genetic disorder, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may be involved in its etiology. SNPs, which are defined as a change that can occur in one of every 1000 base pairs, are common in the human genome and are involved in several human diseases. They correspond to genetic alterations present in more than 1% of the population and can be located in different regions of the gene: promoter, coding and non-coding. SNPs in the coding and promoter regions are more likely to alter gene function and, consequently, the formed protein.1414 Strachan T, Read A. Genética molecular humana. 4th ed Porto Alegre: Artmed; 2012.

In this context, this study aims to review the main results of the studies investigating genetic polymorphisms in TS, as well as their association with clinical signs and etiology of this chromosomal disorder.

Method

The present study is a literature review, with a descriptive approach. A survey was carried out in PubMed, in July 2014, without time limit, using the following terms: Turner syndrome and genetic polymorphism. The PubMed database was chosen for this systematic review because it is more comprehensive and internationally used for researches in the health area.

Inclusion criteria were articles closely related to the topic and selection was based on titles and/or abstracts, full article availability and publication in English and/or Portuguese. The ones that did not meet the abovementioned criteria were excluded.

A total of 116 articles were found. Of these, 14 were selected and 102 excluded. Of the excluded ones, 21 contained the term Turner in the list of authors. The reference lists of the included articles were also assessed to identify relevant studies not detected by the electronic search. Based on the established inclusion criteria, we selected three more studies, totaling 17.

Results

The main results of the 17 studies1515 Binder G, Baur F, Schweizer R, Ranke MB. The d3-growth hormone (GH) receptor polymorphism is associated with increased responsiveness to GH in Turner syndrome and short small-for-gestational-age children. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006;91:659-64.

16 Binder G, Trebar B, Baur F, Schweizer R, Ranke MB. Homozygosity of the d3-growth hormone receptor polymorphism is associated with a high total effect of GH on growth and a low BMI in girls with Turner syndrome. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2008;68:567-72.

17 Ko JM, Kim JM, Cheon CK, Kim DH, Lee DY, Cheong WY, et al. The common exon 3 polymorphism of the growth hormone receptor gene and the effect of growth hormone therapy on growth in Korean patients with Turner syndrome. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2010;72:196-202.

18 Alvarez-Nava F, Marcano H, Pardo T, Paoli M, Gunczler P, Soto M, et al. GHR and VDR genes do not contribute to the growth hormone (GH) response in GH deficient and Turner syndrome patients. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2010;23:773-82.

19 Baş F, Darendeliler F, Aycan Z, Çetinkaya E, Berberoğlu M, Sıklar Z, et al. The exon 3-deleted/full-length growth hormone receptor polymorphism and response to growth hormone therapy in growth hormone deficiency and Turner syndrome: a multicenter study. Horm Res Paediatr. 2012;77:85-93.

20 Braz AF, Costalonga EF, Montenegro LR, Trarbach EB, Antonini SR, Malaquias AC, et al. The interactive effect of GHR-exon 3 and -202 A/C IGFBP3 polymorphisms on rhGH responsiveness and treatment outcomes in patients with Turner syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012;97:E671-7.

21 Braz AF, Costalonga EF, Trarbach EB, Scalco RC, Malaquias AC, Guerra-Junior G, et al. Genetic predictors of long-term response to growth hormone (GH) therapy in children with GH deficiency and Turner syndrome: the influence of a SOCS2 polymorphism. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014;99:E1808-13.

22 Peralta López M, Miras M, Silvano L, Pérez A, Muñoz L, Centeno V, et al. Vitamin D receptor genotypes are associated with bone mass in patients with Turner syndrome. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2011;24:307-12.

23 Peralta López M, Centeno V, Miras M, Silvano L, Pérez A, Muñoz L, et al. Association of vitamin D receptor gene Cdx2 polymorphism with bone markers in Turner syndrome patients. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2012;25:669-71.

24 Sowińska-Przepiera E, Andrysiak-Mamos E, Chełstowski K, Adler G, Friebe Z, Syrenicz A. Association between ER-α polymorphisms and bone mineral density in patients with Turner syndrome subjected to estroprogestagen treatment – a pilot study. J Bone Miner Metab. 2011;29:484-92.

25 Bianco B, Verreschi IT, Oliveira KC, Guedes AD, Barbosa CP, Lipay MV. Analysis of vitamin D receptor gene (VDR) polymorphisms in Turner syndrome patients. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2012;28:326-9.

26 Bianco B, Verreschi IT, Oliveira KC, Guedes AD, Galera BB, Galera MF, et al. PTPN22 polymorphism is related to autoimmune disease risk in patients with Turner syndrome. Scand J Immunol. 2010;72:256-9.

27 Struwe E, Krammer K, Dötsch J, Metzler M, Dörr HG, Cesnjevar R, et al. No evidence for angiotensin type 2 receptor gene polymorphism in intron 1 in patients with coarctation of the aorta and Ullrich-Turner syndrome. Pediatr Cardiol. 2006;27:636-9.

28 Santos K, Lemos-Marini SH, Baptista MT, Bonadia LC, Pinto Júnior W, Bertuzzo CS. Frequency of 677C → T and 1298A → C polymorphisms in the 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene in Turner syndrome individuals. Genet Mol Biol. 2006;29:41-4.

