Identification of a de novo microdeletion 1q44 in a patient with hypogenesis of the corpus callosum, seizures and microcephaly - A case report

Tetralogy of Fallot: variants of MYH6 gene promoter and cellular functional analyses

BACKGROUND

Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is a common form of congenital heart disease. The MYH6 gene has important effects on cardiovascular growth and development.

METHODS

In 608 subjects, including 315 TOF patients, we investigated the MYH6 gene promoter variants and verified the effect on gene expression by using cellular functional experiments with three cell lines (HEK-293, HL-1, and H9C2 cells) and bioinformatics analysis.

RESULTS

In the MYH6 gene promoter, 12 variants were identified from 608 subjects. Five variants were found only in patients with TOF and two of them (g.3384G>T and g.4518T>C) were novel. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay with three cell lines (HEK-293, HL-1, and H9C2) showed significant changes in the transcription factors bound by the promoter variants compared to the wild-type. Dual luciferase reporter showed that four of the five variants reduced the transcriptional activity of the MYH6 gene promoter (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study is the first to test the cellular function of variants in the promoter region of the MYH6 gene in patients with TOF, which provides new insights into the genetic basis of TOF and provides a basis for further study of the mechanism of TOF formation.

IMPACT

DNA from 608 human subjects was sequenced for MYH6 gene promoter region variants with five variants found only in TOF patients and two were novel. EMSA and dual luciferase reporter experiments in three cell lines found these variants pathological. Prediction by JASPAR database indicated that these variants alter the transcription factor binding sites. The study, for the first time, confirmed that there are variants at the MYH6 gene promoter region and these variants alter the cellular function. The variants found in this study suggest the possible pathological role in the formation of TOF.

A de novo PAK1 likely pathogenic variant and a de novo terminal 1q microdeletion in a Chinese girl with global developmental delay, severe intellectual disability, and seizures

BACKGROUND

Pathogenic PAK1 variants were described to be causative of neurodevelopmental disorder with macrocephaly, seizures, and speech delay. Herein, we present a de novo PAK1 variant combine with a de novo terminal 1q microdeletion in a Chinese pediatric patient, aiming to provide more insights into the underlying genotype-phenotype relationship.

METHODS

Enrolled in this study was a 6-year-old girl with clinical features of global developmental delay, severe intellectual disability, speech delay, and seizures from Quanzhou region of China. Karyotype and chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) were performed to detect chromosome abnormalities in this family. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed to investigate additional genetic variants in this family.

RESULTS

No chromosomal abnormalities were elicited from the entire family by karyotype analysis. Further familial CMA results revealed that the patient had a de novo 2.7-Mb microdeletion (arr[GRCh37] 1q44(246,454,321_249,224,684) × 1]) in 1q44 region, which contains 14 OMIM genes, but did not overlap the reported smallest region of overlap (SRO) responsible for the clinical features in 1q43q44 deletion syndrome. In addition, WES result demonstrated a de novo NM_002576: c.251C > G (p.T84R) variant in PAK1 gene in the patient, which was interpreted as a likely pathogenic variant.

CONCLUSION

In this study, we identify a novel PAK1 variant associated with a terminal 1q microdeletion in a patient with neurodevelopmental disorder. In addition, we believe that the main clinical features may ascribe to the pathogenic variant in PAK1 gene in the patient.

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein U-actin complex derived from extracellular vesicles facilitates proliferation and migration of human coronary artery endothelial cells by promoting RNA polymerase II transcription

