Evaluation of Pathogenicity and Causativity of Variants in the MPZ and SH3TC2 Genes in a Family Case of Hereditary Peripheral Neuropathy

The implementation of NGS methods into clinical practice allowed researchers effectively to establish the molecular cause of a disorder in cases of a genetically heterogeneous pathology. In cases of several potentially causative variants, we need additional analysis that can help in choosing a proper causative variant. In the current study, we described a family case of hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy (HMSN) type 1 (Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease). DNA analysis revealed two variants in the SH3TC2 gene (c.279G>A and c.1177+5G>A), as well as a previously described variant c.449-9C>T in the MPZ gene, in a heterozygous state. This family segregation study was incomplete because of the proband's father's unavailability. To evaluate the variants' pathogenicity, minigene splicing assay was carried out. This study showed no effect of the MPZ variant on splicing, but the c.1177+5G>A variant in the SH3TC2 gene leads to the retention of 122 nucleotides from intron 10 in the RNA sequence, causing a frameshift and an occurrence of a premature stop codon (NP_078853.2:p.Ala393GlyfsTer2).