Prenatal identification of a pathogenic maternal FGFR1 variant in two consecutive pregnancies with fetal forebrain malformations.

OBJECTIVE: Holoprosencephaly (HPE) is the most common aberration of forebrain development, and it leads to a wide spectrum of developmental and craniofacial anomalies. HPE etiology is highly heterogeneous and includes both chromosomal abnormalities and single-gene defects. METHODS: Here, we report an FGFR1 heterozygous variant detected by prenatal exome sequencing and inherited from the asymptomatic mother, in association with recurrent neurological abnormalities in the HPE spectrum in two consecutive pregnancies. RESULTS: Individuals with germline pathogenic variants in FGFR1 (MIM: 136350) show extensive phenotypic variability, which ranges from asymptomatic carriers to hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, arhinencephaly, Kallmann's syndrome with associated features such as cleft lip and palate, skeletal anomalies, isolated HPE, and Hartsfield syndrome. CONCLUSION: The presented case supports the role of exome sequencing in prenatal diagnosis when fetal midline structural anomalies are suggestive of a genetic etiology, as early as the first trimester of gestation. The profound heterogeneity of FGFR1 allelic disorders needs to be considered when planning prenatal screening even in asymptomatic carriers.

Clinical and functional characterization of COL2A1 p.Gly444Ser variant: From a fetal phenotype to a previously undisclosed postnatal phenotype.

COL2A1 gene encodes the alpha-1 chain of type-II procollagen. Heterozygous pathogenic variants are associated with the broad clinical spectrum of genetic diseases known as type-II collagenopathies. We aimed to characterize the NM_001844.5:c.1330G>A;p.Gly444Ser variant detected in the COL2A1 gene through trio-based prenatal exome sequencing in a fetus presenting a severe skeletal phenotype at 31 Gestational Weeks and in his previously undisclosed mild-affected father. Functional studies on father's cutaneous fibroblasts, along with in silico protein modeling and in vitro chondrocytes differentiation, showed intracellular accumulation of collagen-II, its localization in external Golgi vesicles and nuclear morphological alterations. Extracellular matrix showed a disorganized fibronectin network. These results showed that p.Gly444Ser variant alters procollagen molecules processing and the assembly of mature type-II collagen fibrils, according to COL2A1-chain disorganization, displayed by protein modeling. Clinical assessment at 38 y.o., through a reverse-phenotyping approach, revealed limp gait, short and stocky appearance. X-Ray and MRI showed pelvis asymmetry with severe morpho-structural alterations of the femoral heads bilaterally, consistent with a mild form of type-II collagenopathy. This study shows how the fusion of genomics and clinical expertise can drive a diagnosis supported by cellular and bioinformatics studies to effectively establish variants pathogenicity.

Positive predictive values and outcomes for uninformative cell-free DNA tests: An Italian multicentric Cytogenetic and cytogenomic Audit of diagnOstic testing (ICARO study).

OBJECTIVES: To establish the positive predictive values (PPV) of cfDNA testing based on data from a nationwide survey of independent clinical cytogenetics laboratories. METHODS: Prenatal diagnostic test results obtained by Italian laboratories between 2013 and March 2020 were compiled for women with positive non-invasive prenatal tests (NIPT), without an NIPT result, and cases where there was sex discordancy between the NIPT and ultrasound. PPV and other summary data were reviewed. RESULTS: Diagnostic test results were collected for 1327 women with a positive NIPT. The highest PPVs were for Trisomy (T) 21 (624/671, 93%) and XYY (26/27, 96.3%), while rare autosomal trisomies (9/47, 19.1%) and recurrent microdeletions (8/55, 14.5%) had the lowest PPVs. PPVs for T21, T18, and T13 were significantly higher when diagnostic confirmation was carried out on chorionic villi (97.5%) compared to amniotic fluid (89.5%) (p < 0.001). In 19/139 (13.9%), of no result cases, a cytogenetic abnormality was detected. Follow-up genetic testing provided explanations for 3/6 cases with a fetal sex discordancy between NIPT and ultrasound. CONCLUSIONS: NIPT PPVs differ across the conditions screened and the tissues studied in diagnostic testing. This variability, issues associated with fetal sex discordancy, and no results, illustrate the importance of pre- and post-test counselling.

Retinoic acid-induced 1 gene haploinsufficiency alters lipid metabolism and causes autophagy defects in Smith-Magenis syndrome.

Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by cognitive and behavioral symptoms, obesity, and sleep disturbance, and no therapy has been developed to alleviate its symptoms or delay disease onset. SMS occurs due to haploinsufficiency of the retinoic acid-induced-1 (RAI1) gene caused by either chromosomal deletion (SMS-del) or RAI1 missense/nonsense mutation. The molecular mechanisms underlying SMS are unknown. Here, we generated and characterized primary cells derived from four SMS patients (two with SMS-del and two carrying RAI1 point mutations) and four control subjects to investigate the pathogenetic processes underlying SMS. By combining transcriptomic and lipidomic analyses, we found altered expression of lipid and lysosomal genes, deregulation of lipid metabolism, accumulation of lipid droplets, and blocked autophagic flux. We also found that SMS cells exhibited increased cell death associated with the mitochondrial pathology and the production of reactive oxygen species. Treatment with N-acetylcysteine reduced cell death and lipid accumulation, which suggests a causative link between metabolic dyshomeostasis and cell viability. Our results highlight the pathological processes in human SMS cells involving lipid metabolism, autophagy defects and mitochondrial dysfunction and suggest new potential therapeutic targets for patient treatment.

HDAC9 structural variants disrupting TWIST1 transcriptional regulation lead to craniofacial and limb malformations.

Structural variants (SVs) can affect protein-coding sequences as well as gene regulatory elements. However, SVs disrupting protein-coding sequences that also function as cis-regulatory elements remain largely uncharacterized. Here, we show that craniosynostosis patients with SVs containing the histone deacetylase 9 (HDAC9) protein-coding sequence are associated with disruption of TWIST1 regulatory elements that reside within the HDAC9 sequence. Based on SVs within the HDAC9-TWIST1 locus, we defined the 3'-HDAC9 sequence as a critical TWIST1 regulatory region, encompassing craniofacial TWIST1 enhancers and CTCF sites. Deletions of either Twist1 enhancers (eTw5-7Δ/Δ) or CTCF site (CTCF-5Δ/Δ) within the Hdac9 protein-coding sequence led to decreased Twist1 expression and altered anterior/posterior limb expression patterns of SHH pathway genes. This decreased Twist1 expression results in a smaller sized and asymmetric skull and polydactyly that resembles Twist1+/- mouse phenotype. Chromatin conformation analysis revealed that the Twist1 promoter interacts with Hdac9 sequences that encompass Twist1 enhancers and a CTCF site, and that interactions depended on the presence of both regulatory regions. Finally, a large inversion of the entire Hdac9 sequence (Hdac9 INV/+) in mice that does not disrupt Hdac9 expression but repositions Twist1 regulatory elements showed decreased Twist1 expression and led to a craniosynostosis-like phenotype and polydactyly. Thus, our study elucidates essential components of TWIST1 transcriptional machinery that reside within the HDAC9 sequence. It suggests that SVs encompassing protein-coding sequences could lead to a phenotype that is not attributed to its protein function but rather to a disruption of the transcriptional regulation of a nearby gene.

Clinical and molecular characterizations of 11 new patients with type 1 Feingold syndrome: Proposal for selecting diagnostic criteria and further genetic testing in patients with severe phenotype.

Feingold Syndrome type 1 (FS1) is an autosomal dominant disorder due to a loss of function mutations in the MYCN gene. FS1 is generally clinically characterized by mild learning disability, microcephaly, short palpebral fissures, short stature, brachymesophalangy, hypoplastic thumbs, as well as syndactyly of toes, variably associated with organ abnormalities, the most common being gastrointestinal atresia. In current literature, more than 120 FS1 patients have been described, but diagnostic criteria are not well agreed upon, likewise the genotype-phenotype correlations are not well understood. Here, we describe 11 FS1 patients, belonging to six distinct families, where we have identified three novel MYCN mutations along with three pathogenetic variants, the latter which have already been reported. Several patients presented a mild phenotype of the condition and they have been diagnosed as being affected only after segregation analyses of the MYCN mutation identified in the propositus. We also describe here the first ever FS1 patient with severe intellectual disability having a maternally inherited MYCN variant together with an additional GNAO1 mutation inherited paternally. Mutations in the GNAO1 gene are associated with a specific form of intellectual disability and epilepsy, thus the finding of two different rare diseases in the same patient could explain his severe phenotype. Therein, a thorough investigation is merited into the possibility that additional variants in patients with a MYCN mutation and severe phenotype do exist. Finally, in order to guarantee a more reliable diagnosis of FS1, we suggest using both major and minor clinical-molecular diagnostic criteria.

Clinical Application of Easychip 8x15K Platform in 4106 Pregnancies Without Ultrasound Anomalies.