Coronary artery disease (CAD) represents a fatal public threat. The involvement of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in CAD has been documented. This study explored the regulation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs)-derived EVs-hnRNPU-actin complex in human coronary artery endothelial cell (HCAEC) growth. Firstly, in vitro HCAEC hypoxia models were established. EVs were extracted from ESCs by ultracentrifugation. HCAECs were treated with EVs and si-VEGF for 24 h under hypoxia, followed by assessment of cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and tube formation. Uptake of EVs by HCAECs was testified. Additionally, hnRNPU, VEGF, and RNA Pol II levels were determined using Western blotting and CHIP assays. Interaction between hnRNPU and actin was evaluated by Co-immunoprecipitation assay. HCAEC viability and proliferation were lowered, apoptosis was enhanced, wound fusion was decreased, and the number of tubular capillary structures was reduced under hypoxia, whereas ESC-EVs treatment counteracted these effects. Moreover, EVs transferred hnRNPU into HCAECs. EVs-hnRNPU-actin complex increased RNA Pol II level on the VEGF gene promoter and promoted VEGF expression in HCAECs. Inhibition of hnRNPU or VEGF both annulled the promotion of EVs on HCAEC growth. Collectively, ESC-EVs-hnRNPU-actin increased RNA Pol II phosphorylation and VEGF expression, thus promoting HCAEC growth.

Case Report: Identification of a de novo Microdeletion 1q44 in a Patient With Seizures and Developmental Delay

Objective: 1q44 microdeletion syndrome is difficult to diagnose due to the wide phenotypic spectrum and strong genetic heterogeneity. We explore the correlation between the chromosome microdeletions and phenotype in a child with 1q44 microdeletion syndrome, we collected the clinical features of the patient and combined them with adjacent copy number variation (CNV) regions previously reported.

Methods: We collected the full medical history of the patient and summarized her clinical symptoms. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) and CapCNV analysis were performed with DNA extracted from both the patient's and her parents' peripheral blood samples. Fluorescent quantitative PCR (q-PCR) was performed for the use of verification to the CNV regions.

Results: A 28.7 KB microdeletion was detected in the 1q44 region by whole-exome sequencing and low-depth whole-genome sequencing. The deleted region included the genes COX20 and HNRNPU. As verification, karyotype analysis showed no abnormality, and the results of qPCR were consistent with that of whole-exome sequencing and CapCNV analysis.

Conclusion: The patient was diagnosed with 1q44 microdeletion syndrome with clinical and genetic analysis. Analyzing both whole-exome sequencing and CapCNV analysis can not only improve the diagnostic rate of clinically suspected syndromes that present with intellectual disability (ID) and multiple malformations but also support further study of the correlation between CNVs and clinical phenotypes. This study lays the foundation for the further study of the pathogenesis of complex diseases.

A New Case with Corpus Callosum Abnormalities, Microcephaly and Seizures Associated with a 2.3-Mb 1q43-q44 Deletion

1q44 deletion is a rare syndrome associated with facial dysmorphism and developmental delay, in particular related with expressive speech, seizures, and hypotonia (ORPHA:238769). Until today, the distinct genetic causes for the different symptoms remain not entirely clear. We present a patient with a 2.3-Mb 1q44 deletion, including AKT3, ZBTB18, and HNRNPU, who shows microcephaly, developmental delay, abnormal corpus callosum, and seizures. The genetic findings in this case and a review of the literature spotlight a region between 243 Mb and 245 Mb on chromosome 1q related to the genesis of the typical symptoms of 1q44 deletion.

Rare Copy Number Variations and Predictors in Children With Intellectual Disability and Epilepsy

Introduction: The concurrence of intellectual disability/global developmental delay and epilepsy (ID/GDD-EP) is very common in the pediatric population. The etiologies for both conditions are complex and largely unknown. The predictors of significant copy number variations (CNVs) are known for the cases with ID/GDD, but unknown for those with exclusive ID/GDD-EP. Importantly, the known predictors are largely from the same ethnic group; hence, they lack replication.

Purpose: We aimed to determine and investigate the diagnostic yield of CNV tests, new causative CNVs, and the independent predictors of significant CNVs in Chinese children with unexplained ID/GDD-EP.

Materials and methods: A total of 100 pediatric patients with unexplained ID/GDD-EP and 1,000 healthy controls were recruited. The American College of Medical Genetics guideline was used to classify the CNVs. Additionally, clinical information was collected and compared between those with significant and non-significant CNVs.