29 Oliveira KC, Bianco B, Verreschi IT, Guedes AD, Galera BB, Galera MF, et al. Prevalence of the polymorphism MTHFR A1298C and not MTHFR C677T is related to chromosomal aneuploidy in Brazilian Turner Syndrome patients. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metabol. 2008;52:1374-81.

30 Oliveira KC, Verreschi IT, Sugawara EK, Silva VC, Galera BB, Galera MF, et al. C677T and A1298C polymorphisms of MTHFR gene and their relation to homocysteine levels in Turner syndrome. Genet Test Mol Biomarkers. 2012;16:396-400.
-3131 Zinn AR, Kushner H, Ross JL. EFHC2 SNP rs7055196 is not associated with fear recognition in 45, X Turner syndrome. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet. 2008;147B:507-9. included in this systematic review are shown in Table 1.

Table 1
Summary of key findings of 17 studies that evaluated genetic polymorphisms in Turner syndrome.

Discussion

The present study is a review article on studies about contribution of polymorphisms to the manifestations of TS, its etiology and response to treatment. SNPs shown in Table 1 are related to growth deficit, leading to short stature, low bone mineral density, autoimmunity and heart abnormalities; these characteristics are present at significant frequency in patients with TS. The role of polymorphisms in the etiology of TS, namely, the chromosomal non-disjunction, was also demonstrated.

Short stature

One of the main clinical signs of TS is short stature, which was present in 97% and 100% of patients with TS assessed.7Jung MP, Amaral JL, Fontes RG, Costa AT, Wuillaume SM, Cardoso MH. Diagnosis of Turner's Syndrome: the experience of the Rio de Janeiro State Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology between 1970 and 2008. Rev Bras Mater Infant. 2010;10:117-24.,8De Araújo C, Galera BB, Galera MF, De Medeiros SF. Clinical and cytogenetic aspects of the Turner syndrome in the Brazilian Western region. Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2010;32:381-5. Thus, growth hormone therapy (GHT) is given to these patients to increase their final adult height. GH exerts its biological functions by direct binding to the GHR (Growth Hormone Receptor) or indirectly via IGF-1 (Insulin-Like Growth Factor) in synergy.3232 Andrade RM, Rozza RE, Geller M, Cunha KS. Polimorfismo GHRd3 e suas implicações na prática clínica. J Bras Med. 2012;100:41-5.Therefore, polymorphism in the GHR may affect the response to GH therapy in patients with TS.

