Advances in Prenatal Genetic Screening and Diagnosis Technologies

A special issue of Genes (ISSN 2073-4425). This special issue belongs to the section "Technologies and Resources for Genetics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2021) | Viewed by 68095

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin 999077, Hong Kong
Interests: genetics; prenatal and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis

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Guest Editor
Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119077, Singapore
Interests: obstetrics; high-risk pregnancies; fetal medicine; prenatal diagnosis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Prenatal screening and diagnostic tests are routinely offered to all women in pregnancy. Advances in genetic testing have resulted in substantial benefits for patients, but also significant challenges to providers. As our technology advances, physicians and couples face increasingly complex decisions about the quantity and quality of information they wish to access regarding their fetus. Recent years have seen major debates and important changes in recommendations surrounding the genetic counseling that occurs in the provision of such testing; and the ethical frameworks that support these modern advances may need review and revision.

In this timely Special Issue, we welcome reviews, new methods, and original articles covering all aspects of prenatal screening and diagnosis in the modern era of genetic sequencing. We look forward to your contributions in this field.

Dr. Richard Choy
Dr. Mahesh Choolani
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • Prenatal screening
  • Prenatal diagnosis
  • Sequencing
  • Genetic counseling
  • Ethics
  • Fetal anomalies

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 750 KiB  
Article
Clinical Implementation of Expanded Carrier Screening in Pregnant Women at Early Gestational Weeks: A Chinese Cohort Study
by Mengmeng Shi, Angeline Linna Liauw, Steve Tong, Yu Zheng, Tak Yeung Leung, Shuk Ching Chong, Ye Cao, Tze Kin Lau, Kwong Wai Choy and Jacqueline P. W. Chung
Genes 2021, 12(4), 496; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12040496 - 29 Mar 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3069
Abstract
Demands for expanded carrier screening (ECS) are growing and ECS is becoming an important part of obstetrics practice and reproductive planning. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of a small-size ECS panel in clinical implementation and investigate Chinese couples’ [...] Read more.
Demands for expanded carrier screening (ECS) are growing and ECS is becoming an important part of obstetrics practice and reproductive planning. The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of a small-size ECS panel in clinical implementation and investigate Chinese couples’ attitudes towards ECS. An ECS panel containing 11 recessive conditions was offered to Chinese pregnant women below 16 gestational weeks. Sequential testing of their partners was recommended for women with a positive carrier status. The reproductive decision and pregnancy outcome were surveyed for at-risk couples. A total of 1321 women performed ECS successfully and the overall carrier rate was 19.23%. The estimated at-risk couple rate was 0.83%. Sequential testing was performed in less than half of male partners. Eight at-risk couples were identified and four of them performed prenatal diagnosis. Our study demonstrated that a small-size ECS panel could yield comparable clinical value to a larger-size panel when the carrier rate of the individual condition is equal or greater than 1%. In addition, more than half of male partners whose wives were carriers declined any types of sequential testing possibly due to a lack of awareness and knowledge of genetic disorders. Genetic education is warranted for the better implementation of ECS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Prenatal Genetic Screening and Diagnosis Technologies)
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32 pages, 1961 KiB  
Article
Performance of Cell-Free DNA Screening for Fetal Common Aneuploidies and Sex Chromosomal Abnormalities: A Prospective Study from a Less Developed Autonomous Region in Mainland China
by Yunli Lai, Xiaofan Zhu, Sheng He, Zirui Dong, Yanqing Tang, Fuben Xu, Yun Chen, Lintao Meng, Yuli Tao, Shang Yi, Jiasun Su, Hongqian Huang, Jingsi Luo, Tak Yeung Leung and Hongwei Wei
Genes 2021, 12(4), 478; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12040478 - 25 Mar 2021
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3259
Abstract
To evaluate the performance of noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS) in the detection of common aneuploidies in a population-based study, a total of 86,262 single pregnancies referred for NIPS were prospectively recruited. Among 86,193 pregnancies with reportable results, follow-up was successfully conducted in 1160 [...] Read more.
To evaluate the performance of noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS) in the detection of common aneuploidies in a population-based study, a total of 86,262 single pregnancies referred for NIPS were prospectively recruited. Among 86,193 pregnancies with reportable results, follow-up was successfully conducted in 1160 fetuses reported with a high-risk result by NIPS and 82,511 cases (95.7%) with a low-risk result. The screen-positive rate (SPR) of common aneuploidies and sex chromosome abnormalities (SCAs) provided by NIPS were 0.7% (586/83,671) and 0.6% (505/83,671), respectively. The positive predictive values (PPVs) for Trisomy 21, Trisomy 18, Trisomy 13 and SCAs were calculated as 89.7%, 84.0%, 52.6% and 38.0%, respectively. In addition, less rare chromosomal abnormalities, including copy number variants (CNVs), were detected, compared with those reported by NIPS with higher read-depth. Among these rare abnormalities, only 23.2% (13/56) were confirmed by prenatal diagnosis. In total, four common trisomy cases were found to be false negative, resulting in a rate of 0.48/10,000 (4/83,671). In summary, this study conducted in an underdeveloped region with limited support for the new technology development and lack of cost-effective prenatal testing demonstrates the importance of implementing routine aneuploidy screening in the public sector for providing early detection and precise prognostic information. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Prenatal Genetic Screening and Diagnosis Technologies)
