Growth hormone deficiency in megalencephaly-capillary malformation syndrome: An association with activating mutations in PIK3CA.

Megalencephaly-capillary malformation syndrome (MCAP) is a brain overgrowth disorder characterized by cortical malformations (specifically polymicrogyria), vascular anomalies, and segmental overgrowth secondary to somatic activating mutations in the PI3K-AKT-MTOR pathway (PIK3CA). Cases of growth failure and hypoglycemia have been reported in patients with MCAP, raising the suspicion for unappreciated growth hormone (GH) deficiency. Here we report an observational multicenter study of children with MCAP and GH deficiency. Eleven participants were confirmed to have GH deficiency, all with very low or undetectable circulating concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1 and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3. Seven underwent GH stimulation testing and all had insufficient responses with a median GH peak of 3.7 ng/ml (range 1.1-8.6). Growth patterns revealed a drastic decline in length z-scores within the first year of life but then stabilized afterward. Five were treated with GH; one discontinued due to inconsolability. The other four participants continued on GH with improvement in linear growth velocity. Other endocrinopathies were identified in 7 of the 11 participants in this cohort. This study indicates that GH deficiency is associated with MCAP and that children with MCAP and hypoglycemia and/or postnatal growth failure should be evaluated for GH deficiency and other endocrinopathies.

Atypical cerebral palsy: genomics analysis enables precision medicine.

PURPOSE: The presentation and etiology of cerebral palsy (CP) are heterogeneous. Diagnostic evaluation can be a prolonged and expensive process that might remain inconclusive. This study aimed to determine the diagnostic yield and impact on management of next-generation sequencing (NGS) in 50 individuals with atypical CP (ACP). METHODS: Patient eligibility criteria included impaired motor function with onset at birth or within the first year of life, and one or more of the following: severe intellectual disability, progressive neurological deterioration, other abnormalities on neurological examination, multiorgan disease, congenital anomalies outside of the central nervous system, an abnormal neurotransmitter profile, family history, brain imaging findings not typical for cerebral palsy. Previous assessment by a neurologist and/or clinical geneticist, including biochemical testing, neuroimaging, and chromosomal microarray, did not yield an etiologic diagnosis. RESULTS: A precise molecular diagnosis was established in 65% of the 50 patients. We also identified candidate disease genes without a current OMIM disease designation. Targeted intervention was enabled in eight families (~15%). CONCLUSION: NGS enabled a molecular diagnosis in ACP cases, ending the diagnostic odyssey, improving genetic counseling and personalized management, all in all enhancing precision medicine practices.

RAPIDOMICS: rapid genome-wide sequencing in a neonatal intensive care unit-successes and challenges.

Genetic disorders are one of the leading causes of infant mortality and are frequent in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Rapid genome-wide sequencing (GWS; whole genome or exome sequencing (ES)), due to its diagnostic capabilities and immediate impacts on medical management, is becoming an appealing testing option in the NICU setting. RAPIDOMICS was a trio-based rapid ES pilot study of 25 babies with suspected genetic disorders in the BC Women's Hospital NICU. ES and bioinformatic analysis were performed after careful patient ascertainment. Trio analysis was performed using an in-house pipeline reporting variants in known disease-causing genes. Variants interpreted by the research team as definitely or possibly causal of the infant's phenotype were Sanger validated in a clinical laboratory. The average time to preliminary diagnosis was 7.2 days. Sanger validation was pursued in 15 patients for 13 autosomal dominant and 2 autosomal recessive disorders, with an overall diagnostic rate (partial or complete) of 60%.Conclusion: In total, 72% of patients enrolled had a genomic diagnosis achieved through ES, multi-gene panel testing or chromosomal microarray analysis. Among these, there was an 83% rate of significant and immediate impact on medical decision-making directly related to new knowledge of the diagnosis. Health service implementation challenges and successes are discussed. What is Known: • Rapid genome-wide sequencing in the neonatal intensive care setting has a greater diagnostic hit rate and impact on medical management than conventional genetic testing. However, the impact of consultation with genetics and patient ascertainment requires further investigation. What is New: • This study demonstrates the importance of genetic consultation and careful patient selection prior to pursuing exome sequencing (ES). • In total, 15/25 (60%) patients achieved a diagnosis through ES and 18/25 (72%) through ES, multi-gene panel testing or chromosomal microarray analysis with 83% of those having immediate effects on medical management.

