Genetic identification and characterization of Lynch syndrome in a multi-ethnic biobank.

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1520-1520
Author(s):  
Rachel Rosenblum ◽  
Sabrina A. Suckiel ◽  
Gillian M. Belbin ◽  
Sinead Cullina ◽  
Judy H. Cho ◽  
...  

1520 Background: Lynch syndrome (LS), caused by germline pathogenic variants in mismatch repair (MMR) genes, results in increased risk of colorectal, endometrial, and other cancers. LS has a prevalence of ~1 in 440 in European ancestry populations; prevalence data in other populations are limited. We identified and characterized carriers of pathogenic MMR gene variants in the multi-ethnic Bio Me Biobank in New York City. Methods: Exome sequence data from ~31,000 Bio Me participants were evaluated for known (per ClinVar) and predicted (loss-of-function) pathogenic variants in MMR genes. Population groups were defined by genetic ancestry. Participant questionnaires and electronic health records (EHRs) of carriers were reviewed for personal or family history of malignancy. Results: We identified 48 carriers of 33 distinct pathogenic variants in PMS2 (48%), MLH1 (27%), MSH6 (15%), and MSH2 (10%), for an estimated prevalence of ~1/640 in the Bio Me Biobank. Prevalence was higher among individuals of Non-Jewish European (N = 14; 1/400) and African (N = 14; 1/490) ancestries, compared to Puerto Rican (N = 8; 1/640), Ashkenazi Jewish (N = 6; 1/690), and other/mixed (N = 6) ancestries. Carriers had a median age of 56 (range 27 to 77) years and were 50% female. Overall rate of malignancy among carriers was 38%, with the lowest rate in PMS2 (26%) and the highest rate in MSH6 (57%) variant carriers. We found a high prevalence of endometrial cancer (21% of female carriers) and a lower prevalence of colorectal cancer (4% of all carriers). Only 2 carriers (4%) had a diagnosis of LS in their EHRs, and only 1 carrier met Amsterdam diagnostic criteria for LS. Conclusions: These data show that ~0.15% of participants in a multi-ethnic biobank are carriers of pathogenic MMR gene variants and suggest that the prevalence is higher in European and lower in non-European ancestry populations. Notably, most carriers do not have a clinical diagnosis of LS and do not meet diagnostic criteria for LS. Carriers demonstrate variable rates of cancer, which may contribute to under-diagnosis of LS. Genomic screening for pathogenic MMR variants may lead to earlier diagnosis of LS and improved outcomes.

2020 ◽  
pp. 1429-1444
Author(s):  
Rachel E. Rosenblum ◽  
Celina Ang ◽  
Sabrina A. Suckiel ◽  
Emily R. Soper ◽  
Meenakshi R. Sigireddi ◽  
...  

PURPOSE Limited data are available on the prevalence and clinical impact of Lynch syndrome (LS)–associated genomic variants in non-European ancestry populations. We identified and characterized individuals harboring LS-associated variants in the ancestrally diverse Bio Me Biobank in New York City. PATIENTS AND METHODS Exome sequence data from 30,223 adult Bio Me participants were evaluated for pathogenic, likely pathogenic, and predicted loss-of-function variants in MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2. Survey and electronic health record data from variant-positive individuals were reviewed for personal and family cancer histories. RESULTS We identified 70 individuals (0.2%) harboring LS-associated variants in MLH1 (n = 12; 17%), MSH2 (n = 13; 19%), MSH6 (n = 16; 23%), and PMS2 (n = 29; 41%). The overall prevalence was 1 in 432, with higher prevalence among individuals of self-reported African ancestry (1 in 299) than among Hispanic/Latinx (1 in 654) or European (1 in 518) ancestries. Thirteen variant-positive individuals (19%) had a personal history, and 19 (27%) had a family history of an LS-related cancer. LS-related cancer rates were highest in individuals with MSH6 variants (31%) and lowest in those with PMS2 variants (7%). LS-associated variants were associated with increased risk of colorectal (odds ratio [OR], 5.0; P = .02) and endometrial (OR, 30.1; P = 8.5 × 10−9) cancers in Bio Me. Only 2 variant-positive individuals (3%) had a documented diagnosis of LS. CONCLUSION We found a higher prevalence of LS-associated variants among individuals of African ancestry in New York City. Although cancer risk is significantly increased among variant-positive individuals, the majority do not harbor a clinical diagnosis of LS, suggesting underrecognition of this disease.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karol Estrada ◽  
Steven Froelich ◽  
Arthur Wuster ◽  
Christopher R. Bauer ◽  
Teague Sterling ◽  
...  

