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1.
Hum Genet ; 2023 Mar 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36952035

ABSTRACT

The multidisciplinary Epigenetics and Chromatin Clinic at Johns Hopkins provides comprehensive medical care for individuals with rare disorders that involve disrupted epigenetics. Initially centered on classical imprinting disorders, the focus shifted to the rapidly emerging group of genetic disorders resulting from pathogenic germline variants in epigenetic machinery genes. These are collectively called the Mendelian disorders of the epigenetic machinery (MDEMs), or more broadly, Chromatinopathies. In five years, 741 clinic visits have been completed for 432 individual patients, with 153 having confirmed epigenetic diagnoses. Of these, 115 individuals have one of 26 MDEMs with every single one exhibiting global developmental delay and/or intellectual disability. This supports prior observations that intellectual disability is the most common phenotypic feature of MDEMs. Additional common phenotypes in our clinic include growth abnormalities and neurodevelopmental issues, particularly hypotonia, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and anxiety, with seizures and autism being less common. Overall, our patient population is representative of the broader group of MDEMs and includes mostly autosomal dominant disorders impacting writers more so than erasers, readers, and remodelers of chromatin marks. There is an increased representation of dual function components with a reader and an enzymatic domain. As expected, diagnoses were made mostly by sequencing but were aided in some cases by DNA methylation profiling. Our clinic has helped to facilitate the discovery of two new disorders, and our providers are actively developing and implementing novel therapeutic strategies for MDEMs. These data and our high follow-up rate of over 60% suggest that we are achieving our mission to diagnose, learn from, and provide optimal care for our patients with disrupted epigenetics.

2.
Curr Protoc ; 2(9): e530, 2022 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36130039

ABSTRACT

Structural variation in genomes, such as copy number variants (CNVs), is under scrutiny for its contribution to phenotypic expression and evolution. Regions of homozygosity (ROH) are ripe for phenotype-gene discovery. Determining the genes and related phenotypes within genomic regions is key to studying potential functional and phenotypic consequences. Because individuals have multiple CNVs and ROHs in their genome, identifying genomic regions that are phenotypically significant is challenging. GeneScout is a web-based tool that can be used to search genomic regions to display and filter the genes and their associated phenotypes within regions of interest. Phenotypes and their associated gene(s) can then be filtered to show only the genes with phenotypes that have a particular inheritance pattern and/or specific clinical feature(s). Phenotypes can then be selected to compare the clinical synopses side-by-side in Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM® ). Additionally, two coordinate sets can be compared to determine either the regions of overlap or the unique regions (subtraction). The resulting coordinate ranges are displayed on the results page, and the results table displays only the genes and phenotypes present within the coordinate ranges. The interactive table includes gene-specific links to external resources such as ClinVar, ClinGen validity, ClinGen dosage, and gnomAD, and a diamond symbol next to the gene name indicates a gene that spans the start or end of a coordinate range. Searches and comparisons may be performed for coordinates in assemblies GRCh37 (hg19) and GRCh38 (hg38). The results page offers the option to liftover coordinates entered in GRCh37 to GRCh38 and updates the results table to display the gene content based on assembly GRCh38. The search coordinates and results table can be downloaded in a tab-delimited or Excel file. © 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol: Searching GeneScout.


Subject(s)
Databases, Genetic , Genome , DNA Copy Number Variations/genetics , Genomics , Humans , Phenotype
3.
Chest ; 162(2): 394-405, 2022 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35337808

ABSTRACT

Patients with familial pulmonary fibrosis represent a subset of patients with pulmonary fibrosis in whom inherited gene variation predisposes them to disease development. In the appropriate setting, genetic testing allows for personalized assessment of disease, recognition of clinically relevant extrapulmonary manifestations, and assessing susceptibility in unaffected relatives. However currently, the use of genetic testing is inconsistent, partly because of the lack of guidance regarding high-yield scenarios in which the results of genetic testing can inform clinical decision-making. To address this, the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation commissioned a genetic testing work group comprising pulmonologists, geneticists, and genetic counselors from the United States to provide guidance on genetic testing in patients with pulmonary fibrosis. This CHEST special feature presents a concise review of these proceedings and reviews pulmonary fibrosis susceptibility, clinically available genetic testing methods, and clinical scenarios in which genetic testing should be considered.


