Clinical and genetic risk factors underlying severe consequence identified in 75 families with unilateral high myopia.

BACKGROUNDS: Unilateral high myopia (uHM), commonly observed in patients with retinal diseases or only with high myopia, is frequently associated with amblyopia with poor prognosis. This study aims to reveal the clinical and genetic spectrum of uHM in a large Chinese cohort. METHODS: A total of 75 probands with simplex uHM were included in our Pediatric and Genetic Eye Clinic. Patients with significant posterior anomalies other than myopic fundus changes were excluded. Variants were detected by exome sequencing and then analyzed through multiple-step bioinformatic and co-segregation analysis and finally confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Genetic findings were correlated with associated clinical data for analysis. RESULTS: Among the 75 probands with a mean age of 6.21 ± 4.70 years at the presentation, myopic fundus of C1 and C2 was observed in 73 (97.3%) probands. Surprisingly, specific peripheral changes were identified in 63 eyes involving 36 (48.0%) probands after extensive examination, including peripheral retinal avascular zone (74.6%, 47/63 eyes), neovascularization (54.0%), fluorescein leakage (31.7%), peripheral pigmentary changes (31.7%), and others. Exome sequencing identified 21 potential pathogenic variants of 13 genes in 20 of 75 (26.7%) probands, including genes for Stickler syndrome (COL11A1 and COL2A1; 6/20), FEVR (FZD4, LRP5, and TSPAN12; 5/20), and others (FBN1, GPR179, ZEB2, PAX6, GPR143, OPN1LW, FRMD7, and CACNA1F; 9/20). For the peripheral retinal changes in the 20 probands, variants in Stickler syndrome-related genes were predominantly associated with retinal pigmentary changes, lattice degeneration, and retinal avascular region, while variants in genes related to FEVR were mainly associated with the avascular zone, neovascularization, and fluorescein leakage. CONCLUSIONS: Genetic defects were identified in about one-fourth of simplex uHM patients in which significant consequences may be hidden under a classic myopic fundus in up to half. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic genetic study on simplex uHM to date. In addition to routine care of strabismus and amblyopia, careful examination of the peripheral retina and genetic screening is warranted for patients with uHM in order to identify signs of risk for retinal detachment and other complications and provide meaningful genetic counseling.

Review on Phase Synchronization Methods for Spaceborne Multistatic Synthetic Aperture Radar.

Multistatic synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is a special mode of SAR system. The radar transmitter and receiver are located on different satellites, which brings many advantages, such as flexible baseline configuration, diverse receiving modes, and more detailed ground object classification information. The multistatic SAR has been widely used in interferometry, moving target detection, three-dimensional imaging, and other fields. The frequency offset between different oscillators will cause a modulation phase error in the signal. Therefore, phase synchronization is one of the most critical problems to be addressed in distributed SAR systems. This article reviews phase synchronization techniques, which are mainly divided into two methods: synchronization by direct microwave link and synchronization by a data-based estimation algorithm. Furthermore, the future development of synchronization technology is anticipated.

Truncation mutations in MYRF underlie primary angle closure glaucoma.

Mutations in myelin regulatory factor (MYRF), a gene mapped to 11q12-q13.3, are responsible for autosomal dominant high hyperopia and seem to be associated with angle closure glaucoma, which is one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness worldwide. Whether there is a causal link from the MYRF mutations to the pathogenesis of primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) remains unclear at this time. Six truncation mutations, including five novel and one previously reported, in MYRF are identified in seven new probands with hyperopia, of whom all six adults have glaucoma, further confirming the association of MYRF mutations with PACG. Immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrates enriched expression of MYRF in the ciliary body and ganglion cell layer in humans and mice. Myrfmut/+ mice have elevated IOP and fewer ganglion cells along with thinner retinal nerve fiber layer with ganglion cell layer than wild-type. Transcriptome sequencing of Myrfmut/+ retinas shows downregulation of Dnmt3a, a gene previously associated with PACG. Co-immunoprecipitation demonstrates a physical association of DNMT3A with MYRF. DNA methylation sequencing identifies several glaucoma-related cell events in Myrfmut/+ retinas. The interaction between MYRF and DNMT3A underlies MYRF-associated PACG and provides clues for pursuing further investigation into the pathogenesis of PACG and therapeutic target.

