Electrophysiology-Guided Genetic Characterisation Maximises Molecular Diagnosis in an Irish Paediatric Inherited Retinal Degeneration Population.

Inherited retinal degenerations (IRDs) account for over one third of the underlying causes of blindness in the paediatric population. Patients with IRDs often experience long delays prior to reaching a definitive diagnosis. Children attending a tertiary care paediatric ophthalmology department with phenotypic (i.e., clinical and/or electrophysiologic) evidence suggestive of IRD were contacted for genetic testing during the SARS-CoV-2-19 pandemic using a "telegenetics" approach. Genetic testing approach was panel-based next generation sequencing (351 genes) via a commercial laboratory (Blueprint Genetics, Helsinki, Finland). Of 70 patient samples from 57 pedigrees undergoing genetic testing, a causative genetic variant(s) was detected for 60 patients (85.7%) from 47 (82.5%) pedigrees. Of the 60 genetically resolved IRD patients, 5% (n = 3) are eligible for approved therapies (RPE65) and 38.3% (n = 23) are eligible for clinical trial-based gene therapies including CEP290 (n = 2), CNGA3 (n = 3), CNGB3 (n = 6), RPGR (n = 5) and RS1 (n = 7). The early introduction of genetic testing in the diagnostic/care pathway for children with IRDs is critical for genetic counselling of these families prior to upcoming gene therapy trials. Herein, we describe the pathway used, the clinical and genetic findings, and the therapeutic implications of the first systematic coordinated round of genetic testing of a paediatric IRD cohort in Ireland.

MFRP-Associated Retinopathy and Nanophthalmos in Two Irish Probands: A Case Report.

The conjunction of nanophthalmos (NO) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) provides challenges to effective clinical management while narrowing the genetic spectrum for targeted molecular diagnostics. This case study describes two not knowingly related adult cases of MFRP-associated retinopathy and nanophthalmos (MARN). Structural features including short axial lengths (mean 16.4 mm), steep keratometry (mean 49.98 D), adult-onset signs, and symptoms of retinal dystrophy and acquired disease (i.e., cataract, angle-closure glaucoma) were evident in both cases. Pathogenic variants in the MFRP gene impair both prenatal eye growth and childhood emmetropization while also leading to RPE/outer retinal degeneration in 75% of cases. We discuss the "small-eye" phenotype spectrum and associated defining characteristics, molecular mechanisms with particular focus on MFRP-associated NO with RP features (MARN), the spectrum of visual morbidities (e.g., extreme refractive error, amblyopia, cystoid macular lesions, early cataract) and the challenges of their treatment/surgical management.

The genotypic and phenotypic spectrum of MTO1 deficiency.

BACKGROUND: Mitochondrial diseases, a group of multi-systemic disorders often characterized by tissue-specific phenotypes, are usually progressive and fatal disorders resulting from defects in oxidative phosphorylation. MTO1 (Mitochondrial tRNA Translation Optimization 1), an evolutionarily conserved protein expressed in high-energy demand tissues has been linked to human early-onset combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, often referred to as combined oxidative phosphorylation deficiency-10 (COXPD10). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty five cases of MTO1 deficiency were identified and reviewed through international collaboration. The cases of two female siblings, who presented at 1 and 2years of life with seizures, global developmental delay, hypotonia, elevated lactate and complex I and IV deficiency on muscle biopsy but without cardiomyopathy, are presented in detail. RESULTS: For the description of phenotypic features, the denominator varies as the literature was insufficient to allow for complete ascertainment of all data for the 35 cases. An extensive review of all known MTO1 deficiency cases revealed the most common features at presentation to be lactic acidosis (LA) (21/34; 62% cases) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (15/34; 44% cases). Eventually lactic acidosis and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are described in 35/35 (100%) and 27/34 (79%) of patients with MTO1 deficiency, respectively; with global developmental delay/intellectual disability present in 28/29 (97%), feeding difficulties in 17/35 (49%), failure to thrive in 12/35 (34%), seizures in 12/35 (34%), optic atrophy in 11/21 (52%) and ataxia in 7/34 (21%). There are 19 different pathogenic MTO1 variants identified in these 35 cases: one splice-site, 3 frameshift and 15 missense variants. None have bi-allelic variants that completely inactivate MTO1; however, patients where one variant is truncating (i.e. frameshift) while the second one is a missense appear to have a more severe, even fatal, phenotype. These data suggest that complete loss of MTO1 is not viable. A ketogenic diet may have exerted a favourable effect on seizures in 2/5 patients. CONCLUSION: MTO1 deficiency is lethal in some but not all cases, and a genotype-phenotype relation is suggested. Aside from lactic acidosis and cardiomyopathy, developmental delay and other phenotypic features affecting multiple organ systems are often present in these patients, suggesting a broader spectrum than hitherto reported. The diagnosis should be suspected on clinical features and the presence of markers of mitochondrial dysfunction in body fluids, especially low residual complex I, III and IV activity in muscle. Molecular confirmation is required and targeted genomic testing may be the most efficient approach. Although subjective clinical improvement was observed in a small number of patients on therapies such as ketogenic diet and dichloroacetate, no evidence-based effective therapy exists.

Oculo-facio-cardio-dental syndrome with craniosynostosis, temporal hypertrichosis, and deafness.

We report the case of a 7-month-old girl with atypical oculo-facio-cardio-dental syndrome (OFCD). A novel de novo pathogenic mutation in the BCL6 interacting co-repressor gene (BCOR) (c.4540C>T; p.Arg1514*), was identified on the X chromosome. This case expands the phenotype of OFCD as it is the first report of a case presenting with craniosynostois, temporal hypertrichosis, supraorbital grooving, and underdevelopment of the midface.

Germline mosaicism in osteopathia striata with cranial sclerosis--recurrence in siblings.

We report recurrence of osteopathia striata with cranial sclerosis (OSCS) in two full siblings conceived by unaffected parents. Molecular confirmation of OSCS in both siblings was achieved by identification of a novel heterozygous mutation in the WTX gene. Neither parent had clinical features of OSCS nor was the pathogenic mutation demonstrable in DNA extracted from both peripheral blood leucocytes and buccal cells. This case demonstrates germline mosaicism in OSCS and represents the third report of mosaicism affecting the germline in families with OSCS. Previous reports were of parental gonadosomal mosaicism, with one showing recurrence in multiple children. Our observation adds to a body of evidence that suggests that germline mosaicism in OSCS may occur more frequently than believed previously and may have implications for counselling families with OSCS.