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Dinneen TJ, Ní Ghrálaigh F, Ormond C, Heron EA, Kirov G, Lopez LM, Gallagher L. Polygenic scores stratify neurodevelopmental copy number variant carrier cognitive outcomes in the UK Biobank. NPJ Genom Med 2024; 9:43. [PMID: 39341812 PMCID: PMC11438881 DOI: 10.1038/s41525-024-00426-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 09/04/2024] [Indexed: 10/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Rare copy-number variants associated with neurodevelopmental conditions (ND-CNVs) exhibit variable expressivity of clinical, physical, behavioural outcomes. Findings from clinically ascertained cohorts suggest this variability may be partly due to additional genetic variation. Here, we assessed the impact of polygenic scores (PGS) and rare variants on ND-CNV carrier fluid intelligence (FI) scores in the UK Biobank. Greater PGS for cognition (PSCog) and educational attainment (PSEA) is associated with increased FI scores in all ND-CNVs (n = 1317), 15q11.2 del. (n = 543), and 16p13.11 dup. carriers (n = 275). No association of rare variants associated with intellectual disability, autism, or putatively loss-of-function, brain-expressed genes was found. Positive predictive values in the first deciles of PScog and PSEA showed a two- to five-fold increase in the rate of low FI scores compared to baseline rates. These findings demonstrate that PGS can stratify ND-CNV carrier cognitive outcomes in a population-based cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Dinneen
- Trinity College Dublin, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James' Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland.
- The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St., Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada.
| | - Fiana Ní Ghrálaigh
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co, Kildare, Ireland
| | - Cathal Ormond
- Trinity College Dublin, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James' Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - Elizabeth A Heron
- Trinity College Dublin, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James' Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland
| | - George Kirov
- MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Institute of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Lorna M Lopez
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Co, Kildare, Ireland
| | - Louise Gallagher
- Trinity College Dublin, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St. James' Hospital, Dublin 8, Ireland
- The Peter Gilgan Centre for Research and Learning, The Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay St., Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 80 Workman Way, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A1, Canada
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2
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Almansoori S, Alsters SI, Yiorkas AM, Nor Hashim NA, Walters RG, Chahal HS, Purkayastha S, Lessan N, Blakemore AIF. Oligogenic inheritance in severe adult obesity. Int J Obes (Lond) 2024; 48:815-820. [PMID: 38297031 PMCID: PMC11129943 DOI: 10.1038/s41366-024-01476-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE The genetic architecture of extreme non-syndromic obesity in adults remains to be elucidated. A range of genes are known to cause monogenic obesity, but even when pathogenic mutations are present, there may be variable penetrance. METHODS Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was carried out on a 15-year-old male proband of Pakistani ancestry who had severe obesity. This was followed by family segregation analysis, using Sanger sequencing. We also undertook re-analysis of WES data from 91 unrelated adults with severe obesity (86% white European ancestry) from the Personalised Medicine for Morbid Obesity (PMMO) cohort, recruited from the UK National Health Service. RESULTS We identified an oligogenic mode of inheritance of obesity in the proband's family-this provided the impetus to reanalyze existing sequence data in a separate dataset. Analysis of PMMO participant data revealed two further patients who carried more than one rare, predicted-deleterious mutation in a known monogenic obesity gene. In all three cases, the genes involved had known autosomal dominant inheritance, with incomplete penetrance. CONCLUSION Oligogenic inheritance may explain some of the variable penetrance in Mendelian forms of obesity. We caution clinicians and researchers to avoid confining sequence analysis to individual genes and, in particular, not to stop looking when the first potentially-causative mutation is found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumaya Almansoori
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, UK.
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, London, UK.
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
- Genome Center, Department of Forensic Science and Criminology, Dubai Police GHQ, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Suzanne I Alsters
- South West Thames Regional Genetics Service, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Andrianos M Yiorkas
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, London, UK
| | - Nikman Adli Nor Hashim
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
- Centre for Drug Research in Systems Biology, Structural Bioinformatics and Human Digital Imaging (CRYSTAL), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, 50603, Malaysia
| | - Robin G Walters
- Nuffield Department of Population Health, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- MRC Population Health Research Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Harvinder S Chahal
- Imperial Weight Centre, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, St Mary's Hospital, Praed Street, London, W2 1NY, UK
- Section of Investigative Medicine, Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Hammersmith Hospital, 6th Floor Commonwealth Building, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | | | - Nader Lessan
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Imperial College London Diabetes Centre Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Alexandra I F Blakemore
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Brunel University London, London, UK
- College of Medicine, Nursing, and Health Science, University of Galway, Galway, Republic of Ireland
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3
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Mim RA, Soorajkumar A, Kosaji N, Rahman MM, Sarker S, Karuvantevida N, Eshaque TB, Rahaman MA, Islam A, Chowdhury MSJ, Shams N, Uddin KMF, Akter H, Uddin M. Expanding deep phenotypic spectrum associated with atypical pathogenic structural variations overlapping 15q11-q13 imprinting region. Brain Behav 2024; 14:e3437. [PMID: 38616334 PMCID: PMC11016631 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The 15q11-q13 region is a genetic locus with genes subject to genomic imprinting, significantly influencing neurodevelopment. Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic phenomenon that causes differential gene expression based on the parent of origin. In most diploid organisms, gene expression typically involves an equal contribution from both maternal and paternal alleles, shaping the phenotype. Nevertheless, in mammals, including humans, mice, and marsupials, the functional equivalence of parental alleles is not universally maintained. Notably, during male and female gametogenesis, parental alleles may undergo differential marking or imprinting, thereby modifying gene expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence. Neurodevelopmental disorders, such as Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) (resulting from the absence of paternally expressed genes in this region), Angelman syndrome (AS) (associated with the absence of the maternally expressed UBE3A gene), and 15q11-q13 duplication syndrome (resulting from the two common forms of duplications-either an extra isodicentric 15 chromosome or an interstitial 15 duplication), are the outcomes of genetic variations in this imprinting region. METHODS Conducted a genomic study to identify the frequency of pathogenic variants impacting the 15q11-q13 region in an ethnically homogenous population from Bangladesh. Screened all known disorders from the DECIPHER database and identified variant enrichment within this cohort. Using the Horizon analysis platform, performed enrichment analysis, requiring at least >60% overlap between a copy number variation and a disorder breakpoint. Deep clinical phenotyping was carried out through multiple examination sessions to evaluate a range of clinical symptoms. RESULTS This study included eight individuals with clinically suspected PWS/AS, all previously confirmed through chromosomal microarray analysis, which revealed chromosomal breakpoints within the 15q11-q13 region. Among this cohort, six cases (75%) exhibited variable lengths of deletions, whereas two cases (25%) showed duplications. These included one type 2 duplication, one larger atypical duplication, one shorter type 2 deletion, one larger type 1 deletion, and four cases with atypical deletions. Furthermore, thorough clinical assessments led to the diagnosis of four PWS patients, two AS patients, and two individuals with 15q11-q13 duplication syndrome. CONCLUSION Our deep phenotypic observations identified a spectrum of clinical features that overlap and are unique to PWS, AS, and Dup15q syndromes. Our findings establish genotype-phenotype correlation for patients impacted by variable structural variations within the 15q11-q13 region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rabeya Akter Mim
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre (GGMC)NeuroGen HealthcareDhakaBangladesh
| | - Anjana Soorajkumar
- Center for Applied and Translational Genomics (CATG)Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai HealthDubaiUAE
| | - Noor Kosaji
- Center for Applied and Translational Genomics (CATG)Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai HealthDubaiUAE
| | - Muhammad Mizanur Rahman
- Department of Paediatric NeurologyBangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical UniversityDhakaBangladesh
| | - Shaoli Sarker
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre (GGMC)NeuroGen HealthcareDhakaBangladesh
- Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and InstituteDhakaBangladesh
| | - Noushad Karuvantevida
- Center for Applied and Translational Genomics (CATG)Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai HealthDubaiUAE
| | | | - Md Atikur Rahaman
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre (GGMC)NeuroGen HealthcareDhakaBangladesh
| | - Amirul Islam
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre (GGMC)NeuroGen HealthcareDhakaBangladesh
- GenomeArc Inc.MississaugaOntarioCanada
| | - Mohammod Shah Jahan Chowdhury
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre (GGMC)NeuroGen HealthcareDhakaBangladesh
- Ministry of Health and Family WelfareDhakaBangladesh
| | - Nusrat Shams
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre (GGMC)NeuroGen HealthcareDhakaBangladesh
- National Institute of Neuroscience and HospitalDhakaBangladesh
| | - K. M. Furkan Uddin
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre (GGMC)NeuroGen HealthcareDhakaBangladesh
| | - Hosneara Akter
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre (GGMC)NeuroGen HealthcareDhakaBangladesh
| | - Mohammed Uddin
- Center for Applied and Translational Genomics (CATG)Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai HealthDubaiUAE
- GenomeArc Inc.MississaugaOntarioCanada
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4
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Sarker S, Eshaque TB, Soorajkumar A, Nassir N, Zehra B, Kanta SI, Rahaman MA, Islam A, Akter S, Ali MK, Mim RA, Uddin KMF, Chowdhury MSJ, Shams N, Baqui MA, Lim ET, Akter H, Woodbury-Smith M, Uddin M. Mutational spectrum and phenotypic variability of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and related disorders in a Bangladeshi population. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21547. [PMID: 38057384 PMCID: PMC10700514 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48982-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe rare neuromuscular disorder caused by mutations in the X-linked dystrophin gene. Several mutations have been identified, yet the full mutational spectrum, and their phenotypic consequences, will require genotyping across different populations. To this end, we undertook the first detailed genotype and phenotype characterization of DMD in the Bangladeshi population. We investigated the rare mutational and phenotypic spectrum of the DMD gene in 36 DMD-suspected Bangladeshi participants using an economically affordable diagnostic strategy involving initial screening for exonic deletions in the DMD gene via multiplex PCR, followed by testing PCR-negative patients for mutations using whole exome sequencing. The deletion mapping identified two critical DMD gene hotspot regions (near proximal and distal ends, spanning exons 8-17 and exons 45-53, respectively) that comprised 95% (21/22) of the deletions for this population cohort. From our exome analysis, we detected two novel pathogenic hemizygous mutations in exons 21 and 42 of the DMD gene, and novel pathogenic recessive and loss of function variants in four additional genes: SGCD, DYSF, COL6A3, and DOK7. Our phenotypic analysis showed that DMD suspected participants presented diverse phenotypes according to the location of the mutation and which gene was impacted. Our study provides ethnicity specific new insights into both clinical and genetic aspects of DMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoli Sarker
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre (GGMC), NeuroGen Healthcare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Bangladesh Shishu Hospital and Institute, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Anjana Soorajkumar
- Center for Applied and Translational Genomics (CATG), Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, UAE
| | - Nasna Nassir
- Center for Applied and Translational Genomics (CATG), Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, UAE
| | - Binte Zehra
- Center for Applied and Translational Genomics (CATG), Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, UAE
| | | | - Md Atikur Rahaman
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre (GGMC), NeuroGen Healthcare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Amirul Islam
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre (GGMC), NeuroGen Healthcare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- GenomeArc Inc., Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
| | - Shimu Akter
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre (GGMC), NeuroGen Healthcare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad Kawsar Ali
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre (GGMC), NeuroGen Healthcare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Rabeya Akter Mim
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre (GGMC), NeuroGen Healthcare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - K M Furkan Uddin
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre (GGMC), NeuroGen Healthcare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Nusrat Shams
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre (GGMC), NeuroGen Healthcare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md Abdul Baqui
- Department of Biochemistry, Holy Family Red Crescent Medical College and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Elaine T Lim
- Department of Genomics and Computational Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, 01605, USA
| | - Hosneara Akter
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre (GGMC), NeuroGen Healthcare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Marc Woodbury-Smith
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK.
| | - Mohammed Uddin
- Center for Applied and Translational Genomics (CATG), Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, UAE.