Advances in Development of mRNA-Based Therapeutics.

Recently, mRNA-based therapeutics have been greatly boosted since the development of novel technologies of both mRNA synthesis and delivery system. Promising results were showed in both preclinical and clinical studies in the field of cancer vaccine, tumor immunotherapy, infectious disease prevention and protein replacement therapy. Recent advancements in clinical trials also encouraged scientists to attempt new applications of mRNA therapy such as gene editing and cell programming. These studies bring mRNA therapeutics closer to real-world application. Herein, we provide an overview of recent advances in mRNA-based therapeutics.

Effects of phosphine ligands in nickel-catalyzed decarbonylation reactions of lactone.

Due to the ubiquity of carbonyl compounds and the abundance of nickel on the earth, nickel-catalyzed decarbonylation has garnered increasing attention in recent years. This type of reaction has seen significant developments in various aspects; however, certain challenges concerning reactivity, selectivity, and transformation efficiency remain pressing and demand urgent resolution. In this study, we employed DFT calculations to investigate the mechanism of nickel-catalyzed decarbonylation reactions involving lactones, as well as the effects of phosphine ligands. Mechanically, Ni(0) first activates the C(acyl)-O bond of the lactone, followed by a decarbonylation step, and ultimately results in reductive elimination under carbonyl coordination to yield the product. Through a comprehensive examination of the electronic and steric effects of the phosphine ligands, we deduced that the electronic effect of the ligand plays a dominant role in the decarbonylation reaction. By enhancing the electron-withdrawing ability of the ligand, the energy barrier of the entire reaction can be significantly reduced. The obtained insights should be valuable for understanding the detailed mechanism and the role of phosphine ligands in nickel catalysis. Moreover, they offer crucial clues for the rational design of more efficient catalytic reactions.

Lipid Receptor G2A-Mediated Signal Pathway Plays a Critical Role in Inflammatory Response by Promoting Classical Macrophage Activation.

Macrophage polarization is a dynamic and integral process in tissue inflammation and remodeling. In this study, we describe that lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) plays an important role in controlling inflammatory macrophage (M1) polarization in rodent experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) and in monocytes from multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Specific inhibition of Lp-PLA2 led to an ameliorated EAE via markedly decreased inflammatory and demyelinating property of M1. The effects of Lp-PLA2 on M1 function were mediated by lysophosphatidylcholine, a bioactive product of oxidized lipids hydrolyzed by Lp-PLA2 through JAK2-independent activation of STAT5 and upregulation of IRF5. This process was directed by the G2A receptor, which was only found in differentiated M1 or monocytes from MS patients. M1 polarization could be inhibited by a G2A neutralizing Ab, which led to an inhibited disease in rat EAE. In addition, G2A-deficient rats showed an ameliorated EAE and an inhibited autoimmune response. This study has revealed a mechanism by which lipid metabolites control macrophage activation and function, modification of which could lead to a new therapeutic approach for MS and other inflammatory disorders.

Variant Landscape of 15 Genes Involved in Corneal Dystrophies: Report of 30 Families and Comprehensive Analysis of the Literature.

Corneal dystrophies (CDs) represent a group of inherited diseases characterized by the progressive deposit of abnormal materials in the cornea. This study aimed to describe the variant landscape of 15 genes responsible for CDs based on a cohort of Chinese families and a comparative analysis of literature reports. Families with CDs were recruited from our eye clinic. Their genomic DNA was analyzed using exome sequencing. The detected variants were filtered using multi-step bioinformatics and confirmed using Sanger sequencing. Previously reported variants in the literature were summarized and evaluated based on the gnomAD database and in-house exome data. In 30 of 37 families with CDs, 17 pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants were detected in 4 of the 15 genes, including TGFBI, CHST6, SLC4A11, and ZEB1. A comparative analysis of large datasets revealed that 12 of the 586 reported variants are unlikely causative of CDs in monogenic mode, accounting for 61 of 2933 families in the literature. Of the 15 genes, the gene most frequently implicated in CDs was TGFBI (1823/2902, 62.82% of families), followed by CHST6 (483/2902, 16.64%) and SLC4A11 (201/2902, 6.93%). This study presents, for the first time, the landscape of pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants in the 15 genes responsible for CDs. Awareness of frequently misinterpreted variants, such as c.1501C>A, p.(Pro501Thr) in TGFBI, is crucial in the era of genomic medicine.

