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Valenzuela-Palomo A, Sanoguera-Miralles L, Bueno-Martínez E, Esteban-Sánchez A, Llinares-Burguet I, García-Álvarez A, Pérez-Segura P, Gómez-Barrero S, de la Hoya M, Velasco-Sampedro EA. Splicing Analysis of 16 PALB2 ClinVar Variants by Minigene Assays: Identification of Six Likely Pathogenic Variants. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14184541. [PMID: 36139699 PMCID: PMC9496955 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14184541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
PALB2 loss-of-function variants are associated with significant increased risk of breast cancer as well as other types of tumors. Likewise, splicing disruptions are a common mechanism of disease susceptibility. Indeed, we previously showed, by minigene assays, that 35 out of 42 PALB2 variants impaired splicing. Taking advantage of one of these constructs (mgPALB2_ex1-3), we proceeded to analyze other variants at exons 1 to 3 reported at the ClinVar database. Thirty-one variants were bioinformatically analyzed with MaxEntScan and SpliceAI. Then, 16 variants were selected for subsequent RNA assays. We identified a total of 12 spliceogenic variants, 11 of which did not produce any trace of the expected minigene full-length transcript. Interestingly, variant c.49-1G > A mimicked previous outcomes in patient RNA (transcript ∆(E2p6)), supporting the reproducibility of the minigene approach. A total of eight variant-induced transcripts were characterized, three of which (∆(E1q17), ∆(E3p11), and ∆(E3)) were predicted to introduce a premature termination codon and to undergo nonsense-mediated decay, and five (▼(E1q9), ∆(E2p6), ∆(E2), ▼(E3q48)-a, and ▼(E3q48)-b) maintained the reading frame. According to an ACMG/AMP (American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics/Association for Molecular Pathology)-based classification scheme, which integrates mgPALB2 data, six PALB2 variants were classified as pathogenic/likely pathogenic, five as VUS, and five as likely benign. Furthermore, five ±1,2 variants were catalogued as VUS because they produced significant proportions of in-frame transcripts of unknown impact on protein function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Valenzuela-Palomo
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Unidad de Excelencia Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC-UVa), 47003 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Lara Sanoguera-Miralles
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Unidad de Excelencia Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC-UVa), 47003 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Elena Bueno-Martínez
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Unidad de Excelencia Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC-UVa), 47003 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Ada Esteban-Sánchez
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, IdISSC (Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Inés Llinares-Burguet
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Unidad de Excelencia Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC-UVa), 47003 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Alicia García-Álvarez
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Unidad de Excelencia Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC-UVa), 47003 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Pedro Pérez-Segura
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, IdISSC (Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Susana Gómez-Barrero
- Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Alfonso X “El Sabio”, Avda. de la Universidad 1, Villanueva de la Cañada, 28691 Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel de la Hoya
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, IdISSC (Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Eladio A. Velasco-Sampedro
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Unidad de Excelencia Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC-UVa), 47003 Valladolid, Spain
- Correspondence:
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Opitz syndrome: improving clinical interpretation of intronic variants in MID1 gene. Pediatr Res 2022; 93:1208-1215. [PMID: 35953512 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-022-02237-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Loss-of-function variants in MID1 are the most common cause of Opitz G/BBB syndrome (OS). The interpretation of intronic variants affecting the splicing is a rising issue in OS. METHODS Exon sequencing of a 2-year-old boy with OS showed that he was a carrier of the de novo c.1286-10G>T variant in MID1. In silico predictions and minigene assays explored the effect of the variant on splicing. The minigene approach was also applied to two previously identified MID1 c.864+1G>T and c.1285+1G>T variants. RESULTS Minigene assay demonstrated that the c.1286-10G>T variant generated the inclusion of eight nucleotides that predicted generation of a frameshift. The c.864+1G>T and c.1285+1G>T variants resulted in an in-frame deletion predicted to generate a shorter MID1 protein. In hemizygous males, this allowed reclassification of all the identified variants from "of unknown significance" to "likely pathogenic." CONCLUSIONS Minigene assay supports functional effects from MID1 intronic variants. This paves the way to the introduction of similar second-tier investigations in the molecular diagnostics workflow of OS. IMPACT Causative intronic variants in MID1 are rarely investigated in Opitz syndrome. MID1 is not expressed in blood and mRNA studies are hardly accessible in routine diagnostics. Minigene assay is an alternative for assessing the effect of intronic variants on splicing. This is the first study characterizing the molecular consequences of three MID1 variants for diagnostic purposes and demonstrating the efficacy of minigene assays in supporting their clinical interpretation. Review of the criteria according to the American College of Medical Genetics reassessed all variants as likely pathogenic.
