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Disease characteristics. Branchiootorenal spectrum disorders include branchiootorenal (BOR) syndrome and branchiootic syndrome (BOS). BOR is characterized by malformations of the outer, middle, and inner ear associated with conductive, sensorineural, or mixed hearing impairment, branchial fistulae and cysts, and renal malformations ranging from mild renal hypoplasia to bilateral renal agenesis. Some individuals progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) later in life. BOS has the same features as BOR syndrome but without renal involvement. Extreme variability can be observed in the presence, severity, and type of branchial arch, otologic, audiologic, and renal abnormality from right side to left side in an affected individual and also among individuals in the same family. BOR syndrome and BOS can be seen in the same family.
Diagnosis/testing. The diagnosis of branchiootorenal spectrum disorders is based on clinical criteria. Molecular genetic testing of EYA1 (BOR1, BOS1) detects mutations in approximately 40% of individuals with the clinical diagnosis of BOR/BOS. Mutations can be detected in an additional 5% and 4% of individuals with the clinical diagnosis of BOR/BOS by molecular genetic testing of SIX5 (BOR2) and SIX1 (BOR3, BOS3), respectively.
Management. Treatment of manifestations: Excision of branchial cleft cysts/fistulae, fitting with appropriate aural habilitation, and enrollment in appropriate educational programs for the hearing impaired are appropriate. A canaloplasty should be considered to correct an atretic external auditory canal. Medical and surgical treatment for vesicoureteral reflux may be necessary. End-stage renal disease may require dialysis or renal transplantation.
Surveillance: Semiannual examination for hearing impairment and annual audiometry to assess stability of hearing loss and semiannual/annual examination by a nephrologist as indicated.
Agents/circumstances to avoid: Nephrotoxic mediations.
Evaluation of relatives at risk: At-risk relatives should be screened for hearing loss and renal involvement to allow early diagnosis and treatment.
Genetic counseling. BOR/BOS are inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. Affected individuals have a 50% chance of transmitting the disorder to each child. Prenatal testing for fetuses at risk for an EYA1 mutation is possible for families in which the disease-causing mutation has been identified.
Branchiootorenal spectrum disorders (BOR/BOS) include branchiootorenal (BOR) syndrome and branchiootic syndrome (BOS).
Branchiootorenal (BOR) syndrome. In the absence of a family history, three or more of the following major criteria OR two major and two minor criteria (see Table 1) must be present to make the clinical diagnosis of branchiootorenal (BOR) syndrome [Chang et al 2004]:
Table 1. Major and Minor Diagnostic Criteria for Branchiootorenal Syndrome
| Major Criteria | Minor Criteria |
|---|---|
| Second branchial arch anomalies | External auditory canal anomalies |
| Deafness | Middle ear anomalies |
| Preauricular pits | Inner ear anomalies |
| Auricular deformity | Preauricular tags |
| Renal anomalies | Other: facial asymmetry, palate abnormalities |
Second branchial arch anomalies
Otologic findings
Renal anomaly
Note: (1) Individuals with an affected family member need only one major criterion to make the diagnosis of BOR syndrome [Chang et al 2004].
Branchiootic syndrome (BOS). In the absence of structural renal anomalies, the clinical diagnosis of branchiootic syndrome (BOS) should be considered. BOS is characterized by deafness, cup-ear deformity, preauricular pits, and branchial fistulae, but the absence of renal anomalies.
Genes. Three genes are known to be associated with branchiootorenal spectrum disorders:
Other loci
Clinical testing
Table 2. Summary of Molecular Genetic Testing Used in Branchiootorenal Spectrum Disorders (BOR/BOS)
| % of All BOR/BOS | Gene Symbol | Test Method | Mutations Detected | Mutation Detection Frequency by Gene and Test Method 1 | Test Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40% | EYA1 | Mutation scanning | Small insertions, small deletions, missense and nonsense mutations | ~100% | Clinical |
| Deletion/duplication analysis 2 | Partial- or whole-gene rearrangements | ~100% | |||
| 2.5% | SIX5 | Sequence analysis | Sequence variants 3 | ~100% | Clinical |
| 2% | SIX1 | Sequence analysis | Sequence variants 3 | ~100% | Clinical |
1. The ability of the test method used to detect a mutation that is present in the indicated gene
2. Testing that identifies deletions/duplications not readily detectable by sequence analysis of the coding and flanking intronic regions of genomic DNA; included in the variety of methods that may be used are: quantitative PCR, long-range PCR, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA), and chromosomal microarray (CMA) that includes this gene/chromosome segment.