The GHR gene is located on 5p13.1-p12 and has two different isoforms: a complete or full-length (GHRfl) and one with deletion of exon 3 (GHRd3). Three possible genotypes can be observed: fl/fl, fl/d3 and d3/d3, with the latter being the one with the lowest frequency. The GHRd3 polymorphism was evaluated in seven studies regarding its influence on response to therapy with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in patients with TS. Four studies have investigated this SNP alone1515 Binder G, Baur F, Schweizer R, Ranke MB. The d3-growth hormone (GH) receptor polymorphism is associated with increased responsiveness to GH in Turner syndrome and short small-for-gestational-age children. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006;91:659-64.,1717 Ko JM, Kim JM, Cheon CK, Kim DH, Lee DY, Cheong WY, et al. The common exon 3 polymorphism of the growth hormone receptor gene and the effect of growth hormone therapy on growth in Korean patients with Turner syndrome. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2010;72:196-202.,1919 Baş F, Darendeliler F, Aycan Z, Çetinkaya E, Berberoğlu M, Sıklar Z, et al. The exon 3-deleted/full-length growth hormone receptor polymorphism and response to growth hormone therapy in growth hormone deficiency and Turner syndrome: a multicenter study. Horm Res Paediatr. 2012;77:85-93. and three, its role alone and in combination with polymorphisms in the VDR (vitamin D receptor), IGFBP3 (insulin-like growth factor binding protein) and SOCS2 (suppressor of cytokine signaling) genes, via gene-gene interaction.1818 Alvarez-Nava F, Marcano H, Pardo T, Paoli M, Gunczler P, Soto M, et al. GHR and VDR genes do not contribute to the growth hormone (GH) response in GH deficient and Turner syndrome patients. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2010;23:773-82.,2020 Braz AF, Costalonga EF, Montenegro LR, Trarbach EB, Antonini SR, Malaquias AC, et al. The interactive effect of GHR-exon 3 and -202 A/C IGFBP3 polymorphisms on rhGH responsiveness and treatment outcomes in patients with Turner syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012;97:E671-7.,2121 Braz AF, Costalonga EF, Trarbach EB, Scalco RC, Malaquias AC, Guerra-Junior G, et al. Genetic predictors of long-term response to growth hormone (GH) therapy in children with GH deficiency and Turner syndrome: the influence of a SOCS2 polymorphism. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014;99:E1808-13. The results obtained by the German1515 Binder G, Baur F, Schweizer R, Ranke MB. The d3-growth hormone (GH) receptor polymorphism is associated with increased responsiveness to GH in Turner syndrome and short small-for-gestational-age children. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006;91:659-64.,1616 Binder G, Trebar B, Baur F, Schweizer R, Ranke MB. Homozygosity of the d3-growth hormone receptor polymorphism is associated with a high total effect of GH on growth and a low BMI in girls with Turner syndrome. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2008;68:567-72. and Brazilian groups2020 Braz AF, Costalonga EF, Montenegro LR, Trarbach EB, Antonini SR, Malaquias AC, et al. The interactive effect of GHR-exon 3 and -202 A/C IGFBP3 polymorphisms on rhGH responsiveness and treatment outcomes in patients with Turner syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012;97:E671-7.,2121 Braz AF, Costalonga EF, Trarbach EB, Scalco RC, Malaquias AC, Guerra-Junior G, et al. Genetic predictors of long-term response to growth hormone (GH) therapy in children with GH deficiency and Turner syndrome: the influence of a SOCS2 polymorphism. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014;99:E1808-13. reported a positive association between the investigated SNPs and growth response to rhGH therapy. The VDR gene is important for height because it interferes with calcium and phosphate homeostasis, influencing skeletal growth.1818 Alvarez-Nava F, Marcano H, Pardo T, Paoli M, Gunczler P, Soto M, et al. GHR and VDR genes do not contribute to the growth hormone (GH) response in GH deficient and Turner syndrome patients. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2010;23:773-82. Additionally, polymorphisms inherited from the VDR gene can affect IGF signaling and in turn, response to rhGH in patients with GH deficiency and TS. The polymorphisms −202 A/C IGFBP3 and SOCS-2 are involved in the pharmacogenetics of rhGH and negative regulation of GHR signaling, respectively.2020 Braz AF, Costalonga EF, Montenegro LR, Trarbach EB, Antonini SR, Malaquias AC, et al. The interactive effect of GHR-exon 3 and -202 A/C IGFBP3 polymorphisms on rhGH responsiveness and treatment outcomes in patients with Turner syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012;97:E671-7.,2121 Braz AF, Costalonga EF, Trarbach EB, Scalco RC, Malaquias AC, Guerra-Junior G, et al. Genetic predictors of long-term response to growth hormone (GH) therapy in children with GH deficiency and Turner syndrome: the influence of a SOCS2 polymorphism. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014;99:E1808-13. In one of these studies, the authors suggest the use of these genetic markers to identify, among patients treated with rhGH, those genetically predisposed to have less favorable results.2121 Braz AF, Costalonga EF, Trarbach EB, Scalco RC, Malaquias AC, Guerra-Junior G, et al. Genetic predictors of long-term response to growth hormone (GH) therapy in children with GH deficiency and Turner syndrome: the influence of a SOCS2 polymorphism. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014;99:E1808-13. The homozygous state for the d3-GHR allele was associated with weight control and body mass index (BMI) in TS in one study,1616 Binder G, Trebar B, Baur F, Schweizer R, Ranke MB. Homozygosity of the d3-growth hormone receptor polymorphism is associated with a high total effect of GH on growth and a low BMI in girls with Turner syndrome. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2008;68:567-72. but not in another.1717 Ko JM, Kim JM, Cheon CK, Kim DH, Lee DY, Cheong WY, et al. The common exon 3 polymorphism of the growth hormone receptor gene and the effect of growth hormone therapy on growth in Korean patients with Turner syndrome. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2010;72:196-202.Regarding growth, polymorphisms in the GHR gene contributed to therapy response alone1515 Binder G, Baur F, Schweizer R, Ranke MB. The d3-growth hormone (GH) receptor polymorphism is associated with increased responsiveness to GH in Turner syndrome and short small-for-gestational-age children. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006;91:659-64. or in combination.2020 Braz AF, Costalonga EF, Montenegro LR, Trarbach EB, Antonini SR, Malaquias AC, et al. The interactive effect of GHR-exon 3 and -202 A/C IGFBP3 polymorphisms on rhGH responsiveness and treatment outcomes in patients with Turner syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012;97:E671-7.,2121 Braz AF, Costalonga EF, Trarbach EB, Scalco RC, Malaquias AC, Guerra-Junior G, et al. Genetic predictors of long-term response to growth hormone (GH) therapy in children with GH deficiency and Turner syndrome: the influence of a SOCS2 polymorphism. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014;99:E1808-13. One of the studies2020 Braz AF, Costalonga EF, Montenegro LR, Trarbach EB, Antonini SR, Malaquias AC, et al. The interactive effect of GHR-exon 3 and -202 A/C IGFBP3 polymorphisms on rhGH responsiveness and treatment outcomes in patients with Turner syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012;97:E671-7. mentioned that the possible reasons for the lack of correlation in two previous studies included the small number of patients evaluated1818 Alvarez-Nava F, Marcano H, Pardo T, Paoli M, Gunczler P, Soto M, et al. GHR and VDR genes do not contribute to the growth hormone (GH) response in GH deficient and Turner syndrome patients. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2010;23:773-82. and the fact that few individuals are carriers of the d3 allele.1717 Ko JM, Kim JM, Cheon CK, Kim DH, Lee DY, Cheong WY, et al. The common exon 3 polymorphism of the growth hormone receptor gene and the effect of growth hormone therapy on growth in Korean patients with Turner syndrome. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2010;72:196-202. The latter study reported that the genotypes of the GHR gene could not be divided in three groups as a consequence of the low frequency of allele d3, which could have led to negative results.1717 Ko JM, Kim JM, Cheon CK, Kim DH, Lee DY, Cheong WY, et al. The common exon 3 polymorphism of the growth hormone receptor gene and the effect of growth hormone therapy on growth in Korean patients with Turner syndrome. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2010;72:196-202. The three studies that showed negative association of the d3-GHR polymorphism were carried out in Korea, Venezuela and Turkey.1717 Ko JM, Kim JM, Cheon CK, Kim DH, Lee DY, Cheong WY, et al. The common exon 3 polymorphism of the growth hormone receptor gene and the effect of growth hormone therapy on growth in Korean patients with Turner syndrome. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2010;72:196-202.