The importance of considering monogenic causes of autoimmunity: A somatic mutation in KRAS causing pediatric Rosai-Dorfman syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVES: Clinicians need to be aware of the growing list of defined monogenic etiologies of autoimmune diseases. This is particularly relevant when evaluating children, as these rare monogenic forms of autoimmunity tend to present very early in life. METHODS AND RESULTS: By harnessing the transformative power of next generation sequencing, we made the unifying diagnosis of RAS-associated autoimmune leukoproliferative disease (RALD), caused by the somatic gain-of-function p.G13C KRAS mutation, in a boy with the seemingly unrelated immune dysregulatory conditions of Rosai-Dorfman and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). CONCLUSIONS: This case expands our understanding of the clinical phenotypes associated with the extremely rare condition of RALD, and emphasizes the importance of always considering the possibility of a monogenic cause for autoimmunity, particularly when the disease manifestations begin early in life and do not follow a typical clinical course.

Mutations in FLNC are Associated with Familial Restrictive Cardiomyopathy.

Individuals affected by restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) often develop heart failure at young ages resulting in early heart transplantation. Familial forms are mainly caused by mutations in sarcomere proteins and demonstrate a common genetic etiology with other inherited cardiomyopathies. Using next-generation sequencing, we identified two novel missense variants (p.S1624L; p.I2160F) in filamin-C (FLNC), an actin-cross-linking protein mainly expressed in heart and skeletal muscle, segregating in two families with autosomal-dominant RCM. Affected individuals presented with heart failure due to severe diastolic dysfunction requiring heart transplantation in some cases. Histopathology of heart tissue from patients of both families showed cytoplasmic inclusions suggesting protein aggregates, which were filamin-C specific for the p.S1624L by immunohistochemistry. Cytoplasmic aggregates were also observed in transfected myoblast cell lines expressing this mutant filamin-C indicating further evidence for its pathogenicity. Thus, FLNC is a disease gene for autosomal-dominant RCM and broadens the phenotype spectrum of filaminopathies.

Weaver Syndrome-Associated EZH2 Protein Variants Show Impaired Histone Methyltransferase Function In Vitro.

Weaver syndrome (WS) is a rare congenital disorder characterized by generalized overgrowth, macrocephaly, specific facial features, accelerated bone age, intellectual disability, and susceptibility to cancers. De novo mutations in the enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) have been shown to cause WS. EZH2 is a histone methyltransferase that acts as the catalytic agent of the polycomb-repressive complex 2 (PRC2) to maintain gene repression via methylation of lysine 27 on histone H3 (H3K27). Functional studies investigating histone methyltransferase activity of mutant EZH2 from various cancers have been reported, whereas WS-associated mutations remain poorly characterized. To investigate the role of EZH2 in WS, we performed functional studies using artificially assembled PRC2 complexes containing mutagenized human EZH2 that reflected the codon changes predicted from patients with WS. We found that WS-associated amino acid alterations reduce the histone methyltransferase function of EZH2 in this in vitro assay. Our results support the hypothesis that WS is caused by constitutional mutations in EZH2 that alter the histone methyltransferase function of PRC2. However, histone methyltransferase activities of different EZH2 variants do not appear to correlate directly with the phenotypic variability between WS patients and individuals with a common c.553G>C (p.Asp185His) polymorphism in EZH2.

IRAK-4 deficiency as a cause for familial fatal invasive infection by Streptococcus pneumoniae.

In this Letter to the Editor we report the case of two siblings with fatal pneumococcal meningitis as the initial manifestation of IRAK-4 deficiency caused by previously undescribed mutations in IRAK4. The letter also highlights the importance of invasive pneumococcal infection as a critical 'red flag' warning of the potential for an underlying primary immunodeficiency and identifies some of the challenges in making the clinical diagnosis of IRAK-4 deficiency.

Successful clinical treatment and functional immunological normalization of human MALT1 deficiency following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

MALT1 mutations impair normal NF-κB activation and paracaspase activity to cause a novel combined immunodeficiency. The clinical and immunological phenotype of MALT1 deficiency can be successfully treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation following reduced intensity conditioning.

Pathogenetics of alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of pulmonary veins.

Alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of pulmonary veins (ACDMPV) is a lethal lung developmental disorder caused by heterozygous point mutations or genomic deletion copy-number variants (CNVs) of FOXF1 or its upstream enhancer involving fetal lung-expressed long noncoding RNA genes LINC01081 and LINC01082. Using custom-designed array comparative genomic hybridization, Sanger sequencing, whole exome sequencing (WES), and bioinformatic analyses, we studied 22 new unrelated families (20 postnatal and two prenatal) with clinically diagnosed ACDMPV. We describe novel deletion CNVs at the FOXF1 locus in 13 unrelated ACDMPV patients. Together with the previously reported cases, all 31 genomic deletions in 16q24.1, pathogenic for ACDMPV, for which parental origin was determined, arose de novo with 30 of them occurring on the maternally inherited chromosome 16, strongly implicating genomic imprinting of the FOXF1 locus in human lungs. Surprisingly, we have also identified four ACDMPV families with the pathogenic variants in the FOXF1 locus that arose on paternal chromosome 16. Interestingly, a combination of the severe cardiac defects, including hypoplastic left heart, and single umbilical artery were observed only in children with deletion CNVs involving FOXF1 and its upstream enhancer. Our data demonstrate that genomic imprinting at 16q24.1 plays an important role in variable ACDMPV manifestation likely through long-range regulation of FOXF1 expression, and may be also responsible for key phenotypic features of maternal uniparental disomy 16. Moreover, in one family, WES revealed a de novo missense variant in ESRP1, potentially implicating FGF signaling in the etiology of ACDMPV.

The CARD11-BCL10-MALT1 (CBM) signalosome complex: Stepping into the limelight of human primary immunodeficiency.

Next-generation DNA sequencing has accelerated the genetic characterization of many human primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDs). These discoveries can be lifesaving for the affected patients and also provide a unique opportunity to study the effect of specific genes on human immune function. In the past 18 months, a number of independent groups have begun to define novel PIDs caused by defects in the caspase recruitment domain family, member 11 (CARD11)-B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia/lymphoma 10 (BCL10)-mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma translocation gene 1 (MALT1 [CBM]) signalosome complex. The CBM complex forms an essential molecular link between the triggering of cell-surface antigen receptors and nuclear factor κB activation. Germline mutations affecting the CBM complex are now recognized as the cause of novel combined immunodeficiency phenotypes, which all share abnormal nuclear factor κB activation and dysregulated B-cell development as defining features. For this "Current perspectives" article, we have engaged experts in both basic biology and clinical immunology to capture the worldwide experience in recognizing and managing patients with PIDs caused by CBM complex mutations.

Somatic mosaicism for the p.His1047Arg mutation in PIK3CA in a girl with mesenteric lipomatosis.

We describe a patient who presented with a localized growth of mature fat tissue, which was surgically removed. MRI imaging identified diffuse increase in visceral adipose tissue. Targeted deep sequencing of the resected tissue uncovered a p.H1047R variant in PIK3CA, which was absent in blood. This report expands the phenotypic spectrum of mosaic PIK3CA mutations.

Human JAK1 gain of function causes dysregulated myelopoeisis and severe allergic inflammation.

Primary atopic disorders are a group of inborn errors of immunity that skew the immune system toward severe allergic disease. Defining the biology underlying these extreme monogenic phenotypes reveals shared mechanisms underlying common polygenic allergic disease and identifies potential drug targets. Germline gain-of-function (GOF) variants in JAK1 are a cause of severe atopy and eosinophilia. Modeling the JAK1GOF (p.A634D) variant in both zebrafish and human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) revealed enhanced myelopoiesis. RNA-Seq of JAK1GOF human whole blood, iPSCs, and transgenic zebrafish revealed a shared core set of dysregulated genes involved in IL-4, IL-13, and IFN signaling. Immunophenotypic and transcriptomic analysis of patients carrying a JAK1GOF variant revealed marked Th cell skewing. Moreover, long-term ruxolitinib treatment of 2 children carrying the JAK1GOF (p.A634D) variant remarkably improved their growth, eosinophilia, and clinical features of allergic inflammation. This work highlights the role of JAK1 signaling in atopic immune dysregulation and the clinical impact of JAK1/2 inhibition in treating eosinophilic and allergic disease.