Subject(s)
Genetic Testing , Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis , Humans , Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis/genetics , United States
4.
Genet Med ; 23(6): 1028-1040, 2021 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33658631

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We describe a novel neurobehavioral phenotype of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability, and/or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) associated with de novo or inherited deleterious variants in members of the RFX family of genes. RFX genes are evolutionarily conserved transcription factors that act as master regulators of central nervous system development and ciliogenesis. METHODS: We assembled a cohort of 38 individuals (from 33 unrelated families) with de novo variants in RFX3, RFX4, and RFX7. We describe their common clinical phenotypes and present bioinformatic analyses of expression patterns and downstream targets of these genes as they relate to other neurodevelopmental risk genes. RESULTS: These individuals share neurobehavioral features including ASD, intellectual disability, and/or ADHD; other frequent features include hypersensitivity to sensory stimuli and sleep problems. RFX3, RFX4, and RFX7 are strongly expressed in developing and adult human brain, and X-box binding motifs as well as RFX ChIP-seq peaks are enriched in the cis-regulatory regions of known ASD risk genes. CONCLUSION: These results establish a likely role of deleterious variation in RFX3, RFX4, and RFX7 in cases of monogenic intellectual disability, ADHD and ASD, and position these genes as potentially critical transcriptional regulators of neurobiological pathways associated with neurodevelopmental disease pathogenesis.


Subject(s)
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity , Autism Spectrum Disorder , Autistic Disorder , Intellectual Disability , Adult , Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity/genetics , Autism Spectrum Disorder/genetics , Autistic Disorder/genetics , Humans , Intellectual Disability/genetics , Regulatory Factor X Transcription Factors , Transcription Factors/genetics
5.
Brain ; 143(11): 3242-3261, 2020 12 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33150406

ABSTRACT

Heterozygous mutations in KMT2B are associated with an early-onset, progressive and often complex dystonia (DYT28). Key characteristics of typical disease include focal motor features at disease presentation, evolving through a caudocranial pattern into generalized dystonia, with prominent oromandibular, laryngeal and cervical involvement. Although KMT2B-related disease is emerging as one of the most common causes of early-onset genetic dystonia, much remains to be understood about the full spectrum of the disease. We describe a cohort of 53 patients with KMT2B mutations, with detailed delineation of their clinical phenotype and molecular genetic features. We report new disease presentations, including atypical patterns of dystonia evolution and a subgroup of patients with a non-dystonic neurodevelopmental phenotype. In addition to the previously reported systemic features, our study has identified co-morbidities, including the risk of status dystonicus, intrauterine growth retardation, and endocrinopathies. Analysis of this study cohort (n = 53) in tandem with published cases (n = 80) revealed that patients with chromosomal deletions and protein truncating variants had a significantly higher burden of systemic disease (with earlier onset of dystonia) than those with missense variants. Eighteen individuals had detailed longitudinal data available after insertion of deep brain stimulation for medically refractory dystonia. Median age at deep brain stimulation was 11.5 years (range: 4.5-37.0 years). Follow-up after deep brain stimulation ranged from 0.25 to 22 years. Significant improvement of motor function and disability (as assessed by the Burke Fahn Marsden's Dystonia Rating Scales, BFMDRS-M and BFMDRS-D) was evident at 6 months, 1 year and last follow-up (motor, P = 0.001, P = 0.004, and P = 0.012; disability, P = 0.009, P = 0.002 and P = 0.012). At 1 year post-deep brain stimulation, >50% of subjects showed BFMDRS-M and BFMDRS-D improvements of >30%. In the long-term deep brain stimulation cohort (deep brain stimulation inserted for >5 years, n = 8), improvement of >30% was maintained in 5/8 and 3/8 subjects for the BFMDRS-M and BFMDRS-D, respectively. The greatest BFMDRS-M improvements were observed for trunk (53.2%) and cervical (50.5%) dystonia, with less clinical impact on laryngeal dystonia. Improvements in gait dystonia decreased from 20.9% at 1 year to 16.2% at last assessment; no patient maintained a fully independent gait. Reduction of BFMDRS-D was maintained for swallowing (52.9%). Five patients developed mild parkinsonism following deep brain stimulation. KMT2B-related disease comprises an expanding continuum from infancy to adulthood, with early evidence of genotype-phenotype correlations. Except for laryngeal dysphonia, deep brain stimulation provides a significant improvement in quality of life and function with sustained clinical benefit depending on symptoms distribution.