AbstractWhile GWAS of common diseases has delivered thousands of novel genetic findings, prioritizing genes for translation to therapeutics has been challenging. Here, we propose an approach to resolve that issue by identifying genes that have both gain of function (GoF) and loss of function (LoF) mutations associated with opposing effects on phenotype (Bidirectional Effect Selected Targets, BEST). Bidirectionality is a desirable feature of the best targets because it implies both a causal role on the phenotype in one direction and that modulating the target activity might be safe and therapeutically beneficial in the other.We used height, a highly heritable trait and a model of complex diseases, to test our approach. Using 34,231 individuals with exome sequence data and height, we identified five genes (IGF1R, NPPC, NPR2, FGFR3, and SHOX) with evidence for bidirectional effects on stature. Rare protein-altering variants significantly increased risk for idiopathic short stature (ISS) (OR=2.75, p= 3.99×10−8). These genes are key members of the only two pathways successfully targeted for short stature: Growth Hormone/Insulin-like growth factor 1 axis and C-type Natriuretic peptide (CNP) for Achondroplasia, a monogenic form of dwarfism. We assayed a subset of NPR2 mutations and identified those with elevated (GoF) and diminished (LoF) activity and found that a polygenic score for height modulates the penetrance of pathogenic variants. We also demonstrated that adding exogenous CNP (encoded by NPPC) rescues the NPR2 haploinsufficiency molecular phenotype in a CRISPR-engineered cell line, thus validating its potential therapeutic treatment for inherited forms of short stature. Finally, we found that these BEST targets increase the probability of success in clinical trials above and beyond targets with other genetic evidence. Our results show the value of looking for bidirectional effects to identify and validate drug targets.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (13) ◽  
pp. 2856
Author(s):  
Mev Dominguez-Valentin ◽  
John-Paul Plazzer ◽  
Julian R. Sampson ◽  
Christoph Engel ◽  
Stefan Aretz ◽  
...  

Background. Lynch syndrome is the most common genetic predisposition for hereditary cancer. Carriers of pathogenic changes in mismatch repair (MMR) genes have an increased risk of developing colorectal (CRC), endometrial, ovarian, urinary tract, prostate, and other cancers, depending on which gene is malfunctioning. In Lynch syndrome, differences in cancer incidence (penetrance) according to the gene involved have led to the stratification of cancer surveillance. By contrast, any differences in penetrance determined by the type of pathogenic variant remain unknown. Objective. To determine cumulative incidences of cancer in carriers of truncating and missense or aberrant splicing pathogenic variants of the MLH1 and MSH2 genes. Methods. Carriers of pathogenic variants of MLH1 (path_MLH1) and MSH2 (path_MSH2) genes filed in the Prospective Lynch Syndrome Database (PLSD) were categorized as truncating or missense/aberrant splicing according to the InSiGHT criteria for pathogenicity. Results. Among 5199 carriers, 1045 had missense or aberrant splicing variants, and 3930 had truncating variants. Prospective observation years for the two groups were 8205 and 34,141 years, respectively, after which there were no significant differences in incidences for cancer overall or for colorectal cancer or endometrial cancers separately. Conclusion. Truncating and missense or aberrant splicing pathogenic variants were associated with similar average cumulative incidences of cancer in carriers of path MLH1 and path_MSH2.


Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 2704
Author(s):  
Sally Yepes ◽  
Nirav N. Shah ◽  
Jiwei Bai ◽  
Hela Koka ◽  
Chuzhong Li ◽  
...  

Background: Chordoma is a rare bone cancer with an unknown etiology. TBXT is the only chordoma susceptibility gene identified to date; germline single nucleotide variants and copy number variants in TBXT have been associated with chordoma susceptibility in familial and sporadic chordoma. However, the genetic susceptibility of chordoma remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated rare germline genetic variants in genes involved in TBXT/chordoma-related signaling pathways and other biological processes in chordoma patients from North America and China. Methods: We identified variants that were very rare in general population and internal control datasets and showed evidence for pathogenicity in 265 genes in a whole exome sequencing (WES) dataset of 138 chordoma patients of European ancestry and in a whole genome sequencing (WGS) dataset of 80 Chinese patients with skull base chordoma. Results: Rare and likely pathogenic variants were identified in 32 of 138 European ancestry patients (23%), including genes that are part of notochord development, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, Sonic Hedgehog, SWI/SNF complex and mesoderm development pathways. Rare pathogenic variants in COL2A1, EXT1, PDK1, LRP2, TBXT and TSC2, among others, were also observed in Chinese patients. Conclusion: We identified several rare loss-of-function and predicted deleterious missense variants in germline DNA from patients with chordoma, which may influence chordoma predisposition and reflect a complex susceptibility, warranting further investigation in large studies.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (12) ◽  
pp. 889-897
Author(s):  
Moataz Ellithi ◽  
Jordan Baye ◽  
Russell A Wilke

Pharmacogenetic variants can alter the mechanism of action (pharmacodynamic gene variants) or kinetic processes such as absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination (pharmacokinetic gene variants). Many initial successes in precision medicine occurred in the context of genes encoding the cytochromes P450 (CYP enzymes). CYP2C19 activates the antiplatelet drug clopidogrel, and polymorphisms in the CYP2C19 gene are known to alter the outcome for patients taking clopidogrel in the context of cardiovascular disease. CYP2C19 loss-of-function alleles are specifically associated with increased risk for coronary stent thrombosis and major adverse cardiovascular events in patients taking clopidogrel following percutaneous coronary intervention. We explore successes and challenges encountered as the clinical and scientific communities advance CYP2C19 genotyping in the context of routine patient care.


2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e16107-e16107
Author(s):  
Marija Staninova Stojovska ◽  
Katerina Kubelka Sabit ◽  
Dzengis Jasar ◽  
Rubens Jovanovic ◽  
Nadica Matevska ◽  
...  

e16107 Background: DNA mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency occurs in both inherited/sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC) and endometrial cancer, but it may also be found in some other types of cancer. At present, MMR status testing in clinical practice is recommended for all CRC patients in order to identify those who should be offered genetic testing for the Lynch syndrome (LS), inform disease prognosis, and guide therapeutic management.There are two commonly accepted methods for MMR deficiency analysis, one based on the detection of microsatellite instability (MSI) by PCR and the other based on the detection of protein expression of the MMR genes using immunohistochemistry (IHC). The objective of this study was to evaluate the concordance between IHC and MSI in tumors from 18 LS patients with known pathogenic germline variants in MMR genes (MLH1, MSH2, PMS2 and MSH6). Methods: The MSI testing was performed using the five gene Bethesda panel (BAT25, BAT26, D2S123, D5S346, D17S250) while the IHC testing was done with the use of a standard 4 antibody panel (MLH1, MSH2, PMS2 and MSH6). Results: High concordance of the two methods was observed in 13/18 (72.2%) patients, mainly with disruptive mutations in the МLH1, MSH2 and PMS2 genes. Inconsistent results were obtained in 5/18 (28.8%) patients, of whom two had a positive result only with the use of the PCR method [carriers of MLH1 c.62C > T (p.Ala21Val) and c.244A > G (p.Thr82Ala) missense variants], other two had a positive result only with IHC [carriers of MSH6 c.3514dupA (p.Arg1172LysfsTer5) and c.2384T > C (p.Ile795Thr)] and one patient had normal results using both methods (carrier of MSH6 c.457+1G > T splice site mutation that results in exon 3 skipping). A positive predictive value of either MSI or IHC used as a single methods for screening was 83.3%, which indicates that a substantial number of cases with MMR tumors can be misdiagnosed by using only either one or the other of these two methods. Conclusions: These results have a potential implication not only for LS screening in CRC patients, but also for the detection of the MMR deficiency in patients with various tumors that might benefit from the checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy. The use of extended MSI NGS panels might provide a higher sensitivity for the detection of MMR deficiency compared to the standard MSI or ICH testing.


