De novo nonsense mutation in WHSC1 (NSD2) in patient with intellectual disability and dysmorphic features

J Hum Genet. 2018 Jul;63(8):919-922. doi: 10.1038/s10038-018-0464-5. Epub 2018 May 14.

Abstract

Intellectual disability is the most common developmental disorder caused by chromosomal aberrations as well as single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) and small insertions/deletions (indels). Here we report identification of a novel, probably pathogenic mutation in the WHSC1 gene in a patient case with phenotype overlapping the features of Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. Deletions involving WHSC1 (Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome candidate 1 gene) were described earlier in patients with Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. However, to our knowledge, single-point mutations in WHSC1 associated with any intellectual deficiency syndromes have not been reported. Using whole exome sequencing, we found a de novo nonsense mutation in WHSC1 (c.3412C>T, p.Arg1138Ter, NM_001042424.2) in patient with syndromic intellectual disability. This finding is challenging regarding a possible causative role of WHSC1 in intellectual disability syndromes, specifically Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome. From the clinical standpoint, our finding suggests that next-generation sequencing along with chromosome microarray analysis (CMA) might be useful in genetic testing for patients with intellectual disability and dysmorphic features.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Base Sequence
  • Codon, Nonsense / genetics*
  • Female
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease*
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / chemistry
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Intellectual Disability / genetics*
  • Male
  • Pedigree
  • Repressor Proteins / chemistry
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics*
  • Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome / genetics*

Substances

  • Codon, Nonsense
  • Repressor Proteins
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase
  • NSD2 protein, human