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Villate O, Maortua H, Tejada MI, Llano-Rivas I. RNA Analysis and Clinical Characterization of a Novel Splice Variant in the NSD1 Gene Causing Familial Sotos Syndrome. Front Pediatr 2022; 10:827802. [PMID: 35186810 PMCID: PMC8848324 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.827802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sotos syndrome is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by overgrowth, macrocephaly, distinctive facial features and learning disabilities. Haploinsufficiency of the nuclear receptor SET domain-containing protein 1 (NSD1) gene located on chromosome 5q35 is the major cause of the syndrome. This syndrome shares characteristics with other overgrowth syndromes, which can complicate the differential diagnosis. METHODS Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples of members of the same family and targeted exome analysis was performed. In silico study of the variant found by next-generation sequencing was used to predict disruption/creation of splice sites and the identification of potential cryptic splice sites. RNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples of patients and functional analyses were performed to confirm the pathogenicity. RESULTS We found a novel c.6463 + 5G>A heterozygous NSD1 gene pathogenic variant in a son and his father. Molecular analyses revealed that part of the intron 22 of NSD1 is retained due to the destruction of the splicing donor site, causing the appearance of a premature stop codon in the NSD1 protein. CONCLUSIONS Our findings underline the importance of performing RNA functional assays in order to determine the clinical significance of intronic variants, and contribute to the genetic counseling and clinical management of patients and their relatives. Our work also highlights the relevance of using in silico prediction tools to detect a potential alteration in the splicing process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olatz Villate
- Pediatric Oncology Group, Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
| | - Hiart Maortua
- Neurodegenerative Diseases Group, Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain.,Genetics Service, Hospital Universitario Cruces-Osakidetza, Barakaldo, Spain
| | - María-Isabel Tejada
- Genetics Service, Hospital Universitario Cruces-Osakidetza, Barakaldo, Spain.,Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain.,Spanish Consortium for Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Llano-Rivas
- Genetics Service, Hospital Universitario Cruces-Osakidetza, Barakaldo, Spain
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Morbidoni V, Baschiera E, Forzan M, Fumini V, Ali DS, Giorgi G, Buson L, Desbats MA, Cassina M, Clementi M, Salviati L, Trevisson E. Hybrid Minigene Assay: An Efficient Tool to Characterize mRNA Splicing Profiles of NF1 Variants. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13050999. [PMID: 33673681 PMCID: PMC7957615 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13050999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is caused by heterozygous loss of function mutations in the NF1 gene. Although patients are diagnosed according to clinical criteria and few genotype-phenotype correlations are known, molecular analysis remains important. NF1 displays allelic heterogeneity, with a high proportion of variants affecting splicing, including deep intronic alleles and changes outside the canonical splice sites, making validation problematic. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) technologies integrated with multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) have largely overcome RNA-based techniques but do not detect splicing defects. A rapid minigene-based system was set up to test the effects of NF1 variants on splicing. We investigated 29 intronic and exonic NF1 variants identified in patients during the diagnostic process. The minigene assay showed the coexistence of multiple mechanisms of splicing alterations for seven variants. A leaky effect on splicing was documented in one de novo substitution detected in a sporadic patient with a specific phenotype without neurofibromas. Our splicing assay proved to be a reliable and fast method to validate novel NF1 variants potentially affecting splicing and to detect hypomorphic effects that might have phenotypic consequences, avoiding the requirement of patient's RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Morbidoni
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (V.M.); (E.B.); (M.F.); (V.F.); (D.S.A.); (G.G.); (L.B.); (M.A.D.); (M.C.); (M.C.); (L.S.)
- Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica—IRP, Fondazione Città della Speranza, 35127 Padova, Italy
| | - Elisa Baschiera
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (V.M.); (E.B.); (M.F.); (V.F.); (D.S.A.); (G.G.); (L.B.); (M.A.D.); (M.C.); (M.C.); (L.S.)
- Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica—IRP, Fondazione Città della Speranza, 35127 Padova, Italy
| | - Monica Forzan
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (V.M.); (E.B.); (M.F.); (V.F.); (D.S.A.); (G.G.); (L.B.); (M.A.D.); (M.C.); (M.C.); (L.S.)
| | - Valentina Fumini
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (V.M.); (E.B.); (M.F.); (V.F.); (D.S.A.); (G.G.); (L.B.); (M.A.D.); (M.C.); (M.C.); (L.S.)
| | - Dario Seif Ali
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (V.M.); (E.B.); (M.F.); (V.F.); (D.S.A.); (G.G.); (L.B.); (M.A.D.); (M.C.); (M.C.); (L.S.)
| | - Gianpietro Giorgi
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (V.M.); (E.B.); (M.F.); (V.F.); (D.S.A.); (G.G.); (L.B.); (M.A.D.); (M.C.); (M.C.); (L.S.)
| | - Lisa Buson
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (V.M.); (E.B.); (M.F.); (V.F.); (D.S.A.); (G.G.); (L.B.); (M.A.D.); (M.C.); (M.C.); (L.S.)
- Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica—IRP, Fondazione Città della Speranza, 35127 Padova, Italy
| | - Maria Andrea Desbats
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (V.M.); (E.B.); (M.F.); (V.F.); (D.S.A.); (G.G.); (L.B.); (M.A.D.); (M.C.); (M.C.); (L.S.)
- Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica—IRP, Fondazione Città della Speranza, 35127 Padova, Italy
| | - Matteo Cassina
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (V.M.); (E.B.); (M.F.); (V.F.); (D.S.A.); (G.G.); (L.B.); (M.A.D.); (M.C.); (M.C.); (L.S.)
| | - Maurizio Clementi
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (V.M.); (E.B.); (M.F.); (V.F.); (D.S.A.); (G.G.); (L.B.); (M.A.D.); (M.C.); (M.C.); (L.S.)
| | - Leonardo Salviati
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (V.M.); (E.B.); (M.F.); (V.F.); (D.S.A.); (G.G.); (L.B.); (M.A.D.); (M.C.); (M.C.); (L.S.)
- Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica—IRP, Fondazione Città della Speranza, 35127 Padova, Italy
| | - Eva Trevisson
- Clinical Genetics Unit, Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy; (V.M.); (E.B.); (M.F.); (V.F.); (D.S.A.); (G.G.); (L.B.); (M.A.D.); (M.C.); (M.C.); (L.S.)
- Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica—IRP, Fondazione Città della Speranza, 35127 Padova, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: + 39-(04)-9821-1402
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Xu D, Xu H, Zhang Y, Wang M, Chen W, Gao R. MDAKRLS: Predicting human microbe-disease association based on Kronecker regularized least squares and similarities. J Transl Med 2021; 19:66. [PMID: 33579301 PMCID: PMC7881563 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-021-02732-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microbes are closely related to human health and diseases. Identification of disease-related microbes is of great significance for revealing the pathological mechanism of human diseases and understanding the interaction mechanisms between microbes and humans, which is also useful for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human diseases. Considering the known disease-related microbes are still insufficient, it is necessary to develop effective computational methods and reduce the time and cost of biological experiments. METHODS In this work, we developed a novel computational method called MDAKRLS to discover potential microbe-disease associations (MDAs) based on the Kronecker regularized least squares. Specifically, we introduced the Hamming interaction profile similarity to measure the similarities of microbes and diseases besides Gaussian interaction profile kernel similarity. In addition, we introduced the Kronecker product to construct two kinds of Kronecker similarities between microbe-disease pairs. Then, we designed the Kronecker regularized least squares with different Kronecker similarities to obtain prediction scores, respectively, and calculated the final prediction scores by integrating the contributions of different similarities. RESULTS The AUCs value of global leave-one-out cross-validation and 5-fold cross-validation achieved by MDAKRLS were 0.9327 and 0.9023 ± 0.0015, which were significantly higher than five state-of-the-art methods used for comparison. Comparison results demonstrate that MDAKRLS has faster computing speed under two kinds of frameworks. In addition, case studies of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and asthma further showed 19 (IBD), 19 (asthma) of the top 20 prediction disease-related microbes could be verified by previously published biological or medical literature. CONCLUSIONS All the evaluation results adequately demonstrated that MDAKRLS has an effective and reliable prediction performance. It may be a useful tool to seek disease-related new microbes and help biomedical researchers to carry out follow-up studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Xu
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209, China
| | - Hanxiao Xu
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209, China
| | - Yusen Zhang
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209, China.
| | - Mingyi Wang
- Department of Central Lab, Weihai Municipal Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, China.
| | - Wei Chen
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, Shandong University, Weihai, 264209, China
| | - Rui Gao
- School of Control Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, 250061, China
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Sanoguera-Miralles L, Valenzuela-Palomo A, Bueno-Martínez E, Llovet P, Díez-Gómez B, Caloca MJ, Pérez-Segura P, Fraile-Bethencourt E, Colmena M, Carvalho S, Allen J, Easton DF, Devilee P, Vreeswijk MPG, de la Hoya M, Velasco EA. Comprehensive Functional Characterization and Clinical Interpretation of 20 Splice-Site Variants of the RAD51C Gene. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E3771. [PMID: 33333735 PMCID: PMC7765170 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hereditary breast and/or ovarian cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease with more than 10 known disease-associated genes. In the framework of the BRIDGES project (Breast Cancer Risk after Diagnostic Gene Sequencing), the RAD51C gene has been sequenced in 60,466 breast cancer patients and 53,461 controls. We aimed at functionally characterizing all the identified genetic variants that are predicted to disrupt the splicing process. Forty RAD51C variants of the intron-exon boundaries were bioinformatically analyzed, 20 of which were selected for splicing functional assays. To test them, a splicing reporter minigene with exons 2 to 8 was designed and constructed. This minigene generated a full-length transcript of the expected size (1062 nucleotides), sequence, and structure (Vector exon V1- RAD51C exons_2-8- Vector exon V2). The 20 candidate variants were genetically engineered into the wild type minigene and functionally assayed in MCF-7 cells. Nineteen variants (95%) impaired splicing, while 18 of them produced severe splicing anomalies. At least 35 transcripts were generated by the mutant minigenes: 16 protein-truncating, 6 in-frame, and 13 minor uncharacterized isoforms. According to ACMG/AMP-based standards, 15 variants could be classified as pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants: c.404G > A, c.405-6T > A, c.571 + 4A > G, c.571 + 5G > A, c.572-1G > T, c.705G > T, c.706-2A > C, c.706-2A > G, c.837 + 2T > C, c.905-3C > G, c.905-2A > C, c.905-2_905-1del, c.965 + 5G > A, c.1026 + 5_1026 + 7del, and c.1026 + 5G > T.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Sanoguera-Miralles
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC-UVa), 47003 Valladolid, Spain; (L.S.-M.); (A.V.-P.); (E.B.-M.); (B.D.-G.); (E.F.-B.)
