downward lid slant

Noonan Syndrome

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

Noonan syndrome has prominent anomalies of the periocular structures including downward-slanting lid fissures, hypertelorism, epicanthal folds, high upper eyelid crease, and some limitation of ocular mobility most commonly of the levator.  Ptosis and strabismus are present in nearly half of patients. Amblyopia has been found in one-third of patients and almost 10% have nystagmus.  Corneal nerves are prominent and a substantial number of individuals have optic nerve abnormalities including drusen, hypoplasia, colobomas and myelinated nerves.  Evidence of an anterior stromal dystrophy, cataracts, or panuveitis is seen in a minority of patients.  About 95% of patients have some ocular abnormalities.

Systemic Features: 

Patients are short in stature.  Birth weight and length may be normal but lymphedema is often present in newborns.  The neck is usually webbed (pterygium colli) and the ears low-set.  The sternum may be deformed.  Cardiac anomalies such as coarctation of the aorta, pulmonary valve stenosis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and septal defects are present in more than half of patients.  Dysplasia of the pulmonic valve has been reported as well.  Thrombocytopenia and abnormal platelet function with abnormalities of coagulation factors are found in about 50% of cases resulting in easy bruising and prolonged bleeding.  Cryptorchidism is common in males.  Some patients have intellectual disabilities with speech and language problems.  Most have normal intelligence.   

Parents of affected children often have subtle signs of Noonan Syndrome.

Genetics

This is an autosomal dominant disorder that can result from mutations in at least 8 genes.  Nearly half are caused by mutations in the PTPN11 gene (12q24.1) (163950).  Mutations in the SOS1 gene (2p22-p21) cause NS4 (610733) and account for 10-20% of cases, those in the RAF1 gene (3p25) causing NS5 (611553) for about the same proportion, and mutations in the KRAS gene (12p12.1) (NS3; 609942) cause about 1%.  Mutations in BRAF (7q34) causing NS7 (613706), NRAS (1p13.2) responsible for NS6 (613224), and MEK1 genes have also been implicated and it is likely that more mutations will be found.  The phenotype is similar in all individuals but with some variation in the frequency and severity of specific features.  New mutations are common. 

Several families with autosomal recessive inheritance (NS2) (605275) patterns have been reported with biallelic mutations in LZTR1.

Pedigree: 
Autosomal dominant
Autosomal recessive
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

There is no treatment for most of the developmental problems but some patients benefit from special education. Cardiac surgery may be required in some cases to correct the developmental defects.  Bleeding problems can be treated with supplementation of the defective coagulation factor.  Growth hormone therapy can increase the growth velocity.

References
Article Title: 

Autosomal recessive Noonan syndrome associated with biallelic LZTR1 variants

Johnston JJ, van der Smagt JJ, Rosenfeld JA, Pagnamenta AT, Alswaid A, Baker EH, Blair E, Borck G, Brinkmann J, Craigen W, Dung VC, Emrick L, Everman DB, van Gassen KL, Gulsuner S, Harr MH, Jain M, Kuechler A, Leppig KA, McDonald-McGinn DM, Can NTB, Peleg A, Roeder ER, Rogers RC, Sagi-Dain L, Sapp JC, Schaffer AA, Schanze D, Stewart H, Taylor JC, Verbeek NE, Walkiewicz MA, Zackai EH, Zweier C; Members of the Undiagnosed Diseases Network, Zenker M, Lee B, Biesecker LG. Autosomal recessive Noonan syndrome associated with biallelic LZTR1 variants. Genet Med. 2018 Oct;20(10):1175-1185.

PubMed ID: 
29469822

Update on turner and noonan syndromes

Chacko E, Graber E, Regelmann MO, Wallach E, Costin G, Rapaport R. Update on turner and noonan syndromes. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2012 Dec;41(4):713-34. Epub 2012 Sep 28.

PubMed ID: 
23099266
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