MED12 mutations in uterine leiomyomas: prediction of volume reduction by gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists.

BACKGROUND: Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists are used to treat premenopausal uterine leiomyomas; however, leiomyoma volume reduction is not always achieved. The reduction rate after this treatment varies for each leiomyoma, even in the same patient. Therefore, an effective method for predicting uterine leiomyoma volume reduction is required to reduce the adverse hypoestrogenic effects and drug-related economic burden related to gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the predictive use of MED12 mutations for evaluating the effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist treatment concerning reducing uterine leiomyoma volume and to predict the MED12 mutation status based on the findings of magnetic resonance imaging performed before treatment. STUDY DESIGN: MED12 exon 2 mutation and erythropoietin expression in uterine leiomyomas were evaluated concerning volume reduction, as measured using magnetic resonance imaging. We developed a system for classifying leiomyomas according to T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging signals to noninvasively predict the presence or absence of MED12 mutations in leiomyomas. Leiomyoma samples (>5 cm) were obtained from 168 patients during surgery (hysterectomy or myomectomy) between 2005 and 2021 at Yokohama City University Hospital. To analyze the rate of leiomyoma volume reduction, 41 patients had been preoperatively administered the gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (leuprorelin acetate 3.75 mg, monthly subcutaneous injection) for 3 months; magnetic resonance imaging was performed before and after treatment without contrast material. RESULTS: Patients with MED12 exon 2 mutations had smaller volume reduction after treatment with the gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (P<.001, Mann-Whitney U test) and displayed lower signal intensity on T2-weighted images than those with leiomyomas expressing wild-type MED12 exon 2. The newly proposed magnetic resonance imaging-based classification system showed that MED12 exon 2 mutations were more frequent in the low-signal group than in the high-signal group, with nearly equal proportions of mutated and wild-type MED12 exon 2 leiomyomas noted in the intermediate group. The low-signal group had significantly lower erythropoietin expression levels than the high-signal group (P<.001, Kruskal-Wallis test with the Dunn posthoc analysis). CONCLUSION: MED12 mutation status can be a candidate marker for predicting the effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists on uterine leiomyoma reduction. Magnetic resonance imaging findings can be used to determine MED12 mutation status as a noninvasive strategy to select patients who will most likely benefit from gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist treatment.

SOX11 variants cause a neurodevelopmental disorder with infrequent ocular malformations and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and with distinct DNA methylation profile.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to undertake a multidisciplinary characterization of the phenotype associated with SOX11 variants. METHODS: Individuals with protein altering variants in SOX11 were identified through exome and genome sequencing and international data sharing. Deep clinical phenotyping was undertaken by referring clinicians. Blood DNA methylation was assessed using Infinium MethylationEPIC array. The expression pattern of SOX11 in developing human brain was defined using RNAscope. RESULTS: We reported 38 new patients with SOX11 variants. Idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism was confirmed as a feature of SOX11 syndrome. A distinctive pattern of blood DNA methylation was identified in SOX11 syndrome, separating SOX11 syndrome from other BAFopathies. CONCLUSION: SOX11 syndrome is a distinct clinical entity with characteristic clinical features and episignature differentiating it from BAFopathies.

Efficient detection of copy-number variations using exome data: Batch- and sex-based analyses.

Many algorithms to detect copy number variations (CNVs) using exome sequencing (ES) data have been reported and evaluated on their sensitivity and specificity, reproducibility, and precision. However, operational optimization of such algorithms for a better performance has not been fully addressed. ES of 1199 samples including 763 patients with different disease profiles was performed. ES data were analyzed to detect CNVs by both the eXome Hidden Markov Model (XHMM) and modified Nord's method. To efficiently detect rare CNVs, we aimed to decrease sequencing biases by analyzing, at the same time, the data of all unrelated samples sequenced in the same flow cell as a batch, and to eliminate sex effects of X-linked CNVs by analyzing female and male sequences separately. We also applied several filtering steps for more efficient CNV selection. The average number of CNVs detected in one sample was <5. This optimization together with targeted CNV analysis by Nord's method identified pathogenic/likely pathogenic CNVs in 34 patients (4.5%, 34/763). In particular, among 142 patients with epilepsy, the current protocol detected clinically relevant CNVs in 19 (13.4%) patients, whereas the previous protocol identified them in only 14 (9.9%) patients. Thus, this batch-based XHMM analysis efficiently selected rare pathogenic CNVs in genetic diseases.

