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Coppola A, Krithika S, Iacomino M, Bobbili D, Balestrini S, Bagnasco I, Bilo L, Buti D, Casellato S, Cuccurullo C, Ferlazzo E, Leu C, Giordano L, Gobbi G, Hernandez-Hernandez L, Lench N, Martins H, Meletti S, Messana T, Nigro V, Pinelli M, Pippucci T, Bellampalli R, Salis B, Sofia V, Striano P, Striano S, Tassi L, Vignoli A, Vaudano AE, Viri M, Scheffer IE, May P, Zara F, Sisodiya SM. Dissecting genetics of spectrum of epilepsies with eyelid myoclonia by exome sequencing. Epilepsia 2024; 65:779-791. [PMID: 38088023 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Epilepsy with eyelid myoclonia (EEM) spectrum is a generalized form of epilepsy characterized by eyelid myoclonia with or without absences, eye closure-induced seizures with electroencephalographic paroxysms, and photosensitivity. Based on the specific clinical features, age at onset, and familial occurrence, a genetic cause has been postulated. Pathogenic variants in CHD2, SYNGAP1, NEXMIF, RORB, and GABRA1 have been reported in individuals with photosensitivity and eyelid myoclonia, but whether other genes are also involved, or a single gene is uniquely linked with EEM, or its subtypes, is not yet known. We aimed to dissect the genetic etiology of EEM. METHODS We studied a cohort of 105 individuals by using whole exome sequencing. Individuals were divided into two groups: EEM- (isolated EEM) and EEM+ (EEM accompanied by intellectual disability [ID] or any other neurodevelopmental/psychiatric disorder). RESULTS We identified nine variants classified as pathogenic/likely pathogenic in the entire cohort (8.57%); among these, eight (five in CHD2, one in NEXMIF, one in SYNGAP1, and one in TRIM8) were found in the EEM+ subcohort (28.57%). Only one variant (IFIH1) was found in the EEM- subcohort (1.29%); however, because the phenotype of the proband did not fit with published data, additional evidence is needed before considering IFIH1 variants and EEM- an established association. Burden analysis did not identify any single burdened gene or gene set. SIGNIFICANCE Our results suggest that for EEM, as for many other epilepsies, the identification of a genetic cause is more likely with comorbid ID and/or other neurodevelopmental disorders. Pathogenic variants were mostly found in CHD2, and the association of CHD2 with EEM+ can now be considered a reasonable gene-disease association. We provide further evidence to strengthen the association of EEM+ with NEXMIF and SYNGAP1. Possible new associations between EEM+ and TRIM8, and EEM- and IFIH1, are also reported. Although we provide robust evidence for gene variants associated with EEM+, the core genetic etiology of EEM- remains to be elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonietta Coppola
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | - S Krithika
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
- Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Chalfont St Peter, UK
- School of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
| | - Michele Iacomino
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | - Dheeraj Bobbili
- Bioinformatics Core, Luxembourg Center for Systems Biomedicine, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Simona Balestrini
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
- Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Chalfont St Peter, UK
- Neuroscience Department, Meyer Children's Hospital-University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Irene Bagnasco
- Division of Child Neuropsychiatry, Martini Hospital, Turin, Italy
| | - Leonilda Bilo
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | - Daniela Buti
- Pediatric Neurology Unit and Laboratories, Meyer Children's Hospital-University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Susanna Casellato
- Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry, University Hospital of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Claudia Cuccurullo
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | - Edoardo Ferlazzo
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, Regional Epilepsy Center, Great Metropolitan Hospital, Bianchi-Melacrino Morelli, Reggio Calabria, Italy
| | - Costin Leu
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
- Genomic Medicine Institute, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- Stanley Center of Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute of Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lucio Giordano
- Unit of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Gobbi
- Child Neurology Unit, IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche, Bologna, Italy
| | - Laura Hernandez-Hernandez
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
- Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Chalfont St Peter, UK
| | - Nick Lench
- MRC Nucleic Acid Therapy Accelerator, Research Complex at Harwell, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell, UK
| | - Helena Martins
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
- Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Chalfont St Peter, UK
| | - Stefano Meletti
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic, and Neural Science, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Neurology Unit, OCB Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria di Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Tullio Messana
- IRCCS Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, UOC Neuropsichiatria Infantile, Bologna, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Nigro
- Telethon Institute of Genetics and Medicine, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Tommaso Pippucci
- Computational Genomics Unit, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Ravishankara Bellampalli
