HNRNPC haploinsufficiency affects alternative splicing of intellectual disability-associated genes and causes a neurodevelopmental disorder.

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein C (HNRNPC) is an essential, ubiquitously abundant protein involved in mRNA processing. Genetic variants in other members of the HNRNP family have been associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we describe 13 individuals with global developmental delay, intellectual disability, behavioral abnormalities, and subtle facial dysmorphology with heterozygous HNRNPC germline variants. Five of them bear an identical in-frame deletion of nine amino acids in the extreme C terminus. To study the effect of this recurrent variant as well as HNRNPC haploinsufficiency, we used induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and fibroblasts obtained from affected individuals. While protein localization and oligomerization were unaffected by the recurrent C-terminal deletion variant, total HNRNPC levels were decreased. Previously, reduced HNRNPC levels have been associated with changes in alternative splicing. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis on published RNA-seq datasets of three different cell lines to identify a ubiquitous HNRNPC-dependent signature of alternative spliced exons. The identified signature was not only confirmed in fibroblasts obtained from an affected individual but also showed a significant enrichment for genes associated with intellectual disability. Hence, we assessed the effect of decreased and increased levels of HNRNPC on neuronal arborization and neuronal migration and found that either condition affects neuronal function. Taken together, our data indicate that HNRNPC haploinsufficiency affects alternative splicing of multiple intellectual disability-associated genes and that the developing brain is sensitive to aberrant levels of HNRNPC. Hence, our data strongly support the inclusion of HNRNPC to the family of HNRNP-related neurodevelopmental disorders.

Structural analysis of histone deacetylase 8 mutants associated with Cornelia de Lange Syndrome spectrum disorders.

Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS) and associated spectrum disorders are characterized by one or more congenital anomalies including distinctive facial features, upper limb abnormalities, intellectual disability, and other symptoms. The molecular genetic basis of CdLS is linked to defects in cohesin, a protein complex that functions in sister chromatid cohesion, chromatin organization, and transcriptional regulation. Histone deacetylase 8 (HDAC8) plays an important role in cohesin function by catalyzing the deacetylation of SMC3, which is required for efficient recycling of the cohesin complex. Missense mutations in HDAC8 have been identified in children diagnosed with CdLS spectrum disorders, and here we outline structure-function relationships for four of these mutations. Specifically, we report the 1.50 Å-resolution structure of the I45T HDAC8-suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid complex, the 1.84 Å-resolution structure of E66D/Y306F HDAC8 complexed with a peptide assay substrate, and the 2.40 Å-resolution structure of G320R HDAC8 complexed with the inhibitor M344. Additionally, we present a computationally generated model of D176G HDAC8. These structures illuminate new structure-function relationships for HDAC8 and highlight the importance of long-range interactions in the protein scaffold that can influence catalytic function.

Pathogenic variants in USP7 cause a neurodevelopmental disorder with speech delays, altered behavior, and neurologic anomalies.

PURPOSE: Haploinsufficiency of USP7, located at chromosome 16p13.2, has recently been reported in seven individuals with neurodevelopmental phenotypes, including developmental delay/intellectual disability (DD/ID), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), seizures, and hypogonadism. Further, USP7 was identified to critically incorporate into the MAGEL2-USP7-TRIM27 (MUST), such that pathogenic variants in USP7 lead to altered endosomal F-actin polymerization and dysregulated protein recycling. METHODS: We report 16 newly identified individuals with heterozygous USP7 variants, identified by genome or exome sequencing or by chromosome microarray analysis. Clinical features were evaluated by review of medical records. Additional clinical information was obtained on the seven previously reported individuals to fully elucidate the phenotypic expression associated with USP7 haploinsufficiency. RESULTS: The clinical manifestations of these 23 individuals suggest a syndrome characterized by DD/ID, hypotonia, eye anomalies,feeding difficulties, GERD, behavioral anomalies, and ASD, and more specific phenotypes of speech delays including a nonverbal phenotype and abnormal brain magnetic resonance image findings including white matter changes based on neuroradiologic examination. CONCLUSION: The consistency of clinical features among all individuals presented regardless of de novo USP7 variant type supports haploinsufficiency as a mechanism for pathogenesis and refines the clinical impact faced by affected individuals and caregivers.