- GenomeArc Inc., Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
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5
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Woodbury-Smith M, D'Abate L, Stavropoulos DJ, Howe J, Drmic I, Hoang N, Zarrei M, Trost B, Iaboni A, Anagnostou E, Scherer SW. The Phenotypic variability of 16p11.2 distal BP2-BP3 deletion in a transgenerational family and in neurodevelopmentally ascertained samples. J Med Genet 2023; 60:1153-1160. [PMID: 37290907 PMCID: PMC10715508 DOI: 10.1136/jmg-2022-108818] [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: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We present genomic and phenotypic findings of a transgenerational family consisting of three male offspring, each with a maternally inherited distal 220 kb deletion at locus 16p11.2 (BP2-BP3). Genomic analysis of all family members was prompted by a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the eldest child, who also presented with a low body mass index. METHODS All male offspring underwent extensive neuropsychiatric evaluation. Both parents were also assessed for social functioning and cognition. The family underwent whole-genome sequencing. Further data curation was undertaken from samples ascertained for neurodevelopmental disorders and congenital abnormalities. RESULTS On medical examination, both the second and third-born male offspring presented with obesity. The second-born male offspring met research diagnostic criteria for ASD at 8 years of age and presented with mild attention deficits. The third-born male offspring was only noted as having motor deficits and received a diagnosis of developmental coordination disorder. Other than the 16p11.2 distal deletion, no additional contributing variants of clinical significance were observed. The mother was clinically evaluated and noted as having a broader autism phenotype. CONCLUSION In this family, the phenotypes observed are most likely caused by the 16p11.2 distal deletion. The lack of other overt pathogenic mutations identified by genomic sequencing reinforces the variable expressivity that should be heeded in a clinical setting. Importantly, distal 16p11.2 deletions can present with a highly variable phenotype even within a single family. Our additional data curation provides further evidence on the variable clinical presentation among those with pathogenetic 16p11.2 (BP2-BP3) mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Woodbury-Smith
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Lia D'Abate
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dimitri J Stavropoulos
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Genome Diagnostics, Department of Pediatric Laboratory Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer Howe
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Irene Drmic
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Ron Joyce Children's Health Centre, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Program and Child and Youth Mental Health Program, McMaster Autism Research Team, McMaster University, Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ny Hoang
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Genetic Counselling, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mehdi Zarrei
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Brett Trost
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Alana Iaboni
- Autism Research Centre, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Evdokia Anagnostou
- Autism Research Centre, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Stephen W Scherer
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- McLaughlin Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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6
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Vorstman JAS, Scherer SW. Contemplating syndromic autism. Genet Med 2023; 25:100919. [PMID: 37330697 DOI: 10.1016/j.gim.2023.100919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jacob A S Vorstman
- Department of Psychiatry, Hospital for Sick Children University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; The Centre for Applied Genomics, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Stephen W Scherer
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; The Centre for Applied Genomics, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; McLaughlin Centre and Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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7
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Martins M, Oliveira AR, Martins S, Vieira JP, Perdigão P, Fernandes AR, de Almeida LP, Palma PJ, Sequeira DB, Santos JMM, Duque F, Oliveira G, Cardoso AL, Peça J, Seabra CM. A Novel Genetic Variant in MBD5 Associated with Severe Epilepsy and Intellectual Disability: Potential Implications on Neural Primary Cilia. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12603. [PMID: 37628781 PMCID: PMC10454663 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612603] [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: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Disruptions in the MBD5 gene have been linked with an array of clinical features such as global developmental delay, intellectual disability, autistic-like symptoms, and seizures, through unclear mechanisms. MBD5 haploinsufficiency has been associated with the disruption of primary cilium-related processes during early cortical development, and this has been reported in many neurodevelopmental disorders. In this study, we describe the clinical history of a 12-year-old child harboring a novel MBD5 rare variant and presenting psychomotor delay and seizures. To investigate the impact of MBD5 haploinsufficiency on neural primary cilia, we established a novel patient-derived cell line and used CRISPR-Cas9 technology to create an isogenic control. The patient-derived neural progenitor cells revealed a decrease in the length of primary cilia and in the total number of ciliated cells. This study paves the way to understanding the impact of MBD5 haploinsufficiency in brain development through its potential impact on neural primary cilia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Martins
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Rafaela Oliveira
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Solange Martins
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, 3030-789 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - José Pedro Vieira
- Neuropediatrics Unit, Central Lisbon Hospital Center, 1169-045 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Pedro Perdigão
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, 3030-789 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Rita Fernandes
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, 3030-789 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Luís Pereira de Almeida
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Paulo Jorge Palma
- Institute of Endodontics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-075 Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Innovation and Research in Oral Sciences (CIROS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-075 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Diana Bela Sequeira
- Institute of Endodontics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-075 Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Innovation and Research in Oral Sciences (CIROS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-075 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João Miguel Marques Santos
- Institute of Endodontics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-075 Coimbra, Portugal
- Center for Innovation and Research in Oral Sciences (CIROS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-075 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Frederico Duque
- University Clinic of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-602 Coimbra, Portugal
- Child Developmental Center and Research and Clinical Training Center, Pediatric Hospital, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra (CHUC), 3000-602 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Guiomar Oliveira
- University Clinic of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, 3000-602 Coimbra, Portugal
- Child Developmental Center and Research and Clinical Training Center, Pediatric Hospital, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra (CHUC), 3000-602 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Ana Luísa Cardoso
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, 3030-789 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - João Peça
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Catarina Morais Seabra
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC), University of Coimbra, 3004-504 Coimbra, Portugal
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, 3030-789 Coimbra, Portugal
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8
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Safizadeh Shabestari SA, Nassir N, Sopariwala S, Karimov I, Tambi R, Zehra B, Kosaji N, Akter H, Berdiev BK, Uddin M. Overlapping pathogenic de novo CNVs in neurodevelopmental disorders and congenital anomalies impacting constraint genes regulating early development. Hum Genet 2023; 142:1201-1213. [PMID: 36383254 PMCID: PMC10449996 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-022-02482-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) and congenital anomalies (CAs) are rare disorders with complex etiology. In this study, we investigated the less understood genomic overlap of copy number variants (CNVs) in two large cohorts of NDD and CA patients to identify de novo CNVs and candidate genes associated with both phenotypes. We analyzed clinical microarray CNV data from 10,620 NDD and 3176 CA cases annotated using Horizon platform of GenomeArc Analytics and applied rigorous downstream analysis to evaluate overlapping genes from NDD and CA CNVs. Out of 13,796 patients, only 195 cases contained 218 validated de novo CNVs. Eighteen percent (31/170) de novo CNVs in NDD cases and 40% (19/48) de novo CNVs in CA cases contained genomic overlaps impacting developmentally constraint genes. Seventy-nine constraint genes (10.1% non-OMIM entries) were found to have significantly enriched genomic overlap within rare de novo pathogenic deletions (P value = 0.01, OR = 1.58) and 45 constraint genes (13.3% non-OMIM entries) within rare de novo pathogenic duplications (P value = 0.01, OR = 1.97). Analysis of spatiotemporal transcriptome demonstrated both pathogenic deletion and duplication genes to be highly expressed during the prenatal stage in human developmental brain (P value = 4.95 X 10-6). From the list of overlapping genes, EHMT1, an interesting known NDD gene encompassed pathogenic deletion CNVs from both NDD and CA patients, whereas FAM189A1, and FSTL5 are new candidate genes from non-OMIM entries. In summary, we have identified constraint overlapping genes from CNVs (including de novo) in NDD and CA patients that have the potential to play a vital role in common disease etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nasna Nassir
- Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, UAE
| | | | | | - Richa Tambi
- Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, UAE
| | - Binte Zehra
- Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, UAE
| | - Noor Kosaji
- Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, UAE
| | - Hosneara Akter
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre, NeuroGen Healthcare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Bakhrom K Berdiev
- Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, UAE
| | - Mohammed Uddin
- Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, UAE.