18 Alvarez-Nava F, Marcano H, Pardo T, Paoli M, Gunczler P, Soto M, et al. GHR and VDR genes do not contribute to the growth hormone (GH) response in GH deficient and Turner syndrome patients. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2010;23:773-82.
-1919 Baş F, Darendeliler F, Aycan Z, Çetinkaya E, Berberoğlu M, Sıklar Z, et al. The exon 3-deleted/full-length growth hormone receptor polymorphism and response to growth hormone therapy in growth hormone deficiency and Turner syndrome: a multicenter study. Horm Res Paediatr. 2012;77:85-93. One of them1818 Alvarez-Nava F, Marcano H, Pardo T, Paoli M, Gunczler P, Soto M, et al. GHR and VDR genes do not contribute to the growth hormone (GH) response in GH deficient and Turner syndrome patients. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2010;23:773-82. reported that the study was limited by sample size. However, the findings were the product of a prospective study1818 Alvarez-Nava F, Marcano H, Pardo T, Paoli M, Gunczler P, Soto M, et al. GHR and VDR genes do not contribute to the growth hormone (GH) response in GH deficient and Turner syndrome patients. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2010;23:773-82. and the previous researches were retrospective.1515 Binder G, Baur F, Schweizer R, Ranke MB. The d3-growth hormone (GH) receptor polymorphism is associated with increased responsiveness to GH in Turner syndrome and short small-for-gestational-age children. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006;91:659-64.

16 Binder G, Trebar B, Baur F, Schweizer R, Ranke MB. Homozygosity of the d3-growth hormone receptor polymorphism is associated with a high total effect of GH on growth and a low BMI in girls with Turner syndrome. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2008;68:567-72.
-1717 Ko JM, Kim JM, Cheon CK, Kim DH, Lee DY, Cheong WY, et al. The common exon 3 polymorphism of the growth hormone receptor gene and the effect of growth hormone therapy on growth in Korean patients with Turner syndrome. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2010;72:196-202. The need for prospective studies was reported by two studies.1717 Ko JM, Kim JM, Cheon CK, Kim DH, Lee DY, Cheong WY, et al. The common exon 3 polymorphism of the growth hormone receptor gene and the effect of growth hormone therapy on growth in Korean patients with Turner syndrome. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2010;72:196-202.,2020 Braz AF, Costalonga EF, Montenegro LR, Trarbach EB, Antonini SR, Malaquias AC, et al. The interactive effect of GHR-exon 3 and -202 A/C IGFBP3 polymorphisms on rhGH responsiveness and treatment outcomes in patients with Turner syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012;97:E671-7.One way to increase sample size is to perform multicenter studies, such as those carried out by Ko et al.1717 Ko JM, Kim JM, Cheon CK, Kim DH, Lee DY, Cheong WY, et al. The common exon 3 polymorphism of the growth hormone receptor gene and the effect of growth hormone therapy on growth in Korean patients with Turner syndrome. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2010;72:196-202. and Baş et al.,1919 Baş F, Darendeliler F, Aycan Z, Çetinkaya E, Berberoğlu M, Sıklar Z, et al. The exon 3-deleted/full-length growth hormone receptor polymorphism and response to growth hormone therapy in growth hormone deficiency and Turner syndrome: a multicenter study. Horm Res Paediatr. 2012;77:85-93. both retrospective. In the first study, the 175 patients with TS were from 20 hospitals in Korea.1717 Ko JM, Kim JM, Cheon CK, Kim DH, Lee DY, Cheong WY, et al. The common exon 3 polymorphism of the growth hormone receptor gene and the effect of growth hormone therapy on growth in Korean patients with Turner syndrome. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2010;72:196-202. The study published in 2012 reportedly included the largest number of patients among studies carried out so far, but only evaluated 43 patients with TS,1919 Baş F, Darendeliler F, Aycan Z, Çetinkaya E, Berberoğlu M, Sıklar Z, et al. The exon 3-deleted/full-length growth hormone receptor polymorphism and response to growth hormone therapy in growth hormone deficiency and Turner syndrome: a multicenter study. Horm Res Paediatr. 2012;77:85-93. a number similar to that of non-multicenter studies.1515 Binder G, Baur F, Schweizer R, Ranke MB. The d3-growth hormone (GH) receptor polymorphism is associated with increased responsiveness to GH in Turner syndrome and short small-for-gestational-age children. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006;91:659-64.,1616 Binder G, Trebar B, Baur F, Schweizer R, Ranke MB. Homozygosity of the d3-growth hormone receptor polymorphism is associated with a high total effect of GH on growth and a low BMI in girls with Turner syndrome. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2008;68:567-72. Because of the difficulty in obtaining large and homogeneous samples of patients with TS and GH deficiency, multicenter studies and/or meta-analyses are needed to confirm the role of this polymorphism in the pharmacogenetics of rhGH.2121 Braz AF, Costalonga EF, Trarbach EB, Scalco RC, Malaquias AC, Guerra-Junior G, et al. Genetic predictors of long-term response to growth hormone (GH) therapy in children with GH deficiency and Turner syndrome: the influence of a SOCS2 polymorphism. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014;99:E1808-13. It is also noteworthy that, in relation to GH treatment in children with TS, two recent studies employing pharmacogenomic methods were published by the same group of researchers seeking to establish an individualized therapy.3333 Clayton P, Chatelain P, Tatò L, Yoo HW, Ambler GR, Belgorosky A, et al. A pharmacogenomic approach to the treatment of children with GH deficiency or Turner syndrome. Eur J Endocrinol. 2013;169:277-89.,3434 Stevens A, Clayton P, Tatò L, Yoo HW, Rodriguez-Arnao MD, Skorodok J, et al. Pharmacogenomics of insulin-like growth factor-I generation during GH treatment in children with GH deficiency or Turner syndrome. Pharmacogenomics J. 2014;14:54-62.

