Increasing the genetic diagnosis yield in inherited retinal dystrophies: assigning pathogenicity to novel non-canonical splice site variants

Aims: We aimed to validate the pathogenicity of genetic variants identified in inherited retinal dystrophy (IRD) patients, which were located in non-canonical splice sites (NCSS). Methods: After next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis (target gene panels or whole exome sequencing (WES)), NCSS variants were prioritized according to in silico predictions. In vivo and in vitro functional tests were used to validate their pathogenicity. Results: Four novel NCSS variants have been identified. They are located in intron 33 and 34 of ABCA4 (c.4774-9G>A and c.4849-8C>G, respectively), intron 2 of POC1B (c.101-3T>G) and intron 3 of RP2 (c.884-14G>A). Functional analysis detected different aberrant splicing events, including intron retention, exon skipping and intronic nucleotide addition, whose molecular effect was either the disruption or the elongation of the open reading frame of the corresponding gene. Conclusions: Our data increase the genetic diagnostic yield of IRD patients and expand the landscape of pathogenic variants, which will have an impact on the genotype-phenotype correlations and allow patients to opt for the emerging gene and cell therapies

Aprendizajes y prácticas educativas en las actuales condiciones de época: COVID-19

“Esta obra colectiva es el resultado de una convocatoria a docentes, investigadores y profesionales del campo pedagógico a visibilizar procesos investigativos y prácticas educativas situadas en el marco de COVI-19. La misma se inscribe en el trabajo llevado a cabo por el equipo de Investigación responsable del Proyecto “Sentidos y significados acerca de aprender en las actuales condiciones de época: un estudio con docentes y estudiantes de la educación secundarias en la ciudad de Córdoba” de la Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. El momento excepcional que estamos atravesando, pero que también nos atraviesa, ha modificado la percepción temporal a punto tal que habitamos un tiempo acelerado y angustiante que nos exige la producción de conocimiento provisorio. La presente publicación surge como un espacio para detenernos a documentar lo que nos acontece y, a su vez, como oportunidad para atesorar y resguardar las experiencias educativas que hemos construido, inventado y reinventando en este contexto. En ella encontrarán pluralidad de voces acerca de enseñar y aprender durante la pandemia. Este texto es una pausa para reflexionar sobre el hacer y las prácticas educativas por venir”.Fil: Beltramino, Lucia (comp.). Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades. Escuela de Archivología; Argentina

Novel Candidate Genes and a Wide Spectrum of Structural and Point Mutations Responsible for Inherited Retinal Dystrophies Revealed by Exome Sequencing

<div><p>Background</p><p>NGS-based genetic diagnosis has completely revolutionized the human genetics field. In this study, we have aimed to identify new genes and mutations by Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) responsible for inherited retinal dystrophies (IRD).</p><p>Methods</p><p>A cohort of 33 pedigrees affected with a variety of retinal disorders was analysed by WES. Initial prioritization analysis included around 300 IRD-associated genes. In non-diagnosed families a search for pathogenic mutations in novel genes was undertaken.</p><p>Results</p><p>Genetic diagnosis was attained in 18 families. Moreover, a plausible candidate is proposed for 10 more cases. Two thirds of the mutations were novel, including 4 chromosomal rearrangements, which expand the IRD allelic heterogeneity and highlight the contribution of private mutations. Our results prompted clinical re-evaluation of some patients resulting in assignment to a syndromic instead of non-syndromic IRD. Notably, WES unveiled four new candidates for non-syndromic IRD: <i>SEMA6B</i>, <i>CEP78</i>, <i>CEP250</i>, <i>SCLT1</i>, the two latter previously associated to syndromic disorders. We provide functional data supporting that missense mutations in <i>CEP250</i> alter cilia formation.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>The diagnostic efficiency of WES, and strictly following the ACMG/AMP criteria is 55% in reported causative genes or functionally supported new candidates, plus 30% families in which likely pathogenic or VGUS/VUS variants were identified in plausible candidates. Our results highlight the clinical utility of WES for molecular diagnosis of IRD, provide a wider spectrum of mutations and concomitant genetic variants, and challenge our view on syndromic vs non-syndromic, and causative vs modifier genes.</p></div

Identification of <i>EYS</i> and <i>CRX</i> deletions.