| | - Alberto Valenzuela-Palomo
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC-UVa), 47003 Valladolid, Spain; (L.S.-M.); (A.V.-P.); (E.B.-M.); (B.D.-G.); (E.F.-B.)
| | - Elena Bueno-Martínez
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC-UVa), 47003 Valladolid, Spain; (L.S.-M.); (A.V.-P.); (E.B.-M.); (B.D.-G.); (E.F.-B.)
| | - Patricia Llovet
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory CIBERONC, Hospital Clinico San Carlos, IdISSC (Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (P.L.); (P.P.-S.); (M.C.)
| | - Beatriz Díez-Gómez
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC-UVa), 47003 Valladolid, Spain; (L.S.-M.); (A.V.-P.); (E.B.-M.); (B.D.-G.); (E.F.-B.)
| | - María José Caloca
- Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC-UVa), 47003 Valladolid, Spain;
| | - Pedro Pérez-Segura
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory CIBERONC, Hospital Clinico San Carlos, IdISSC (Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (P.L.); (P.P.-S.); (M.C.)
| | - Eugenia Fraile-Bethencourt
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC-UVa), 47003 Valladolid, Spain; (L.S.-M.); (A.V.-P.); (E.B.-M.); (B.D.-G.); (E.F.-B.)
- Knight Cancer Research Building, 2720 S Moody Ave, Portland, OR 97201, USA
| | - Marta Colmena
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory CIBERONC, Hospital Clinico San Carlos, IdISSC (Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (P.L.); (P.P.-S.); (M.C.)
| | - Sara Carvalho
- Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB1 8RN, UK; (S.C.); (J.A.); (D.F.E.)
| | - Jamie Allen
- Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB1 8RN, UK; (S.C.); (J.A.); (D.F.E.)
| | - Douglas F. Easton
- Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB1 8RN, UK; (S.C.); (J.A.); (D.F.E.)
| | - Peter Devilee
- Leiden University Medical Center, Department of Human Genetics, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands; (P.D.); (M.P.G.V.)
| | - Maaike P. G. Vreeswijk
- Leiden University Medical Center, Department of Human Genetics, 2300RC Leiden, The Netherlands; (P.D.); (M.P.G.V.)
| | - Miguel de la Hoya
- Molecular Oncology Laboratory CIBERONC, Hospital Clinico San Carlos, IdISSC (Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Hospital Clínico San Carlos), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (P.L.); (P.P.-S.); (M.C.)
| | - Eladio A. Velasco
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC-UVa), 47003 Valladolid, Spain; (L.S.-M.); (A.V.-P.); (E.B.-M.); (B.D.-G.); (E.F.-B.)
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7
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He R, Mo R, Shen M, Kang L, Song J, Liu Y, Chen Z, Zhang H, Yao H, Liu Y, Zhang Y, Dong H, Jin Y, Li M, Qin J, Zheng H, Chen Y, Li D, Wei H, Li X, Zhang H, Huang M, Zhang C, Jiang Y, Liang D, Tian Y, Yang Y. Variable phenotypes and outcomes associated with the MMACHC c.609G>A homologous mutation: long term follow-up in a large cohort of cases. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2020; 15:200. [PMID: 32746869 PMCID: PMC7398195 DOI: 10.1186/s13023-020-01485-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Cobalamin C deficiency (cblC) caused by the MMACHC mutations is the most common type of the disorders of intracellular cobalamin metabolism. While the c.609G > A mutation is most frequent in Chinese cblC patients, its correlation with phenotype has not been delineated. Here we aim to investigate the factors affecting variable phenotypes and outcomes associated with the MMACHC c.609G > A homologous mutation in 149 Chinese cases to have implications for treatment and prevention. Methods We assessed 149 cblC patients caused by MMACHC c.609G > A homozygous mutation. The clinical manifestations, complications, treatment, and outcomes were evaluated; 120 patients were followed-up till December 2019. Results Two patients (1.3%) were prenatally diagnosed, treated after birth and consequently showed normal development. In 15 patients (10.1%) detected by newborn screening, 10 were treated at the age of 2 weeks and showed normal development, while the other 5 were treated after onset and showed neurologic disorders. All 132 clinically diagnosed patients (88.6%) developed symptoms at age from few minutes after birth to 72 months. Among them, 101 (76.5%) had early-onset (before the age of 12 months) and 31 (23.5%) had late-onset (after the age of 12 months). Totally 5 patients died and 24 were lost to follow-up. Of the 132 clinical diagnosed patients, 92 (69.7%) presented with developmental delay, 65 (49.2%) had seizures, 37 (28.0%) had anemia, 24 (18.2%) had feeding difficulty, 23 (17.4%) had ocular problems, and 22 (16.7%) had hydrocephalus. Compared with the non-developmental delay group, the onset age, the age at treatment initiation and the time from onset to treatment initiation were later in the developmental delay group. Seizure group showed significantly higher urinary methylmalonic acid concentration. During long-term follow-up, plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) levels were significantly higher in patients in the uncontrolled group than those in the seizure-free group. Conclusions Most cblC patients caused by MMACHC c.609G > A homozygous mutation showed early-onset. The clinically diagnosed patients usually showed the presence of irreversible brain disorders. Patients treated from the pre-symptomatic stage showed favorable outcomes. Therefore, newborn screening, prenatal diagnosis and early treatment are crucial and the c.609G > A mutant allele should be listed in the pre-pregnancy carrier screening panel in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruxuan He
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Ruo Mo
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Ming Shen