Pharmacological Targeting of Bcl-2 Induces Caspase 3-Mediated Cleavage of HDAC6 and Regulates the Autophagy Process in Colorectal Cancer.

Compound 6d, a spiroindoline compound, exhibits antiproliferative capability against cancer cell lines. However, the exact underlying mechanism of this compound-mediated inhibitory capability remains unclear. Here, we showed that compound 6d is an inhibitor of Bcl-2, which suppresses CRC growth by inducing caspase 3-mediated intrinsic apoptosis of mitochondria. Regarding the underlying mechanism, we identified HDAC6 as a direct substrate for caspase 3, and caspase 3 activation induced by compound 6d directly cleaves HDAC6 into two fragments. Moreover, the cleavage site was located at D1088 in the DMAD-S motif HDAC6. Apoptosis stimulated by compound 6d promoted autophagy initiation by inhibiting interaction between Bcl-2 and Beclin 1, while it led to the accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins and the reduction of autophagic flux. Collectively, our findings reveal that the Bcl-2-caspase 3-HDAC6 cascade is a crucial regulatory pathway of autophagy and identify compound 6d as a novel lead compound for disrupting the balance between apoptosis and autophagy.

New Insight into the Genotype-Phenotype Correlation of PRPH2-Related Diseases Based on a Large Chinese Cohort and Literature Review.

Variants in PRPH2 are a common cause of inherited retinal dystrophies with high genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity. In this study, variants in PRPH2 were selected from in-house exome sequencing data, and all reported PRPH2 variants were evaluated with the assistance of online prediction tools and the comparative validation of large datasets. All variants were classified based on the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics/Association for Molecular Pathology (ACMG/AMP) guidelines. Individuals with pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants of PRPH2 were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Clinical characteristics were summarized. Ten pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants of PRPH2 were identified in 14 families. In our cohort, the most frequent variant was p.G305Afs*19, accounting for 33.3% (5/15) of alleles, in contrast to the literature, where p.R172G (11.6%, 119/1028) was the most common variant. Nine in-house families (63.8%) were diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), distinct from the phenotypic spectrum in the literature, which shows that RP accounts for 27.9% (283/1013) and macular degeneration is more common (45.2%, 458/1013). Patients carrying missense variants predicted as damaging by all seven prediction tools and absent in the gnomAD database were more likely to develop RP compared to those carrying missense variants predicted as damaging with fewer tools or with more than one allele number in the gnomAD database (p = 0.001). The population-specific genetic and phenotypic spectra of PRPH2 were explored, and novel insight into the genotype-phenotype correlation of PRPH2 was proposed. These findings demonstrated the importance of assessing PRPH2 variants in distinct populations and the value of providing practical suggestions for the genetic interpretation of PRPH2 variants.

Variants in HNRNPH1 are associated with high myopia in humans and ocular coloboma in zebrafish.

High myopia is one of the most common causes for blindness due to its associated complications. Genetic factor has been considered as the major cause for early-onset high myopia (eoHM), but exact genetic defects for most eoHM are yet to be identified. Through multi-step bioinformatics analysis of our in-house whole exome sequencing dataset from 6397 individuals, variants from 928 probands with eoHM were further compared with those from in-house controls as well as gnomAD database. The results showed that loss-of-function (LoF) variants in a novel gene HNRNPH1 were identified in two of 928 probands with eoHM but in none of 5469 probands with other eye conditions (p = 0.02). LoF variants in HNRNPH1 were extremely rare and intolerant, while two LoF variants in 928 eoHM were statistically higher than their frequency in gnomAD (p = 5.98 × 10-4 ). These two LoF variants, c.2dup/p.(M1?) and c.121dup/p.(Q41Pfs*20), were absent from existing database. Variants in HNRNPH1 have not been associated with any inherited eye disease before. Expression of HNRNPH1 was enriched in ganglion cell layer and inner nuclear layer in humans. Knockdown of hnrnph1 in zebrafish resulted in ocular coloboma. All these suggest that HNRNPH1 is potential contribution to eoHM when mutated.