Subject(s)
Dystonic Disorders/genetics , Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase/genetics , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Child, Preschool , Chromosome Deletion , Cohort Studies , Computer Simulation , Deep Brain Stimulation , Disease Progression , Dystonic Disorders/therapy , Endocrine System Diseases/complications , Endocrine System Diseases/genetics , Female , Fetal Growth Retardation/genetics , Gait Disorders, Neurologic/etiology , Gait Disorders, Neurologic/therapy , Humans , Laryngeal Diseases/etiology , Laryngeal Diseases/therapy , Male , Mutation , Mutation, Missense , Phenotype , Quality of Life , Treatment Outcome , Young Adult
6.
J Clin Immunol ; 40(6): 917-926, 2020 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32638197

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Deficiency of adenosine deaminase 2 (DADA2) is an autosomal recessive disorder that manifests with fever, early-onset vasculitis, strokes, and hematologic dysfunction. This study aimed to identify disease-causing variants by conventional Sanger and whole exome sequencing in two families suspected to have DADA2 and non-confirmatory genotypes. ADA2 enzymatic assay confirmed the clinical diagnosis of DADA2. Molecular diagnosis was important to accurately identify other family members at risk. METHODS: We used a variety of sequencing technologies, ADA2 enzymatic testing, and molecular methods including qRT-PCR and MLPA. RESULTS: Exome sequencing identified heterozygosity for the known pathogenic variant ADA2: c.1358A>G, p.Tyr453Cys in a 14-year-old female with a history of ischemic strokes, livedo, and vasculitis. No second pathogenic variant could be identified. ADA2 enzymatic testing in combination with quantitative RT-PCR suggested a loss-of-function allele. Subsequent genome sequencing identified a canonical splice site variant, c.-47+2T>C, within the 5'UTR of ADA2. Two of her unaffected siblings were found to carry the same two pathogenic variants. A homozygous 800-bp duplication comprising exon 7 of ADA2 was identified in a 5-year-old female with features consistent with Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA). The duplication was missed by Sanger sequencing of ADA2, chromosomal microarray, and exome sequencing but was detected by MLPA in combination with long-read PCR sequencing. The exon 7 duplication was also identified in her non-symptomatic father and younger sister. CONCLUSIONS: ADA2 pathogenic variants may not be detected by conventional sequencing and genetic testing and may require the incorporation of additional diagnostic methods. A definitive molecular diagnosis is crucial for all family members to make informed treatment decisions.


Subject(s)
Adenosine Deaminase/deficiency , Genetic Association Studies , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Genetic Variation , Inheritance Patterns , Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/deficiency , Penetrance , Adolescent , Adult , Brain/diagnostic imaging , Brain/pathology , Child , Child, Preschool , Enzyme Activation , Female , Genetic Association Studies/methods , Genotype , Humans , Male , Mutation , Pedigree , Phenotype , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Exome Sequencing , Young Adult
7.
Mol Genet Genomic Med ; 8(2): e1072, 2020 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31814321

ABSTRACT

We present the first patient described with haploinsufficency of KMT2D leading to Kabuki syndrome. Deletion of KMT2D has been thought to be lethal, but here we describe a patient with KMT2D deletion and classical Kabuki syndrome phenotype.