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, Medical Innovation Research Division of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Lulu Kang
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Jinqing Song
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Yi Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Zhehui Chen
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Hongwu Zhang
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Hongxin Yao
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Yupeng Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, People's Hospital of Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yao Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Hui Dong
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Ying Jin
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Mengqiu Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Jiong Qin
- Department of Pediatrics, People's Hospital of Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Hong Zheng
- Department of Pediatrics, First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yongxing Chen
- Department of Endocrinology and Inherited Metabolic, Henan Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Dongxiao Li
- Department of Endocrinology and Inherited Metabolic, Henan Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Haiyan Wei
- Department of Endocrinology and Inherited Metabolic, Henan Children's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiyuan Li
- Precision Medicine Center, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Huifeng Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, Hebei Medical University Second Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China
| | | | - Chunyan Zhang
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, Medical Innovation Research Division of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China
| | - Yuwu Jiang
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China
| | - Desheng Liang
- School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China.
| | - Yaping Tian
- Research Center for Translational Medicine, Medical Innovation Research Division of Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100853, China.
| | - Yanling Yang
- Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China.
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A Novel Cosegregating DCTN1 Splice Site Variant in a Family with Bipolar Disorder May Hold the Key to Understanding the Etiology. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11040446. [PMID: 32325768 PMCID: PMC7231292 DOI: 10.3390/genes11040446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
A novel cosegregating splice site variant in the Dynactin-1 (DCTN1) gene was discovered by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) in a family with a history of bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive diagnosis (MDD). Psychiatric illness in this family follows an autosomal dominant pattern. DCTN1 codes for the largest dynactin subunit, namely p150Glued, which plays an essential role in retrograde axonal transport and in neuronal autophagy. A GT→TT transversion in the DCTN1 gene, uncovered in the present work, is predicted to disrupt the invariant canonical splice donor site IVS22 + 1G > T and result in intron retention and a premature termination codon (PTC). Thus, this splice site variant is predicted to trigger RNA nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) and/or result in a C-terminal truncated p150Glued protein (ct-p150Glued), thereby negatively impacting retrograde axonal transport and neuronal autophagy. BD prophylactic medications, and most antipsychotics and antidepressants, are known to enhance neuronal autophagy. This variant is analogous to the dominant-negative GLUED Gl1 mutation in Drosophila, which is responsible for a neurodegenerative phenotype. The newly identified variant may reflect an autosomal dominant cause of psychiatric pathology in this affected family. Factors that affect alternative splicing of the DCTN1 gene, leading to NMD and/or ct-p150Glued, may be of fundamental importance in contributing to our understanding of the etiology of BD as well as MDD.
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Gailite L, Valenzuela-Palomo A, Sanoguera-Miralles L, Rots D, Kreile M, Velasco EA. UGT1A1 Variants c.864+5G>T and c.996+2_996+5del of a Crigler-Najjar Patient Induce Aberrant Splicing in Minigene Assays. Front Genet 2020; 11:169. [PMID: 32211025 PMCID: PMC7067894 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A large fraction of DNA variants impairs pre-mRNA splicing in human hereditary disorders. Crigler-Najjar syndrome (CNS) is characterized by a severe unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia caused by variants in the UGT1A1 gene. We previously reported one CNS-type II patient with two splice-site variants in trans (c.864+5G>T and c.996+2_996+5del). According to MaxEntScan, both disrupt their corresponding donor sites (c.864+5G>T: 6.99 → 2.28; c.996+2_996+5del: 5.96 → -11.02), so they were selected for subsequent functional tests. Given the unavailability of patient RNA, we constructed an UGT1A1 splicing-reporter minigene with exons 1-4 to characterize the underlying splicing anomaly. The variant c.996+2_996+5del generated two aberrant transcripts, Δ(E2) (exon 2 skipping/64%) and ▼(E2q135) (intron retention of 135-nt/36%), which lead to the loss of 18 conserved amino-acids and the gain of 45 new ones of a critical functional domain, respectively. The c.864+5G>T variant mainly produced the aberrant transcript Δ(E1q141) (141-nt deletion/70.4%) and the full-length isoform (29.6%). Δ(E1q141) would provoke the loss of 47 amino-acids of the N-terminal domain that encodes for substrate specificity. Thus, the three anomalous transcripts are likely to inactivate UGT1A1. Moreover, this patient is also homozygous for the promoter variant A(TA)7TAA that decreases UGT1A1 expression by 70%, so the full-length transcript produced by c.864+5G>T would be even more reduced (<9%), thus supporting the diagnosis of CNS-type II. Therefore, minigenes represent valuable tools for the functional and clinical classifications of genetic variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Gailite
