Absence of PTPN11 mutations in 28 cases of cardiofaciocutaneous (CFC) syndrome

CFC (cardiofaciocutaneous) syndrome (MIM 115150) has been considered by several authors to be a more severe expression of Noonan syndrome. Affected patients present with congenital heart defects, cutaneous abnormalities, Noonan-like facial features and severe psychomotor developmental delay. We have recently demonstrated that Noonan syndrome can be caused by missense mutations in PTPN11 (MIM 176876), a gene that encodes the non-receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2. In this report, we have evaluated the possible involvement of mutations in PTPN11 in CFC syndrome. A cohort of 28 CFC subjects rigorously assessed as having CFC based on OMIM diagnostic criteria was examined for mutations in the PTPN11 coding sequence by using DHPLC analysis. The results showed no abnormalities in the coding region of the PTPN11 gene in any CFC patient, nor any evidence of major deletions within the gene suggesting that mutations in other gene(s) are responsible for this syndrome.