Genetic and clinical features of BEST1-associated retinopathy based on 59 Chinese families and database comparisons.

Variants in BEST1 are one of the most common cause of retinopathy mainly involving the retinal pigment epithelium with both dominant and recessive traits. This study aimed to describe the characteristics of potential pathogenic variants (PPVs) in BEST1 and their associated clinical features. Variants in BEST1 were collected from our in-house exome sequencing data and systematically evaluated by in silico prediction tools as well as genotype-phenotype analysis. The pathogenicity features of the BEST1 variants were further assessed through database comparison among the in-house data, Genome Aggregation Database from the general population, and all previously published literature. The clinical information of the in-house patients was summarized. The PPVs in BEST1 were identified in 66 patients from 59 families, including 32 families with Best vitelliform macular dystrophy (BVMD) and 27 families with autosomal recessive bestrophinopathy (ARB). These PPVs included 31 missense variants, seven truncation variants, one in-frame deletion, and a known 3-untranslated region variant. All the truncations detected in our study were exclusively involved in ARB but not BVMD. Among the 31 missense variants, 18 missenses associated with BVMD in the dominant trait were clustered in four hotspot regions with statistically significant differences from the recessive missenses. Except for distinct macular changes, there were no statistically significant differences among the other associated clinical features between BVMD and ARB, including peripheral retinopathy, high hyperopia, and angle-closure glaucoma. In conclusion, BEST1-associated dominant retinopathy was preferentially caused by missense variants located in important functional regions. Truncations were most likely benign in heterozygous status. Future studies are expected to elucidate the mystery of the same missense variants contributing to both BVMD and ARB.

Zn(OTf)2-Promoted Isocyanide-Based Three-Component Reaction: Direct Access to 2-Oxazolines and ß-Amino Amides.

An efficient one-pot reaction of propargylamides, isocyanides, and water catalyzed by zinc was developed for the rapid construction of 2-oxazolines with a wide functional group tolerance. The methylene-3-oxazoline was proven to play a vitally important role to start the tandem cascade transformation through unfunctionalized alkynes with sequential nucleophilic addition approaches of isocyanide and water. Notably, with a slight alteration of the reaction temperature and the addition of one molecule of water, various ß-amino amide derivatives were synthesized in good to excellent yields.

Effect of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy in combination with cytoreductive surgery on the prognosis of patients with colorectal cancer peritoneal metastasis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal metastasis often occurs in patients with colorectal cancer peritoneal metastasis, and the prognosis is poor. A large body of evidence highlights the beneficial effects of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) on survival, but to date, there is little consensus on the optimal treatment strategy for patients with colorectal cancer peritoneal metastasis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of CRS + HIPEC on survival and provide reference for the treatment of patients with colorectal cancer peritoneal metastasis. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis is reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Knowledge, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were screened from inception of the review to March 11, 2022. Ten studies were included in qualitative and quantitative analysis. RESULTS: A total of 3200 patients were enrolled in the study, including 788 patients in the CRS and HIPEC groups and 2412 patients in the control group, of which 3 were randomized controlled trials and 7 were cohort studies. The 3 randomized controlled studies were of high quality, and the quality scores of the 7 cohort studies were all 7 or above, indicating high quality. The results showed that the OS of CRS + HIPEC group was higher than that of control group (HR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.38-0.73; P < 0.00001, I2 = 82.9%); the heterogeneity of the studies was large. The subgroup analysis showed that the OS of CRS and HIPEC group was higher than that of PC group (HR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.30-0.47; P = 0.215, I2 = 31%) and higher than that in CRS group (HR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.49-1.07; P = 0.163, I2 = 44.8%); the heterogeneity of the studies was low. In the OPEN group, the OS of THE CRS and HIPEC groups was higher than that in the control group (HR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.38-0.70; P = 0.353, I2 = 3.9%); OPEN group showed lower heterogeneity. The OS of 60-100-min group was higher than that in the control group (HR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.49-0.88; P = 0.172, I2 = 37.4%); the heterogeneity of the studies was low. Sensitivity analysis showed that there was no significant difference in the results of the combined analysis after each study was deleted. The results of publication bias showed that the P-value of Egger and Begg tests was 0.078 > 0.05, indicating that there is no publication bias. CONCLUSIONS: CRS + HIPEC can improve the survival rate of patients with colorectal cancer peritoneal metastasis.