Author(s):  
Henne Holstege ◽  
Marc Hulsman ◽  
Camille Charbonnier ◽  
Benjamin Grenier-Boley ◽  
Olivier Quenez ◽  
...  

Background: With the development of next-generation sequencing technologies, it is possible to identify rare genetic variants that influence the risk of complex disorders. To date, whole exome sequencing (WES) strategies have shown that specific clusters of damaging rare variants in the TREM2, SORL1 and ABCA7 genes are associated with an increased risk of developing Alzheimers Disease (AD), reaching odds ratios comparable with the APOE-ε4 allele, the main common AD genetic risk factor. Here, we set out to identify additional AD-associated genes by an exome-wide investigation of the burden of rare damaging variants in the genomes of AD cases and cognitively healthy controls. Method: We integrated the data from 25,982 samples from the European ADES consortium and the American ADSP consortium. We developed new techniques to homogenise and analyse these data. Carriers of pathogenic variants in genes associated with Mendelian inheritance of dementia were excluded. After quality control, we used 12,652 AD cases and 8,693 controls for analysis. Genes were analysed using a burden analysis, including both non-synonymous and loss-of-function rare variants, the impact of which was prioritised using REVEL. Result: We confirmed that carrying rare protein-damaging genetic variants in TREM2, SORL1 or ABCA7 is associated with increased AD-risk. Moreover, we found that carrying rare damaging variants in the microglial ATP8B4 gene was significantly associated with AD, and we found suggestive evidence that rare variants in ADAM10, ABCA1, ORC6, B3GNT4 and SRC genes associated with increased AD risk. High-impact variants in these genes were mostly extremely rare and enriched in AD patients with earlier ages at onset. Additionally, we identified two suggestive protective associations in CBX3 and PRSS3. We are currently replicating these associations in independent datasets. Conclusion: With our newly developed homogenisation methods, we identified novel genetic determinants of AD which provide further evidence for a pivotal role of APP processing, lipid metabolism, and microglia and neuro-inflammatory processes in AD pathophysiology.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tony Zeng ◽  
Yang I Li

Recent progress in deep learning approaches have greatly improved the prediction of RNA splicing from DNA sequence. Here, we present Pangolin, a deep learning model to predict splice site strength in multiple tissues that has been trained on RNA splicing and sequence data from four species. Pangolin outperforms state of the art methods for predicting RNA splicing on a variety of prediction tasks. We use Pangolin to study the impact of genetic variants on RNA splicing, including lineage-specific variants and rare variants of uncertain significance. Pangolin predicts loss-of-function mutations with high accuracy and recall, particularly for mutations that are not missense or nonsense (AUPRC = 0.93), demonstrating remarkable potential for identifying pathogenic variants.


2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (29) ◽  
pp. 2961-2968 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanne W. ten Broeke ◽  
Heleen M. van der Klift ◽  
Carli M.J. Tops ◽  
Stefan Aretz ◽  
Inge Bernstein ◽  
...  