- Scientific Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia
| | - Alberto Valenzuela-Palomo
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular (CSIC-UVa), Valladolid, Spain
| | - Lara Sanoguera-Miralles
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular (CSIC-UVa), Valladolid, Spain
| | - Dmitrijs Rots
- Scientific Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia
| | - Madara Kreile
- Scientific Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Riga Stradins University, Riga, Latvia
| | - Eladio A Velasco
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular (CSIC-UVa), Valladolid, Spain
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10
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Siavrienė E, Petraitytė G, Mikštienė V, Rančelis T, Maldžienė Ž, Morkūnienė A, Byčkova J, Utkus A, Kučinskas V, Preikšaitienė E. A novel CHD7 variant disrupting acceptor splice site in a patient with mild features of CHARGE syndrome: a case report. BMC MEDICAL GENETICS 2019; 20:127. [PMID: 31315586 PMCID: PMC6637606 DOI: 10.1186/s12881-019-0859-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Background CHARGE syndrome (MIM# 214800)—which is characterised by a number of congenital anomalies including coloboma, ear anomalies, deafness, facial anomalies, heart defects, atresia choanae, genital hypoplasia, growth retardation, and developmental delay—is caused by a heterozygous variant in the CHD7 (MIM# 608892) gene located on chromosome 8q12. We report the identification of a novel c.5535-1G > A variant in CHD7 and provide the evaluation of its effect on pre-mRNA splicing. Case presentation In this study, we report on a female presenting features of CHARGE syndrome. A novel heterozygous CHD7 variant c.5535-1G > A located in the acceptor splice site of intron 26 was identified in the proband’s DNA sample after analysis of whole exome sequencing data. In silico predictions indicating that the variant is probably pathogenic by affecting pre-mRNA splicing were verified by genetic analysis based on reverse transcription of the patient’s RNA followed by PCR amplifications performed on synthesised cDNA and Sanger sequencing. Sanger sequencing of cDNA revealed that the c.5535-1G > A variant disrupts the original acceptor splice site and activates a cryptic splice site only one nucleotide downstream of the pathogenic variant site. This change causes the omission of the first nucleotide of exon 27, leading to a frameshift in the mRNA of the CHD7 gene. Our results suggest that the alteration induces the premature truncation of the CHD7 protein (UniProtKB: Q9P2D1), thus resulting in CHARGE syndrome. Conclusion Genetic analysis of novel splice site variant underlines its importance for studying the pathogenic splicing mechanism as well as for confirming a diagnosis. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12881-019-0859-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelina Siavrienė
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
| | - Gunda Petraitytė
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Violeta Mikštienė
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Tautvydas Rančelis
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Živilė Maldžienė
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Aušra Morkūnienė
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Jekaterina Byčkova
- Center of Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Clinics, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Algirdas Utkus
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Vaidutis Kučinskas
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Eglė Preikšaitienė
- Department of Human and Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
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Fraile-Bethencourt E, Valenzuela-Palomo A, Díez-Gómez B, Caloca MJ, Gómez-Barrero S, Velasco EA. Minigene Splicing Assays Identify 12 Spliceogenic Variants of BRCA2 Exons 14 and 15. Front Genet 2019; 10:503. [PMID: 31191615 PMCID: PMC6546720 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
A relevant fraction of BRCA2 variants is associated with splicing alterations and with an increased risk of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC). In this work, we have carried out a thorough study of variants from BRCA2 exons 14 and 15 reported at mutation databases. A total of 294 variants from exons 14 and 15 and flanking intronic sequences were analyzed with the online splicing tools NNSplice and Human Splicing Finder. Fifty-three out of these 294 variants were selected as candidate splicing variants. All variants but one, were introduced into the minigene MGBR2_ex14-20 (with exons 14–20) by site-directed mutagenesis and assayed in MCF-7 cells. Twelve of the remaining 52 variants (23.1%) impaired splicing at different degrees, yielding from 5 to 100% of aberrant transcripts. Nine variants affected the natural acceptor or donor sites of both exons and three affected putative enhancers or silencers. Fluorescent capillary electrophoresis revealed at least 10 different anomalous transcripts: (E14q5), Δ (E14p10), Δ(E14p246), Δ(E14q256), Δ(E14), Δ(E15p12), Δ(E15p13), Δ(E15p83), Δ(E15) and a 942-nt fragment of unknown structure. All transcripts, except for Δ(E14q256) and Δ(E15p12), are expected to truncate the BRCA2 protein. Nine variants induced severe splicing aberrations with more than 90% of abnormal transcripts. Thus, according to the