CPSF1 mutations are associated with early-onset high myopia and involved in retinal ganglion cell axon projection.

High myopia is a severe form of nearsightedness, which can result in blindness due to its associated complications. While both genetic and environmental factors can cause high myopia, early-onset high myopia (eoHM), which is defined as high myopia that occurs before school age, is considered to be caused mainly by genetic variations, with minimal environmental involvement. Here we report six rare heterozygous loss-of-function (LoF) variants in CPSF1 that were identified in six of 623 probands with eoHM but none of 2657 probands with other forms of genetic eye diseases; this difference was statistically significant (P = 4.60 × 10-5, Fisher's exact test). The six variants, which were confirmed by Sanger sequencing, were c.3862_3871dup (p.F1291*), c.2823_2824del (p.V943Lfs*65), c.1858C>T (p.Q620*), c.15C>G (p.Y5*), c.3823G>T (p.D1275Y) and c.4146-2A>G. Five of these six variants were absent in existing databases, including gnomAD, 1000G and EVS. The remaining variant, c.4146-2A>G, was present in gnomAD with a frequency of 1/229918. Clinical data demonstrated eoHM in the six probands with these mutations. Knockdown of cpsf1 by morpholino oligonucleotide (MO) injection in zebrafish eggs resulted in small eye size in 84.38% of the injected larvae, and this phenotype was rescued in 61.39% of the zebrafish eggs when the cpsf1 MO and the cpsf1 mRNA were co-injected. The projection of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) towards the tectum was abnormal in cpsf1 morphants. Thus, we demonstrated that heterozygous LoF mutations in CPSF1 are associated with eoHM and that CPSF1 may play an important role in the development of RGC axon projection.

Bcl6 modulates innate immunity by controlling macrophage activity and plays critical role in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

The B-cell CLL/lymphoma 6 (Bcl6) oncogenic repressor is a master regulator of humoral immunity and B-cell lymphomagenesis. Although much research has focused on its regulation and function of GC B cells and T cells, the role of Bcl6 in regulating the functions of innate immunity is not well defined. Here, we demonstrated that EAE is exacerbated in LysM Cre+/- Bcl6fl/fl mice. Although other cells such as neutrophils might be involved in this conditional mutant mouse model, we found that the disease pathology is mainly associated with a biased M1 macrophage activity and an enhanced encephalitogenic CD4+ Th17 cell response. In addition, LPS-induced sepsis mice exhibited an enhanced M1 and inhibited M2 response, further confirming that Bcl6 has an important role in regulating macrophage polarization. Mechanistically, Bcl6 interacts with IκBζ and interferes its binding to the interleukin-6 (Il-6) promoter in macrophages, leading to a suppressed transcription of Il-6. These findings have demonstrated that Bcl6 exerts its regulatory function mainly by repressing Il-6 expression in macrophages. Thus, our study presents a novel role for Bcl6 in regulating immune response and inflammation. Interaction between Bcl6 and IκBζ in macrophages may provide a potential therapeutic target for autoimmune inflammatory disease.

Pathogenicity evaluation and the genotype-phenotype analysis of OPA1 variants.

