Congenital hydrocephalus is a life-threatening condition that might affect brain development by increasing the pressure on the brain parenchyma. Here, we describe 6 male patients from 1 family, all presenting with an isolated X-linked congenital hydrocephalus. Exome sequencing identified a likely pathogenic variant of angiomotin (AMOT) that segregated with the phenotype in the extended family.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSynonymous variants can significantly impact protein levels and function, particularly through alterations in RNA processing. Consequently, variant classification must consider the broader impact on RNA splicing. We present three cases where synonymous variants were detected through exome sequencing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The DSP gene encodes the desmosomal protein desmoplakin and is located on chromosome 6. Pathogenic variants in this gene have been linked to different phenotypes that may include the skin, hair, nails, teeth, and the heart. Lethal acantholytic epidermolysis bullosa (LAEB, OMIM # 609638) is a severe and lethal form of epidermolysis bullosa, caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in the DSP gene.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: We aimed to investigate whether the clinical pregnancy and live birth rates in women undergoing preimplantation genetic testing for two indications (PGT2) differ from PGT for one autosomal dominant indication (PGT1).
Method: This retrospective cohort study summarizes data from 44 PGT patients treated between 2015 and 2023. Data were divided into PGT2 (n = 22 patients, 113 treatment cycles) and PGT1 (n = 22 patients, 108 treatment cycles) groups.
The endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) machinery is essential for membrane remodeling and autophagy and it comprises three multi-subunit complexes (ESCRT I-III). We report nine individuals from six families presenting with a spectrum of neurodevelopmental/neurodegenerative features caused by bi-allelic variants in SNF8 (GenBank: NM_007241.4), encoding the ESCRT-II subunit SNF8.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Significant discrepancy exists between laboratories in classification and reporting of copy number variants (CNVs). Studies exploring factors affecting prenatal CNV management are rare. Our "virtual fetus" pilot study examines these factors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol
February 2024
We performed a genetic investigation into the case of an inherited Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome. Our patients were an adolescent and her mother, both with MRKH syndrome. The delivery of a biological offspring was achieved via a gestational carrier.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCholesterol is essential in the brain from the earliest stages of embryonic development. Disruption of cholesterol synthesis pathways that leads to cholesterol deficiency underlies a few syndromes, including desmosterolosis and Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome. In both syndromes, brain anomalies can occur.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA 34 years-old woman was referred to genetic counseling due to extremely high maternal serum alpha fetoprotein (MSAFP) of 58 MoM (541 IU/mL, 654 ng/mL) in the second trimester biochemical test. The couple has five healthy children, three of them were delivered by cesarean section. Current pregnancy follow-up was uneventful except for the demonstration of placenta percreta during anomaly scan.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEur J Hum Genet
February 2023
The yield of chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) is well established in structurally normal fetuses (0.4-1.4%).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Copy number variants (CNVs) associated with late-onset medical conditions are rare but important secondary findings in chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) performed during pregnancy. Here, we critically review the cases at two tertiary centres to assess the criteria which guide the disclosure of such findings and develop a disclosure decision tool (DDT) aimed at facilitating disclosure decision. Parental decisions on receiving CNVs associated with risks for late-onset conditions were also recorded.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExome and genome sequencing were used to identify the genetic etiology of a severe neurodevelopmental disorder in two unrelated Ashkenazi Jewish families with three affected individuals. The clinical findings included a prenatal presentation of microcephaly, polyhydramnios and clenched hands while postnatal findings included microcephaly, severe developmental delay, dysmorphism, neurologic deficits, and death in infancy. A shared rare homozygous, missense variant (c.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPrenat Diagn
June 2022
Objective: To explain the importance of identifying an etiology for the pathological finding of nonimmune hydrops fetalis (NIHF) and to explore the impact of exome sequencing in recurrent NIHF. In addition, we present two cases of pregnancies affected with recurrent NIHF, in which genetic investigation was advantageous.
Methods: Our study aimed to investigate the genetic background, if available, of all fetuses with NIHF referred to our tertiary medical center from January 2013 to August 2020.
Fanconi anemia (FA) is a multisystem disease, characterized by the triad of physical abnormalities, bone marrow failure, and increased risk for malignancy. In the past few years, data has accumulated regarding fertility issues in FA patients, mostly due to gonadal dysfunction, which is prevalent in FA patients reaching puberty. It seems that attenuated FA phenotype lacking the classical manifestations often is presented with POI or azoospermia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose Of Review: Chromosomal-microarray analysis (CMA) is the first-tier test in pregnancies with structural malformations. Accumulating data show that pathogenic copy number variants (CNVs) can also be identified in structurally normal fetuses. We set out to summarize the published data on the diagnostic yield of CMA in structurally normal fetuses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: We evaluated the yield of chromosomal microarray analysis in pregnancies complicated with fetal growth restriction (FGR) according to specific clinical parameters.
Methods: The study was based on national records from the Israeli Ministry of Health. Chromosomal microarray analyses of amniocenteses performed nationwide for the indication of FGR, from January 2016 to March 2018, were included.
Arch Gynecol Obstet
January 2021
Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of pathogenic and likely-pathogenic variants detected by chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA), among pregnancies with fetal short long bones diagnosed by ultrasound.
Methods: The study cohort was based on cases of chromosomal microarray analyses performed nationwide for the indication of short long bones.
Results: CMA was performed in 66 cases of short long bones.
J Low Genit Tract Dis
October 2020
Objective: Breastfeeding-related hypoestrogenic state has been reported as a possible risk factor for postpartum dyspareunia. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of postpartum vulvovaginal atrophy according to 3 different diagnostic methods and to estimate its association with postpartum dyspareunia and daily vulvovaginal symptoms.
Methods: This is a prospective cohort study of puerperal women attending a routine postpartum checkup.
Trio exome sequencing is a powerful tool in the molecular investigation of monogenic disorders and provides an incremental diagnostic yield over proband-only sequencing, mainly due to the rapid identification of de novo disease-causing variants. However, heterozygous variants inherited from unaffected parents may be inadvertently dismissed, although multiple explanations are available for such scenarios including mosaicism in the parent, incomplete penetrance, imprinting, or skewed X-inactivation. We report three probands, in which a pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant was identified upon exome sequencing, yet was inherited from an unaffected parent.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObstet Gynecol
January 2020
Objective: To examine the choices of women with both high-risk and low-risk pregnancies who are undergoing prenatal chromosomal microarray analysis in a clinical setting regarding three challenging types of findings: variants of uncertain clinical significance, susceptibility loci for neurodevelopmental disorders, and copy number variants associated with risks for adult-onset conditions. We assessed whether women's choices were associated with indications for testing or with one-on-one pretest genetic counseling.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, medical records of women who underwent invasive prenatal chromosomal microarray analysis testing (N=1,070) at Hadassah Medical Center between June 2017 and February 2018 were examined for testing indications, choices regarding chromosomal microarray analysis findings, and type of pretest genetic counseling.
Objectives: Chromosomal microarray analysis is effectively applied prenatally to detect copy number changes. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) probes included in the microarray platform can detect regions of excessive homozygosity and identical-by-descent genomic stretches. The utility of the latter as part of prenatal diagnosis is not well established.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF