Genetic variants in DDX53 contribute to Autism Spectrum Disorder associated with the Xp22.11 locus.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) exhibits an ~4:1 male-to-female sex bias and is characterized by early-onset impairment of social/communication skills, restricted interests, and stereotyped behaviors. Disruption of the Xp22.11 locus has been associated with ASD in males. This locus includes the three-exon PTCHD1 gene, an adjacent multi-isoform long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) named PTCHD1-AS (spanning ~1Mb), and a poorly characterized single-exon RNA helicase named DDX53 that is intronic to PTCHD1-AS. While the relationship between PTCHD1/PTCHD1-AS and ASD is being studied, the role of DDX53 has not been examined, in part because there is no apparent functional murine orthologue. Through clinical testing, here, we identified 6 males and 1 female with ASD from 6 unrelated families carrying rare, predicted-damaging or loss-of-function variants in DDX53. Then, we examined databases, including the Autism Speaks MSSNG and Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative, as well as population controls. We identified 24 additional individuals with ASD harboring rare, damaging DDX53 variations, including the same variants detected in two families from the original clinical analysis. In this extended cohort of 31 participants with ASD (28 male, 3 female), we identified 25 mostly maternally-inherited variations in DDX53, including 18 missense changes, 2 truncating variants, 2 in-frame variants, 2 deletions in the 3' UTR and 1 copy number deletion. Our findings in humans support a direct link between DDX53 and ASD, which will be important in clinical genetic testing. These same autism-related findings, coupled with the observation that a functional orthologous gene is not found in mouse, may also influence the design and interpretation of murine-modelling of ASD.

Clinical challenges in interpreting multiple pathogenic mutations in single patients.

BACKGROUND: In the past two decades, genetic testing for cancer risk assessment has entered mainstream clinical practice due to the availability of low-cost panels of multiple cancer-associated genes. However, the clinical value of multiple-gene panels for cancer susceptibility is not well established, especially in cases where panel testing identifies more than one pathogenic variant. The risk for specific malignancies as a result of a mutated gene is complex and likely influenced by superimposed modifier variants and/or environmental effects. Recent data suggests that the combination of multiple pathogenic variants may be fewer than reported by chance, suggesting that some mutation combinations may be detrimental. Management of patients with "incidentally" discovered mutations can be particularly challenging, especially when established guidelines call for radical procedures (e.g. total gastrectomy in CDH1) in patients and families without a classic clinical history concerning for that cancer predisposition syndrome. CASE PRESENTATION: We present two cases, one of an individual and one of a family, with multiple pathogenic mutations detected by multi-gene panel testing to highlight challenges practitioners face in counseling patients about pathogenic variants and determining preventive and therapeutic interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Ongoing investigation is needed to improve our understanding of inherited susceptibility to disease in general and cancer predisposition syndromes, as this information has the potential to lead to the development of more precise and patient-specific counseling and surveillance strategies. The real-world adoption of new or improved technologies into clinical practice frequently requires medical decision-making in the absence of established understanding of gene-gene interactions. In the meantime, practitioners must be prepared to apply a rationale based on currently available knowledge to clinical decision-making. Current practice is evolving to rely heavily on clinical concordance with personal and family history in making specific therapeutic decisions.

GGC Repeat Expansion and Exon 1 Methylation of XYLT1 Is a Common Pathogenic Variant in Baratela-Scott Syndrome.

Baratela-Scott syndrome (BSS) is a rare, autosomal-recessive disorder characterized by short stature, facial dysmorphisms, developmental delay, and skeletal dysplasia caused by pathogenic variants in XYLT1. We report clinical and molecular investigation of 10 families (12 individuals) with BSS. Standard sequencing methods identified biallelic pathogenic variants in XYLT1 in only two families. Of the remaining cohort, two probands had no variants and six probands had only a single variant, including four with a heterozygous 3.1 Mb 16p13 deletion encompassing XYLT1 and two with a heterozygous truncating variant. Bisulfite sequencing revealed aberrant hypermethylation in exon 1 of XYLT1, always in trans with the sequence variant or deletion when present; both alleles were methylated in those with no identified variant. Expression of the methylated XYLT1 allele was severely reduced in fibroblasts from two probands. Southern blot studies combined with repeat expansion analysis of genome sequence data showed that the hypermethylation is associated with expansion of a GGC repeat in the XYLT1 promoter region that is not present in the reference genome, confirming that BSS is a trinucleotide repeat expansion disorder. The hypermethylated allele accounts for 50% of disease alleles in our cohort and is not present in 130 control subjects. Our study highlights the importance of investigating non-sequence-based alterations, including epigenetic changes, to identify the missing heritability in genetic disorders.