Clinical utility of Array-CGH Easychip 8x15K platform can be assessed by testing its ability to detect the occurrence of pathogenic copy number variants (CNVs), and occurrence of variants of uncertain significance (VoUS) in pregnancies without structural fetal malformations. The demand of chromosomal microarray analysis in prenatal diagnosis is progressively increasing in uneventful pregnancies. However, depending on such platform resolution, a genome-wide approach also provides a high risk of detecting VoUS and incidental finding (IF) also defined as "toxic findings." In this context, novel alternative strategies in probe design and data filtering are required to balance the detection of disease causing CNVs and the occurrence of unwanted findings. In a cohort of consecutive pregnancies without ultrasound anomalies, a total of 4106 DNA samples from cultured and uncultured amniotic fluid or chorionic villi were collected and analyzed by a previously designed Array-CGH mixed-resolution custom platform, which is able to detect pathogenic CNVs and structural imbalanced rearrangements limiting the identification of VoUS and IF. Pathogenic CNVs were identified in 88 samples (2.1%), 19 of which (0.5%) were undetectable by standard karyotype. VoUS accounted for 0.6% of cases. Our data confirm that a mixed-resolution and targeted array CGH platform, as Easychip 8x15K, yields a similar detection rate of higher resolution CMA platforms and reduces the occurrence of "toxic findings," hence making it eligible for a first-tier genetic test in pregnancies without ultrasound anomalies.

Tremor is a major feature of 9p13 deletion syndrome.

Proximal interstitial deletions of chromosome 9p13 have been described only in a few patients with developmental delay, moderate intellectual disability, craniofacial dysmorphism, short stature, genital anomalies, and precocious puberty. To corroborate and expand these findings, we report on two novel syndromic male patients with 9p13 deletions suffering from a similar form of tremor and compare them with literature data. Despite genomic variability in deletion sizes, all patients displayed homogeneous dysmorphism and clinical manifestations, including very invalidating tremor. Furthermore, we outlined a region of around 2 Mb shared in common by all patients with nearly 70 genes, among which NPR2 might have a role in the phenotype. These data delineate interstitial 9p13 deletion syndrome with tremor as a major feature.

Testing single/combined clinical categories on 5110 Italian patients with developmental phenotypes to improve array-based detection rate.

BACKGROUND: Chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) is nowadays widely used in the diagnostic path of patients with clinical phenotypes. However, there is no ascertained evidence to date on how to assemble single/combined clinical categories of developmental phenotypic findings to improve the array-based detection rate. METHODS: The Italian Society of Human Genetics coordinated a retrospective study which included CMA results of 5,110 Italian patients referred to 17 genetics laboratories for variable combined clinical phenotypes. RESULTS: Non-polymorphic copy number variants (CNVs) were identified in 1512 patients (30%) and 615 (32%) present in 552 patients (11%) were classified as pathogenic. CNVs were analysed according to type, size, inheritance pattern, distribution among chromosomes, and association to known syndromes. In addition, the evaluation of the detection rate of clinical subgroups of patients allowed to associate dysmorphisms and/or congenital malformations combined with any other single clinical sign to an increased detection rate, whereas non-syndromic neurodevelopmental signs and non-syndromic congenital malformations to a decreased detection rate. CONCLUSIONS: Our retrospective study resulted in confirming the high detection rate of CMA and indicated new clinical markers useful to optimize their inclusion in the diagnostic and rehabilitative path of patients with developmental phenotypes.

Multicentre registry of brain-injured patients with disorder of consciousness: rationale and preliminary data.

Diagnostic accuracy and reliable estimation of clinical evolution are challenging issues in the management of patients with disorders of consciousness (DoC). Longitudinal systematic investigations conducted in large cohorts of patients with DoC could make it possible to identify reliable diagnostic and prognostic markers. On the basis of this consideration, we devised a multicentre prospective registry for patients with DoC admitted to ten intensive rehabilitation units. The registry collects homogeneous and detailed data on patients' demographic and clinical features, neurophysiological and neuroimaging findings, and medical and surgical complications. Here we present the rationale and the design of the registry and the preliminary results obtained in 53 patients with DoC (vegetative state or minimally conscious state) enrolled during the first seven months of the study. Data at 6-month post-injury follow-up were available for 46 of them. This registry could be an important tool for collecting high-quality data through the application of rigorous methods, and it could be used in the routine management of patients with DoC admitted to rehabilitation settings.

Identification of i(X)(p10) as the sole molecular abnormality in atypical chronic myeloid leukemia evolved into acute myeloid leukemia.

The World Health Organization classifies atypical chronic myeloid leukemia (aCML) as a myeloproliferative/myelodisplastic hematological disorder. The primary manifestations are leukocytosis with disgranulopoiesis, absence of basophilia and/or monocytosis, splenomegaly and absence of Philadelphia chromosome or BCR/ABL fusion. Overall 50-65% of patients demonstrate karyotypic abnormalities, although no specific cytogenetic alterations have been associated with this disease. X chromosome alterations have been rarely reported in myeloid malignancies. Although Isodicentric X, idic(X)(q13) is well known in females with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), little data are available on X isochromosome and its pathogenetic potential in these disorders. i(X)(p10) is observed in a variety of hematologic malignancies, both myeloid and lymphoid, as a unique abnormality, as well as part of a more complex karyotype, in females and less frequently in male patients. The present report describes the first patient with aCML, with documented isolated i(X)(p10), who developed a secondary acute myeloid leukemia (sAML).

Molecular cytogenetics characterization of seven small supernumerary marker chromosomes derived from chromosome 19: Genotype-phenotype correlation and review of the literature.

Only a few subjects carrying supernumerary marker chromosomes derived from 19 chromosome (sSMC(19)) have been described to date and for a small portion of them the genic content has been defined at the molecular level. We present seven new different sSMCs(19) identified in eight individuals, seven of whom unrelated. The presence of the sSMC is associated with a clinical phenotype in five subjects, while the other three carriers, two of whom related, are normal. All sSMCs(19) have been characterized by means of conventional and molecular cytogenetics. We compare the sSMCs(19) carriers with a clinical phenotype to already described patients with gains (sSMCs or microduplications) of overlapping genomic regions with the aim to deepen the pathogenicity of the encountered imbalances and to assess the role of the involved genes on the phenotype. The present work supports the correlation between the gain of some chromosome 19 critical regions and specific phenotypes.

First evidence of Smith-Magenis syndrome in mother and daughter due to a novel RAI mutation.

Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) is a complex genetic disorder caused by interstitial 17p11.2 deletions encompassing multiple genes, including the retinoic acid induced 1 gene-RAI1-or mutations in RAI1 itself. The clinical spectrum includes developmental delay, cognitive impairment, and behavioral abnormalities, with distinctive physical features that become more evident with age. No patients have been reported to have had offspring. We here describe a girl with developmental delay, mainly compromising the speech area, and her mother with mild intellectual disabilities and minor dysmorphic features. Both had sleep disturbance and attention deficit disorder, but no other atypical behaviors have been reported. In both, CGH-array analysis detected a 15q13.3 interstitial duplication, encompassing CHRNA7. However, the same duplication has been observed in several, apparently healthy, maternal relatives. We, thus, performed a whole exome sequencing analysis, which detected a frameshift mutation in RAI1, de novo in the mother, and transmitted to her daughter. No other family members carried this mutation. This is the first report of an SMS patient having offspring. Our experience confirms the importance of searching for alternative causative genetic mechanisms in case of confounding/inconclusive findings such as a CGH-array result of uncertain significance. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Deletion of REXO1L1 locus in a patient with malabsorption syndrome, growth retardation, and dysmorphic features: a novel recognizable microdeletion syndrome?

BACKGROUND: Copy number variations (CNVs) can contribute to genetic variation among individuals and/or have a significant influence in causing diseases. Many studies consider new CNVs' effects on protein family evolution giving rise to gene duplicates or losses. "Unsuccessful" duplicates that remain in the genome as pseudogenes often exhibit functional roles. So, changes in gene and pseudogene number may contribute to development or act as susceptibility alleles of diseases. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a de novo heterozygous 271 Kb microdeletion at 8q21.2 region which includes the family of REXO1L genes and pseudogenes in a young man affected by global development delay, progeroid signs, and gastrointestinal anomalies. Molecular and cellular analysis showed that the REXO1L1 gene hemizygosity in a patient's fibroblasts induces genetic instability and increased apoptosis after treatment with different DNA damage-induced agents. CONCLUSIONS: The present results support the hypothesis that low copy gene number within REXO1L1 cluster could play a significant role in this complex clinical and cellular phenotype.

De novo 13q13.3-21.31 deletion involving RB1 gene in a patient with hemangioendothelioma of the liver.

Interstitial deletions of the long arm of chromosome 13 (13q) are related with variable phenotypes, according to the size and the location of the deleted region. The main clinical features are moderate/severe mental and growth retardation, cranio-facial dysmorphism, variable congenital defects and increased susceptibility to tumors. Here we report a 3-year-old girl carrying a de novo 13q13.3-21.32 interstitial deletion. She showed developmental delay, growth retardation and mild dysmorphism including curly hair, high forehead, short nose, thin upper lip and long philtrum. An abnormal mass was surgically removed from her liver resulting in a hemangioendothelioma. Array analysis allowed us to define a deleted region of about 27.87 Mb, which includes the RB1 gene. This is the first report of a 13q deletion associated with infantile hemangioendothelioma of the liver.