Autosomal dominant optic atrophy (ADOA) is an important cause of irreversible visual impairment in children and adolescents. About 60-90% of ADOA is caused by the pathogenic variants of OPA1 gene. By evaluating the pathogenicity of OPA1 variants and summarizing the relationship between the genotype and phenotype, this study aimed to provide a reference for clinical genetic test involving OPA1. Variants in OPA1 were selected from the exome sequencing results in 7092 cases of hereditary eye diseases and control groups from our in-house data. At the same time, the urine cells of some optic atrophy patients with OPA1 variants as well as their family members were collected and oxygen consumption rates (OCR) were measured in these cells to evaluate the pathogenicity of variants. As a result, 97 variants were detected, including 94 rare variants and 3 polymorphisms. And the 94 rare variants were classified into three groups: pathogenic (33), variants of uncertain significance (19), and likely benign (42). Our results indicated that the frameshift variants at the 3' terminus might be pathogenic, while the variants in exon 7 and intron 4 might be benign. The penetrance of the missense variants was higher than that of truncation variants. The OCR of cells with pathogenic OPA1 variants were significantly lower than those without pathogenic variants. In conclusion, some variants might be benign although predicted pathogenic in previous studies while some might have unknown pathogenesis. Measuring the OCR in urine cells could be used as a method to evaluate the pathogenicity of some OPA1 variants.

Confirming and expanding the phenotypes of FZD5 variants: Coloboma, inferior chorioretinal hypoplasia, and high myopia.

Purpose: Two frameshift and two indel variants in FZD5 have been reported to cause coloboma in two families with incomplete penetrance and in two isolated cases in previous studies, respectively. This study aims to confirm this association and expand related specific phenotypes based on the genotype-phenotype analysis of FZD5 variants. Methods: Variants in FZD5 were collected from our in-house exome sequencing data of 5,845 probands with different eye conditions. Multistep bioinformatics analysis was used to classify the variants. Potential pathogenic variants and phenotypic variations were further evaluated based on family segregation and genotype-phenotype analysis. Results: In total, 63 rare variants were detected in FZD5. Multistep bioinformatics and genotype-phenotype analyses suggested that eight rare heterozygous variants in nine families should be considered potential pathogenic variants: three novel frameshift variants (c.350_356delCGCCGCT/p.Ser117*, c.1403_1406dupACCT/p.Tyr470Profs*130, and c.1428delG/p.Ser477Alafs*130) and five novel missense variants (c.388C>A/p.Arg130Ser, c.794G>T/p.Arg265Leu, c.1162G>A/p.Gly388Ser, c.1232A>G/p.Tyr411Cys, and c.1510A>T/p.Met504Leu). Among the nine families, carriers of these variants showed overlapping phenotypes, including typical uveal coloboma (12 eyes of seven patients from four families), inferior chorioretinal hypoplasia (ICH) or optic disc hypoplasia (ODH; 12 eyes of eight patients from six families), and high myopia (10 eyes of five patients from five families) within individual families or among different families. Conclusions: The data presented in this study confirmed that variants in FZD5, not only frameshift variants but also missense variants, are a common cause of uveal coloboma. In addition, ICH, ODH, and high myopia may be variant phenotypes that are frequently associated with FZD5 variants.

Heterozygous GJA1 variants with ocular phenotype: Missense in domain but truncation out of domain.

Purpose: Oculodentodigital dysplasia (ODDD) is a group disorder caused by GJA1 variants, of which glaucoma leading to blindness is a frequent complication of the ocular phenotype. In this study, the correlation of the GJA1 genotype with the ocular phenotype was analyzed systematically. Methods: GJA1 variants were collected from in-house whole-exome sequencing data of 5,307 individuals. Potentially pathogenic variants (PPVs) were defined based on prediction of multiple in silico tools, related phenotypes, and previously established evidence. The characteristics of GJA1 PPVs were evaluated based on our data, gnomAD, and HGMD. Results: In total, 21 rare variants in GJA1 were detected in 32 subjects from the study cohort. Four of the 21 variants were classified as PPVs, including two frameshift, one missense, and one in-frame deletion. The four PPVs were detected in four probands with microcornea or high hyperopia; two developed glaucoma. A systematic review of GJA1 variants in literature suggested that most heterozygous missense PPVs are located inside the connexin domain. All truncations downstream of the connexin domain are associated with autosomal dominant disease, while most truncations within the domain are associated with autosomal recessive ODDD. Ocular signs were present in 80.0% (116/145) of patients with GJA1 PPVs. Of the 116 patients, glaucoma was observed in 26.7% (31/116), among whom 77.4% (24/31) of cases occurred in patients ≥10 years old. Conclusions: Eye abnormalities are the most common signs associated with GJA1 PPVs, and they carry a high risk of developing glaucoma. The identification of GJA1 PPVs needs further attention and clarification.