3. Examples of mutations detected by sequence analysis may include small intragenic deletions/insertions and missense, nonsense, and splice site mutations; typically, exonic or whole-gene deletions/duplications are not detected.
Interpretation of test results
Confirming/establishing the diagnosis in a proband
Prenatal diagnosis and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for at-risk pregnancies require prior identification of the disease-causing mutation in the family.
EYA1. Oto-facial-cervical (OFC) syndrome: two individuals with de novo deletions of EYA1 and surrounding region had complex phenotypes including features of BOR syndrome [Rickard et al 2001].
SIX5. No other phenotypes are known to be associated with mutations in SIX5.
SIX1. SIX1 was considered a candidate gene for DFNA23, as the DFNA23 locus maps to chromosome 14q21-q22. However, in a purported DFNA23 family, although a mutation was found in SIX1, the individual in question also had a solitary left hypodysplastic kidney with vesicoureteral reflux and progressive renal failure consistent with the diagnosis of a branchiootorenal spectrum disorder.
Branchiootorenal spectrum disorders include branchiootorenal (BOR) syndrome and branchiootic syndrome (BOS).
The presence, severity, and type of branchial arch, otologic, audiologic, and renal abnormality in BOR syndrome may differ from right side to left side in an affected individual and between individuals in the same family.
Second branchial arch anomalies include branchial cleft cyst or sinus tract (cervical fistulae) (50%). Cysts can become infected and sinus tracts can drain.
Otologic findings, found in more than 90% of individuals with BOR syndrome [Chang et al 2004], include:
Renal anomalies. Renal malformations can be unilateral or bilateral and can occur in any combination. The most severe malformations result in pregnancy loss (since bilateral renal agenesis can end in miscarriage) or neonatal death; ESRD later in life may necessitate dialysis or transplantation.
Although renal anomalies are common, the true prevalence is difficult to establish because not all affected individuals undergo intravenous pyelography or renal ultrasonography. In a study in which 21 affected individuals had one of these two tests, renal anomalies were noted in 67% [Chang et al 2004] and included the following:
Other findings [Chang et al 2004]
BOS can be caused by allelic variants of EYA1, and is characterized by deafness, cup-ear deformity, preauricular pits, and branchial fistulae, in the absence of renal anomalies. In two families with BOS and mutations in EYA1, affected individuals had sensorineural (25%), mixed (66%), or conductive (9%) hearing loss; branchial fistulae (100%); preauricular pits (80%); and cup-ear deformity (60%) [Chang et al 2004].
A genotype-phenotype correlation has not been defined for BOR/BOS. To compare phenotype with genotype, Zhang et al [2004] grouped EYA1 mutations as inactivating (i.e., splice site mutations, insertions, nonsense mutations, and duplications and deletions of more than 3 bp) or non-inactivating (i.e., missense mutations and 3 bp deletions). Using this criterion, they showed that EYA1 inactivating mutations are not associated with a more severe phenotype (p=0.799).
Mouse mutants with a targeted deletion of Six1 display a wide range of phenotypes. When the mutant Six1 protein is not expressed, the presence of a phenotype depends on the genetic background [Xu et al 2003]. For example, deletions in Six1 in mice modify the severity of the phenotype caused by deletions in Eya1 [Li et al 2003, Xu et al 2003, Zheng et al 2003]. This type of double heterozygosity has not been described in persons with a BOR/BOS phenotype. However, of families reported with SIX1 mutations, only two have renal abnormalities, a finding that suggest that genetic background significantly affects the severity of renal defects in BOR syndrome.
