Mutation detection in Chinese patients with familial hypercholesterolemia

Expanding the genetic spectrum for Chinese familial hypercholesterolemia population with six genetic mutations identified using a next-generation sequencing-based laboratory-developed screening test

BACKGROUND

This study was to reveal the prevalence of definite familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) in the hospital-visiting population, determine the pathogenic mutation detection rate in clinically diagnosed definite FH patients, and expand the FH mutation spectrum in China.

METHODS

Blood lipid profiles of 41,803 patients visiting the hospital were investigated and 4967 patients with clinical diagnoses of other metabolic diseases were excluded. One hundred and seventy-three (0.41%) received a definite diagnosis of FH according to the Dutch Lipid Clinical Network Criteria-Chinese Revised Version (DLCN-CRV), and 18 patients subsequently agreed to undergo genetic testing. A next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based laboratory-developed test covering the exonic regions of 24 lipid metabolism-related genes was conducted alongside in silico analyses to identify possible FH mutations in 16 definite FH patients, according to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) criteria. Sanger sequencing was used to confirm mutations, and SWISS-MODEL was used to simulate the molecular structures of the confirmed protein-carrying mutations.

RESULTS

The FH prevalence was 0.41% for the 41,803 individuals (DLCN-CRV grade >8) and 25% of definite FH patients carried six FH pathogenic mutations (≥ACMG Class 4). All genetic variants were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. Five pathogenic variants on the LDLR gene (NM_000527: c.C1783T: p.R595W, c.T493G: p.W165G, c.G1879A: p.A627T, c.G682T: p.E228X, and exon10: c.G1432A: p.G478R) and one pathogenic variant on APOB (NM_000384: c.C10579T: p.R3527W) in 25% of the identified definite FH patients. Two pathogenic mutations, c.T493G (p.W165G) and c.C1783T (p.R595W), were added to the current genetic spectrum of FH in China.

CONCLUSION

This study contributes to improving the current FH detection rate and genetic screening strategies; it provides new directions for treatment, management, and drug development.

Spectrum of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) mutations in a cohort of Sri Lankan patients with familial hypercholesterolemia - a preliminary report

BACKGROUND

Hypercholesterolemia is a major determinant of cardiovascular disease-associated morbidity and mortality. Mutations in the LDL-receptor (LDLR) gene are implicated in the majority of the cases with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). However, the spectrum of mutations in the LDLR gene in Sri Lankan patients has not been investigated. The objective of this study was to report the frequency and spectrum of variants in LDLR in a cohort of Sri Lankan patients with FH.

METHODS

A series of consecutive patients with FH, diagnosed according to Modified Simon Broome criteria or Dutch Lipid Clinic Network criteria at the University Medical Unit, Colombo, were recruited. Clinical data was recorded. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples. The LDLR gene was screened for genetic variants by Sanger sequencing.

RESULTS

A total of 27 patients [13 (48%) males, 14 (52%) females; age range 24-73 years] were tested. Clinical features found among these 27 patients were: xanthelasma in 5 (18.5%), corneal arcus in 1 (3.7%), coronary artery disease (CAD) in 10 (37%), and a family history of hypercholesterolemia and/or CAD in 24 (88.9%) patients. In the entire cohort, mean total cholesterol was 356.8 mg/dl (±66.4) and mean LDL-cholesterol was 250.3 mg/dl (±67.7). Sanger sequencing of the 27 patients resulted in the identification of known pathogenic missense mutations in 5 (18.5%) patients. Four were heterozygotes for 1 mutation each. They were c.682G > C in 2 patients, c.1720C > A in 1 patient, and c.1855 T > A in 1 patient. One patient with severe FH phenotypes was a compound heterozygote for one known mutation, c.2289G > T, and another missense variant, c.1670C > G (p.Thr557Ser), with unknown functional impact. This latter variant has not been reported in any other population previously.

CONCLUSIONS

The frequency of known mutations in the LDLR gene in this cohort of patients was markedly low compared to frequencies reported in other populations. This highlights the likelihood of a complex, polygenic inheritance of FH in Sri Lankan patients, indicating the need for a comprehensive genetic evaluation that includes the screening for mutations in other genes that cause FH, such as APOB, PCSK9, and LDLRAP1.