- GenomeArc Inc, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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9
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Zarrei M, Burton CL, Engchuan W, Higginbotham EJ, Wei J, Shaikh S, Roslin NM, MacDonald JR, Pellecchia G, Nalpathamkalam T, Lamoureux S, Manshaei R, Howe J, Trost B, Thiruvahindrapuram B, Marshall CR, Yuen RKC, Wintle RF, Strug LJ, Stavropoulos DJ, Vorstman JAS, Arnold P, Merico D, Woodbury-Smith M, Crosbie J, Schachar RJ, Scherer SW. Gene copy number variation and pediatric mental health/neurodevelopment in a general population. Hum Mol Genet 2023; 32:2411-2421. [PMID: 37154571 PMCID: PMC10360394 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddad074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
We assessed the relationship of gene copy number variation (CNV) in mental health/neurodevelopmental traits and diagnoses, physical health and cognition in a community sample of 7100 unrelated children and youth of European or East Asian ancestry (Spit for Science). Clinically significant or susceptibility CNVs were present in 3.9% of participants and were associated with elevated scores on a continuous measure of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) traits (P = 5.0 × 10-3), longer response inhibition (a cognitive deficit found in several mental health and neurodevelopmental disorders; P = 1.0 × 10-2) and increased prevalence of mental health diagnoses (P = 1.9 × 10-6, odds ratio: 3.09), specifically ADHD, autism spectrum disorder anxiety and learning problems/learning disorder (P's < 0.01). There was an increased burden of rare deletions in gene-sets related to brain function or expression in brain associated with more ADHD traits. With the current mental health crisis, our data established a baseline for delineating genetic contributors in pediatric-onset conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Zarrei
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Christie L Burton
- Neurosciences and Mental Health Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Worrawat Engchuan
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Edward J Higginbotham
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - John Wei
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Sabah Shaikh
- Neurosciences and Mental Health Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Nicole M Roslin
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada
- Neurosciences and Mental Health Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Jeffrey R MacDonald
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Giovanna Pellecchia
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Thomas Nalpathamkalam
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Sylvia Lamoureux
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Roozbeh Manshaei
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, Cardiac Genome Clinic, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Jennifer Howe
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Brett Trost
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada
| | | | - Christian R Marshall
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Genome Diagnostics, Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Ryan K C Yuen
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Richard F Wintle
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Lisa J Strug
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada
- Departments of Statistical Sciences, Computer Science and Biostatistics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1Z5, Canada
| | - Dimitri J Stavropoulos
- Genome Diagnostics, Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Jacob A S Vorstman
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Autism Research Unit, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
| | - Paul Arnold
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada
- Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
- Departments of Psychiatry & Medical Genetics, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Daniele Merico
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Deep Genomics Inc., Toronto, ON M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Marc Woodbury-Smith
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Jennifer Crosbie
- Neurosciences and Mental Health Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
| | - Russell J Schachar
- Neurosciences and Mental Health Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1R8, Canada
- Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Stephen W Scherer
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, McLaughlin Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
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10
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Pretzsch CM, Ecker C. Structural neuroimaging phenotypes and associated molecular and genomic underpinnings in autism: a review. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1172779. [PMID: 37457001 PMCID: PMC10347684 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1172779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Autism has been associated with differences in the developmental trajectories of multiple neuroanatomical features, including cortical thickness, surface area, cortical volume, measures of gyrification, and the gray-white matter tissue contrast. These neuroimaging features have been proposed as intermediate phenotypes on the gradient from genomic variation to behavioral symptoms. Hence, examining what these proxy markers represent, i.e., disentangling their associated molecular and genomic underpinnings, could provide crucial insights into the etiology and pathophysiology of autism. In line with this, an increasing number of studies are exploring the association between neuroanatomical, cellular/molecular, and (epi)genetic variation in autism, both indirectly and directly in vivo and across age. In this review, we aim to summarize the existing literature in autism (and neurotypicals) to chart a putative pathway from (i) imaging-derived neuroanatomical cortical phenotypes to (ii) underlying (neuropathological) biological processes, and (iii) associated genomic variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte M. Pretzsch
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christine Ecker
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
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11
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Akter H, Rahman MM, Sarker S, Basiruzzaman M, Islam MM, Rahaman MA, Rahaman MA, Eshaque TB, Dity NJ, Sarker S, Amin MR, Hossain MM, Lopa M, Jahan N, Hossain S, Islam A, Mondol A, Faruk MO, Saha N, Kundu GK, Kanta SI, Kazal RK, Fatema K, Rahman MA, Hasan M, Hossain Mollah MA, Hosen MI, Karuvantevida N, Begum G, Zehra B, Nassir N, Nabi AHMN, Uddin KMF, Uddin M. Construction of copy number variation landscape and characterization of associated genes in a Bangladeshi cohort of neurodevelopmental disorders. Front Genet 2023; 14:955631. [PMID: 36959829 PMCID: PMC10028086 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.955631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Copy number variations (CNVs) play a critical role in the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) among children. In this study, we aim to identify clinically relevant CNVs, genes and their phenotypic characteristics in an ethnically underrepresented homogenous population of Bangladesh. Methods: We have conducted chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) for 212 NDD patients with male to female ratio of 2.2:1.0 to identify rare CNVs. To identify candidate genes within the rare CNVs, gene constraint metrics [i.e., "Critical-Exon Genes (CEGs)"] were applied to the population data. Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition (ADOS-2) was followed in a subset of 95 NDD patients to assess the severity of autism and all statistical tests were performed using the R package. Results: Of all the samples assayed, 12.26% (26/212) and 57.08% (121/212) patients carried pathogenic and variant of uncertain significance (VOUS) CNVs, respectively. While 2.83% (6/212) patients' pathogenic CNVs were found to be located in the subtelomeric regions. Further burden test identified females are significant carriers of pathogenic CNVs compared to males (OR = 4.2; p = 0.0007). We have observed an increased number of Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) within cases with 23.85% (26/109) consanguineous parents. Our analyses on imprinting genes show, 36 LOH variants disrupting 69 unique imprinted genes and classified these variants as VOUS. ADOS-2 subset shows severe social communication deficit (p = 0.014) and overall ASD symptoms severity (p = 0.026) among the patients carrying duplication CNV compared to the CNV negative group. Candidate gene analysis identified 153 unique CEGs in pathogenic CNVs and 31 in VOUS. Of the unique genes, 18 genes were found to be in smaller (<1 MB) focal CNVs in our NDD cohort and we identified PSMC3 gene as a strong candidate gene for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Moreover, we hypothesized that KMT2B gene duplication might be associated with intellectual disability. Conclusion: Our results show the utility of CMA for precise genetic diagnosis and its integration into the diagnosis, therapy and management of NDD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hosneara Akter
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre, NeuroGen Healthcare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Muhammad Mizanur Rahman
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Shaoli Sarker
- Department of Child Neurology, NeuroGen Healthcare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Department of Paediatric Neuroscience, Dhaka Shishu Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammed Basiruzzaman
- Department of Child Neurology, NeuroGen Healthcare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Mazharul Islam
- Department of Child Neurology, NeuroGen Healthcare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Department of Neurology, National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Atikur Rahaman
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre, NeuroGen Healthcare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | | | - Nushrat Jahan Dity
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre, NeuroGen Healthcare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Shouvik Sarker
- Institute of Plant Genetics, Department of Plant Biotechnology, Leibniz University Hannover, Hanover, Germany
| | - Md. Robed Amin
- Department of Medicine, Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad Monir Hossain
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, National Institute of Neuroscience and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Maksuda Lopa
- Centre for Precision Therapeutics, NeuroGen Healthcare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Nargis Jahan
- Centre for Precision Therapeutics, NeuroGen Healthcare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Shafaat Hossain
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Amirul Islam
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre, NeuroGen Healthcare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Cellular Intelligence Lab, GenomeArc Inc, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Md Omar Faruk
- Centre for Precision Therapeutics, NeuroGen Healthcare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Narayan Saha
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, National Institute of Neuroscience and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Gopen kumar Kundu
- Department of Child Neurology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Shayla Imam Kanta
- Department of Paediatric Neuroscience, Dhaka Shishu Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Rezaul Karim Kazal
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Kanij Fatema
- Department of Paediatric Neurology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Ashrafur Rahman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wilkes University, Pennsylvania, PA, United States
| | - Maruf Hasan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Military Institute of Science and Technology, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Md. Ismail Hosen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Noushad Karuvantevida
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Ghausia Begum
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Binte Zehra
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Nasna Nassir
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - A. H. M. Nurun Nabi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - K. M. Furkan Uddin
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Centre, NeuroGen Healthcare, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Department of Biochemistry, Holy Family Red Crescent Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammed Uddin
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Cellular Intelligence (Ci) Lab, GenomeArc Inc, Toronto, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Mohammed Uddin,
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12
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Belyaeva EO, Lebedev IN. Interloci CNV Interactions in Variability of the Phenotypes of Neurodevelopmental Disorders. RUSS J GENET+ 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1022795422100027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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13
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Detection of copy number variants and genes by chromosomal microarray in an Emirati neurodevelopmental disorders cohort. Neurogenetics 2022; 23:137-149. [DOI: 10.1007/s10048-022-00689-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Abstract
In the last 40 years, there has been a huge increase in autism genetics research and a rapidly growing number of discoveries. We now know autism is one of the most highly heritable disorders with negligible shared environmental contributions. Recent discoveries also show that rare variants of large effect size as well as small effect common gene variants all contribute to autism risk. These discoveries challenge traditional diagnostic boundaries and highlight huge heterogeneity in autism. In this review, we consider some of the key findings that are shaping current understanding of autism and what these discoveries mean for clinicians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Thapar
- Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences and MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Cardiff, Maindy Road, Wales, CF24 4HQ, UK.