Combination of microsatellite instability and lymphocytic infiltrate as a prognostic indicator in colon cancer.

BACKGROUND: Microsatellite instability (MSI) is a genetic aberration associated with less aggressive tumor biology. Some tumors with MSI also have lymphocytic infiltrate (LI), which suggests a heightened immune response against the tumor. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the combined prognostic significance of MSI and LI in a colon cancer population. DESIGN: Colon cancers were prospectively evaluated for MSI by assessing 11 satellite markers and were classified as MSI+ if 2 or more satellite markers displayed instability. Tumors were classified as LI+ if at least 5 lymphocytes were observed per 10 high-power fields. SETTING: Community hospital system. PATIENTS: Individuals undergoing definitive surgery for colon cancer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Overall and disease-free survival were compared according to combined MSI and LI status. RESULTS: In 150 patients, tumors were classified as follows: 95 were MSI-/LI-, 9 were MSI-/LI+, 30 were MSI+/LI-, and 16 were MSI+/LI+. Median follow-up was 40.6 months. Five-year disease-free survival was 56.7% for patients with MSI-/LI- tumors and 88.9% for those with MSI+/LI+ tumors (P = .01). Patients with MSI+/LI- and MSI-/LI+ tumors had 5-year survival of 75.4% and 75.0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with colon cancer and MSI-/LI- tumors have worse disease-free survival rate regardless of stage at diagnosis. Patients exhibiting both MSI+ and LI+ tumors have more favorable disease-free survival rates. Both MSI and LI show promise as a combined prognostic marker and with further study may prove to be particularly useful in selecting patients with stage II disease for adjunctive therapy.

The 12q14 microdeletion syndrome: additional patients and further evidence that HMGA2 is an important genetic determinant for human height.

Characteristic features of the 12q14 microdeletion syndrome include low birth weight, failure to thrive, short stature, learning disabilities and Buschke-Ollendorff lesions in bone and skin. This report on two additional patients with this microdeletion syndrome emphasizes the rather constant and uniform phenotype encountered in this disorder and refines the critical region to a 2.61 Mb interval on 12q14.3, encompassing 10 RefSeq genes. We have previously shown that LEMD3 haploinsufficiency is responsible for the Buschke-Ollendorff lesions and now provide strong evidence that a heterozygous deletion of HMGA2 is causing the growth failure observed in this disorder. The identification of an intragenic HMGA2 deletion in a boy with proportionate short stature and the cosegregation of this deletion with reduced adult height in the extended family of the boy further underscore the role of HMGA2 in regulating human linear growth.

Osteopoikilosis, short stature and mental retardation as key features of a new microdeletion syndrome on 12q14.

This report presents the detection of a heterozygous deletion at chromosome 12q14 in three unrelated patients with a similar phenotype consisting of mild mental retardation, failure to thrive in infancy, proportionate short stature and osteopoikilosis as the most characteristic features. In each case, this interstitial deletion was found using molecular karyotyping. The deletion occurred as a de novo event and varied between 3.44 and 6 megabases (Mb) in size with a 3.44 Mb common deleted region. The deleted interval was not flanked by low-copy repeats or segmental duplications. It contains 13 RefSeq genes, including LEMD3, which was previously shown to be the causal gene for osteopoikilosis. The observation of osteopoikilosis lesions should facilitate recognition of this new microdeletion syndrome among children with failure to thrive, short stature and learning disabilities.

A prospective analysis of microsatellite instability as a molecular marker in colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Microsatellite instability (MSI) may be a molecular marker of colorectal tumor biology. We sought to evaluate the incidence and significance of MSI in an unselected colorectal cancer population. METHODS: Colorectal cancer cases from a community health system were prospectively evaluated for MSI and patient outcomes monitored. RESULTS: Of 240 eligible, 140 underwent testing; 43 (31%) had high-frequency MSI (MSI-H). Those with MSI-H tumors presented with earlier disease stage (P = .014) and lymphocytic infiltration (P < .001). Stage III MSI-H patients trended toward improved disease-free survival (P = .065). MSI-H patients were more likely to have other primary malignancies. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of MSI-H in the general colorectal cancer population is higher than previously reported. MSI testing of colorectal cancers is useful as part of a molecular profile to stratify patients for prognosis, treatment, and further study. Patients with MSI-H tumors are more likely to have other primary malignancies, suggesting a role for heightened screening.