Familial focal epilepsy with variable foci mapped to chromosome 22q12: Expansion of the phenotypic spectrum

Summary We aimed to refine the phenotypic spectrum and map the causative gene in two families with familial focal epilepsy with variable foci (FFEVF). A new five-generation Australian FFEVF family (A) underwent electroclinical phenotyping, and the original four-generation Australian FFEVF family (B) (Ann Neurol, 44, 1998, 890) was re-analyzed, including new affected individuals. Mapping studies examined segregation at the chromosome 22q12 FFEVF region. In family B, the original whole genome microsatellite data was reviewed. Five subjects in family A and 10 in family B had FFEVF with predominantly awake attacks and active EEG studies with a different phenotypic picture from other families. In family B, reanalysis excluded the tentative 2q locus reported. Both families mapped to chromosome 22q12. Our results confirm chromosome 22q12 as the solitary locus for FFEVF. Both families show a subtly different phenotype to other published families extending the clinical spectrum of FFEVF

Intestinal-Cell Kinase and Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy.

With regard to the article by Bailey et al. (March 15, 2018, issue) on the potential role of variants in the gene encoding intestinal cell kinase (ICK) in genetic generalized epilepsies, including juvenile myoclonic epilepsy: We attempted replication by rechecking for enrichment of ICK variants in two previously published analyses of mainly familial cases of genetic generalized epilepsy, which included a total of 1149 cases of genetic generalized epilepsy and 5911 ethnically matched controls. We analyzed the burden of single-gene rare variants with the use of whole exome sequencing data, applying population stratification and both sample and variant quality control. We found no evidence of an enrichment of ICK variants in genetic generalized epilepsies or juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. Specifically, we did not detect a nonsynonymous variant in 357 persons with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy at a minor allele frequency at or below 0.1%. Although we cannot exclude the possibility that ICK variants may be population-specific risk factors for juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, the lack of validation in our cohorts does not support a true disease association but rather suggests that the authors’ results may be due to chance, possibly owing to methodologic issues (see the Supplementary Appendix, available with the full text of this letter at NEJM.org)

Exome sequencing of 20,979 individuals with epilepsy reveals shared and distinct ultra-rare genetic risk across disorder subtypes

Identifying genetic risk factors for highly heterogeneous disorders such as epilepsy remains challenging. Here we present, to our knowledge, the largest whole-exome sequencing study of epilepsy to date, with more than 54,000 human exomes, comprising 20,979 deeply phenotyped patients from multiple genetic ancestry groups with diverse epilepsy subtypes and 33,444 controls, to investigate rare variants that confer disease risk. These analyses implicate seven individual genes, three gene sets and four copy number variants at exome-wide significance. Genes encoding ion channels show strong association with multiple epilepsy subtypes, including epileptic encephalopathies and generalized and focal epilepsies, whereas most other gene discoveries are subtype specific, highlighting distinct genetic contributions to different epilepsies. Combining results from rare single-nucleotide/short insertion and deletion variants, copy number variants and common variants, we offer an expanded view of the genetic architecture of epilepsy, with growing evidence of convergence among different genetic risk loci on the same genes. Top candidate genes are enriched for roles in synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability, particularly postnatally and in the neocortex. We also identify shared rare variant risk between epilepsy and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Our data can be accessed via an interactive browser, hopefully facilitating diagnostic efforts and accelerating the development of follow-up studies