Clinical and molecular spectrum of CHOPS syndrome.

CHOPS syndrome is a multisystem disorder caused by missense mutations in AFF4. Previously, we reported three individuals whose primary phenotype included cognitive impairment and coarse facies, heart defects, obesity, pulmonary involvement, and short stature. This syndrome overlaps phenotypically with Cornelia de Lange syndrome, but presents distinct differences including facial features, pulmonary involvement, and obesity. Here, we provide clinical descriptions of an additional eight individuals with CHOPS syndrome, as well as neurocognitive analysis of three individuals. All 11 individuals presented with features reminiscent of Cornelia de Lange syndrome such as synophrys, upturned nasal tip, arched eyebrows, and long eyelashes. All 11 individuals had short stature and obesity. Congenital heart disease and pulmonary involvement were common, and those were seen in about 70% of individuals with CHOPS syndrome. Skeletal abnormalities are also common, and those include abnormal shape of vertebral bodies, hypoplastic long bones, and low bone mineral density. Our observation indicates that obesity, pulmonary involvement, skeletal findings are the most notable features distinguishing CHOPS syndrome from Cornelia de Lange syndrome. In fact, two out of eight of our newly identified patients were found to have AFF4 mutations by targeted AFF4 mutational analysis rather than exome sequencing. These phenotypic findings establish CHOPS syndrome as a distinct, clinically recognizable disorder. Additionally, we report three novel missense mutations causative for CHOPS syndrome that lie within the highly conserved, 14 amino acid sequence of the ALF homology domain of the AFF4 gene, emphasizing the critical functional role of this region in human development.

Cornelia de Lange syndrome, related disorders, and the Cohesin complex: Abstracts from the 8th biennial scientific and educational symposium 2018.

Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS), due to mutations in genes of the cohesin protein complex, is described as a disorder of transcriptional regulation. Phenotypes in this expanding field include short stature, microcephaly, intellectual disability, variable facial features and organ involvement, resulting in overlapping presentations, including established syndromes and newly described conditions. Individuals with all forms of CdLS have multifaceted complications, including neurodevelopmental, feeding, craniofacial, and communication. Coping mechanisms and management of challenging behaviors in CdLS, disruption of normal behaviors, and how behavior molds the life of the individual within the family is now better understood. Some psychotropic medications are known to be effective for behavior. Other medications, for example, Indomethacin, are being investigated for effects on gene expression, fetal brain tissue, brain morphology and function in Drosophila, mice, and human fibroblasts containing CdLS-related mutations. Developmental studies have clarified the origin of cardiac defects and role of placenta in CdLS. Chromosome architecture and cohesin complex structure are elucidated, leading to a better understanding of regulatory aspects and controls. As examples, when mutations are present, the formation of loop domains by cohesin, facilitating enhancer-promotor interactions, can be eliminated, and embryologically, the nuclear structure of zygotes is disrupted. Several important genes are now known to interact with cohesin, including Brca2. The following abstracts are from the 8th Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Scientific and Educational Symposium, held in June 2018, Minneapolis, MN, before the CdLS Foundation National Meeting, AMA CME credits provided by GBMC, Baltimore, MD. All studies have been approved by an ethics committee.

Cornelia de Lange syndrome, related disorders, and the Cohesin complex: Abstracts from the 8th biennial scientific and educational symposium 2018.

Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS), due to mutations in genes of the cohesin protein complex, is described as a disorder of transcriptional regulation. Phenotypes in this expanding field include short stature, microcephaly, intellectual disability, variable facial features and organ involvement, resulting in overlapping presentations, including established syndromes and newly described conditions. Individuals with all forms of CdLS have multifaceted complications, including neurodevelopmental, feeding, craniofacial, and communication. Coping mechanisms and management of challenging behaviors in CdLS, disruption of normal behaviors, and how behavior molds the life of the individual within the family is now better understood. Some psychotropic medications are known to be effective for behavior. Other medications, for example, Indomethacin, are being investigated for effects on gene expression, fetal brain tissue, brain morphology and function in Drosophila, mice, and human fibroblasts containing CdLS-related mutations. Developmental studies have clarified the origin of cardiac defects and role of placenta in CdLS. Chromosome architecture and cohesin complex structure are elucidated, leading to a better understanding of regulatory aspects and controls. As examples, when mutations are present, the formation of loop domains by cohesin, facilitating enhancer-promotor interactions, can be eliminated, and embryologically, the nuclear structure of zygotes is disrupted. Several important genes are now known to interact with cohesin, including Brca2. The following abstracts are from the 8th Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Scientific and Educational Symposium, held in June 2018, Minneapolis, MN, before the CdLS Foundation National Meeting, AMA CME credits provided by GBMC, Baltimore, MD. All studies have been approved by an ethics committee.

Utility and limitations of exome sequencing as a genetic diagnostic tool for children with hearing loss.

PURPOSE: Hearing loss (HL) is the most common sensory disorder in children. Prompt molecular diagnosis may guide screening and management, especially in syndromic cases when HL is the single presenting feature. Exome sequencing (ES) is an appealing diagnostic tool for HL as the genetic causes are highly heterogeneous. METHODS: ES was performed on a prospective cohort of 43 probands with HL. Sequence data were analyzed for primary and secondary findings. Capture and coverage analysis was performed for genes and variants associated with HL. RESULTS: The diagnostic rate using ES was 37.2%, compared with 15.8% for the clinical HL panel. Secondary findings were discovered in three patients. For 247 genes associated with HL, 94.7% of the exons were targeted for capture and 81.7% of these exons were covered at 20× or greater. Further analysis of 454 randomly selected HL-associated variants showed that 89% were targeted for capture and 75% were covered at a read depth of at least 20×. CONCLUSION: ES has an improved yield compared with clinical testing and may capture diagnoses not initially considered due to subtle clinical phenotypes. Technical challenges were identified, including inadequate capture and coverage of HL genes. Additional considerations of ES include secondary findings, cost, and turnaround time.

Heterozygous loss-of-function SMC3 variants are associated with variable growth and developmental features.

Heterozygous missense variants and in-frame indels in SMC3 are a cause of Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS), marked by intellectual disability, growth deficiency, and dysmorphism, via an apparent dominant-negative mechanism. However, the spectrum of manifestations associated with SMC3 loss-of-function variants has not been reported, leading to hypotheses of alternative phenotypes or even developmental lethality. We used matchmaking servers, patient registries, and other resources to identify individuals with heterozygous, predicted loss-of-function (pLoF) variants in SMC3, and analyzed population databases to characterize mutational intolerance in this gene. Here, we show that SMC3 behaves as an archetypal haploinsufficient gene: it is highly constrained against pLoF variants, strongly depleted for missense variants, and pLoF variants are associated with a range of developmental phenotypes. Among 14 individuals with SMC3 pLoF variants, phenotypes were variable but coalesced on low growth parameters, developmental delay/intellectual disability, and dysmorphism, reminiscent of atypical CdLS. Comparisons to individuals with SMC3 missense/in-frame indel variants demonstrated an overall milder presentation in pLoF carriers. Furthermore, several individuals harboring pLoF variants in SMC3 were nonpenetrant for growth, developmental, and/or dysmorphic features, and some had alternative symptomatologies with rational biological links to SMC3. Analyses of tumor and model system transcriptomic data and epigenetic data in a subset of cases suggest that SMC3 pLoF variants reduce SMC3 expression but do not strongly support clustering with functional genomic signatures of typical CdLS. Our finding of substantial population-scale LoF intolerance in concert with variable growth and developmental features in subjects with SMC3 pLoF variants expands the scope of cohesinopathies, informs on their allelic architecture, and suggests the existence of additional clearly LoF-constrained genes whose disease links will be confirmed only by multilayered genomic data paired with careful phenotyping.

Expanding Genetic Counselor Roles: A Model for Global Research Development.