Subject(s)
Abnormalities, Multiple/genetics , DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics , Face/abnormalities , Hematologic Diseases/genetics , Neoplasm Proteins/genetics , Phenotype , Vestibular Diseases/genetics , Abnormalities, Multiple/pathology , Face/pathology , Female , Gene Deletion , Haploinsufficiency , Hematologic Diseases/pathology , Humans , Infant , Vestibular Diseases/pathology
8.
Am J Hum Genet ; 105(1): 48-64, 2019 07 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31178128

ABSTRACT

We report biallelic missense and frameshift pathogenic variants in the gene encoding human nucleoporin NUP214 causing acute febrile encephalopathy. Clinical symptoms include neurodevelopmental regression, seizures, myoclonic jerks, progressive microcephaly, and cerebellar atrophy. NUP214 and NUP88 protein levels were reduced in primary skin fibroblasts derived from affected individuals, while the total number and density of nuclear pore complexes remained normal. Nuclear transport assays exhibited defects in the classical protein import and mRNA export pathways in affected cells. Direct surface imaging of fibroblast nuclei by scanning electron microscopy revealed a large increase in the presence of central particles (known as "plugs") in the nuclear pore channels of affected cells. This observation suggests that large transport cargoes may be delayed in passage through the nuclear pore channel, affecting its selective barrier function. Exposure of fibroblasts from affected individuals to heat shock resulted in a marked delay in their stress response, followed by a surge in apoptotic cell death. This suggests a mechanistic link between decreased cell survival in cell culture and severe fever-induced brain damage in affected individuals. Our study provides evidence by direct imaging at the single nuclear pore level of functional changes linked to a human disease.


Subject(s)
Acute Febrile Encephalopathy/etiology , Fibroblasts/pathology , Frameshift Mutation , Ion Channels/physiology , Mutation, Missense , Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins/genetics , Nuclear Pore/pathology , Active Transport, Cell Nucleus , Acute Febrile Encephalopathy/metabolism , Acute Febrile Encephalopathy/pathology , Apoptosis , Cell Nucleus/genetics , Cell Nucleus/metabolism , Cell Proliferation , Cells, Cultured , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Fibroblasts/metabolism , Humans , Infant , Male , Nuclear Pore/genetics , Nuclear Pore/metabolism , Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins/chemistry , Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins/metabolism , Pedigree , Protein Conformation
9.
J Clin Invest ; 128(12): 5222-5234, 2018 12 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30179220

ABSTRACT

The mechanisms that drive T cell aging are not understood. We report that children and adult telomerase mutation carriers with short telomere length (TL) develop a T cell immunodeficiency that can manifest in the absence of bone marrow failure and causes life-threatening opportunistic infections. Mutation carriers shared T cell-aging phenotypes seen in adults 5 decades older, including depleted naive T cells, increased apoptosis, and restricted T cell repertoire. T cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) were also undetectable or low, suggesting that newborn screening may identify individuals with germline telomere maintenance defects. Telomerase-null mice with short TL showed defects throughout T cell development, including increased apoptosis of stimulated thymocytes, their intrathymic precursors, in addition to depleted hematopoietic reserves. When we examined the transcriptional programs of T cells from telomerase mutation carriers, we found they diverged from older adults with normal TL. Short telomere T cells upregulated DNA damage and intrinsic apoptosis pathways, while older adult T cells upregulated extrinsic apoptosis pathways and programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) expression. T cells from mice with short TL also showed an active DNA-damage response, in contrast with old WT mice, despite their shared propensity to apoptosis. Our data suggest there are TL-dependent and TL-independent mechanisms that differentially contribute to distinct molecular programs of T cell apoptosis with aging.


