Genetics Evaluation of Targeted Exome Sequencing in 223 Chinese Probands With Genetic Skeletal Dysplasias

Genetic skeletal dysplasias (GSDs) are a type of disease with complex phenotype and high heterogeneity, characterized by cartilage and bone growth abnormalities. The variable phenotypes of GSD make clinical diagnosis difficult. To explore the clinical utility of targeted exome sequencing (TES) in the diagnosis of GSD, 223 probands with suspected GSD were enrolled for TES with a panel of 322 known disease-causing genes. After bioinformatics analysis, all candidate variants were prioritized by pathogenicity. Sanger sequencing was used to verify candidate variants in the probands and parents and to trace the source of variants in family members. We identified the molecular diagnoses for 110/223 probands from 24 skeletal disorder groups and confirmed 129 pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in 48 genes. The overall diagnostic rate was 49%. The molecular diagnostic results modified the diagnosis in 25% of the probands, among which mucopolysaccharidosis and spondylo-epi-metaphyseal dysplasias were more likely to be misdiagnosed. The clinical management of 33% of the probands also improved; 21 families received genetic counseling; 4 families accepted prenatal genetic diagnosis, 1 of which was detected to carry pathogenic variants. The results showed that TES achieved a high diagnostic rate for GSD, helping clinicians confirm patients’ molecular diagnoses, formulate treatment directions, and carry out genetic counseling. TES could be an economical diagnostic method for patients with GSD.

Mosaic duplication of 8q24.1q24.3 detected by chromosomal microarray but not karyotyping in two unrelated fetuses with cardiac defects

Background Discordance between traditional cytogenetic and molecular cytogenetic tests is rare but not uncommon. The explanation of discordance between two genetic methods is difficult but especially important for genetic counseling, particularly for prenatal genetic diagnosis. Case presentation Two unrelated fetuses were diagnosed with cardiac defects by prenatal ultrasound examination, and invasive cordocentesis was performed to obtain cord blood samples for prenatal genetic diagnosis. For both fetuses, chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) detected a novel approximately 27-Mb mosaic duplication with a high copy number of approximately six to seven copies on chromosome 8q24.1q24.3 that was not identified by karyotyping. To exclude artificial errors and validate laboratory detection results, multiple procedures including copy number variation sequencing, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and short tandem repeat and single-nucleotide polymorphism genotype comparison were performed, confirming the discordant results between CMA and karyotyping. The potential causes of discordance between CMA and karyotyping using fetal blood lymphocytes are discussed; we suggest that extrachromosomal DNA or cell-free DNA fragmentation originating from certain tumor tissues with 8q24.1q24.3 duplication might deserve further investigation. Conclusions This study may be helpful for prenatal evaluation and genetic counseling for subsequent patients with similar mosaic 8q24.1q24.3 duplications. Additionally, more cases and further research are needed to understand whether mosaic 8q24.1q24.3 duplication is associated with certain genetic disorders and to investigate the causes of discordance between molecular and morphological methods.

The genotype analysis and prenatal genetic diagnosis among 244 pedigrees with methylmalonic aciduria in China

To investigate the phenotypes, biochemical features and genotypes for 244 pedigrees with methylmalonic aciduria (MMA) in China, and to perform the prenatal genetic diagnosis by chorionic villus for these pedigrees. Gene analyses were performed for 244 pedigrees. There are 130 families, chorionic villus sampling was performed on the pregnant women to conduct the prenatal diagnosis. Among 244 patients, 168 (68.9%) cases were combined methylmalonic aciduria and homocystinuria, 76 (31.1%) cases were isolated methymalonic aciduria. All the patients were diagnosed with MMA by their clinical manifestation, elevated blood propionylcarnitine, propionylcarnitine to acetylcarnitine ratio, and/or urine/blood methylmalonic acid with or without hyperhomocysteinemia. MMACHC, MUT, SUCLG1 and LMBRD1 gene variants were found in 236 (96.7%) pedigrees included 6 probands with only one heterozygous variant out of 244 cases. For the 130 pedigrees who received a prenatal diagnosis, 22 foetuses were normal, 69 foetuses were carriers of heterozygous variants, and the remaining 39 foetuses harboured compound heterozygous variants or homozygous variants. The follow-up results were consistent with the prenatal diagnosis. The present study indicates genetic heterogeneity in MMA patients. Genetic analysis is a convenient method for prenatal diagnosis that will aid in avoiding the delivery of MMA patients.

Mosaic Trisomy 5: Prenatal Genetic Diagnosis and Outcomes of a New Case

Chromosomal mosaicism is defined as the presence of two or more different cell lines in an organism that originate from the same embryo. Trisomy of chromosome 5 is one of the most severe forms of autosomal trisomy and only seven cases of mosaic trisomy 5 have been reported to date. Mosaicism at prenatal level constitutes a challenge in genetic counseling, particularly in the case of mosaic trisomy 5, due to its low incidence. We report the case of a girl with a prenatal diagnosis of mosaic trisomy 5. The pre- and postnatal genetic tests (noninvasive prenatal testing, array comparative genomic hybridization, karyotype in amniotic fluid cells, karyotype in peripheral blood, and uniparental disomy analysis) revealed the fetal chromosomal status and indicated etiology giving rise to the mosaicism, suggesting a prezygotic meiotic error corrected through late trisomic rescue in the zygote.