Novel EXOSC9 variants cause pontocerebellar hypoplasia type 1D with spinal motor neuronopathy and cerebellar atrophy.

Pontocerebellar hypoplasia (PCH) is currently classified into 13 subgroups and many gene variants associated with PCH have been identified by next generation sequencing. PCH type 1 is a rare heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorder. The clinical presentation includes early-onset severe developmental delay, progressive motor neuronopathy, and cerebellar and pontine atrophy. Recently two variants in the EXOSC9 gene (MIM: 606180), NM_001034194.1: c.41T>C (p.Leu14Pro) and c.481C>T (p.Arg161*) were identified in four unrelated patients with PCH type 1D (PCH1D) (MIM: 618065). EXOSC9 encodes a component of the exosome complex, which is essential for correct processing and degradation of RNA. We report here two PCH1D families with biallelic EXOSC9 variants: c.239T>G (p.Leu80Arg) and c.484dupA (p.Arg162Lysfs*3) in one family and c.151G>C (p.Gly51Arg) in the other family. Although the patients studied here showed similar clinical features as previously described for PCH1D, relatively greater intellectual development (although still highly restricted) and normal pontine structure were recognized. Our findings expand the clinical consequences of biallelic EXOSC9 variants.

Pathogenic variants in the survival of motor neurons complex gene GEMIN5 cause cerebellar atrophy.

Cerebellar ataxia is a genetically heterogeneous disorder. GEMIN5 encoding an RNA-binding protein of the survival of motor neuron complex, is essential for small nuclear ribonucleoprotein biogenesis, and it was recently reported that biallelic loss-of-function variants cause neurodevelopmental delay, hypotonia, and cerebellar ataxia. Here, whole-exome analysis revealed compound heterozygous GEMIN5 variants in two individuals from our cohort of 162 patients with cerebellar atrophy/hypoplasia. Three novel truncating variants and one previously reported missense variant were identified: c.2196dupA, p.(Arg733Thrfs*6) and c.1831G > A, p.(Val611Met) in individual 1, and c.3913delG, p.(Ala1305Leufs*14) and c.4496dupA, p.(Tyr1499*) in individual 2. Western blotting analysis using lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from both affected individuals showed significantly reduced levels of GEMIN5 protein. Zebrafish model for null variants p.(Arg733Thrfs*6) and p.(Ala1305Leufs*14) exhibited complete lethality at 2 weeks and recapitulated a distinct dysplastic phenotype. The phenotypes of affected individuals and the zebrafish mutant models strongly suggest that biallelic loss-of-function variants in GEMIN5 cause cerebellar atrophy/hypoplasia.

Comparison of mitochondrial DNA variants detection using short- and long-read sequencing.

The recent advent of long-read sequencing technologies is expected to provide reasonable answers to genetic challenges unresolvable by short-read sequencing, primarily the inability to accurately study structural variations, copy number variations, and homologous repeats in complex parts of the genome. However, long-read sequencing comes along with higher rates of random short deletions and insertions, and single nucleotide errors. The relatively higher sequencing accuracy of short-read sequencing has kept it as the first choice of screening for single nucleotide variants and short deletions and insertions. Albeit, short-read sequencing still suffers from systematic errors that tend to occur at specific positions where a high depth of reads is not always capable to correct for these errors. In this study, we compared the genotyping of mitochondrial DNA variants in three samples using PacBio's Sequel (Pacific Biosciences Inc., Menlo Park, CA, USA) long-read sequencing and illumina's HiSeqX10 (illumine Inc., San Diego, CA, USA) short-read sequencing data. We concluded that, despite the differences in the type and frequency of errors in the long-reads sequencing, its accuracy is still comparable to that of short-reads for genotyping short nuclear variants; due to the randomness of errors in long reads, a lower coverage, around 37 reads, can be sufficient to correct for these random errors.