PURPOSE: Genetic counselors (GCs) increasingly play key roles in advancing genomic medicine through innovative research. Here, we examine one large cohort of GCs' evolving contributions to the literature, with the goal of facilitating worldwide professional development for GCs through scholarly activities. METHODS: Publications were cataloged by members of the Section of Genetic Counseling (Section), established at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania in 2014, including publication year, journal, impact factor, and author position. Data were organized using the "My Bibliography" tool on the National Center for Biotechnology Information website and a Research Electronic Data Capture database created to initially collect manuscripts published through 30 June 2020. A subsequent survey captured publications through 5 February 2024. RESULTS: An amount of 52 of 120 (43%) GCs shared their curriculum vitae/papers. 992 unique publications were identified from 1986 to 2024. Since 2013, no less than 32 papers were published annually by Section members and no less than 10 GCs contributed to publications yearly. Impact factors typically averaged >5.0 per year. Areas of foci diversified considerably since 2015. CONCLUSIONS: Here, we establish that GCs indeed contribute to scholarly work as evidenced by the number of publications alone. The establishment of an academic home may have contributed, given publications increased concurrent to launching the Section, providing a model for organizing GCs at institutions nationally and internationally. Highlighting such achievements will foster the expansion of GC roles in the era of precision genomic medicine and therapy. Considering ways to support GCs towards expanding these activities is equally important.

Heterozygous loss-of-function SMC3 variants are associated with variable and incompletely penetrant growth and developmental features.

Heterozygous missense variants and in-frame indels in SMC3 are a cause of Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS), marked by intellectual disability, growth deficiency, and dysmorphism, via an apparent dominant-negative mechanism. However, the spectrum of manifestations associated with SMC3 loss-of-function variants has not been reported, leading to hypotheses of alternative phenotypes or even developmental lethality. We used matchmaking servers, patient registries, and other resources to identify individuals with heterozygous, predicted loss-of-function (pLoF) variants in SMC3, and analyzed population databases to characterize mutational intolerance in this gene. Here, we show that SMC3 behaves as an archetypal haploinsufficient gene: it is highly constrained against pLoF variants, strongly depleted for missense variants, and pLoF variants are associated with a range of developmental phenotypes. Among 13 individuals with SMC3 pLoF variants, phenotypes were variable but coalesced on low growth parameters, developmental delay/intellectual disability, and dysmorphism reminiscent of atypical CdLS. Comparisons to individuals with SMC3 missense/in-frame indel variants demonstrated a milder presentation in pLoF carriers. Furthermore, several individuals harboring pLoF variants in SMC3 were nonpenetrant for growth, developmental, and/or dysmorphic features, some instead having intriguing symptomatologies with rational biological links to SMC3 including bone marrow failure, acute myeloid leukemia, and Coats retinal vasculopathy. Analyses of transcriptomic and epigenetic data suggest that SMC3 pLoF variants reduce SMC3 expression but do not result in a blood DNA methylation signature clustering with that of CdLS, and that the global transcriptional signature of SMC3 loss is model-dependent. Our finding of substantial population-scale LoF intolerance in concert with variable penetrance in subjects with SMC3 pLoF variants expands the scope of cohesinopathies, informs on their allelic architecture, and suggests the existence of additional clearly LoF-constrained genes whose disease links will be confirmed only by multi-layered genomic data paired with careful phenotyping.

A Centralized Approach for Practicing Genomic Medicine.

Next-generation sequencing has revolutionized the diagnostic process, making broadscale testing affordable and applicable to almost all specialties; however, there remain several challenges in its widespread implementation. Barriers such as lack of infrastructure or expertise within local health systems and complex result interpretation or counseling make it harder for frontline clinicians to incorporate genomic testing in their existing workflow. The general population is more informed and interested in pursuing genetic testing, and this has been coupled with the increasing accessibility of direct-to-consumer testing. As a result of these changes, primary care physicians and nongenetics specialty providers find themselves seeing patients for whom genetic testing would be beneficial but managing genetic test results that are out of their scope of practice. In this report, we present a practical and centralized approach to providing genomic services through an independent, enterprise-wide clinical service model. We present 4 years of clinical experience, with >3400 referrals, toward designing and implementing the clinical service, maximizing resources, identifying barriers, and improving patient care. We provide a framework that can be implemented at other institutions to support and integrate genomic services across the enterprise.