A case of splenomegaly in CBL syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: We present a child with unexplained splenomegaly to highlight this feature as a presenting sign of the RASopathy CBL syndrome and to draw attention to the power and utility of next generation genomic sequencing for providing rapid diagnosis and critical information to guide care in the pediatric clinical setting. CLINICAL REPORT: A 7-year-old boy presented with unexplained splenomegaly, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, mild learning difficulties, easy bruising, mild thrombocytopenia, and subtle dysmorphic features. Extensive haematological testing including a bone marrow biopsy showed mild megaloblastoid erythropoiesis and borderline fibrosis. There were no haematological cytogenetic anomalies or other haematological pathology to explain the splenomegaly. Metabolic testing and chromosomal microarray were unremarkable. Trio whole-exome sequencing (WES) identified a pathogenic de novo heterozygous germline CBL variant (c.1111T > C, p.Y371H), previously reported to cause CBL syndrome and implicated in development of juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML). DISCUSSION: CBL syndrome (more formally known as "Noonan-syndrome-like disorder with or without juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia") has overlapping features to Noonan syndrome with significant variability. CBL syndrome and other RASopathy disorders-including Noonan syndrome, neurofibromatosis 1, and Costello syndrome-are important to recognize as these are associated with a cancer-predisposition. CBL syndrome carries a very high risk for JMML, thus accurate diagnosis is of utmost importance. The diagnosis of CBL syndrome in this patient would not have been possible based on clinical features alone. Through WES, a specific genetic diagnosis was made, allowing for an optimized management and surveillance plan, illustrating the power of genomics in clinical practice.

Epistatic interactions between modifier genes confer strain-specific redundancy for Tgfb1 in developmental angiogenesis.

Tgfbm1 (chromosome 5, P = 8 x 10(-5)) and Tgfbm3 (chromosome 12, P = 6 x 10(-11)) were identified as loci that modify developmental angiogenesis of Tgfb1 -/- mice. Congenic mice validated these loci and demonstrated epistatic interaction between them. The novel locus, Tgfbm3, encompasses approximately 22 genes, colocalizes with both tumor susceptibility and atherosclerosis susceptibility loci, and is enriched in genes regulating cell growth and morphogenesis. The use of gene knockout and/or transgenic mice that predispose to a complex trait, such as vascular development/angiogenesis, facilitates the identification of modifiers by simplifying genetic analysis. Identification of genes that modify response to lack of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFbeta1) will enhance the understanding of TGFbeta1 action in vivo and may help predict which patients would respond well to anti-TGFbeta therapy. Identification of angiogenesis-modifying genes may provide new targets for angiogenesis therapies and analysis of polymorphisms therein may contribute to assessment of risk for diseases involving angiogenesis.

Genetic modifiers interact with maternal determinants in vascular development of Tgfb1(-/-) mice.

The transforming growth factor beta signaling family is a key player in genetic and multifactorial diseases, including hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), cancer, atherosclerosis and immunomodulation. HHT types 1 and 2 are caused by loss of function mutations in ENG and ACVRL1; polymorphisms in TBRI and TGFB1 are also associated with altered risks for cancer and cardiovascular diseases. There is therefore much interest in identifying factors that influence transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFbeta1) action in vivo. Here we identify a potent modifier locus, Tgfbkm2(129) (LOD=10.5, chromosome 1), that contributes over 90% of the genetic component determining survival to birth of Tgfb1(-/-) embryos in crosses between C57 and 129 mice, plus a suggestive modifier locus on chromosome 17 (LOD=3.7). Tgfb1(-/-) survival to birth (STB), in addition to dependence on embryonic Tgfbkm2 genotype, also depends on maternal effects. Fetal genotype and maternal factors interact to prevent Tgfb1(-/-) embryonic death due to defective yolk sac angiogenesis. C57 or C57/129.F1 mothers support high Tgfb1(-/-) STB rates, whereas 129 mothers do not. Strain differences in circulating maternal TGFbeta1 levels were excluded as the cause of this directional complementation. However, strong genetic support is provided for the involvement of maternal STB alleles of mitochondrial or imprinted genes that are only expressed when passed through the female lineage. Molecular identification of the functional gene(s) encoding Tgfbkm2 and its interacting maternal factors will be central to an understanding of the mode of action of TGFbeta1 in cardiovascular development.