Positive associations have been reported only for individuals of the same ethnic origin.1515 Binder G, Baur F, Schweizer R, Ranke MB. The d3-growth hormone (GH) receptor polymorphism is associated with increased responsiveness to GH in Turner syndrome and short small-for-gestational-age children. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006;91:659-64.,1616 Binder G, Trebar B, Baur F, Schweizer R, Ranke MB. Homozygosity of the d3-growth hormone receptor polymorphism is associated with a high total effect of GH on growth and a low BMI in girls with Turner syndrome. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2008;68:567-72.,2020 Braz AF, Costalonga EF, Montenegro LR, Trarbach EB, Antonini SR, Malaquias AC, et al. The interactive effect of GHR-exon 3 and -202 A/C IGFBP3 polymorphisms on rhGH responsiveness and treatment outcomes in patients with Turner syndrome. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2012;97:E671-7.,2121 Braz AF, Costalonga EF, Trarbach EB, Scalco RC, Malaquias AC, Guerra-Junior G, et al. Genetic predictors of long-term response to growth hormone (GH) therapy in children with GH deficiency and Turner syndrome: the influence of a SOCS2 polymorphism. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014;99:E1808-13.In spite of the contradictory results regarding GHRd3 polymorphism, a recent review showed the implications of this SNP in clinical practice and concluded it constitutes a predictive factor of better response to hormone replacement therapy in patients with short stature.3232 Andrade RM, Rozza RE, Geller M, Cunha KS. Polimorfismo GHRd3 e suas implicações na prática clínica. J Bras Med. 2012;100:41-5. Two other meta-analysis studies3535 Wassenaar MJ, Dekkers OM, Pereira AM, Wit JM, Smit JW, Biermasz NR, et al. Impact of the exon 3-deleted growth hormone (GH) receptor polymorphism on baseline height and the growth response to recombinant human GH therapy in GH-deficient (GHD) and non-GHD children with short stature: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009;94:3721-30.,3636 Renehan AG, Solomon M, Zwahlen M, Morjaria R, Whatmore A, Audí L, et al. Growth hormone receptor polymorphism and growth hormone therapy response in children: a Bayesian meta-analysis. Am J Epidemiol. 2012;175:867-77.carried out by independent groups, also confirmed the influence of this polymorphism in response to growth in children with short stature treated with rhGH. However, these two meta-analyses included a maximum of three studies of rhGH therapy effect and its relation to genotype d3-GHR in TS, which highlights the need for additional investigations.3535 Wassenaar MJ, Dekkers OM, Pereira AM, Wit JM, Smit JW, Biermasz NR, et al. Impact of the exon 3-deleted growth hormone (GH) receptor polymorphism on baseline height and the growth response to recombinant human GH therapy in GH-deficient (GHD) and non-GHD children with short stature: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009;94:3721-30.,3636 Renehan AG, Solomon M, Zwahlen M, Morjaria R, Whatmore A, Audí L, et al. Growth hormone receptor polymorphism and growth hormone therapy response in children: a Bayesian meta-analysis. Am J Epidemiol. 2012;175:867-77.