Other explanations for the range of phenotypes include haploinsufficiency and dominant-negative or gain-of-function effects. Of these possibilities, when considering SIX1 and SIX5 disease-causing mutations, complex dominant-negative and/or gain-of-function mechanisms are appealing, as no inactivating mutations (i.e., splice site mutations, insertions, nonsense mutations, and duplications and deletions of more than 3 bp) have been reported in SIX1 or SIX5 families with branchiootorenal spectrum disorders [Hoskins et al 2007, Kochhar et al 2008].
A parent-of-origin effect does not appear to be present, as renal defects have been reported in six liveborn offspring of affected fathers and four liveborn offspring of affected mothers.
Based on careful clinical studies of large pedigrees, branchiootorenal spectrum disorders appear to have 100% penetrance, although expressivity is highly variable [Chang et al 2004].
Although anticipation (the tendency of some dominant conditions to become more severe in successive generations) has been considered by several investigators, family studies suggest that it does not occur. For example, in seven three-generation families assessed for anticipation with respect to severity of hearing loss and renal involvement, the degree of hearing loss increased in four families in successive generations, but did not in the remaining three families. Generational progression in renal disease was present in three families, but in one family, the reverse was observed.
BOR syndrome is known eponymously as Melnick-Fraser syndrome. While phenotypic descriptions are applied to BOR, BOS, and even branchiootoureteral (BOU) syndrome, these clinical distinctions must be considered in light of the associated molecular genetics. Many affected persons in families segregating EYA1 mutations have clinical findings consistent with the diagnosis of BOR; however, some affected persons in these same families have clinical findings consistent with BOS or BOU [Orten et al 2008]. For this reason, these syndromes are best considered as branchiootorenal spectrum disorders.
The prevalence of branchiootorenal spectrum disorders is not known. In 1976, GR Fraser surveyed 3,640 children with profound hearing impairment and found only five (0.15%) with a family history of branchial fistulae and preauricular pits (1:700,000) [Fraser 1976]. Four years later, in a study by FC Fraser of 421 children in the Montreal School for the Deaf, 2% of the profoundly deaf students had BOR syndrome [Fraser et al 1980]. Using these data, Fraser et al [1980] estimated the prevalence of BOR syndrome at 1:40,000. The true prevalence is probably somewhere between these extremes.
Over 400 genetic syndromes that include hearing loss have been described [Toriello et al 2004]. Although the branchiootorenal spectrum disorders have a distinctive phenotype that is readily appreciated when segregating in large families, the diagnosis can be more difficult to establish in small families. See Deafness and Hereditary Hearing Loss Overview.
To establish the extent of disease in an individual diagnosed with a branchiootorenal spectrum disorder (BOR/BOS), the following evaluations are recommended:
Second branchial arch anomalies. Excision of branchial cleft cysts/fistulae
Otologic anomalies
Renal anomalies
Otologic anomalies
Renal anomalies. Semiannual/annual examination by a nephrologist and/or urologist if indicated, based on level of renal function and type of renal and/or collecting system malformation
Individuals with renal abnormalities should use appropriate caution when taking medications (i.e., antibiotics and analgesics) that can impair renal function or require normal renal physiology for clearance.
Relatives at risk for BOR/BOS should be screened to determine if a treatable and/or possibly progressive otologic and/or renal abnormality is present.
See Genetic Counseling for issues related to testing of at-risk relatives for genetic counseling purposes.
Search ClinicalTrials.gov for access to information on clinical studies for a wide range of diseases and conditions. Note: There may not be clinical trials for this disorder.
Genetic counseling is the process of providing individuals and families with information on the nature, inheritance, and implications of genetic disorders to help them make informed medical and personal decisions. The following section deals with genetic risk assessment and the use of family history and genetic testing to clarify genetic status for family members. This section is not meant to address all personal, cultural, or ethical issues that individuals may face or to substitute for consultation with a genetics professional. —ED.