Spectrum-frequency and genotype-phenotype analysis of rhodopsin variants.

Mutations in RHO are the most common cause of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa. However, the pathogenicity of many RHO variants is questionable. This study was designed to investigate the genotype-phenotype correlation for RHO variants. These RHO variants were collected from the in-house exome sequencing data of 7092 probands suffering from different types of eye conditions. The variants were classified using bioinformatics tools, family segregation, and clinical phenotypes. The RHO variants were assessed using multiple online tools and a genotype-phenotype analysis based on the data collected from of ours, gnomAD, and published literature. Totally, 52 heterozygous variants of RHO were detected in the 7092 probands. Of these 52, 17 were potentially pathogenic, were present in 35 families, and comprised 15 missense variants, one inframe deletion and one nonsense variant. All the 15 missense variants were predicted to be damaging by five different online tools. The analysis of the clinical data of the patients from the 35 families revealed certain common features, of an early damage to both the rods and the cones, relatively preserved visual acuity in adulthood, and mid-peripheral tapetoretinal degeneration with pigmentation or RPE atrophy. Our data, the data from gnomAD, and the systematic review of the 246 previously reported variants suggest that approximately two-thirds of the rare missense variants and most of the truncated variants involving upstream of K296 are likely benign. This study provides a brief summary of the characteristics of the pathogenic RHO variants. It emphasizes that the systematic evaluation of these variants at the individual-gene level is crucial in the current era of clinical genetic testing even for a well-known gene such as RHO.

Novel variants in GUCY2D causing retinopathy and the genotype-phenotype correlation.

Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is the most severe form of retinopathy and cone/cone-rod dystrophy (CORD) is a common form of inherited retinopathy. Variants in GUCY2D constitute the most common cause of LCA and autosomal dominant CORD (ADCORD). The purpose of this study was to reveal novel variants and document associated phenotypes of patients with GUCY2D-associated retinopathy. Fifty-two potentially pathogenic variants (PPVs), including 12 novel ones (p.Gly144_Ala164del, p.Trp154Glyfs*12, p.Leu186Pro, p.Ala207Pro, p.Ala229Asp, p.Ala353Glu, p.Trp372*, p.Arg528*, p.Arg660Pro, p.Ile682Thr, p.Trp788Cys, and c.1026 + 171_*486del), were identified in 16 families with ADCORD and 34 families with autosomal recessive LCA (ARLCA). The novel variant c.1026 + 171_*486del is a large-scale (16.3 kb) deletion involving exons 4-20 of GUCY2D, and was identified in an ARLCA family in heterozygous status mimicking a homozygous p.Trp788Cys variant. Among the detected 52 PPVs, 32 (61.5%) were missense, seven (13.5%) were splicing, six (11.5%) were nonsense, four (7.7%) were inframe indel, and three (5.8%) were frameshift deletion. The median age of examination in 27 patients with ADCORD was 21.0 years (ranges 3-54) with a median visual acuity (VA) of 0.10 (ranges 0.02-0.90). There were 48.0% of patients with macular atrophy, 86.4% with severe reduced or extinguished cone responses, 77.3% with normal or mildly reduced rod responses, and 60.9% with high myopia. Visual impairment, macular dystrophy, and cone dysfunction deteriorated with age. The median age of examination in 34 patients with ARLCA was 1.1 years (ranges 0.3-25). There were 55.9% of patients with roving nystagmus, 68.2% with VA of worse than hand motion, 59.4% with almost normal fundus, 90.6% with extinguished rod and cone responses, and 50.0% with high hyperopia. In conclusions, twelve novel PPVs in GUCY2D (including a novel large-scale deletion) were identified. Most (32/52, 61.5%) of causative GUCY2D variants were missense. Progressive development of macular atrophy, cone dysfunction, visual impairment, and myopia are four major characteristics of GUCY2D-associated ADCORD. Normal fundus, roving nystagmus, and hypermetropia in early age are common findings specific to GUCY2D-associated ARLCA. The obtained data in this study will be of value in counselling patients and designing future therapeutic approaches.