<p>A-F) Two different gross heterozygous deletions in genes <i>EYS</i> and <i>CRX</i> were respectively identified as the causative mutation in families 68ORG and 10NCE. The probands (B and D) showed a reduction in the coverage of some exons compared to the respective controls (A and C). The segregation of SNPs located in the expected deleted region showing that mother and child were homozygous for different alleles is indicated below. (E and F). G) Chromosomal deletion in family 10NCE is defined by genotyping common SNPs between <i>CRX</i> and <i>SULT2A1</i> genes in the affected probands. Heterozygous SNPs are indicated by △, whereas SNPs where mother and child were homozygous for different alleles are indicated by ∇. Adjacent breakpoint regions with high sequence similarity are boxed in orange and green and preserved sequences in the rearranged allele are indicated with orange and green lines. H) Sequence chromatogram of the rearranged allele is shown below. Alignment of the highly similar sequences of <i>CRX</i> intron 2 (CRX IVS2) and the intragenic region involved in the rearrangement is also indicated. Again, orange and green lines are the adjacent sequences to the breakpoint, which is indicated by a red square.</p

Segregation of mutations in selected pedigrees.

<p>Pedigrees bearing new IRD candidates and chromosomal rearrangements are shown. Pedigrees where mutations in several genes co-segregate with the disease are also depicted. Alleles and carrier status are indicated below each analysed individual. Grey symbols (in H) shown patients bearing a different chromosomal rearrangement. The rest of the pedigrees are available as <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0168966#pone.0168966.s003" target="_blank">S3 Fig</a>.</p

Identification of independent <i>PRPF31</i> deletion and duplication segregating in pedigree E4.

<p>Exome data indicated significant coverage differences of <i>PRPF31</i> exons in the E4 family, pointing to chromosomal rearrangements. Some patients (A) showed higher coverage in exons 2–5 compared to a control sample (C) whereas patients from another family branch showed a significant decrease of exons 1–13 (B). <i>CRX</i>, located a few Mb away from <i>PRPF31</i> gene, was used as a control gene (D-F). MLPA analysis confirmed a nearly full deletion of <i>PRPF31</i> (exons 1 to 13) in some patients of the family (G) and an internal duplication involving exons 2 to 5 in other affected members (H) (shown in grey in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0168966#pone.0168966.g001" target="_blank">Fig 1</a>). I) Chromosomal region of <i>PRPF31</i> involved in the duplication, where the duplicated exons are coloured in orange. Green and red lines below indicate the extent of the duplication. Chromatogram of the rearranged allele is shown below. Alignment of the flanking sequences (boxed in orange and green) involved in the rearrangement shows no clear homology. Orange and green lines are the adjacent sequences to the breakpoint, which is indicated by a red square.</p

Immunodetection of endogenous CEP250 in mouse retinal cryosections.

<p>Immunostaining of CEP250 with rod photoreceptor marker rhodopsin (A) and acetylated α-tubulin (B). CEP250 stained mainly the outer segment of photoreceptors (CEP250 is in red, Rhodopsin and acetylated-α-tubulin in green, nuclear counterstaining by DAPI in blue). <b>Cells expressing A609V CEP250-IT6 show longer cilia</b>. (C) Wild-type (Wt) and mutant (Mt) CEP250-IT6 (green) co-localize with acetylated α-tubulin (red) to primary cilia in serum-starved ARPE-19 cells. Immunolabelling of CEP250 and acetylated α-tubulin show longer cilia in cells transfected with the mutant A609V CEP250-IT6 compared to Wt-CEP250-IT6. (D) Cilia length quantification in Wt- and Mt- CEP250-IT6 transfected cells. Graph shows that cilia from cells expressing mutant CEP250 were one third longer than cilia from cells expressing Wt-CEP250 (n>30). Mean and error are shown. *** indicates high statistical significance by the t-Student test, p<0.001. (E) Distribution of cilium length represented as a cumulative frequency chart of the percentage of total cilia. OS—photoreceptor outer segments; CC—connecting cilium; IS—photoreceptor inner segments; ONL—outer nuclear layer; INL—inner nuclear layer; GCL—ganglion cell layer.</p