The branchiootorenal spectrum disorders are inherited in an autosomal dominant manner.
Parents of a proband
Note: Although most individuals diagnosed with a branchiootorenal spectrum disorder have an affected parent, the family history may appear to be negative because of failure to recognize the disorder in family members.
Sibs of a proband
Offspring of a proband
Other family members of a proband. The risk to other family members depends on the status of the proband's parents. If a parent is affected, his or her family members are at risk.
Considerations in families with an apparent de novo mutation. When neither parent of a proband with an autosomal dominant condition has the disease-causing mutation or clinical evidence of the disorder, it is likely that the proband has a de novo mutation. However, possible non-medical explanations including alternate paternity or maternity (e.g., with assisted reproduction) or undisclosed adoption could also be explored.
Family planning
DNA banking is the storage of DNA (typically extracted from white blood cells) for possible future use. Because it is likely that testing methodology and our understanding of genes, mutations, and diseases will improve in the future, consideration should be given to banking DNA of affected individuals.
Molecular genetic testing. If the disease-causing mutation has been identified in the family, prenatal diagnosis for pregnancies at increased risk is possible by analysis of DNA extracted from fetal cells obtained by amniocentesis (usually performed at ~15-18 weeks’ gestation) or chorionic villus sampling (usually performed at ~10-12 weeks’ gestation). Such testing may be available through laboratories that offer either testing for the gene of interest or custom testing.
Note: Gestational age is expressed as menstrual weeks calculated either from the first day of the last normal menstrual period or by ultrasound measurements.
Fetal ultrasound examination. For fetuses at increased risk for BOR syndrome, prenatal ultrasound examination at 16-17 weeks' gestation should be considered for evaluation of significant renal malformations and/or oligohydramnios.
While requests for prenatal testing for significant medical conditions such as bilateral renal agenesis are generally accepted, requests for prenatal testing for conditions such as BOR syndrome may be more problematic. Variable expressivity makes it impossible to accurately predict which manifestations of BOR syndrome may occur and how mild or severe they will be. Although most centers would consider decisions about prenatal testing to be the choice of the parents, discussion of these issues is appropriate.
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) may be an option for some families in which the disease-causing mutation has been identified.
Information in the Molecular Genetics and OMIM tables may differ from that elsewhere in the GeneReview: tables may contain more recent information. —ED.
Table A. Branchiootorenal Spectrum Disorders: Genes and Databases
| Locus Name | Gene Symbol | Chromosomal Locus | Protein Name | Locus Specific | HGMD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOR1/BOS1 | EYA1 | 8q13 | Eyes absent homolog 1 | Deafness Gene Mutation Database Pendred EYA1 homepage - Mendelian genes | EYA1 |
| BOR2 | SIX5 | 19q13 | Homeobox protein SIX5 | SIX5 homepage - Mendelian genes | SIX5 |
| BOR3/BOS3 | SIX1 | 14q23 | Homeobox protein SIX1 | SIX1 homepage - Mendelian genes | SIX1 |
Table B. OMIM Entries for Branchiootorenal Spectrum Disorders (View All in OMIM)
The vertebrate Eya gene family comprises four transcriptional activators that interact with other proteins in a conserved regulatory hierarchy to ensure normal embryologic development. The structure of these proteins includes a highly conserved 271-amino acid carboxy terminus called the eya-homologous region (eyaHR) and a more divergent proline-serine-threonine (PST)-rich (34%-41%) transactivation domain at the amino terminus (eya variable region, eyaVR) [Zhang et al 2004].
Studies in Drosophila indicate that the eyaHR mediates interactions with the gene products of so (sine oculis) and dac (dachshund), and that expression of both eya and so is initiated by ey (eyeless). The vertebrate orthologues of so are members of the Six gene family and similarly bind with Eya proteins, inducing nuclear translocation of the resultant protein complex. Amino terminal transcriptional activation has been demonstrated for the Drosophila eya and murine Eya1-3 gene products, an additional indication that Eya interactions and pathways are conserved across species.