Subject(s)
Apoptosis/immunology , Growth Disorders , Hypercalcemia , Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes , Metabolic Diseases , Mutation , Nephrocalcinosis , Telomerase , Telomere Homeostasis/immunology , Adult , Aging/genetics , Aging/immunology , Aging/pathology , Animals , Apoptosis/genetics , DNA Damage/immunology , Female , Growth Disorders/complications , Growth Disorders/genetics , Growth Disorders/immunology , Growth Disorders/pathology , Humans , Hypercalcemia/complications , Hypercalcemia/genetics , Hypercalcemia/immunology , Hypercalcemia/pathology , Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes/etiology , Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes/genetics , Male , Metabolic Diseases/complications , Metabolic Diseases/genetics , Metabolic Diseases/immunology , Metabolic Diseases/pathology , Mice , Mice, Knockout , Nephrocalcinosis/complications , Nephrocalcinosis/genetics , Nephrocalcinosis/immunology , Nephrocalcinosis/pathology , Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases , T-Lymphocytes/immunology , T-Lymphocytes/pathology , Telomerase/genetics , Telomerase/immunology
10.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A ; 115(10): E2358-E2365, 2018 03 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29463756

ABSTRACT

Telomere length (TL) predicts the onset of cellular senescence in vitro but the diagnostic utility of TL measurement in clinical settings is not fully known. We tested the value of TL measurement by flow cytometry and FISH (flowFISH) in patients with mutations in telomerase and telomere maintenance genes. TL had a discrete and reproducible normal range with definable upper and lower boundaries. While TL above the 50th age-adjusted percentile had a 100% negative predictive value for clinically relevant mutations, the lower threshold in mutation carriers was age-dependent, and adult mutation carriers often overlapped with the lowest decile of controls. The extent of telomere shortening correlated with the age at diagnosis as well as the short telomere syndrome phenotype. Extremely short TL caused bone marrow failure and immunodeficiency in children and young adults, while milder defects manifested as pulmonary fibrosis-emphysema in adults. We prospectively examined whether TL altered treatment decisions for newly diagnosed idiopathic bone marrow failure patients and found abnormally short TL enriched for patients with mutations in some inherited bone marrow failure genes, such as RUNX1, in addition to telomerase and telomere maintenance genes. The result was actionable, altering the choice of treatment regimen and/or hematopoietic stem cell donor in one-fourth of the cases (9 of 38, 24%). We conclude that TL measurement by flowFISH, when used for targeted clinical indications and in limited settings, can influence treatment decisions in ways that improve outcome.


Subject(s)
Pulmonary Emphysema/metabolism , Pulmonary Fibrosis/metabolism , Telomere Shortening , Telomere/metabolism , Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Hospitals/statistics & numerical data , Humans , In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence , Infant , Male , Middle Aged , Mutation , Pulmonary Emphysema/diagnosis , Pulmonary Emphysema/genetics , Pulmonary Fibrosis/diagnosis , Pulmonary Fibrosis/genetics , Telomerase/genetics , Telomerase/metabolism , Telomere/chemistry , Young Adult
11.
J Genet Couns ; 27(1): 263-273, 2018 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28932961

ABSTRACT

Genetic counselors working in a clinical setting may find themselves recruiting, enrolling, and returning results for genomic research, and existing clinical relationships with study participants may impact these research interactions. We present a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews of participants enrolled in a genome sequencing/exome sequencing (GS/ES) study at the same institution where they receive clinical care. Interviews were coded for motivations to participate and expectations of this research. The interviews revealed common motivations for participation, including altruism and hope for benefit for themselves, family members, and/or others with their condition. Additionally, themes emerged related to unintentional influence based on trust of the clinical provider that recruited them to the study. Participant trust in the enrolling provider at times appeared to extend to the study team to decide which research results to return and to do so in an appropriate format. Participants also based expectations for research results return on previous clinical genetic testing experiences, which may or may not be realistic depending on study design. It is imperative that genetic counselors enrolling patients into research studies be aware of the potential influence of their clinical relationship on potential subjects, be transparent about their role on the study team, and help set expectations about the study process, including results return.