Purpose Lynch syndrome due to pathogenic variants in the DNA mismatch repair genes MLH1, MSH2, and MSH6 is predominantly associated with colorectal and endometrial cancer, although extracolonic cancers have been described within the Lynch tumor spectrum. However, the age-specific cumulative risk (penetrance) of these cancers is still poorly defined for PMS2-associated Lynch syndrome. Using a large data set from a worldwide collaboration, our aim was to determine accurate penetrance measures of cancers for carriers of heterozygous pathogenic PMS2 variants. Methods A modified segregation analysis was conducted that incorporated both genotyped and nongenotyped relatives, with conditioning for ascertainment to estimates corrected for bias. Hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% CIs were estimated for each cancer site for mutation carriers compared with the general population, followed by estimation of penetrance. Results In total, 284 families consisting of 4,878 first- and second-degree family members were included in the analysis. PMS2 mutation carriers were at increased risk for colorectal cancer (cumulative risk to age 80 years of 13% [95% CI, 7.9% to 22%] for males and 12% [95% CI, 6.7% to 21%] for females) and endometrial cancer (13% [95% CI, 7.0%–24%]), compared with the general population (6.6%, 4.7%, and 2.4%, respectively). There was no clear evidence of an increased risk of ovarian, gastric, hepatobiliary, bladder, renal, brain, breast, prostate, or small bowel cancer. Conclusion Heterozygous PMS2 mutation carriers were at small increased risk for colorectal and endometrial cancer but not for any other Lynch syndrome–associated cancer. This finding justifies that PMS2-specific screening protocols could be restricted to colonoscopies. The role of risk-reducing hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy for PMS2 mutation carriers needs further discussion.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth T. Cirulli ◽  
Simon White ◽  
Robert W. Read ◽  
Gai Elhanan ◽  
William J Metcalf ◽  
...  

Defining the effects that rare variants can have on human phenotypes is essential to advancing our understanding of human health and disease. Large-scale human genetic analyses have thus far focused on common variants, but the development of large cohorts of deeply phenotyped individuals with exome sequence data has now made comprehensive analyses of rare variants possible. We analyzed the effects of rare (MAF<0.1%) variants on 3,166 phenotypes in 40,468 exome-sequenced individuals from the UK Biobank and performed replication as well as meta-analyses with 1,067 phenotypes in 13,470 members of the Healthy Nevada Project (HNP) cohort who underwent Exome+ sequencing at Helix. Our analyses of non-benign coding and loss of function (LoF) variants identified 78 gene-based associations that passed our statistical significance threshold (p<5×10-9). These are associations in which carrying any rare coding or LoF variant in the gene is associated with an enrichment for a specific phenotype, as opposed to GWAS-based associations of strictly single variants. Importantly, our results do not suffer from the test statistic inflation that is often seen with rare variant analyses of biobank-scale data because of our rare variant-tailored methodology, which includes a step that optimizes the carrier frequency threshold for each phenotype based on prevalence. Of the 47 discovery associations whose phenotypes were represented in the replication cohort, 98% showed effects in the expected direction, and 45% attained formal replication significance (p<0.001). Six additional significant associations were identified in our meta-analysis of both cohorts. Among the results, we confirm known associations of PCSK9 and APOB variation with LDL levels; we extend knowledge of variation in the TYRP1 gene, previously associated with blonde hair color only in Solomon Islanders to blonde hair color in individuals of European ancestry; we show that PAPPA, a gene in which common variants had previously associated with height via GWAS, contains rare variants that decrease height; and we make the novel discovery that STAB1 variation is associated with blood flow in the brain. Our results are available for download and interactive browsing in an app (https://ukb.research.helix.com). This comprehensive analysis of the effects of rare variants on human phenotypes marks one of the first steps in the next big phase of human genetics, where large, deeply phenotyped cohorts with next generation sequence data will elucidate the effects of rare variants.


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