RESUMO
PURPOSE: We set out to facilitate the molecular diagnosis of patients with PIK3CA-related overgrowth spectrum (PROS), a heterogeneous somatic disorder characterized by variable presentations of segmental overgrowth, vascular malformations, skin lesions, and nephroblastomatosis, rare precursor lesions to Wilms tumor. Molecular diagnosis of PROS is challenging due to its mosaic nature, often requiring invasive biopsies. METHODS: Digital droplet polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) was used to analyze tissues including urine, saliva, buccal cells, and blood, from eight patients with PROS. Further analyses were performed on plasma and urine cell-free DNA (cfDNA). RESULTS: PIK3CA variants were detected in plasma cfDNA at levels up to 0.5% in 50% of tested samples. In addition, high levels of PIK3CA variants in urine cfDNA correlated with a history of nephroblastomatosis compared with patients without renal involvement (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Digital droplet PCR is a sensitive molecular tool that enables low-level variant detection of PIK3CA in various tissue types, providing an alternative diagnostic method. Furthermore, urine cfDNA is a candidate biomarker for nephroblastomatosis in PROS, which may be useful to refine screening guidelines for tumor risk in these patients.
Assuntos
Ácidos Nucleicos Livres/sangue , Ácidos Nucleicos Livres/urina , Macrossomia Fetal/urina , Tumor de Wilms/urina , Adulto , Biomarcadores/urina , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Classe I de Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinases/genética , Classe I de Fosfatidilinositol 3-Quinases/metabolismo , Feminino , Macrossomia Fetal/genética , Estudos de Associação Genética , Transtornos do Crescimento/diagnóstico , Transtornos do Crescimento/genética , Humanos , Masculino , Mutação , Doenças Raras/genética , Doenças Raras/urina , Tumor de Wilms/genéticaRESUMO
We report seven affected individuals from six families with a recurrent, de novo variant in the ARPC4 gene (c.472C>T [p.Arg158Cys (GenBank: NM_005718.4)]). Core features in affected individuals include microcephaly, mild motor delays, and significant speech impairment. ARPC4 is a core subunit of the actin-related protein (ARP2/3) complex, which catalyzes the formation of F-actin networks. We show that the recurrent ARPC4 missense change is associated with a decreased amount of F-actin in cells from two affected individuals. Taken together, our results implicate heterozygous ARPC4 missense variants as a cause of neurodevelopmental disorders and microcephaly.