Bone mineral density

TS patients have low bone mineral density (BMD), but it can be maintained at normal levels if the patient follows a healthy lifestyle with regular practice of physical exercise, early introduction of an appropriate dose of estrogens (hormone replacement therapy), as well as calcium and vitamin D.3Santos V, Marçal M, Amaral D, Pina R, Lopes L, Fonseca G. Turner syndrome. From child to adult. A multidisciplinary approach. Acta Med Port. 2010;23:873-82.,3737 Cleemann L, Hjerrild BE, Lauridsen AL, Heickendorff L, Christiansen JS, Mosekilde L, et al. Long-term hormone replacement therapy preserves bone mineral density in Turner syndrome. Eur J Endocrinol. 2009;161:251-7. The VDR gene binds to the active form of vitamin D to modulate gene transcription. Vitamin D, in turn, is a steroid hormone which regulates bone metabolism, immune response, cell proliferation and differentiation.3838 Basit S. Vitamin D in health and disease: a literature review. Br J Biomed Sci. 2013;70:161-72.Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased risk of fractures, autoimmune diseases, type 1 and 2 diabetes, hypertension and heart disease,3838 Basit S. Vitamin D in health and disease: a literature review. Br J Biomed Sci. 2013;70:161-72. clinical characteristics present in patients with TS.3Santos V, Marçal M, Amaral D, Pina R, Lopes L, Fonseca G. Turner syndrome. From child to adult. A multidisciplinary approach. Acta Med Port. 2010;23:873-82. Considering the abovementioned facts, the VDR gene was investigated in four studies, one of them associated with growth,1818 Alvarez-Nava F, Marcano H, Pardo T, Paoli M, Gunczler P, Soto M, et al. GHR and VDR genes do not contribute to the growth hormone (GH) response in GH deficient and Turner syndrome patients. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2010;23:773-82. two with BMD2222 Peralta López M, Miras M, Silvano L, Pérez A, Muñoz L, Centeno V, et al. Vitamin D receptor genotypes are associated with bone mass in patients with Turner syndrome. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2011;24:307-12.,2323 Peralta López M, Centeno V, Miras M, Silvano L, Pérez A, Muñoz L, et al. Association of vitamin D receptor gene Cdx2 polymorphism with bone markers in Turner syndrome patients. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2012;25:669-71.and one with thyroid anomalies.2525 Bianco B, Verreschi IT, Oliveira KC, Guedes AD, Barbosa CP, Lipay MV. Analysis of vitamin D receptor gene (VDR) polymorphisms in Turner syndrome patients. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2012;28:326-9. The BsmI, FokI and Cdx2 polymorphisms were positively associated with bone density, and early detection of these polymorphisms could be useful for predicting severe osteopenia in patients with TS.2222 Peralta López M, Miras M, Silvano L, Pérez A, Muñoz L, Centeno V, et al. Vitamin D receptor genotypes are associated with bone mass in patients with Turner syndrome. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2011;24:307-12.,2323 Peralta López M, Centeno V, Miras M, Silvano L, Pérez A, Muñoz L, et al. Association of vitamin D receptor gene Cdx2 polymorphism with bone markers in Turner syndrome patients. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2012;25:669-71.Another study showed a positive association between polymorphisms in the ER-α gene (estrogen receptor-alpha) and BMD in patients with TS undergoing treatment with estroprogestagen.2424 Sowińska-Przepiera E, Andrysiak-Mamos E, Chełstowski K, Adler G, Friebe Z, Syrenicz A. Association between ER-α polymorphisms and bone mineral density in patients with Turner syndrome subjected to estroprogestagen treatment – a pilot study. J Bone Miner Metab. 2011;29:484-92. Patients with TS have estrogen deficiency as a result of ovarian failure, and hypoestrogenism plays a vital role in bone mineralization disorders. Thus, hormone replacement therapy with estrogen contributes to the development of secondary sexual characteristics and optimizes peak bone mass, preventing osteoporosis.3939 Gallicchio CT, Alves ST, Guimarães MM. Indução da puberdade e terapia de reposição hormonal na síndrome de Turner. Femina. 2008;36:677-81.

Autoimmunity

TS patients have high risk for autoimmune diseases, with the most common being those related to the thyroid. A descriptive study showed that cardiovascular anomalies (45%), otitis (43%), thyroid dysfunction (33%) and hypertension (26.6%) were the most frequent clinical alterations observed in 42 patients with TS.8De Araújo C, Galera BB, Galera MF, De Medeiros SF. Clinical and cytogenetic aspects of the Turner syndrome in the Brazilian Western region. Rev Bras Ginecol Obstet. 2010;32:381-5. Polymorphisms in the VDR and PTPN22 gene (Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, Non-receptor type 22) were investigated by the same group of researchers to verify their association with autoimmune thyroid diseases in patients with TS.2525 Bianco B, Verreschi IT, Oliveira KC, Guedes AD, Barbosa CP, Lipay MV. Analysis of vitamin D receptor gene (VDR) polymorphisms in Turner syndrome patients. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2012;28:326-9.,2626 Bianco B, Verreschi IT, Oliveira KC, Guedes AD, Galera BB, Galera MF, et al. PTPN22 polymorphism is related to autoimmune disease risk in patients with Turner syndrome. Scand J Immunol. 2010;72:256-9.

The allelic variation of the PTPN22 gene, C1858T, was associated with the risk of autoimmune diseases in Brazilian patients with TS.2626 Bianco B, Verreschi IT, Oliveira KC, Guedes AD, Galera BB, Galera MF, et al. PTPN22 polymorphism is related to autoimmune disease risk in patients with Turner syndrome. Scand J Immunol. 2010;72:256-9. The study published in 2012 reported that one of its main limitations was the small number of patients with TS and thyroid disorders - only 22 - which reduced the statistical power to detect associations between polymorphisms of the VDR gene and autoimmune diseases in TS.2525 Bianco B, Verreschi IT, Oliveira KC, Guedes AD, Barbosa CP, Lipay MV. Analysis of vitamin D receptor gene (VDR) polymorphisms in Turner syndrome patients. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2012;28:326-9. However, both researches suggest that further studies involving a larger number of patients be carried out to assess whether this association exists or not.

Cardiovascular malformation

Cardiovascular malformations are the highest contributors to morbidity and mortality in girls with TS, especially as a result of aortic dissection risk and, therefore, they can change life expectancy of these patients.4040 Mortensen KH, Andersen NH, Gravholt CH. Cardiovascular phenotype in Turner syndrome--integrating cardiology, genetics, and endocrinology. Endocr Rev. 2012;33:677-714. The most common are coarctation of the aorta (CoA), bicuspid aortic valve and hypoplastic left heart.3Santos V, Marçal M, Amaral D, Pina R, Lopes L, Fonseca G. Turner syndrome. From child to adult. A multidisciplinary approach. Acta Med Port. 2010;23:873-82. CoA and bicuspid aortic valve were present in 6.9% and 21%, respectively, of 233 French patients with TS assessed for cardiovascular findings,4141 Donadille B, Rousseau A, Zenaty D, Cabrol S, Courtillot C, Samara-Boustani D, et al. Cardiovascular findings and management in Turner syndrome: insights from a French cohort. Eur J Endocrinol. 2012;167:517-22. with a 19% frequency being found in another study.9Carvalho AB, Guerra Júnior G, Baptista MT, De Faria AP, Marini SH, Guerra AT. Cardiovascular and renal anomalies in Turner syndrome. Rev Assoc Med Bras. 2010;56:655-9. One gene associated to cardiovascular diseases is AT2R (Angiotensin Type 2 Receptor); however, polymorphism A→G does not seem to be involved in the pathogenesis of CoA in individuals with and without TS.2727 Struwe E, Krammer K, Dötsch J, Metzler M, Dörr HG, Cesnjevar R, et al. No evidence for angiotensin type 2 receptor gene polymorphism in intron 1 in patients with coarctation of the aorta and Ullrich-Turner syndrome. Pediatr Cardiol. 2006;27:636-9. A recent study showed that 5.3% of girls with CoA were diagnosed with TS when karyotyping was carried out. The authors conclude that all girls with CoA should undergo karyotyping, with a minimum count of 50 cells at the time of heart disease diagnosis.4242 Wong SC, Burgess T, Cheung M, Zacharin M. The prevalence of turner syndrome in girls presenting with coarctation of the aorta. J Pediatr. 2014;164:259-63.

Previous studies have demonstrated that: (1) folic acid prevents congenital heart defects; (2) homocysteine levels have a strong correlation with cardiovascular disease genesis, and (3) female sex hormone deficiency is an important factor for homocysteine increase.3030 Oliveira KC, Verreschi IT, Sugawara EK, Silva VC, Galera BB, Galera MF, et al. C677T and A1298C polymorphisms of MTHFR gene and their relation to homocysteine levels in Turner syndrome. Genet Test Mol Biomarkers. 2012;16:396-400.,4343 Czeizel AE, Dudás I, Vereczkey A, Bánhidy F. Folate deficiency and folic acid supplementation: the prevention of neural-tube defects and congenital heart defects. Nutrients. 2013;5:4760-75. However, polymorphisms C677T and A1298C in the MTHFR (5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) gene were not associated with homocysteine levels in Brazilian patients with TS, and these were not higher in patients with the risk haplotype.3030 Oliveira KC, Verreschi IT, Sugawara EK, Silva VC, Galera BB, Galera MF, et al. C677T and A1298C polymorphisms of MTHFR gene and their relation to homocysteine levels in Turner syndrome. Genet Test Mol Biomarkers. 2012;16:396-400. Also in relation to the risk of congenital heart defects, disruption of the folate pathway contributed to the incidence of atrioventricular septal defect in individuals with Down syndrome.4444 Locke AE, Dooley KJ, Tinker SW, Cheong SY, Feingold E, Allen EG, et al. Variation in folate pathway genes contributes to risk of congenital heart defects among individuals with Down syndrome. Genet Epidemiol. 2010;34:613-23. It would be interesting to carry out a study focusing on TS, due of the high incidence of cardiac abnormalities in this group of patients.

Chromosomal nondisjunction

TS is an aneuploidy caused by chromosomal nondisjunction, which occurs when homologous chromosomes or sister chromatids fail to separate, with advanced maternal age being a risk factor. Genetic polymorphisms that alter enzymes involved in folate metabolism, such as the enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) can lead to DNA hypomethylation and increase the risk of chromosomal nondisjunction and thus, of TS. The MTHFR gene is located on 1p36.3 and includes two polymorphisms: substitution of cytosine by thymine at nucleotide 677 (C677T) and adenine by cytosine at nucleotide 1298 (A1298C), resulting in decreased MTHFR activity, interfering with the folate metabolism.

Three studies analyzed polymorphisms in this gene in Brazilian patients with TS.2828 Santos K, Lemos-Marini SH, Baptista MT, Bonadia LC, Pinto Júnior W, Bertuzzo CS. Frequency of 677C → T and 1298A → C polymorphisms in the 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene in Turner syndrome individuals. Genet Mol Biol. 2006;29:41-4.