Comprehensive genetic analysis of 57 families with clinically suspected Cornelia de Lange syndrome.

Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is a rare multisystem disorder with specific dysmorphic features. Pathogenic genetic variants encoding cohesion complex subunits and interacting proteins (e.g., NIPBL, SMC1A, SMC3, HDAC8, and RAD21) are the major causes of CdLS. However, there are many clinically diagnosed cases of CdLS without pathogenic variants in these genes. To identify further genetic causes of CdLS, we performed whole-exome sequencing in 57 CdLS families, systematically evaluating both single nucleotides variants (SNVs) and copy number variations (CNVs). We identified pathogenic genetic changes in 36 out of 57 (63.2 %) families, including 32 SNVs and four CNVs. Two known CdLS genes, NIPBL and SMC1A, were mutated in 23 and two cases, respectively. Among the remaining 32 individuals, four genes (ANKRD11, EP300, KMT2A, and SETD5) each harbored a pathogenic variant in a single individual. These variants are known to be involved in CdLS-like. Furthermore, pathogenic CNVs were detected in NIPBL, MED13L, and EHMT1, along with pathogenic SNVs in ZMYND11, MED13L, and PHIP. These three latter genes were involved in diseases other than CdLS and CdLS-like. Systematic clinical evaluation of all patients using a recently proposed clinical scoring system showed that ZMYND11, MED13L, and PHIP abnormality may cause CdLS or CdLS-like.

Genetic abnormalities in a large cohort of Coffin-Siris syndrome patients.

Coffin-Siris syndrome (CSS, MIM#135900) is a congenital disorder characterized by coarse facial features, intellectual disability, and hypoplasia of the fifth digit and nails. Pathogenic variants for CSS have been found in genes encoding proteins in the BAF (BRG1-associated factor) chromatin-remodeling complex. To date, more than 150 CSS patients with pathogenic variants in nine BAF-related genes have been reported. We previously reported 71 patients of whom 39 had pathogenic variants. Since then, we have recruited an additional 182 CSS-suspected patients. We performed comprehensive genetic analysis on these 182 patients and on the previously unresolved 32 patients, targeting pathogenic single nucleotide variants, short insertions/deletions and copy number variations (CNVs). We confirmed 78 pathogenic variations in 78 patients. Pathogenic variations in ARID1B, SMARCB1, SMARCA4, ARID1A, SOX11, SMARCE1, and PHF6 were identified in 48, 8, 7, 6, 4, 1, and 1 patients, respectively. In addition, we found three CNVs including SMARCA2. Of particular note, we found a partial deletion of SMARCB1 in one CSS patient and we thoroughly investigated the resulting abnormal transcripts.

A novel homozygous DPH1 mutation causes intellectual disability and unique craniofacial features.

Biallelic mutations of the gene encoding diphthamide biosynthesis 1 (DPH1, NM_001383.3) cause developmental delay, dysmorphic features, sparse hair, and short stature (MIM *603527). Only two missense DPH1 mutations have been reported to date. Here, we describe a consanguineous family with two siblings both showing developmental delay, agenesis of the corpus callosum, dysmorphic facial features, sparse hair, brachycephaly, and short stature. By wholeexome sequencing, a homozygous frameshift mutation in DPH1 (c.1227delG, p.[Ala411Argfs*91]) was identified, which is likely responsible for the familial condition. The unique clinical features of the affected siblings are cleft palate and absent renal findings.

A homozygous NOP14 variant is likely to cause recurrent pregnancy loss.

Recurrent pregnancy loss is newly defined as more than two consecutive miscarriages. Recurrent pregnancy loss occurs in <5% of total pregnancies. The cause in approximately 40-60% of recurrent pregnancy loss cases remains elusive and must be determined. We investigated two unrelated Iranian consanguineous families with recurrent pregnancy loss. We performed exome sequencing using DNA from a miscarriage tissue and identified a homozygous NOP14 missense variant (c.[136C>G];[136C>G]) in both families. NOP14 is an evolutionally conserved protein among eukaryotes and is required for 18S rRNA processing and 40S ribosome biogenesis. Interestingly, in zebrafish, homozygous mutation of nop14 (possibly loss of function) resulting from retrovirus-mediated insertional mutagenesis led to embryonic lethality at 5 days after fertilization, mimicking early pregnancy loss in humans. Similarly, it is known that the nop14-null yeast is inviable. These data suggest that the homozygous NOP14 mutation is likely to cause recurrent pregnancy loss. Furthermore, this study shows that exome sequencing is very useful to determine the etiology of unsolved recurrent pregnancy loss.

