A review of consensus statements, practice resources, standards and guidelines for clinical applications of next-generation sequencing technologies in the United States / 中华医学遗传学杂志

The use of whole exome sequencing (WES) for the detection of disease-causing variants of genetic diseases and for non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS) of fetal aneuploidies are two major clinical applications of next generation sequencing (NGS). This article has summarized the official documents developed and updated by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) on governing WES and NIPS. These include the development of expert consensus policies and position statements on an ongoing basis to guide clinical application of NGS technology and variant analysis, establish evidence-based practical resources, as well as standards and guidelines to govern diagnosis and screening. These ACMG documents are valuable references to Chinese geneticists, but direct adoption of these standards and guidelines may not be practical due to the differences in disease-associated variant frequencies in Chinese population, socioeconomic status, and medical practice between the two countries. It is hoped that this review could facilitate the development of NGS and NIPS standards and guidelines that are consistent with international standards and concordant with medical genetics practice in China to provide high-quality, efficient and safe clinical services for patients and their families with genetic diseases.

Experience and lessons on guiding and governing clinical applications of chromosome microarray analysis in the United States / 中华医学遗传学杂志

Chromosome microarray analysis (CMA) has become the first-tier testing for chromosomal abnormalities and copy number variations (CNV). This review described the clinical validation of CMA, the development and updating of technical standards and guidelines and their diagnostic impacts. The main focuses were on the development and updating of expert consensus, practice resources, and a series of technical standards and guidelines through systematic review of case series with CMA application in the literature. Expert consensus and practice resource supported the use of CMA as the first-tier testing for detecting chromosomal abnormalities and CNV in developmental and intellectual disabilities, multiple congenital anomalies and autism. The standards and guidelines have been applied to pre- and postnatal testing for constitutional CNV and tumor testing for acquired CNV. CMA has significantly improved the diagnostic yields but still needs to overcome its technical limitations and face challenges of new technologies. Guiding and governing CMA through expert consensus, practice resource, standards and guidelines in the United States has provided effective and safe diagnostic services to patients and their families, reliable diagnosis on related genetic diseases for clinical database and basic research, and references for clinical translation of new technologies.

Optimization of the dose-effect relationship of N-ethyl-N-nitrocarbamide and cyclophosphamide in Pig-a gene mutation detection in rats / 中国比较医学杂志

Objective The effect of different doses of ethylnitrosourea(ENU)and cyclophosphamide(CP)on the loss rate of CD59 on peripheral blood erythrocytes was explored to optimize the detection method of Pig-a gene mutation. Methods According to the weight and loss rate of CD59 on peripheral blood erythrocytes,rats were divided into 4 groups:the control group,CP 40 mg/kg group,ENU 10 mg/kg group and ENU 40 mg/kg group(n=6). The control group was injected i.p. with PBS,other groups were injected i.p. with corresponding solutions. The body weight of rats on days 0,7,14,21, 28, 42 and 56 were recorded. At the same time, blood samples were collected and incubated with antibodies,and the loss rate of RBCCD59-was detected by flow cytometry. Results Compared with the control group, at different time points, the body weight and weight gain of ENU 10 mg/kg group and ENU 40 mg/kg group had no statistically significant difference(P > 0.05),while those in the CP 40 mg/kg group were significantly decreased(P <0.05). The loss rate of RBCCD59-was significantly increased in the CP 40 mg/kg group at 28,42 and 56 days, ENU 10 mg/kg group at 42 and 56 days,and ENU 40 mg/kg group at 7,14,21,28,42 and 56 days,(P < 0.05). The results showed a dose-response relationship. Conclusions Under the conditions of this Pig-a mutation detection method,ENU is superior to CP on raising loss rate of RBCCD59-,ENU 40 mg/kg is better than 10 mg/kg,and 28 days is suitable as the test period.