29 Oliveira KC, Bianco B, Verreschi IT, Guedes AD, Galera BB, Galera MF, et al. Prevalence of the polymorphism MTHFR A1298C and not MTHFR C677T is related to chromosomal aneuploidy in Brazilian Turner Syndrome patients. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metabol. 2008;52:1374-81.
-3030 Oliveira KC, Verreschi IT, Sugawara EK, Silva VC, Galera BB, Galera MF, et al. C677T and A1298C polymorphisms of MTHFR gene and their relation to homocysteine levels in Turner syndrome. Genet Test Mol Biomarkers. 2012;16:396-400. The results regarding the contribution of these polymorphisms to the etiology of TS are conflicting, as the C677T SNP was associated with TS in one study,2828 Santos K, Lemos-Marini SH, Baptista MT, Bonadia LC, Pinto Júnior W, Bertuzzo CS. Frequency of 677C → T and 1298A → C polymorphisms in the 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene in Turner syndrome individuals. Genet Mol Biol. 2006;29:41-4. whereas in the others it was A1298C.2929 Oliveira KC, Bianco B, Verreschi IT, Guedes AD, Galera BB, Galera MF, et al. Prevalence of the polymorphism MTHFR A1298C and not MTHFR C677T is related to chromosomal aneuploidy in Brazilian Turner Syndrome patients. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metabol. 2008;52:1374-81.,3030 Oliveira KC, Verreschi IT, Sugawara EK, Silva VC, Galera BB, Galera MF, et al. C677T and A1298C polymorphisms of MTHFR gene and their relation to homocysteine levels in Turner syndrome. Genet Test Mol Biomarkers. 2012;16:396-400. Three independent meta-analyses4545 Wu X, Wang X, Chan Y, Jia S, Luo Y, Tang W. Folate metabolism gene polymorphisms MTHFR C677T and A1298C and risk for Down syndrome offspring: a meta-analysis. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2013;167:154-9.

46 Yang M, Gong T, Lin X, Qi L, Guo Y, Cao Z, et al. Maternal gene polymorphisms involved in folate metabolism and the risk of having a Down syndrome offspring: a meta-analysis. Mutagenesis. 2013;28:661-71.
-4747 Victorino DB, Godoy MF, Goloni-Bertollo EM, Pavarino EC. Meta-analysis of Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase maternal gene in Down syndrome: increased susceptibility in women carriers of the MTHFR 677T allele. Mol Biol Rep. 2014;41:5491-504.positively associated MTHFR C677T and Down's Syndrome: one of them included 28 case-control studies,4545 Wu X, Wang X, Chan Y, Jia S, Luo Y, Tang W. Folate metabolism gene polymorphisms MTHFR C677T and A1298C and risk for Down syndrome offspring: a meta-analysis. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2013;167:154-9. and the other, 22 studies for MTHFR C677T and 15 for MTHFR A1298C.4747 Victorino DB, Godoy MF, Goloni-Bertollo EM, Pavarino EC. Meta-analysis of Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase maternal gene in Down syndrome: increased susceptibility in women carriers of the MTHFR 677T allele. Mol Biol Rep. 2014;41:5491-504.

The genetic polymorphisms analyzed here seem to influence the severity of the clinical manifestations of TS, as well as response to treatment. In this sense, future studies could indicate their use in clinical practice as molecular markers for diagnosis and prognosis. Another interesting finding is that a detailed analysis of Table 1 shows that 41% (7/17) of the studies on genetic polymorphisms in TS were performed by Brazilian researchers. Brazil has a high degree of miscegenation and genetic polymorphisms are related to ethnic origin. However, only one of the studies briefly mentioned that the country is a heterogeneous nation consisting of populations descended from different ethnicities.3030 Oliveira KC, Verreschi IT, Sugawara EK, Silva VC, Galera BB, Galera MF, et al. C677T and A1298C polymorphisms of MTHFR gene and their relation to homocysteine levels in Turner syndrome. Genet Test Mol Biomarkers. 2012;16:396-400. There is a consensus in the literature on the need to analyze the same polymorphism in different populations, as a genetic association, although valid for a specific population, may not be relevant to individuals from a different ethnic group. Stratification of the groups regarding ethnicity is not so simple, as neither skin color nor region of origin can adequately differentiate a mixed population.4848 Rocha AP, Magalhães PK, Maia AL, Maciel LM. Genetic polymorphisms: implications in the pathogenesis of medullary thyroid carcinoma. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metabol. 2007;51:723-30.

Another important issue addressed in only a few studies1818 Alvarez-Nava F, Marcano H, Pardo T, Paoli M, Gunczler P, Soto M, et al. GHR and VDR genes do not contribute to the growth hormone (GH) response in GH deficient and Turner syndrome patients. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2010;23:773-82.,2525 Bianco B, Verreschi IT, Oliveira KC, Guedes AD, Barbosa CP, Lipay MV. Analysis of vitamin D receptor gene (VDR) polymorphisms in Turner syndrome patients. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2012;28:326-9.concerns study limitations in relation to sample size. All of the articles included in this review reported the need for further studies in “Discussion” section, but did not provide a description of possible sources of error and their effect on data. Regarding the study sample, research on genetic polymorphisms in human diseases must have the statistical power defined as the probability of the study to detect an effect when it exists. A critique of the 17 scientific articles analyzed here is that only one of them established the statistical power.2525 Bianco B, Verreschi IT, Oliveira KC, Guedes AD, Barbosa CP, Lipay MV. Analysis of vitamin D receptor gene (VDR) polymorphisms in Turner syndrome patients. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2012;28:326-9.

Conclusions

Genetic polymorphisms seem to be associated with TS, as most studies showed a positive association (11/17). However, considering the few published studies and contradictory findings, probably due to differences in ethnicity of the analyzed samples, studies carried out in different populations are desirable in order to clarify the role of these SNPs for the clinical signs and etiology of this chromosomal disorder. Moreover, multicenter studies with a large number of patients with TS are necessary for the results to have statistical power, which is important in studies with genetic polymorphisms in human diseases.

  • Funding
    This study did not receive funding.

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Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    Jul-Sep 2015

History

  • Received
    18 Sept 2014
  • Accepted
    29 Nov 2014
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