| | - Michael Rutter
- Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Kings College London, London, UK
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15
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Dinneen TJ, Ghrálaigh FN, Walsh R, Lopez LM, Gallagher L. How does genetic variation modify ND-CNV phenotypes? Trends Genet 2021; 38:140-151. [PMID: 34364706 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2021.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Rare copy-number variants (CNVs) associated with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), i.e., ND-CNVs, provide an insight into the neurobiology of NDDs and, potentially, a link between biology and clinical outcomes. However, ND-CNVs are characterised by incomplete penetrance resulting in heterogeneous carrier phenotypes, ranging from non-affected to multimorbid psychiatric, neurological, and physical phenotypes. Recent evidence indicates that other variants in the genome, or 'other hits', may partially explain the variable expressivity of ND-CNVs. These may be other rare variants or the aggregated effects of common variants that modify NDD risk. Here we discuss the recent findings, current questions, and future challenges relating to other hits research in the context of ND-CNVs and their potential for improved clinical diagnostics and therapeutics for ND-CNV carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Dinneen
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Fiana Ní Ghrálaigh
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Biology, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Maynooth, Ireland
| | - Ruth Walsh
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Lorna M Lopez
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Biology, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Maynooth, Ireland
| | - Louise Gallagher
- Department of Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
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16
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Vieira MM, Jeong J, Roche KW. The role of NMDA receptor and neuroligin rare variants in synaptic dysfunction underlying neurodevelopmental disorders. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2021; 69:93-104. [PMID: 33823469 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2021.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Many genes encoding synaptic proteins are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), intellectual disability (ID), and epilepsy. Here we review recent studies on the synaptic effects of disease-associated rare variants identified in two families of synaptic proteins: NMDA receptors (NMDARs) and the postsynaptic adhesion molecules neuroligins (NLGNs). Many NMDAR subunit genes (GRINs) are highly intolerant to variation, and both gain-of-function (GOF) and loss-of-function (LOF) variants are implicated in disease. NLGN genes are also associated with ASDs, and in some cases, contribute to the male bias identified in these patients. Understanding the molecular basis of synaptic dysfunction of rare variants in these genes will help the design of new therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Mota Vieira
- Receptor Biology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Jaehoon Jeong
- Receptor Biology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Katherine W Roche
- Receptor Biology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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17
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Orrico A, Galli L, Rossi M, Cortesi A, Mazzi M, Caterino E. The Variable Expression of a Novel MBD5 Gene Frameshift Mutation in an Italian Family. Neuropediatrics 2021; 52:138-141. [PMID: 33374027 DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1715633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Haploinsufficiency of the methyl-CpG-binding domain protein 5 (MBD5) gene is reported as a cause of an autosomal dominant type of cognitive disability (MRD1) and autism spectrum disorder through large deletions involving multiple genes or point mutations, ultimately leading to haploinsufficiency in both cases. However, relatively few reports have been published on the phenotypical spectrum resulting from point mutations.We report here on a novel heterozygous frameshift variant in the MBD5 gene [c.2579del; p.(Lys860Argfs*11)] in a family in which the typical signs associated with pathogenic variants were expressed with different degrees of severity in the clinical presentation of the carrier individuals.Our findings, adding a novel mutation to the mutational spectrum, further support the relevance of the MBD5 gene as one of the main molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of intellectual disability and contribute to the characterization of the genotype-phenotype correlations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Orrico
- Inter-departmental Program for Molecular Diagnosis and Characterization of Pathogenic Mechanisms of Rare Genetic Diseases, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy
- Clinical Genetics, ASL Toscana Sudest, Ospedale della Misericordia, Grosseto, Italy
| | - Lucia Galli
- Clinical Genetics, ASL Toscana Sudest, Ospedale della Misericordia, Grosseto, Italy
- Inter-departmental Program for Molecular Diagnosis and Characterization of Pathogenic Mechanisms of Rare Genetic Diseases, Azienda Ospedaliero Universitaria Senese, Siena, Italy
| | - Maja Rossi
- Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, ASL Toscana Sudest, Ospedale della Misericordia, Grosseto, Italy
| | - Ambra Cortesi
- Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, ASL Toscana Sudest, Ospedale della Misericordia, Grosseto, Italy
| | - Marta Mazzi
- Pathophysiology of Human Reproduction, ASL Toscana Sudest, Ospedale della Misericordia, Grosseto, Italy
| | - Ettore Caterino
- Neuropsychiatry Unit, ASL Toscana Sudest, UFSMIA Zona Amiata Grossetana, Grosseto, Italy
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18
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Nayar K, Sealock JM, Maltman N, Bush L, Cook EH, Davis LK, Losh M. Elevated Polygenic Burden for Autism Spectrum Disorder Is Associated With the Broad Autism Phenotype in Mothers of Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder. Biol Psychiatry 2021; 89:476-485. [PMID: 33229037 PMCID: PMC7901138 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.08.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a multifactorial neurodevelopmental disorder that encompasses a complex and heterogeneous set of traits. Subclinical traits that mirror the core features of ASD, referred to as the broad autism phenotype (BAP), have been documented repeatedly in unaffected relatives and are believed to reflect underlying genetic liability to ASD. The BAP may help inform the etiology of ASD by allowing the stratification of families into more phenotypically and etiologically homogeneous subgroups. This study explores polygenic scores related to the BAP. METHODS Phenotypic and genotypic information were obtained from 2614 trios from the Simons Simplex Collection. Polygenic scores of ASD (ASD-PGSs) were generated across the sample to determine the shared genetic overlap between the BAP and ASD. Maternal and paternal ASD-PGSs were explored in relation to BAP traits and their child's ASD symptomatology. RESULTS Maternal pragmatic language was related to child's social communicative atypicalities. In fathers, rigid personality was related to increased repetitive behaviors in children. Maternal (but not paternal) ASD-PGSs were related to the pragmatic language and rigid BAP domains. CONCLUSIONS Associations emerged between parent and child phenotypes, with more associations emerging in mothers than in fathers. ASD-PGS associations emerged with BAP in mothers only, highlighting the potential for a female protective factor, and implicating the polygenic etiology of ASD-related phenotypes in the BAP.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Molly Losh
- Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.
