Amelogenesis imperfecta represents a group of developmental conditions, clinically and genetically heterogeneous, that affect the structure and clinical appearance of enamel. Amelogenesis imperfecta occurred as an isolated trait or as part of a genetic syndrome. Recently, disease-causing mutations in the FAM20A gene were identified, in families with an autosomal recessive syndrome associating amelogenesis imperfecta and gingival fibromatosis.

Several pathogenesis and genetic factors influence predisposition to antituberculosis drug-induced hepatotoxicity (ATDH) especially for isoniazid (INH). However, the major susceptibility genes for ATDH are N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) and cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1). NAT2 gene determines the individual’s acetylator status (fast, intermediate or slow) to metabolize drugs and xenobiotics, while CYP2E1 c1/c1 genotype carriers had an increased risk of ATDH. Polymorphisms of the NAT2 and CYP2E1 genes vary remarkably among the populations of different ethnic origins. The aim of this study was to determine, for the first time, the frequency of slow acetylators in Moroccan population by genotyping of NAT2 gene variants and determining the genotype c1/c1 for CYP2E1 gene, in order to predict adverse effects of Tuberculosis treatment, particularly hepatotoxicity. The frequencies of specific NAT2 alleles were 53%, 25%, 2% and 4% for NAT2*5, NAT2*6, NAT2*7 and NAT2*14 respectively among 163 Moroccan studied group. Genotyping of CYP2E1 gene, by real-time polymerase chain reaction using TaqMan probes, revealed frequencies of 98.5% for c1/c1 and 1.5% for c1/c2 among 130 Moroccan studied group. The most prevalent genotypes of NAT2 gene in Moroccans are those which encode slow acetylation phenotype (72.39%), leading to a high risk of ATDH. Most Moroccans are homozygous for c1 allele of CYP2E1 gene which aggravates hepatotoxicity in slow acetylators. This genetic background should be taken into account in determining the minimum dose of INH needed to treat Moroccan TB patients, in order to decrease adverse effects.

To date, a limited number of BRCA1/2 germline mutations have been reported in hereditary breast and/or ovarian cancer in the Moroccan population. Less than 20 different mutations of these two genes have been identified in Moroccan patients, and recently we reported a further BRCA2 mutation (c.1310_1313delAAGA; p.Lys437IlefsX22) in three unrelated patients, all from the North-East of the country. We aimed in this study to evaluate the frequency and geographic distribution of this BRCA2 frameshift mutation, in order to access its use as the first-line BRCA genetic testing strategy for Moroccan patients. We enrolled in this study 122 patients from different regions of Morocco, with suggestive inherited predisposition to breast and ovarian cancers. All subjects gave written informed consent to BRCA1/2 genetic testing. According to available resources of our lab and enrolled families, 51 patients were analyzed by the conventional individual exon-by-exon Sanger sequencing, 23 patients were able to benefit from a BRCA next generation sequencing and a target screening for exon 10 of BRCA2 gene was performed in 48 patients. Overall, and among the 122 patients analyzed for at least the exon 10 of the BRCA2 gene, the c.1310_1313delAAGA frameshift mutation was found in 14 patients. Genealogic investigation revealed that all carriers of this mutation shared the same geographic origin and were descendants of the North-East of Morocco. In this study, we highlighted that c.1310_1313delAAGA mutation of BRCA2 gene is recurrent with high frequency in patients from the North-East region of Morocco. Therefore, we propose to use, in public health strategies, the detection of this mutation as the first-line screening tests in patients with breast and ovarian cancer originated from this region.

We report clinical and molecular cytogenetic characterization of a 2 year-old girl with 19p13.2p13.12 microdeletion and compare her clinical features with those of three other patients reported before.