A Novel SETBP1 Gene Disruption by a De Novo Balanced Translocation in a Patient with Speech Impairment, Intellectual, and Behavioral Disorder.

Balanced chromosomal abnormalities (BCAs) can disrupt gene function resulting in disease. To date, BCA disrupting the SET binding protein 1 ( SETBP1 ) gene has not been reported. On the other hand, de novo heterozygous variants in the highly conserved 11-bp region in SETBP1 can result in the Schinzel-Giedion syndrome. This condition is characterized by severe intellectual disability, a characteristic face, and multiple-system anomalies. Further other types of mutations involving SETBP1 are associated with a different phenotype, mental retardation, autosomal dominant 29 (MRD29), which has mild dysmorphic features, developmental delay, and behavioral disorders. Here we report a male patient who has moderate intellectual disability, mild behavioral difficulties, and severe expressive speech impairment resulting from a de novo balanced chromosome translocation, t(12;18)(q22;q12.3). By whole genome sequencing, we determined the breakpoints at the nucleotide level. The 18q12.3 breakpoint was located between exons 2 and 3 of SETBP1 . Phenotypic features of our patient are compatible with those with MRD29. This is the first reported BCA disrupting SETBP1 .

Large-scale discovery of novel neurodevelopmental disorder-related genes through a unified analysis of single-nucleotide and copy number variants.

BACKGROUND: Previous large-scale studies of de novo variants identified a number of genes associated with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs); however, it was also predicted that many NDD-associated genes await discovery. Such genes can be discovered by integrating copy number variants (CNVs), which have not been fully considered in previous studies, and increasing the sample size. METHODS: We first constructed a model estimating the rates of de novo CNVs per gene from several factors such as gene length and number of exons. Second, we compiled a comprehensive list of de novo single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) in 41,165 individuals and de novo CNVs in 3675 individuals with NDDs by aggregating our own and publicly available datasets, including denovo-db and the Deciphering Developmental Disorders study data. Third, summing up the de novo CNV rates that we estimated and SNV rates previously established, gene-based enrichment of de novo deleterious SNVs and CNVs were assessed in the 41,165 cases. Significantly enriched genes were further prioritized according to their similarity to known NDD genes using a deep learning model that considers functional characteristics (e.g., gene ontology and expression patterns). RESULTS: We identified a total of 380 genes achieving statistical significance (5% false discovery rate), including 31 genes affected by de novo CNVs. Of the 380 genes, 52 have not previously been reported as NDD genes, and the data of de novo CNVs contributed to the significance of three genes (GLTSCR1, MARK2, and UBR3). Among the 52 genes, we reasonably excluded 18 genes [a number almost identical to the theoretically expected false positives (i.e., 380 × 0.05 = 19)] given their constraints against deleterious variants and extracted 34 "plausible" candidate genes. Their validity as NDD genes was consistently supported by their similarity in function and gene expression patterns to known NDD genes. Quantifying the overall similarity using deep learning, we identified 11 high-confidence (> 90% true-positive probabilities) candidate genes: HDAC2, SUPT16H, HECTD4, CHD5, XPO1, GSK3B, NLGN2, ADGRB1, CTR9, BRD3, and MARK2. CONCLUSIONS: We identified dozens of new candidates for NDD genes. Both the methods and the resources developed here will contribute to the further identification of novel NDD-associated genes.

Novel variants in aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase deficiency: Case report of sisters with mild phenotype.

