Gonadal Function in 15 Patients Associated with WT1 Gene Mutations

Abstract

Denys-Drash syndrome (DDS) and Frasier syndrome (FS) are caused by mutations of the WT1 gene. These disorders are characterized by renal disease, abnormality of male sex differentiation, and Wilms’ tumor and gonadoblastoma. There have been few reports on gonadal function in a large series of patients with mutations of the WT1 gene. Here, we evaluated the relation between gonadal function and the phenotype of external genitalia in 15 Japanese patients with WT1 mutations. We confirmed three sets of information. First, if a diagnosis of DDS and FS is arrived at by genetic analysis, there are some overlaps in the phenotypes of external genitalia and renal complications. Second, the responses of serum T for the human CG (HCG) loading test coincided with the phenotype of external genitalia in both DDS and FS, except two patients. One DDS patient had male type external genitalia with a low level of serum T response, and one FS patient had complete female external genitalia despite a definite serum T response to HCG stimulation. Third, four FS patients had incomplete development of pubic hair, together with low DHEA-S levels.