A Japanese Family of Typical Loeys-Dietz Syndrome with a TGFBR2 Mutation

This report describes a Japanese family with vessel and craniofacial abnormalities. Although the clinical findings of the patient's father fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for Marfan syndrome, arterial tortuosity, aneurysms, hypertelorism and a bifid uvula were noted in both the patient and his father. These findings were compatible with the clinical manifestations that were previously reported in Loeys-Dietz syndrome. A molecular genetic analysis demonstrated a heterozygous missense mutation of the transforming growth factorbeta receptor II gene in both the patient and his father, which thus caused Loeys-Dietz syndrome. This is the first Japanese family case report of typical Loeys-Dietz syndrome.