Terminal 10q26.12 deletion is associated with neonatal asymmetric crying facies syndrome: a case report and literature review

BACKGROUND: The terminal 10q26 deletion syndrome is a clinically heterogeneous disorder without identified genotype–phenotype correlations. We reported a case of congenital asymmetric crying facies (ACF) syndrome with 10q26.12qter deletion and discussed their genotype–phenotype correlations and the potentially contributing genes involving the etiology of ACF. METHODS AND RESULTS: We reported a case of neonatal 10q26.12qter deletion and summarized the genotype–phenotype correlations and contributing genes of 10q26.12qter deletion from DECIPHER database and published studies. Meanwhile, we analyzed the potential pathogenic genes contributing to 10q26 deletion syndrome. The female preterm infant harboring 10q26.12qter deletion showed symptoms of abnormal craniofacial appearance with rare congenital asymmetric crying facies, developmental retardation, congenital heart disease, and pulmonary artery hypertension. The deleted region was 13.28 Mb in size as detected by G-banding and array comparative genome hybridization, containing 62 Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) catalog genes. We summarized data from 17 other patients with 10q26.12qter deletion, 11 from the DECIPHER database and 6 from published studies. Patients with monoallelic WDR11 and FGFR2 deletions located in 10q26.12q26.2 were predisposed to craniofacial dysmorphisms, growth retardation, intellectual disability and cardiac diseases. CONCLUSION: ACF is a facial dysmorphism frequently accompanied by other systemic deformities. It is a genetic abnormality that may associate with terminal 10q26.12 deletion. Early cardiac, audiologic, cranial examinations and genetic detection are needed to guide early diagnosis and treatment strategy.