Subject(s)
Genetic Testing , Informed Consent , Trust , Base Sequence , Decision Making , Family , Female , Humans , Male , Motivation , Qualitative Research , Research Design
12.
J Med Genet ; 55(8): 561-566, 2018 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28866611

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The list of Mendelian disorders of the epigenetic machinery has expanded rapidly during the last 5 years. A few missense variants in the chromatin remodeler CHD1 have been found in several large-scale sequencing efforts focused on uncovering the genetic aetiology of autism. OBJECTIVES: To explore whether variants in CHD1 are associated with a human phenotype. METHODS: We used GeneMatcher to identify other physicians caring for patients with variants in CHD1. We also explored the epigenetic consequences of one of these variants in cultured fibroblasts. RESULTS: Here we describe six CHD1 heterozygous missense variants in a cohort of patients with autism, speech apraxia, developmental delay and facial dysmorphic features. Importantly, three of these variants occurred de novo. We also report on a subject with a de novo deletion covering a large fraction of the CHD1 gene without any obvious neurological phenotype. Finally, we demonstrate increased levels of the closed chromatin modification H3K27me3 in fibroblasts from a subject carrying a de novo variant in CHD1. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that variants in CHD1 can lead to diverse phenotypic outcomes; however, the neurodevelopmental phenotype appears to be limited to patients with missense variants, which is compatible with a dominant negative mechanism of disease.


Subject(s)
Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly/genetics , DNA Helicases/genetics , DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics , Developmental Disabilities/genetics , Genetic Association Studies , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Mutation, Missense , Child , Child, Preschool , DNA Helicases/chemistry , DNA-Binding Proteins/chemistry , Developmental Disabilities/diagnosis , Facies , Female , Fibroblasts/metabolism , Genetic Association Studies/methods , Histones/metabolism , Humans , Infant , Models, Molecular , Phenotype , Protein Conformation , Structure-Activity Relationship
13.
Eur J Hum Genet ; 25(5): 530-537, 2017 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28272539

ABSTRACT

Although consensus is building that primary (PR) and secondary findings (SF) from genomic research should be offered to participants under some circumstances, data describing (1) actual choices of study participants and (2) factors associated with these choices are limited, hampering study planning. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of choices made for return of PR and SF during informed consent by members of the first 247 families (790 individuals) enrolled in the Baylor-Hopkins Center for Mendelian Genomics, a genome sequencing study. Most (619; 78.3%) chose to receive SF and PR, 66 (8.4%) chose PR only, 65 (8.2%) wanted no results, and 40 (5.1%) chose SF only. Choosing SF was associated with an established clinical diagnosis in the proband (87.8 vs 79%, P=0.009) and European ancestry (EA) (87.7 vs 73%, P<0.008). Participants of non-European ancestry (NEA) were as likely as those of EA to choose SF when consented by a genetic counselor (GC) (82% NEA vs 88.3% EA, P=0.09) but significantly less likely when consented by a physician (67.4% NEA vs 85.4% EA, P=0.001). Controlling for proband diagnosis, individuals of NEA were 2.13-fold (95% CI: 1.11-4.08) more likely to choose SF when consented by a GC rather than a physician. Participants of NEA were 3-fold more likely than those of EA to decline all study results (14.7% NEA vs 5.4% EA, P<0.008). In this ethnically diverse population, whereas most participants desired PR and SF, more than 20% declined some or all results, highlighting the importance of research participant choice.


Subject(s)
Databases, Genetic/standards , Genetic Diseases, Inborn/genetics , Genome-Wide Association Study/standards , Research Subjects , Female , Genetic Diseases, Inborn/epidemiology , Genome, Human , Genome-Wide Association Study/methods , Humans , Male , Pedigree
14.
Genet Med ; 19(4): 412-420, 2017 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27657687

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To investigate the utility of whole-exome sequencing (WES) to define a molecular diagnosis for patients clinically diagnosed with congenital anomalies of kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT). METHODS: WES was performed in 62 families with CAKUT. WES data were analyzed for single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) in 35 known CAKUT genes, putatively deleterious sequence changes in new candidate genes, and potentially disease-associated copy-number variants (CNVs). RESULTS: In approximately 5% of families, pathogenic SNVs were identified in PAX2, HNF1B, and EYA1. Observed phenotypes in these families expand the current understanding about the role of these genes in CAKUT. Four pathogenic CNVs were also identified using two CNV detection tools. In addition, we found one deleterious de novo SNV in FOXP1 among the 62 families with CAKUT. The clinical database of the Baylor Miraca Genetics laboratory was queried and seven additional unrelated individuals with novel de novo SNVs in FOXP1 were identified. Six of these eight individuals with FOXP1 SNVs have syndromic urinary tract defects, implicating this gene in urinary tract development. CONCLUSION: We conclude that WES can be used to identify molecular etiology (SNVs, CNVs) in a subset of individuals with CAKUT. WES can also help identify novel CAKUT genes.Genet Med 19 4, 412-420.


