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Butz H, Nyírő G, Kurucz PA, Likó I, Patócs A. Molecular genetic diagnostics of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism: from panel design towards result interpretation in clinical practice. Hum Genet 2020; 140:113-134. [PMID: 32222824 PMCID: PMC7864839 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-020-02148-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (CHH) is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous congenital disease. Symptoms cover a wide spectrum from mild forms to complex phenotypes due to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) deficiency. To date, more than 40 genes have been identified as pathogenic cause of CHH. These genes could be grouped into two major categories: genes controlling development and GnRH neuron migration and genes being responsible for neuroendocrine regulation and GnRH neuron function. High-throughput, next-generation sequencing (NGS) allows to analyze numerous gene sequences at the same time. Nowadays, whole exome or whole genome datasets could be investigated in clinical genetic diagnostics due to their favorable cost-benefit. The increasing genetic data generated by NGS reveal novel candidate genes and gene variants with unknown significance (VUSs). To provide clinically valuable genetic results, complex clinical and bioinformatics work are needed. The multifaceted genetics of CHH, the variable mode of inheritance, the incomplete penetrance, variable expressivity and oligogenic characteristics further complicate the interpretation of the genetic variants detected. The objective of this work, apart from reviewing the currently known genes associated with CHH, was to summarize the advantages and disadvantages of the NGS-based platforms and through the authors' own practice to guide through the whole workflow starting from gene panel design, performance analysis and result interpretation. Based on our results, a genetic diagnosis was clearly identified in 21% of cases tested (8/38).
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Affiliation(s)
- Henriett Butz
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4, Budapest, 1089, Hungary.,Hereditary Tumours Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Nyírő
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4, Budapest, 1089, Hungary.,Molecular Medicine Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.,2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Petra Anna Kurucz
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4, Budapest, 1089, Hungary
| | - István Likó
- Hereditary Tumours Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Attila Patócs
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Semmelweis University, Nagyvárad tér 4, Budapest, 1089, Hungary. .,Hereditary Tumours Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary. .,Department of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary.
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