Coexistence of SRY, DHX37 and POR gene variants in a patient with 46,XY disorder of sex development

Abstract

Objectives: Here we present a case of 46,XY disorder of sex development (DSD) in which three variants were detected in the SRY, DHX37, and POR genes.

Case presentation: A patient with 46,XY karyotype and female phenotype presented at 15 years 3 months of age due to absence of puberty. She exhibited facial signs such as midfacial hypoplasia, long face, proptosis, bulbous nose, mild prognathism and skeletal signs such as scoliosis, pectus carinatum, arachnodactyly and her sex development remained prepubertal. The patient was found to have hypergonadotropic hypogonadism, elevation of 17-OH progesterone and progesterone levels, low anti-mullerian hormone and inhibin B levels, and absence of gonads and a hypoplastic uterus on pelvic ultrasound. Whole exome sequencing revealed a novel hemizygous missense variant in the SRY gene (c.247C>T, p.Pro83Ser), a homozygous missense variant in the POR gene (c.1355C>T, p.Pro452Leu), and a novel heterozygous missense variant in the DHX37 gene (c.1325A>G, p.His442Arg).

Conclusions: Our patient is the first case in which the coexistence of variants in the SRY, DHX37 and POR genes was detected. This case suggests that a combined phenotype characterized by DSD and alterations in adrenal function may result from genetic variants in the SRY, DHX37 and POR genes involved in gonadal development and synthesis of adrenal hormones.

Keywords: DHX37; POR; SRY; 46 XY DSD.