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19
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Ní Ghrálaigh F, Gallagher L, Lopez LM. Autism spectrum disorder genomics: The progress and potential of genomic technologies. Genomics 2020; 112:5136-5142. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2020.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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20
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Woodbury-Smith M, Zarrei M, Wei J, Thiruvahindrapuram B, O'Connor I, Paterson AD, Yuen RKC, Dastan J, Stavropoulos DJ, Howe JL, Thompson A, Parlier M, Fernandez B, Piven J, Anagnostou E, Scherer SW, Vieland VJ, Szatmari P. Segregating patterns of copy number variations in extended autism spectrum disorder (ASD) pedigrees. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2020; 183:268-276. [PMID: 32372567 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a relatively common childhood onset neurodevelopmental disorder with a complex genetic etiology. While progress has been made in identifying the de novo mutational landscape of ASD, the genetic factors that underpin the ASD's tendency to run in families are not well understood. In this study, nine extended pedigrees each with three or more individuals with ASD, and others with a lesser autism phenotype, were phenotyped and genotyped in an attempt to identify heritable copy number variants (CNVs). Although these families have previously generated linkage signals, no rare CNV segregated with these signals in any family. A small number of clinically relevant CNVs were identified. Only one CNV was identified that segregated with ASD phenotype; namely, a duplication overlapping DLGAP2 in three male offspring each with an ASD diagnosis. This gene encodes a synaptic scaffolding protein, part of a group of proteins known to be pathologically implicated in ASD. On the whole, however, the heritable nature of ASD in the families studied remains poorly understood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Woodbury-Smith
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.,The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mehdi Zarrei
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - John Wei
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | - Irene O'Connor
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew D Paterson
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ryan K C Yuen
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jila Dastan
- Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, Molecular Genetics Laboratory, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dimitri J Stavropoulos
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Department of Paediatric Laboratory Medicine, Molecular Genetics Laboratory, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jennifer L Howe
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ann Thompson
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Morgan Parlier
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Bridget Fernandez
- Provincial Medical Genetics Program, Health Sciences Center, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
| | - Joseph Piven
- Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | | | - Stephen W Scherer
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,McLaughlin Centre and Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Veronica J Vieland
- Battelle Center for Mathematical Medicine, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Peter Szatmari
- Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, The Hospital for Sick Children & University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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21
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Ross PJ, Mok RSF, Smith BS, Rodrigues DC, Mufteev M, Scherer SW, Ellis J. Modeling neuronal consequences of autism-associated gene regulatory variants with human induced pluripotent stem cells. Mol Autism 2020; 11:33. [PMID: 32398033 PMCID: PMC7218542 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-020-00333-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic factors contribute to the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and although non-protein-coding regions of the genome are being increasingly implicated in ASD, the functional consequences of these variants remain largely uncharacterized. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) enable the production of personalized neurons that are genetically matched to people with ASD and can therefore be used to directly test the effects of genomic variation on neuronal gene expression, synapse function, and connectivity. The combined use of human pluripotent stem cells with genome editing to introduce or correct specific variants has proved to be a powerful approach for exploring the functional consequences of ASD-associated variants in protein-coding genes and, more recently, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Here, we review recent studies that implicate lncRNAs, other non-coding mutations, and regulatory variants in ASD susceptibility. We also discuss experimental design considerations for using iPSCs and genome editing to study the role of the non-protein-coding genome in ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Joel Ross
- Department of Biology, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE, Canada.
| | - Rebecca S F Mok
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Brandon S Smith
- Department of Biology, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE, Canada
| | - Deivid C Rodrigues
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Marat Mufteev
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Stephen W Scherer
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Genetics & Genome Biology Program and The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,McLaughlin Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - James Ellis
- Developmental & Stem Cell Biology Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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22
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A framework for an evidence-based gene list relevant to autism spectrum disorder. Nat Rev Genet 2020; 21:367-376. [PMID: 32317787 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-020-0231-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often grouped with other brain-related phenotypes into a broader category of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). In clinical practice, providers need to decide which genes to test in individuals with ASD phenotypes, which requires an understanding of the level of evidence for individual NDD genes that supports an association with ASD. Consensus is currently lacking about which NDD genes have sufficient evidence to support a relationship to ASD. Estimates of the number of genes relevant to ASD differ greatly among research groups and clinical sequencing panels, varying from a few to several hundred. This Roadmap discusses important considerations necessary to provide an evidence-based framework for the curation of NDD genes based on the level of information supporting a clinically relevant relationship between a given gene and ASD.