BACKGROUND: Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency, caused by a pathogenic variant in the dopa decarboxylase (DDC) gene, is a rare neurometabolic disorder in which catecholamine and serotonin are not synthesized. From a large number of reports, it has been recognized that most affected patients show severe developmental delay in a bedridden state and are unable to speak. On the other hand, patients with a mild phenotype with AADC deficiency have been reported, but they number only a few cases. Therefore, the variation of phenotypes of the disease appears to be broad, and it may be challenging to diagnose an atypical phenotype as AADC deficiency. CASE REPORT: We report novel compound heterozygous variants in DDC (c.202G > A and c.254C > T) in two sisters, whose main complaint was mild developmental delay, by whole-exome sequencing (WES). Additionally, we describe their clinical features and provide an image that shows the variants located at different sites responsible for the catalysis of AADC in a three-dimensional structure. The patients were prescribed a Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor after diagnosis. INTERPRETATION: Our cases indicate that a comprehensive genomic approach helps to diagnose AADC deficiency with atypical features, and underscore the significance of understanding the variations of this disorder for diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

A patient with a 6q22.1 deletion and a phenotype of non-progressive early-onset generalized epilepsy with tremor.

We report a patient with a 6q22.1 deletion, who presented with a rare syndrome of generalized epilepsy, myoclonic tremor, and intellectual disability. There was no clinical progression after follow-up for more than 10 years. Our report presents the genetic basis for a phenotype involving a non-progressive generalized epilepsy with tremor. The efficacy of valproic acid for seizure control and the partial efficacy of deep brain stimulation with propranolol for myoclonic tremor is detailed.

Comprehensive analysis of coding variants highlights genetic complexity in developmental and epileptic encephalopathy.

Although there are many known Mendelian genes linked to epileptic or developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (EE/DEE), its genetic architecture is not fully explained. Here, we address this incompleteness by analyzing exomes of 743 EE/DEE cases and 2366 controls. We observe that damaging ultra-rare variants (dURVs) unique to an individual are significantly overrepresented in EE/DEE, both in known EE/DEE genes and the other non-EE/DEE genes. Importantly, enrichment of dURVs in non-EE/DEE genes is significant, even in the subset of cases with diagnostic dURVs (P = 0.000215), suggesting oligogenic contribution of non-EE/DEE gene dURVs. Gene-based analysis identifies exome-wide significant (P = 2.04 × 10-6) enrichment of damaging de novo mutations in NF1, a gene primarily linked to neurofibromatosis, in infantile spasm. Together with accumulating evidence for roles of oligogenic or modifier variants in severe neurodevelopmental disorders, our results highlight genetic complexity in EE/DEE, and indicate that EE/DEE is not an aggregate of simple Mendelian disorders.

Predicting the intrauterine fetal death of fetuses with cystic hygroma in early pregnancy.

We investigated whether it was possible to predict the prognosis of fetuses with cystic hygroma in early pregnancy based on the degree of neck thickening. We retrospectively analyzed 57 singleton pregnancies with fetuses with cystic hygroma who were examined before the 22nd week of pregnancy. The fetuses were categorized according to the outcome, structural abnormalities at birth, and chromosomal abnormalities. Here, we proposed a new sonographic predictor with which we assessed neck thickening by dividing the width of the neck thickening by the biparietal diameter, which is expressed as the cystic hygroma width/biparietal diameter ratio. The median cystic hygroma width/biparietal diameter ratio in the intrauterine fetal death group (0.51) was significantly higher than that in the live birth group (0.27). No significant difference in the median cystic hygroma width/biparietal diameter ratio was found between the structural abnormalities group at birth and the no structural abnormalities group, and no significant difference in the median cystic hygroma width/biparietal diameter ratio was found between the chromosomal abnormality group and the no chromosomal abnormality group. We used receiver operating characteristic analysis to evaluate the cystic hygroma width/biparietal diameter ratio to predict intrauterine fetal death. When the cystic hygroma width/biparietal diameter ratio cut-off value was 0.5, intrauterine fetal death could be predicted with a sensitivity of 52.9% and a specificity of 100%. It is possible to predict intrauterine fetal death in fetuses with cystic hygroma in early pregnancy if cystic hygroma width/biparietal diameter ratio is measured. However, even if cystic hygroma width/biparietal diameter ratio is measured, predicting the presence or absence of a structural abnormality at birth or a chromosomal abnormality is difficult.