Expression of Eya genes is present in a wide variety of tissues early in embryogenesis, and although each gene has a unique expression pattern, extensive overlap exists. For example, murine studies have shown that Eya1, Eya2, and Eya4 are all expressed in the presomitic mesoderm and head mesenchyme, but only Eya1 and Eya4 are expressed in the otic vesicle [Wayne et al 2001]. Eya3 expression is restricted to craniofacial and branchial arch mesenchyme in regions underlying or surrounding the Eya1-, Eya2-, or Eya4-expressing cranial placodes.
Six1 functions as both a transactivator and a transcriptional repressor, depending on its cofactors [Silver et al 2003, Bricaud & Collazo 2006].
Normal allelic variants. EYA1 consists of 16 coding exons that extend over 156 kb. It has at least four alternatively spliced transcripts - NM_172060.2 (variant 1, EYA1A), NM_172058.2 (variant 2, EYA1B), NM_000503.4 (variant 3, EYA1C), and NM_172059.2 (variant 4, EYA1D):
The 5' exons (exon -1 and the 3' end of exon 1) produce an open reading frame (ORF) that could add more than 156 amino acids to the amino terminal of EYA1; however, it is not known whether this sequence is translated. The seventeen introns of EYA1 vary in size from 0.1 to 27.5 kb [Orten et al 2008].
Numerous sequence variants of EYA1 have been reported. When allelic variants are discovered, it is not always clear whether they are disease causing. Since mutations in EYA1 are not found in 60% of people with BOR/BOS, caution must be used when interpreting the effect of missense mutations in a single family, especially if rigorous population-based studies have not been performed.
Pathologic allelic variants. More than 80 different disease-causing allelic variants of EYA1 that result in BOR/BOS have been identified [Kumar et al 1998]. These mutations include gross deletions of several exons, nonsense mutations [Kumar et al 1998], missense mutations, frameshift mutations [Kumar et al 1998], splice site mutations, and gross insertions. All of these mutations affect at least two EYA1 isoforms. In addition, the presence of mutations in exon 12, which is skipped in the shortest transcript EYA1D, indicates that the longer isoforms are necessary for EYA1 function [Orten et al 2008]. A list of BOR-/BOS-causing mutations is maintained at www.healthcare.uiowa.edu.
Normal gene product. The proteins encoded by the transcripts EYA1A (559 amino acids) and EYA1B (592 amino acids) differ only in their N-terminal region. EYA1C has two overlapping open reading frames (ORFs). One of the predicted ORFs is identical to that of EYA1B; however, for this ORF, the first stop codon is an additional 369 nucleotides upstream. The full extent of the second ORF has not been completely determined; EYA1C could give rise to two distinct proteins or alternatively the two ORFs could be translated into a single protein by ribosomal frame shifting.
The 5' UTR variations and alternate splicing are consistent with multifaceted control of EYA1 gene expression, which is particularly relevant because the protein encodes products important for inner-ear, kidney, and branchial-arch development.
The Eya protein has intrinsic phosphatase activity, enabling it to serve as a promoter-specific transcriptional co-activator. It is part of the Six-Eya-Dach regulatory network that defines a molecular mechanism by which a recruited co-activator with phosphatase function (Eya) derepresses target genes. Six1 acts as a repressor or as an activator of gene transcription based, at least in part, on the recruitment of opposing cofactors. The recruitment of Dach is associated with co-repressor activity, while the recruitment of Eya is associated with co-activator activity. The co-activator activity of Eya is based on its phosphatase activity, which reverses the co-repressor activity of Dach and permits the recruitment of other co-activators, including CREB-binding protein (CBP) [Li et al 2003].
Abnormal gene product. Some pathologic allelic variants in EYA1 generate mutant proteins that are rapidly degraded, implying that haploinsufficiency can cause BOR/BOS [Zhang et al 2004]. These data are also consistent with the presence of large deletions of one allele of EYA1 in some families with BOR/BOS. Based on data derived from in vivo studies of the Drosophila developmental system, other missense mutations affect either phosphatase or transcription function [Mutsuddi et al 2005]. These different types of mutational effects are predicted to lead to differences in phenotype.