Transabdominal coelocentesis as early source of fetal DNA for chromosomal and molecular diagnosis.

This study reports a comparative analysis between results of transabdominal coelocentesis and traditional invasive procedure in order to assess the usefulness of coelocentesis as a source of fetal DNA for molecular and chromosomal analysis. A number of 28 women were included in the study. A successful sampling of coelomic fluid was obtained in 25 women by transabdominal procedure. A positive amplification of DNA with QF-PCR techniques was obtained in 90% of cases, while 10% of cases failed to reveal interpretable results. Although all samples were cultured, the growth rate was not sufficient to determine karyotypes within 2 weeks. Five samples were selected to be analyzed by array-based comparative genomic hybridization (a-CGH) but the interpretation of these results was difficult and ambiguous. Our results suggest that transabdominal coelocentesis is suitable for the detection of single DNA variation and for QF-PCR analysis, while further experiments are needed to develop optimized protocols for traditional karyotyping and array-analysis.

Oct-1 recruitment to the nuclear envelope in adult-onset autosomal dominant leukodystrophy.

Adult-onset autosomal dominant leukodystrophy (ADLD) is a slowly progressive neurological disorder characterised by pyramidal, cerebellar, and autonomic disturbances. Duplication of the LMNB1 gene is the genetic cause of ADLD, yet the pathogenetic mechanism is not defined. In this study, we analysed cells and muscle tissue from three patients affected by ADLD, carrying an extra copy of the LMNB1 gene. Lamin B1 levels were dramatically increased in ADLD nuclei, both in skin fibroblasts and skeletal muscle fibres. Since lamin B1 is known to bind Oct-1, a transcription factor involved in the oxidative stress pathway, we investigated Oct-1 fate in ADLD. Oct-1 recruitment to the nuclear periphery was increased in ADLD cells, while nucleoplasmic localisation of the transcription factor under oxidative stress conditions was reduced. Importantly, lamin B1 degradation occurring in some, but not all ADLD cell lines, slowed down lamin B1 and Oct-1 accumulation. In skeletal muscle, focal disorganisation of sarcomeres was observed, while IIB-myosin heavy chain, an Oct-1 target gene, was under-expressed and rod-containing fibres were formed. These data show that a high degree of regulation of lamin B1 expression is implicated in the different clinical phenotypes observed in ADLD and show that altered Oct-1 nuclear localisation contributes to the disease phenotype.

Homeotic arm-to-leg transformation associated with genomic rearrangements at the PITX1 locus.

The study of homeotic-transformation mutants in model organisms such as Drosophila revolutionized the field of developmental biology, but how these mutants relate to human developmental defects remains to be elucidated. Here, we show that Liebenberg syndrome, an autosomal-dominant upper-limb malformation, shows features of a homeotic limb transformation in which the arms have acquired morphological characteristics of a leg. Using high-resolution array comparative genomic hybridization and paired-end whole-genome sequencing, we identified two deletions and a translocation 5' of PITX1. The structural changes are likely to remove active PITX1 forelimb suppressor and/or insulator elements and thereby move active enhancer elements in the vicinity of the PITX1 regulatory landscape. We generated transgenic mice in which PITX1 was misexpressed under the control of a nearby enhancer and were able to recapitulate the Liebenberg phenotype.

335.4 kb microduplication in chromosome band Xp11.2p11.3 associated with developmental delay, growth retardation, autistic disorder and dysmorphic features.

About 10% of causative mutations for mental retardation in male patients involve X chromosome (X-linked mental retardation, XLMR). We describe a case of a 3-year-old boy presenting with developmental delay, autistic features and growth and speech delay. Array-CGH analysis detected a microduplication on the X chromosome (Xp11.2p11.3), spanning 335.4 kb and including 3 known genes (ZNF81, ZNF182 and SPACA5). Genome-wide association studies show that approximately 30% of mutations causing XLMR are located in Xp11.2p11.3, where few pathogenic genes have been identified to date (such as ZNF41, PQB1 and ZNF81). ZNF81 codifies a zinc finger protein and mutations (non-sense mutations, deletions and structural rearrangements) involving this gene have already been described in association with mental retardation. Larger duplications in the same region have also been observed in association with mental retardation, and, in one case, the over-expression of ZNF81 has also been verified by mRNA quantification. No duplications of the single gene have been identified. To our knowledge, the microduplication found in our patient is the smallest ever described in Xp11.2p11.3. This suggests that the over-expression of ZNF81 could have pathological effects.