guidelines of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, eight variants should be classified as pathogenic (c.7008-2A > T, c.7008-1G > A, c.7435+1G > C, c.7436-2A > T, c.7436-2A > G, c.7617+1G > A, c.7617+1G > T, and c.7617+2T > G), one as likely pathogenic (c.7008-3C > G) and three remain as variants of uncertain clinical significance or VUS (c.7177A > G, c.7447A > G and c.7501C > T). In conclusion, functional assays by minigenes constitute a valuable strategy to primarily check the splicing impact of DNA variants and their clinical interpretation. While bioinformatics predictions of splice site variants were accurate, those of enhancer or silencer variants were poor (only 3/23 spliceogenic variants) which showed weak impacts on splicing (∼5–16% of aberrant isoforms). So, the Exonic Splicing Enhancer and Silencer (ESE and ESS, respectively) prediction algorithms require further improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia Fraile-Bethencourt
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular (CSIC-UVa), Valladolid, Spain
| | - Alberto Valenzuela-Palomo
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular (CSIC-UVa), Valladolid, Spain
| | - Beatriz Díez-Gómez
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular (CSIC-UVa), Valladolid, Spain
| | - María José Caloca
- Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular (CSIC-UVa), Valladolid, Spain
| | | | - Eladio A Velasco
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular (CSIC-UVa), Valladolid, Spain
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12
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Fraile-Bethencourt E, Valenzuela-Palomo A, Díez-Gómez B, Goina E, Acedo A, Buratti E, Velasco EA. Mis-splicing in breast cancer: identification of pathogenic BRCA2 variants by systematic minigene assays. J Pathol 2019; 248:409-420. [PMID: 30883759 DOI: 10.1002/path.5268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Splicing disruption is a common mechanism of gene inactivation associated with germline variants of susceptibility genes. To study the role of BRCA2 mis-splicing in hereditary breast/ovarian cancer (HBOC), we performed a comprehensive analysis of variants from BRCA2 exons 2-9, as well as the initial characterization of the regulatory mechanisms of such exons. A pSAD-based minigene with exons 2-9 was constructed and validated in MCF-7 cells, producing the expected transcript (1016-nt/V1-BRCA2_exons_2-9-V2). DNA variants from mutational databases were analyzed by NNSplice and Human Splicing Finder softwares. To refine ESE-variant prediction, we mapped the regulatory regions through a functional strategy whereby 26 exonic microdeletions were introduced into the minigene and tested in MCF-7 cells. Thus, we identified nine spliceogenic ESE-rich intervals where ESE-variants may be located. Combining bioinformatics and microdeletion assays, 83 variants were selected and genetically engineered in the minigene. Fifty-three changes impaired splicing: 28 variants disrupted the canonical sites, four created new ones, 10 abrogated enhancers, eight created silencers and three caused a double-effect. Notably, nine spliceogenic-ESE variants were located within ESE-containing intervals. Capillary electrophoresis and sequencing revealed more than 23 aberrant transcripts, where exon skipping was the most common event. Interestingly, variant c.67G>A triggered the usage of a noncanonical GC-donor 4-nt upstream. Thirty-six variants that induced severe anomalies (>60% aberrant transcripts) were analyzed according to the ACMG guidelines. Thus, 28 variants were classified as pathogenic, five as likely pathogenic and three as variants of uncertain significance. Interestingly, 13 VUS were reclassified as pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants. In conclusion, a large fraction of BRCA2 variants (∼64%) provoked splicing anomalies lending further support to the high prevalence of this disease-mechanism. The low accuracy of ESE-prediction algorithms may be circumvented by functional ESE-mapping that represents an optimal strategy to identify spliceogenic ESE-variants. Finally, systematic functional assays by minigenes depict a valuable tool for the initial characterization of splicing anomalies and the clinical interpretation of variants. © 2019 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia Fraile-Bethencourt
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular (CSIC-UVa), Valladolid, Spain
| | - Alberto Valenzuela-Palomo
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular (CSIC-UVa), Valladolid, Spain
| | - Beatriz Díez-Gómez
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular (CSIC-UVa), Valladolid, Spain
| | - Elisa Goina
- Molecular Pathology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Trieste, Italy
| | - Alberto Acedo
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular (CSIC-UVa), Valladolid, Spain
| | - Emanuele Buratti
- Molecular Pathology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Trieste, Italy
| | - Eladio A Velasco
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular (CSIC-UVa), Valladolid, Spain
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13