Subject(s)
DNA Copy Number Variations , Exome Sequencing/methods , Genetic Predisposition to Disease/genetics , Urogenital Abnormalities/diagnosis , Vesico-Ureteral Reflux/diagnosis , Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Forkhead Transcription Factors/genetics , Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 1-beta/genetics , Humans , Infant , Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/genetics , Male , Nuclear Proteins/genetics , PAX2 Transcription Factor/genetics , Pedigree , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide , Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases/genetics , Repressor Proteins/genetics , Urogenital Abnormalities/genetics , Vesico-Ureteral Reflux/genetics , Young Adult
15.
Sci Transl Med ; 8(351): 351ra107, 2016 08 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27510903

ABSTRACT

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pulmonary fibrosis have been hypothesized to represent premature aging phenotypes. At times, they cluster in families, but the genetic basis is not understood. We identified rare, frameshift mutations in the gene for nuclear assembly factor 1, NAF1, a box H/ACA RNA biogenesis factor, in pulmonary fibrosis-emphysema patients. The mutations segregated with short telomere length, low telomerase RNA levels, and extrapulmonary manifestations including myelodysplastic syndrome and liver disease. A truncated NAF1 was detected in cells derived from patients, and, in cells in which the frameshift mutation was introduced by genome editing, telomerase RNA levels were reduced. The mutant NAF1 lacked a conserved carboxyl-terminal motif, which we show is required for nuclear localization. To understand the disease mechanism, we used CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/Cas9 (CRISPR-associated protein-9 nuclease) to generate Naf1(+/-) mice and found that they had half the levels of telomerase RNA. Other box H/ACA RNA levels were also decreased, but rRNA pseudouridylation, which is guided by snoRNAs, was intact. Moreover, first-generation Naf1(+/-) mice showed no evidence of ribosomal pathology. Our data indicate that disease in NAF1 mutation carriers is telomere-mediated; they show that NAF1 haploinsufficiency selectively disturbs telomere length homeostasis by decreasing the levels of telomerase RNA while sparing rRNA pseudouridylation.


Subject(s)
Emphysema/genetics , Pulmonary Fibrosis/genetics , RNA/genetics , Animals , Autophagy-Related Proteins , Carrier Proteins/genetics , Genetic Predisposition to Disease/genetics , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing , Humans , Immunoblotting , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Knockout , Mutation/genetics , Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics , Ribonucleoproteins/genetics , Telomerase/genetics , Telomere/genetics
16.
Ann Neurol ; 80(4): 633-7, 2016 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27463701

ABSTRACT

Missense mutations in kinesin family member 5A (KIF5A) cause spastic paraplegia 10. We report on 2 patients with de novo stop-loss frameshift variants in KIF5A resulting in a novel phenotype that includes severe infantile onset myoclonus, hypotonia, optic nerve abnormalities, dysphagia, apnea, and early developmental arrest. We propose that alteration and elongation of the carboxy-terminus of the protein has a dominant-negative effect, causing mitochondrial dysfunction in the setting of an abnormal kinesin "motor." These results highlight the role of expanded testing and whole-exome sequencing in critically ill infants and emphasize the importance of accurate test interpretation. Ann Neurol 2016;80:633-637.