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23
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Hart MP. Stress-Induced Neuron Remodeling Reveals Differential Interplay Between Neurexin and Environmental Factors in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetics 2019; 213:1415-1430. [PMID: 31558583 PMCID: PMC6893388 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.119.302415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurexins are neuronal adhesion molecules important for synapse maturation, function, and plasticity. Neurexins have been genetically associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and schizophrenia, but can have variable penetrance and phenotypic severity. Heritability studies indicate that a significant percentage of risk for ASD and schizophrenia includes environmental factors, highlighting a poorly understood interplay between genetic and environmental factors. The singular Caenorhabditis elegans ortholog of human neurexins, nrx-1, controls experience-dependent morphologic remodeling of a GABAergic neuron in adult males. Here, I show remodeling of this neuron's morphology in response to each of three environmental stressors (nutritional, heat, or genotoxic stress) when applied specifically during sexual maturation. Increased outgrowth of axon-like neurites following adolescent stress is the result of an altered morphologic plasticity in adulthood. Despite remodeling being induced by each of the three stressors, only nutritional stress affects downstream behavior and is dependent on neurexin/nrx-1 Heat or genotoxic stress in adolescence does not alter behavior despite inducing GABAergic neuron remodeling, in a neurexin/nrx-1 independent fashion. Starvation-induced remodeling is also dependent on neuroligin/nlg-1, the canonical binding partner for neurexin/nrx-1, and the transcription factors FOXO/daf-16 and HSF1/hsf-1hsf-1 and daf-16, in addition, each have unique roles in remodeling induced by heat and UV stress. The differential molecular mechanisms underlying GABAergic neuron remodeling in response to different stressors, and the disparate effects of stressors on downstream behavior, are a paradigm for understanding how genetics, environmental exposures, and plasticity may contribute to brain dysfunction in ASDs and schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Hart
- Department of Genetics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
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24
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Rahman MM, Uddin KF, Al Jezawi NK, Karuvantevida N, Akter H, Dity NJ, Rahaman MA, Begum M, Rahaman MA, Baqui MA, Salwa Z, Islam S, Woodbury-Smith M, Basiruzzaman M, Uddin M. Gonadal mosaicism of large terminal de novo duplication and deletion in siblings with variable intellectual disability phenotypes. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2019; 7:e00954. [PMID: 31475484 PMCID: PMC6785528 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Intellectual disability (ID) is a complex condition that can impact multiple domains of development. The genetic contribution to ID’s etiology is significant, with more than 100 implicated genes and loci currently identified. The majority of such variants are rare and de novo genetic mutations. Methods We have applied whole‐genome microarray to identify large, rare, clinically relevant copy number variants (CNVs). We have applied well‐established algorithms for variants call. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was applied to validate the variants using three technical replicates for each family member. To assess whether the copy number variation was due to balanced translocation or mosaicism, we further conducted droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) on the whole family. We have, as well, applied “critical‐exon” mapping, human developmental brain transcriptome, and a database of known associated neurodevelopmental disorder variants to identify candidate genes. Results Here we present two siblings who are both impacted by a large terminal duplication and a deletion. Whole‐genome microarray revealed an 18.82 megabase (MB) duplication at terminal locus (7q34‐q36.3) of chromosome 7 and a 3.90 MB deletion impacting the terminal locus (15q26.3) of chromosome 15. qPCR and ddPCR experiments confirmed the de novo origin of the variants and the co‐occurrence of these two de novo events among the siblings, but their absence in both parents, implicates an unbalanced translocation that could have mal‐segregated among the siblings or a possible germline mosaicism. These terminal events impact IGF1R, CNTNAP2, and DPP6, shown to be strongly associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Detailed clinical examination of the siblings revealed the presence of both shared and distinct phenotypic features. Conclusions This study identified two large rare terminal de novo events impacting two siblings. Further phenotypic investigation highlights that even in the presence of identical large high penetrant variants, spectrum of clinical features can be different between the siblings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Km Furkan Uddin
- NeuroGen Technologies Ltd., Dhaka, Bangladesh.,Holy Family Red Crescent Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Nesreen K Al Jezawi
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Noushad Karuvantevida
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.,Department of Biotechnology, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, India
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Md Abdul Baqui
- NeuroGen Technologies Ltd., Dhaka, Bangladesh.,Holy Family Red Crescent Medical College, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | | | - Marc Woodbury-Smith
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.,The Centre for Applied Genomics, Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mohammed Basiruzzaman
- NeuroGen Technologies Ltd., Dhaka, Bangladesh.,Department of Neurology, Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammed Uddin
- College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.,The Centre for Applied Genomics, Department of Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
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25
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Fernandez BA, Scherer SW. Syndromic autism spectrum disorders: moving from a clinically defined to a molecularly defined approach. DIALOGUES IN CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE 2018. [PMID: 29398931 PMCID: PMC5789213 DOI: 10.31887/dcns.2017.19.4/sscherer] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) encompasses a group of neurodevelopmental conditions diagnosed solely on the basis of behavioral assessments that reveal social deficits. Progress has been made in understanding its genetic underpinnings, but most ASD-associated genetic variants, which include copy number variants (CNVs) and mutations in ASD-risk genes, account for no more than 1 % of ASD cases. This high level of genetic heterogeneity leads to challenges obtaining and interpreting genetic testing in clinical settings. The traditional definition of syndromic ASD is a disorder with a clinically defined pattern of somatic abnormalities and a neurobehavioral phenotype that may include ASD. Most have a known genetic cause. Examples include fragile X syndrome and tuberous sclerosis complex. We propose dividing syndromic autism into the following two groups: (i) ASD that occurs in the context of a clinically defined syndrome-recognizing these disorders depends on the familiarity of the clinician with the features of the syndrome, and the diagnosis is typically confirmed by targeted genetic testing (eg, mutation screening of FMR1); (ii) ASD that occurs as a feature of a molecularly defined syndrome-for this group of patients, ASD-associated variants are identified by genome-wide testing that is not hypothesis driven (eg, microarray, whole exome sequencing). These ASD groups cannot be easily clinically defined because patients with a given variant have variable somatic abnormalities (dysmorphism and birth defects). In this article, we review common diagnoses from the above categories and suggest a testing strategy for patients, guided by determining whether the individual has essential or complex ASD; patients in the latter group have multiple morphologic anomalies on physical examination. Finally, we recommend that the syndromic versus nonsyndromic designation ultimately be replaced by classification of ASD according to its genetic etiology, which will inform about the associated spectrum and penetrance of neurobehavioral and somatic manifestations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget A Fernandez
- Disciplines of Genetics and Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, NL Canada
| | - Stephen W Scherer
- The Center for Applied Genomics and Program in Genetics and Genomic Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; McLaughlin Center and Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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26
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Yuan H, Wang Q, Liu Y, Yang W, He Y, Gusella JF, Song J, Shen Y. A rare exonic NRXN3 deletion segregating with neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric conditions in a three-generation Chinese family. Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet 2018; 177:589-595. [PMID: 30076746 PMCID: PMC6445570 DOI: 10.1002/ajmg.b.32673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Revised: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Members of the neurexin gene family, neurexin 1 (NRXN1), neurexin 2 (NRXN2), and neurexin 3 (NRXN3) encode important components of synaptic function implicated in autism and other neurodevelopmental/neuropsychiatric disorders. Loss of function variants have been reported predominantly in NRXN1, with fewer such variants detected in NRXN2 and NRXN3. Evidence for segregating NRNX3 variants has particularly been lacking. Here, we report identification by chromosomal microarray analysis of a rare exonic deletion affecting the NRXN3 alpha isoform in a three-generation Chinese family. The proband, a 7-year-old boy, presented with motor and language delay and met the clinical diagnostic criteria for autism. He also presented with moderate intellectual disability, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and facial dysmorphic features. The mother and maternal grandfather, both deletion carriers, presented with variable degrees of language and communication difficulties, as well as neuropsychiatric problems such as schizophrenia and temper tantrums. A compilation of sporadic cases with deletions involving part or all of NRXN3 revealed that 9 of 23 individuals (39%) displayed features of autism. The evidence for cosegregation in our family further supports a role for NRXN3 in autism and neurodevelopmental/neuropsychiatric disorders but demonstrates intrafamily variable expressivity due to this NRXN3 deletion, with schizophrenia and facial dysmorphism being potential novel features of NRXN3 haploinsufficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiming Yuan