Results: Twenty-eight percent of the patients had significant CNVs, 16% had variants of unknown significance, and 56% had non-significant CNVs. In total, 31 CNVs were identified in 28% (28/100) of cases: 25 pathogenic and 6 likely pathogenic. Eighteen known syndromes were diagnosed in 17 cases. Thirteen rare CNVs (8 novel and 5 reported in literature) were identified, of which three spanned dosage-sensitive genes: 19q13.2 deletion (ATP1A3), Xp11.4-p11.3 deletion (CASK), and 6q25.3-q25.3 deletion (ARID1B). By comparing clinical features in patients with significant CNVs against those with non-significant CNVs, a statistically significant association was found between the presence of significant CNVs and speech and language delay for those aged above 2 years and for those with facial malformations, microcephaly, congenital heart disease, fair skin, eye malformations, and mega cisterna magna. Multivariate logistic regression analysis allowed the identification of two independent significant CNV predictors, which are eye malformations and facial malformations.

Conclusion: Our study supports the performance of CNV tests in pediatric patients with unexplained ID/GDD-EP, as there is high diagnostic yield, which informs genetic counseling. It adds 13 rare CNVs (8 novel), which can be accountable for both conditions. Moreover, congenital eye and facial malformations are clinical markers that can aid clinicians to understand which patients can benefit from the CNV testing and which will not, thus helping patients to avoid unnecessary and expensive tests.

Cytogenomic characterization of 1q43q44 deletion associated with 4q32.1q35.2 duplication and phenotype correlation

Background

Microdeletion of 1q43q44 causes a syndrome characterized by intellectual disability (ID), speech delay, seizures, microcephaly (MIC), corpus callosum abnormalities (CCA) and characteristic facial features. Duplication of 4q is presented with minor to severe ID, MIC and facial dysmorphism. We aimed to verify the correlation between genotype/phenotype in a patient with 1q43q44 deletion associated with 4q32.1q35.2 duplication.

Case presentation

We report on a 3 year-old female patient with delayed motor and mental milestones, MIC and facial dysmorphism. She is a child of non-consanguineous parents and no similarly affected family members. CT brain showed abnormal gyral patterns, hypogenesis of corpus callosum and bilateral deep Sylvian fissure. Electroencephalogram showed frontotemporal epileptogenic focus. Her karyotype was revealed as 46,XX,add(1)(q44). Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using whole chromosome paint (WCP1) and subtelomere 1q revealed that the add segment was not derived from chromosome 1 and there was the deletion of subtelomere 1q. Multiple ligation probe amplification (MLPA) subtelomere kit revealed the deletion of 1q and duplication of 4q. Array CGH demonstrated the 6.5 Mb deletion of 1q and 31 Mb duplication of chromosome 4q.

Conclusion

The phenotype of our patient mainly reflects the effects of haploinsufficiency of AKT3, HNRNPU, ZBTB18 genes associated with duplication of GLRA3, GMP6A, HAND2 genes. Patients presented with ID, seizures, MIC together with CCA are candidates for prediction of 1q43q44 microdeletion and cytogenomic analysis.

A Case With 4 de Novo Copy Number Variations With Clinical Features That Overlap 1q43q44 Microdeletion and 3q29 Microduplication Syndromes

1q43q44 microdeletion syndrome is characterized by intellectual disability/global developmental delay, epilepsy, dysmorphic facies, stereotypic movement, language delay, recurrent infections, dental anomalies, and hand and foot anomalies. Microcephaly and corpus callosum dysplasia are present in some cases depending on gene content. 3q29 microduplication syndrome is characterized by intellectual disability, language delay, microcephaly, and dental anomalies. We report the first case with 4 de novo copy number variations with clinical features which overlap 1q43q44 microdeletion and 3q29 microduplication syndromes. Our case presented with global developmental delay, epilepsy, recurrent infections, stereotypic movements, speech delay, microcephaly, facial dysmorphism, bilateral clinodactyly, and small puffy feet with metatarsus varus; however, she had no corpus callosum dysplasia. Our case highlights the role of multiple copy number variations in the occurrence of a certain phenotype. Moreover, it supports the theory that the loss of HNRNPU gene function cannot explain the occurrence of microcephaly and abnormalities of the corpus callosum in 1q43q44 microdeletion syndrome.