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
- Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Chalfont St Peter, UK
| | - Barbara Salis
- Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | - Vito Sofia
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia," Section of Neurosciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Pasquale Striano
- Pediatric Neurology and Muscular Diseases Unit, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Salvatore Striano
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, Federico II University, Naples, Italy
| | - Laura Tassi
- "Claudio Munari" Epilepsy Surgery Center, Niguarda Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Aglaia Vignoli
- Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Anna Elisabetta Vaudano
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic, and Neural Science, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Neurology Unit, OCB Hospital, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria di Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Maurizio Viri
- Department of Child Neurology and Psychiatry, AOU Maggiore della Carità Novara, Novara, Italy
| | - Ingrid E Scheffer
- Department of Medicine, Austin Health, Epilepsy Research Center, University of Melbourne, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute and Department of Paediatrics, Royal Children's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Patrick May
- Bioinformatics Core, Luxembourg Center for Systems Biomedicine, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Federico Zara
- Unit of Medical Genetics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Sanjay M Sisodiya
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
- Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Chalfont St Peter, UK
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Oliver KL, Scheffer IE, Bennett MF, Grinton BE, Bahlo M, Berkovic SF. Genes4Epilepsy: An epilepsy gene resource. Epilepsia 2023; 64:1368-1375. [PMID: 36808730 PMCID: PMC10952165 DOI: 10.1111/epi.17547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE "How many epilepsy genes are there?" is a frequently asked question. We sought to (1) provide a curated list of genes that cause monogenic epilepsies, and (2) compare and contrast epilepsy gene panels from multiple sources. METHODS We compared genes included on the epilepsy panels (as of July 29, 2022) of four clinical diagnostic providers: Invitae, GeneDx, Fulgent Genetics, and Blueprint Genetics; and two research resources: PanelApp Australia and ClinGen. A master list of all unique genes was supplemented by additional genes identified via PubMed searches up until August 15, 2022, using the search terms "genetics" AND/OR "epilepsy" AND/OR "seizures". Evidence supporting a monogenic role for all genes was manually reviewed; those with limited or disputed evidence were excluded. All genes were annotated according to inheritance pattern and broad epilepsy phenotype. RESULTS The comparison of genes included on epilepsy clinical panels revealed high heterogeneity in both number of genes (range: 144-511) and content. Just 111 genes (15.5%) were included on all four clinical panels. Subsequent manual curation of all "epilepsy genes" identified >900 monogenic etiologies. Almost 90% of genes were associated with developmental and epileptic encephalopathies. By comparison only 5% of genes were associated with monogenic causes of "common epilepsies" (i.e., generalized and focal epilepsy syndromes). Autosomal recessive genes were most frequent (56% of genes); however, this varied according to the associated epilepsy phenotype(s). Genes associated with common epilepsy syndromes were more likely to be dominantly inherited and associated with multiple epilepsy types. SIGNIFICANCE Our curated list of monogenic epilepsy genes is publicly available: github.com/bahlolab/genes4epilepsy and will be regularly updated. This gene resource can be utilized to target genes beyond those included on clinical gene panels, for gene enrichment methods and candidate gene prioritization. We invite ongoing feedback and contributions from the scientific community via genes4-epilepsy@unimelb.edu.au.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen L. Oliver
- Department of Medicine, Epilepsy Research CentreUniversity of Melbourne, Austin HealthMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Population Health and Immunity DivisionThe Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Medical BiologyThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Ingrid E. Scheffer
- Department of Medicine, Epilepsy Research CentreUniversity of Melbourne, Austin HealthMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthHeidelbergVictoriaAustralia
- Department of PaediatricsUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Murdoch Children's Research InstituteParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Mark F. Bennett
- Department of Medicine, Epilepsy Research CentreUniversity of Melbourne, Austin HealthMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Population Health and Immunity DivisionThe Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Medical BiologyThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Bronwyn E. Grinton
- Department of Medicine, Epilepsy Research CentreUniversity of Melbourne, Austin HealthMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Melanie Bahlo
- Population Health and Immunity DivisionThe Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Medical BiologyThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Samuel F. Berkovic
- Department of Medicine, Epilepsy Research CentreUniversity of Melbourne, Austin HealthMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
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