- Dongguan Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital. Dongguan 523120, China
- Dongguan Institute of Reproductive and Genetic Research. Dongguan 523120, China
| | - Qingming Wang
- Dongguan Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital. Dongguan 523120, China
| | - Yanhui Liu
- Dongguan Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital. Dongguan 523120, China
- Dongguan Institute of Reproductive and Genetic Research. Dongguan 523120, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Dongguan Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital. Dongguan 523120, China
| | - Yi He
- Dongguan Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital. Dongguan 523120, China
| | - James F. Gusella
- Molecular Neurogenetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Jiage Song
- Fengcheng No.1 High School. Liaoning 118100, China
| | - Yiping Shen
- Genetic and Metabolic Central Laboratory, Birth Defect Prevention Research Institute, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Department of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
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27
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Woodbury-Smith M, Scherer SW. Progress in the genetics of autism spectrum disorder. Dev Med Child Neurol 2018; 60:445-451. [PMID: 29574884 DOI: 10.1111/dmcn.13717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED A genetic basis for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is now well established, and with the availability of high-throughput microarray and sequencing platforms, major advances have been made in our understanding of genetic risk factors. Rare, often de novo, copy number and single nucleotide variants are both implicated, with many ASD-implicated genes showing pleiotropy and variable penetrance. Additionally, common variants are also known to play a role in ASD's genetic etiology. These new insights into the architecture of ASD's genetic etiology offer opportunities for the identification of molecular targets for novel interventions, and provide new insight for families seeking genetic counselling. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS A number of rare genetic variants are implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with some showing recurrence. Common genetic variants are also important and a number of loci are now being uncovered. Genetic testing for individuals with ASD offers the opportunity to identify relevant genetic etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Woodbury-Smith
- Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.,Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Stephen W Scherer
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Centre for Applied Genomics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,McLaughlin Centre, University of Toronto, ON, Canada
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28
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DNA sequence-level analyses reveal potential phenotypic modifiers in a large family with psychiatric disorders. Mol Psychiatry 2018; 23:2254-2265. [PMID: 29880880 PMCID: PMC6294736 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-018-0087-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Revised: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Psychiatric disorders are a group of genetically related diseases with highly polygenic architectures. Genome-wide association analyses have made substantial progress towards understanding the genetic architecture of these disorders. More recently, exome- and whole-genome sequencing of cases and families have identified rare, high penetrant variants that provide direct functional insight. There remains, however, a gap in the heritability explained by these complementary approaches. To understand how multiple genetic variants combine to modify both severity and penetrance of a highly penetrant variant, we sequenced 48 whole genomes from a family with a high loading of psychiatric disorder linked to a balanced chromosomal translocation. The (1;11)(q42;q14.3) translocation directly disrupts three genes: DISC1, DISC2, DISC1FP and has been linked to multiple brain imaging and neurocognitive outcomes in the family. Using DNA sequence-level linkage analysis, functional annotation and population-based association, we identified common and rare variants in GRM5 (minor allele frequency (MAF) > 0.05), PDE4D (MAF > 0.2) and CNTN5 (MAF < 0.01) that may help explain the individual differences in phenotypic expression in the family. We suggest that whole-genome sequencing in large families will improve the understanding of the combined effects of the rare and common sequence variation underlying psychiatric phenotypes.
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29
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Dale B, Modi BM, Jilderda S, McConnell B, Hoang N, Swaroop P, Falcon J, Thiruvahindrapuram B, Walker S, Scherer SW, Stavropoulos DJ, Drmic IE, Carter MT. Atypical autism in a boy with double duplication of 22q11.2: implications of increasing dosage. NPJ Genom Med 2017; 2:28. [PMID: 29263838 PMCID: PMC5677976 DOI: 10.1038/s41525-017-0031-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2016] [Revised: 06/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Duplication of chromosome 22q11.2 (LCR A-D) has been reported at higher frequencies in clinical samples than the general population, but phenotypes vary widely. Triplication (4 copies) is rare, but studying the associated phenotype may provide insight into dosage-sensitivity of the genes in this chromosomal interval. We describe a proband with a triplication, specifically a “double duplication” (two copies per chromosome) of the 22q11.2 region, while his parents and two siblings each have a single duplication (3 copies). The proband had a heart malformation, dysmorphic features, and learning and socialization deficits, whereas the other family members did not. This family illustrates that while duplication of the 22q11.2 may not be sufficient to cause clinically significant neurodevelopmental or health-related phenotypes, triplication of the same region may result in a phenotype characterized by a mild neurodevelopmental disorder, facial dysmorphism, and possibly cardiac anomalies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breanne Dale
- Autism Research Unit, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON Canada
| | | | - Sanne Jilderda
- Autism Research Unit, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Beth McConnell
- Autism Research Unit, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Ny Hoang
- Autism Research Unit, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON Canada.,The Centre for Applied Genomics, Hospital for Sick Children and McLaughlin Centre and Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Pooja Swaroop
- Autism Research Unit, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Jhoan Falcon
- Autism Research Unit, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Bhooma Thiruvahindrapuram
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, Hospital for Sick Children and McLaughlin Centre and Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Susan Walker
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, Hospital for Sick Children and McLaughlin Centre and Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Stephen W Scherer
- The Centre for Applied Genomics, Hospital for Sick Children and McLaughlin Centre and Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - D James Stavropoulos
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Genome Diagnostics, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Irene E Drmic
- Autism Research Unit, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON Canada.,The Centre for Applied Genomics, Hospital for Sick Children and McLaughlin Centre and Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON Canada.,Department of Pediatrics, Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON Canada
| | - Melissa T Carter
- Regional Genetics Program, The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, ON Canada
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30
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Fernandez BA. Syndromic autism spectrum disorders: moving from a clinically defined to a molecularly defined approach. DIALOGUES IN CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE 2017; 19:353-371. [PMID: 29398931 PMCID: PMC5789213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) encompasses a group of neurodevelopmental conditions diagnosed solely on the basis of behavioral assessments that reveal social deficits. Progress has been made in understanding its genetic underpinnings, but most ASD-associated genetic variants, which include copy number variants (CNVs) and mutations in ASD-risk genes, account for no more than 1 % of ASD cases. This high level of genetic heterogeneity leads to challenges obtaining and interpreting genetic testing in clinical settings. The traditional definition of syndromic ASD is a disorder with a clinically defined pattern of somatic abnormalities and a neurobehavioral phenotype that may include ASD. Most have a known genetic cause. Examples include fragile X syndrome and tuberous sclerosis complex. We propose dividing syndromic autism into the following two groups: (i) ASD that occurs in the context of a clinically defined syndrome-recognizing these disorders depends on the familiarity of the clinician with the features of the syndrome, and the diagnosis is typically confirmed by targeted genetic testing (eg, mutation screening of FMR1); (ii) ASD that occurs as a feature of a molecularly defined syndrome-for this group of patients, ASD-associated variants are identified by genome-wide testing that is not hypothesis driven (eg, microarray, whole exome sequencing). These ASD groups cannot be easily clinically defined because patients with a given variant have variable somatic abnormalities (dysmorphism and birth defects). In this article, we review common diagnoses from the above categories and suggest a testing strategy for patients, guided by determining whether the individual has essential or complex ASD; patients in the latter group have multiple morphologic anomalies on physical examination. Finally, we recommend that the syndromic versus nonsyndromic designation ultimately be replaced by classification of ASD according to its genetic etiology, which will inform about the associated spectrum and penetrance of neurobehavioral and somatic manifestations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget A. Fernandez
- Disciplines of Genetics and Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, NL Canada
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