Normal allelic variants. SIX1 has a transcript of 1376 bp and two exons.
Pathologic allelic variants. Eight BOR/BOS-causing SIX1 mutations have been reported [Ruf et al 2004, Ito et al 2006, Kochhar et al 2008]. One of these mutations, c.328C>T (p.Arg110Trp), has been seen in six unrelated families from multiple ethnic groups [Kochhar et al 2008].
Table 3. Selected SIX1 Pathologic Allelic Variants
| DNA Nucleotide Change | Protein Amino Acid Change | Reference Sequences |
|---|---|---|
| c.328C>T | p.Arg110Trp | NM_005982 NP_005973 |
See Quick Reference for an explanation of nomenclature. GeneReviews follows the standard naming conventions of the Human Genome Variation Society (www
Normal gene product. SIX1 is one of six members of the SIX gene family (SIX1-SIX6) in humans. Like each of the transcribed proteins in this family, homeobox protein SIX1 has both a conserved SIX domain and homeodomain, which are required for DNA binding. Expression of SIX1 is necessary for normal development of the inner ear, nose, thymus, kidney, and skeletal muscle. Mice with a targeted deletion of SIX1 have been shown to have abnormalities of these organs [Ando et al 2005].
Abnormal gene product. Two of the eight reported SIX1 mutations are in the DNA-binding HD domain and are predicted to decrease both SIX1-EYA1 protein binding and SIX1-DNA binding [Ruf et al 2004]. The other six mutations are in the SIX domain, which is required for interaction with EYA1 [Ohto et al 1999]. The fact that no inactivating mutations have been discovered suggests that the BOR/BOS phenotype is not the result of haploinsufficiency [Ruf et al 2004].
Normal allelic variants. SIX5 has a transcript of 3145 bp and three exons.
Pathologic allelic variants. Based on the identification of mutations in SIX5 in five of 95 unrelated patients with BOR/BOS syndrome, at least four pathologic allelic variants are known (see Table 4). None of these four allelic variants was observed in 150 healthy control individuals [Hoskins et al 2007].
Table 4. Selected SIX5 Pathologic Allelic Variants
| DNA Nucleotide Change | Protein Amino Acid Change | Reference Sequences |
|---|---|---|
| c.472G>A | p.Ala158Thr | NM_175875 NP_787071 |
| c.886G>A | p.Ala296Thr | |
| c.1093G>A | p.Gly365Arg | |
| c.1655C>T | p.Thr552Met |
See Quick Reference for an explanation of nomenclature. GeneReviews follows the standard naming conventions of the Human Genome Variation Society (www
Normal gene product. The homeobox protein SIX5 has 739 amino acid residues and a high degree of homology to SIX1, and is known to interact directly with EYA1. However, unlike SIX1, SIX5 has an additional activation domain (AD) at the C-terminus [Hoskins et al 2007].
Abnormal gene product. In vitro data suggest that both p.Ala158Thr and p.Thr552Met residues of SIX5 may be required for efficient binding with EYA1 [Hoskins et al 2007]. Yeast two-hybrid liquid β-galactosidase assays using GAL4 BD-SIX5 and GAL4 AD-Eya1D constructs cause strong lacZ expression as a result of interaction between the two fusion proteins. The p.Ala296Thr and p.Gly365Arg mutations result in a slight reduction in lacZ expression, while both p.Ala158Thr and p.Thr552Met show more than a twofold reduction in lacZ expression.
Medical Genetic Searches: A specialized PubMed search designed for clinicians that is located on the PubMed Clinical Queries page 
The original preparation of this manuscript was supported in part by grants 1RO1DC02842 and 1RO1DC03544. (RJHS)
Glenn E Green, MD; Arizona Health Sciences Center (1999-2001)
Sai D Prasad; University of Iowa (1999-2001)
Richard JH Smith, MD (1999-present)
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