Case Report: FBN1 mutation screening in South African patients with Marfan syndrome

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a systemic heritable connective tissue disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the FBN1 gene. Previous studies have documented the clinical utility of FBN1 mutation screening as some nucleotide changes and functional domains are associated with specific clinical presentati...

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Main Authors: F. Mhlongo, C. Feben, A. Krause, N. Carstens
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Genetics
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2025.1612411/full
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author F. Mhlongo
C. Feben
A. Krause
N. Carstens
N. Carstens
author_facet F. Mhlongo
C. Feben
A. Krause
N. Carstens
N. Carstens
author_sort F. Mhlongo
collection DOAJ
description Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a systemic heritable connective tissue disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the FBN1 gene. Previous studies have documented the clinical utility of FBN1 mutation screening as some nucleotide changes and functional domains are associated with specific clinical presentations, many of which are age dependent. However, molecular testing has not been incorporated into routine clinical service for MFS in South Africa. Here we present clinical phenotypes and molecular confirmation of MFS in a cohort of South African patients. Mutation screening using a targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) panel identified seven heterozygous likely pathogenic and/or pathogenic FBN1 variants in eleven South African patients with MFS. Two of these variants are novel. This study thus contributes to the description of the mutation spectrum of MFS in Africa and highlights the diagnostic utility and importance of FBN1-based mutation testing, especially in children and for prognostic purposes.
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spelling doaj-art-271f86765f9f4dedaeff45b23d81ac0c2025-08-20T03:32:58ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Genetics1664-80212025-07-011610.3389/fgene.2025.16124111612411Case Report: FBN1 mutation screening in South African patients with Marfan syndromeF. Mhlongo0C. Feben1A. Krause2N. Carstens3N. Carstens4Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service & School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South AfricaDivision of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service & School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South AfricaDivision of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service & School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South AfricaDivision of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service & School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South AfricaGenomics Centre, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South AfricaMarfan syndrome (MFS) is a systemic heritable connective tissue disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the FBN1 gene. Previous studies have documented the clinical utility of FBN1 mutation screening as some nucleotide changes and functional domains are associated with specific clinical presentations, many of which are age dependent. However, molecular testing has not been incorporated into routine clinical service for MFS in South Africa. Here we present clinical phenotypes and molecular confirmation of MFS in a cohort of South African patients. Mutation screening using a targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) panel identified seven heterozygous likely pathogenic and/or pathogenic FBN1 variants in eleven South African patients with MFS. Two of these variants are novel. This study thus contributes to the description of the mutation spectrum of MFS in Africa and highlights the diagnostic utility and importance of FBN1-based mutation testing, especially in children and for prognostic purposes.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2025.1612411/fullMarfan syndromeunderstudied populationsmolecular confirmationFBN1 genegenetic diagnostics in Africacase series
spellingShingle F. Mhlongo
C. Feben
A. Krause
N. Carstens
N. Carstens
Case Report: FBN1 mutation screening in South African patients with Marfan syndrome
Frontiers in Genetics
Marfan syndrome
understudied populations
molecular confirmation
FBN1 gene
genetic diagnostics in Africa
case series
title Case Report: FBN1 mutation screening in South African patients with Marfan syndrome
title_full Case Report: FBN1 mutation screening in South African patients with Marfan syndrome
title_fullStr Case Report: FBN1 mutation screening in South African patients with Marfan syndrome
title_full_unstemmed Case Report: FBN1 mutation screening in South African patients with Marfan syndrome
title_short Case Report: FBN1 mutation screening in South African patients with Marfan syndrome
title_sort case report fbn1 mutation screening in south african patients with marfan syndrome
topic Marfan syndrome
understudied populations
molecular confirmation
FBN1 gene
genetic diagnostics in Africa
case series
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2025.1612411/full
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