A Rare Case of Precocious Puberty in a Child with a Novel GATA-4 Gene Mutation: Implications for Disorders of Sex Development (DSD) and Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND

Disorders/Differences of sex development (DSD) are often due to disruptions of the genetic programs that regulate gonad development. The GATA-4 gene, located on chromosome 8p23.1, encodes GATA-binding protein 4 (GATA-4), a transcription factor that is essential for cardiac and gonadal development and sexual differentiation.

CASE DESCRIPTION: A child with a history of micropenis and cryptorchidism. At 8 years of age, he came under our observation for an increase in sexual pubic hair (pubarche). The laboratory parameters and the GnRH test suggested a central precocious puberty (CPP). Treatment with GnRH analogs was started, and we decided to perform genetic tests for DSD. The NGS genetic investigation showed a novel and heterozygous variant in the GATA-4 gene.

DISCUSSION: In the literature, 26 cases with 46,XY DSD due to the GATA4 gene were reported.

CONCLUSION

The novel variant in the GATA-4 gene of our patient was not previously associated with DSD. This is the first case of a DSD due to a GATA-4 mutation that develops precocious puberty. Precocious puberty could be associated with DSD and considered a prelude to hypogonadism in some cases.