Subject(s)
Kinesins/genetics , Mitochondrial Diseases/genetics , Myoclonus/genetics , Apnea/genetics , Child, Preschool , Deglutition Disorders/genetics , Developmental Disabilities/genetics , Fatal Outcome , Female , Frameshift Mutation , Humans , Infant , Male , Mitochondrial Diseases/complications , Muscle Hypotonia/genetics , Mutation , Optic Nerve/abnormalities
17.
Hum Genet ; 135(7): 699-705, 2016 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27048600

ABSTRACT

Whole exome sequencing (WES) can be used to efficiently identify de novo genetic variants associated with genetically heterogeneous conditions including intellectual disabilities. We have performed WES for 4102 (1847 female; 2255 male) intellectual disability/developmental delay cases and we report five patients with a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with developmental delay, intellectual disability, behavioral problems, hypotonia, speech problems, microcephaly, pachygyria and dysmorphic features in whom we have identified de novo missense and canonical splice site mutations in CSNK2A1, the gene encoding CK2α, the catalytic subunit of protein kinase CK2, a ubiquitous serine/threonine kinase composed of two regulatory (ß) and two catalytic (α and/or α') subunits. Somatic mutations in CSNK2A1 have been implicated in various cancers; however, this is the first study to describe a human condition associated with germline mutations in any of the CK2 subunits.


Subject(s)
Body Dysmorphic Disorders/genetics , Intellectual Disability/genetics , Neurodevelopmental Disorders/genetics , Adolescent , Body Dysmorphic Disorders/physiopathology , Casein Kinase II/genetics , Child , Child, Preschool , Exome/genetics , Female , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Germ-Line Mutation , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing , Humans , Intellectual Disability/pathology , Mutation , Neurodevelopmental Disorders/physiopathology
18.
Case Rep Genet ; 2015: 169482, 2015.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26664771

ABSTRACT

Two consanguineous Qatari siblings presented for evaluation: a 17-4/12-year-old male with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, alopecia, intellectual disability, and microcephaly and his 19-year-old sister with primary amenorrhea, alopecia, and normal cognition. Both required hormone treatment to produce secondary sex characteristics and pubertal development beyond Tanner 1. SNP array analysis of both probands was performed to detect shared regions of homozygosity which may harbor homozygous mutations in a gene causing their common features of abnormal pubertal development, alopecia, and variable cognitive delay. Our patients shared multiple homozygous genomic regions; ten shared regions were >1 Mb in length and constituted 0.99% of the genome. DCAF17, encoding a transmembrane nuclear protein of uncertain function, was the only gene identified in a homozygous region known to cause hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. DCAF17 mutations are associated with Woodhouse-Sakati syndrome, a rare disorder characterized by alopecia, hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, sensorineural hearing loss, diabetes mellitus, and extrapyramidal movements. Sequencing of the coding exons and flanking intronic regions of DCAF17 in the proband revealed homozygosity for a previously described founder mutation (c.436delC). Targeted DCAF17 sequencing of his affected sibling revealed the same homozygous mutation. This family illustrates the utility of SNP array testing in consanguineous families to efficiently and inexpensively identify regions of genomic homozygosity in which genetic candidates for recessive conditions can be identified.

20.
Am J Med Genet A ; 167A(11): 2702-6, 2015 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26139517

ABSTRACT

Haploinsufficiency of TAB2 was recently implicated as a cause for a variety of congenital heart defects. Reported cases have genomic deletions of 2-10 Mbs including TAB2 at 6q24-25 are almost always de novo and show variable cardiac and extra cardiac phenotype. We report on an inherited, 281 kb deletion in a three generation family. This is the smallest reported deletion involving TAB2 that segregates with congenital heart defects. Three affected individuals in this family present with myxomatous cardiac valves in addition to structural heart defects commonly associated with TAB2 deletions. Findings from this family support a key role of TAB2 haploinsufficiency in congenital heart defects and expand the phenotypic spectrum of TAB2-microdeletion syndrome.


Subject(s)
Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/genetics , Chromosome Deletion , Heart Defects, Congenital/complications , Heart Defects, Congenital/genetics , Heart Valves/abnormalities , Tetralogy of Fallot/complications , Tetralogy of Fallot/genetics , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Child, Preschool , Family , Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Pedigree , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide/genetics
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