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Ungaro C, Citrigno L, Trojsi F, Sprovieri T, Gentile G, Muglia M, Monsurrò MR, Tedeschi G, Cavallaro S, Conforti FL. ALS and CHARGE syndrome: a clinical and genetic study. Acta Neurol Belg 2018; 118:629-635. [PMID: 30317490 PMCID: PMC6244742 DOI: 10.1007/s13760-018-1029-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 10/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and CHARGE syndrome are complex neurological disorders, which never occurred together in the same family and, to date, no putative correlation between them has been described on PubMed Central. Due to our aim was to evaluate the presence of different genetic variants involved in these pathologies, we reported a clinical and genetic description of two sisters affected by these two different disorders. In the CHARGE patient, molecular analysis of the CHD7 gene revealed the c.8016G >A de novo variant in exon 37. The ALS patient had been screened negative for mutations in SOD1, TARDBP, FUS/TLS, C9orf72 and KIF5A genes. Anyway, targeted next generation sequencing analysis identified known and unknown genetic variations in 39 ALS-related genes: a total of 380 variants were reported, of which 194 in the ALS patient and 186 in the CHARGE patient. To date, although the results suggest that the occurrence of the two syndromes in the same family is co-incidental rather than based on a causative genetic variant, we could hypothesize that other factors might act as modulators in the pathogenesis of these different phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmine Ungaro
- Institute of Neurological Sciences (ISN), National Research Council, C.da Burga, Mangone, CS, Italy
| | - Luigi Citrigno
- Institute of Neurological Sciences (ISN), National Research Council, C.da Burga, Mangone, CS, Italy
| | - Francesca Trojsi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Chirurgiche, Neurologiche, Metaboliche e dell'Invecchiamento, Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Teresa Sprovieri
- Institute of Neurological Sciences (ISN), National Research Council, C.da Burga, Mangone, CS, Italy
| | - Giulia Gentile
- Institute of Neurological Sciences (ISN), National Research Council, C.da Burga, Mangone, CS, Italy
| | - Maria Muglia
- Institute of Neurological Sciences (ISN), National Research Council, C.da Burga, Mangone, CS, Italy
| | - Maria Rosaria Monsurrò
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Chirurgiche, Neurologiche, Metaboliche e dell'Invecchiamento, Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Gioacchino Tedeschi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Chirurgiche, Neurologiche, Metaboliche e dell'Invecchiamento, Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Cavallaro
- Institute of Neurological Sciences (ISN), National Research Council, C.da Burga, Mangone, CS, Italy
| | - Francesca Luisa Conforti
- Institute of Neurological Sciences (ISN), National Research Council, C.da Burga, Mangone, CS, Italy.
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14
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Fraile-Bethencourt E, Valenzuela-Palomo A, Díez-Gómez B, Acedo A, Velasco EA. Identification of Eight Spliceogenic Variants in BRCA2 Exon 16 by Minigene Assays. Front Genet 2018; 9:188. [PMID: 29881398 PMCID: PMC5977032 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic testing of BRCA1 and BRCA2 identifies a large number of variants of uncertain clinical significance whose functional and clinical interpretations pose a challenge for genetic counseling. Interestingly, a relevant fraction of DNA variants can disrupt the splicing process in cancer susceptibility genes. We have tested more than 200 variants throughout 19 BRCA2 exons mostly by minigene assays, 54% of which displayed aberrant splicing, thus confirming the utility of this assay to check genetic variants in the absence of patient RNA. Our goal was to investigate BRCA2 exon 16 with a view to characterizing spliceogenic variants recorded at the mutational databases. Seventy-two different BIC and UMD variants were analyzed with NNSplice and Human Splicing Finder, 12 of which were selected because they were predicted to disrupt essential splice motifs: canonical splice sites (ss; eight variants) and exonic/intronic splicing enhancers (four variants). These 12 candidate variants were introduced into the BRCA2 minigene with seven exons (14–20) by site-directed mutagenesis and then transfected into MCF-7 cells. Seven variants (six intronic and one missense) induced complete abnormal splicing patterns: c.7618-2A>T, c.7618-2A>G, c.7618-1G>C, c.7618-1G>A, c.7805G>C, c.7805+1G>A, and c.7805+3A>C, as well as a partial anomalous outcome by c.7802A>G. They generated at least 10 different transcripts: Δ16p44 (alternative 3’ss 44-nt downstream; acceptor variants), Δ16 (exon 16-skipping; donor variants), Δ16p55 (alternative 3’ss 55-nt downstream), Δ16q4 (alternative 5’ss 4-nt upstream), Δ16q100 (alternative 5’ss 4-nt upstream), ▾16q20 (alternative 5’ss 20-nt downstream), as well as minor (Δ16p93 and Δ16,17p69) and uncharacterized transcripts of 893 and 954 nucleotides. Isoforms Δ16p44, Δ16, Δ16p55, Δ16q4, Δ16q100, and ▾16q20 introduced premature termination codons which presumably inactivate BRCA2. According to the guidelines the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics these eight variants could be classified as pathogenic or likely pathogenic whereas the Evidence-based Network for the Interpretation of Germline Mutant Alleles rules suggested seven class 4 and one class 3 variants. In conclusion, our study highlights the relevance of splicing functional assays by hybrid minigenes for the clinical classification of genetic variations. Hence, we provide new data about spliceogenic variants of BRCA2 exon 16 that are directly correlated with breast cancer susceptibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia Fraile-Bethencourt
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Alberto Valenzuela-Palomo
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Beatriz Díez-Gómez
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Alberto Acedo
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain.,Biome Makers Inc., San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Eladio A Velasco
- Splicing and Genetic Susceptibility to Cancer, Instituto de Biología y Genética Molecular, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
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