Women Heterozygous for NALP7/NLRP7 Mutations Are at Risk for Reproductive Wastage: Report of Two Novel Mutations

Familial recurrent hydatidiform moles are a rare recessive condition in which molar tissues have biparental contribution to their genome. One maternal locus responsible for this condition has been mapped to 19q13.4 and the causative gene, NALP7, identified (HUGOapproved nomenclature is now NLRP7). Here we report a first stop codon, c.295G>T (p.Glu99X) and a missense mutation, c.1970A>T (p.Asp657Val) in NLRP7 in two sisters with RHMs. We found these two mutations and a previously reported one, c.2078G>C (p.Arg693Pro) in a homozygous state, in males with normal reproductive outcomes. This suggests that NLRP7 is not required for normal spermatogenesis. The mother of the patients is heterozygous for Glu99X and had one stillbirth and three normal pregnancies. Our data on this new family and on heterozygous women from previously reported families indicate that women heterozygous for NLRP7 mutations are at risk for reproductive wastage without the manifestation of molar phenotype. (C) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.