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10 pages, 915 KiB  
Article
Next-Generation Sequencing-Based Pre-Implantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy (PGT-A): First Report from Saudi Arabia
by Yusra Alyafee, Qamre Alam, Abeer Al Tuwaijri, Muhammad Umair, Shahad Haddad, Meshael Alharbi, Hayat Alrabiah, Maha Al-Ghuraibi, Sahar Al-Showaier and Majid Alfadhel
Genes 2021, 12(4), 461; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12040461 - 24 Mar 2021
Cited by 29 | Viewed by 4766
Abstract
Recently, high-throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies techniques came into use. This technique is essential for successful embryo transfer and accomplishing pregnancy, thus reducing the time and cost of additional cycles. In this study, we describe our first experience in [...] Read more.
Recently, high-throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies techniques came into use. This technique is essential for successful embryo transfer and accomplishing pregnancy, thus reducing the time and cost of additional cycles. In this study, we describe our first experience in introducing an NGS-based preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) service using next-generation sequencing in King Abdulaziz Medical City located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Our main goal was to report the successful implementation of this new technology in clinical practice and highlight the factors that may affect the results. In total, 200 blastomere biopsies were obtained from 36 in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles from Saudi couples suffering from prolonged infertility or recurrent embryo transfer failure. NGS-based PGT-A was performed in all embryos. The results were analyzed in five age groups, showing that aneuploidy rates increased with maternal age. Moreover, the results also showed that complex abnormal embryos with (2–5) aneuploidy are the most common type of embryos. Additionally, our data showed that chromosome 16-related abnormality was the most frequent abnormality detected among all reported abnormalities. In conclusion, our study suggests that NGS-based PGT-A is an applicable and reliable technique for routine-based embryo screening, especially for couples suffering from recurrent miscarriages or multiple embryo transfer failures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Prenatal Genetic Screening and Diagnosis Technologies)
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14 pages, 1814 KiB  
Article
Whole Genome Sequencing in the Evaluation of Fetal Structural Anomalies: A Parallel Test with Chromosomal Microarray Plus Whole Exome Sequencing
by Jia Zhou, Ziying Yang, Jun Sun, Lipei Liu, Xinyao Zhou, Fengxia Liu, Ya Xing, Shuge Cui, Shiyi Xiong, Xiaoyu Liu, Yingjun Yang, Xiuxiu Wei, Gang Zou, Zhonghua Wang, Xing Wei, Yaoshen Wang, Yun Zhang, Saiying Yan, Fengyu Wu, Fanwei Zeng, Jian Wang, Tao Duan, Zhiyu Peng and Luming Sunadd Show full author list remove Hide full author list
Genes 2021, 12(3), 376; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12030376 - 6 Mar 2021
Cited by 46 | Viewed by 5809
Abstract
Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is a powerful tool for postnatal genetic diagnosis, but relevant clinical studies in the field of prenatal diagnosis are limited. The present study aimed to prospectively evaluate the utility of WGS compared with chromosomal microarray (CMA) and whole exome [...] Read more.
Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is a powerful tool for postnatal genetic diagnosis, but relevant clinical studies in the field of prenatal diagnosis are limited. The present study aimed to prospectively evaluate the utility of WGS compared with chromosomal microarray (CMA) and whole exome sequencing (WES) in the prenatal diagnosis of fetal structural anomalies. We performed trio WGS (≈40-fold) in parallel with CMA in 111 fetuses with structural or growth anomalies, and sequentially performed WES when CMA was negative (CMA plus WES). In comparison, WGS not only detected all pathogenic genetic variants in 22 diagnosed cases identified by CMA plus WES, yielding a diagnostic rate of 19.8% (22/110), but also provided additional and clinically significant information, including a case of balanced translocations and a case of intrauterine infection, which might not be detectable by CMA or WES. WGS also required less DNA (100 ng) as input and could provide a rapid turnaround time (TAT, 18 ± 6 days) compared with that (31 ± 8 days) of the CMA plus WES. Our results showed that WGS provided more comprehensive and precise genetic information with a rapid TAT and less DNA required than CMA plus WES, which enables it as an alternative prenatal diagnosis test for fetal structural anomalies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Prenatal Genetic Screening and Diagnosis Technologies)
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9 pages, 963 KiB  
Article
First Case Report of Maternal Mosaic Tetrasomy 9p Incidentally Detected on Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing
by Wendy Shu, Shirley S. W. Cheng, Shuwen Xue, Lin Wai Chan, Sung Inda Soong, Anita Sik Yau Kan, Sunny Wai Hung Cheung and Kwong Wai Choy
Genes 2021, 12(3), 370; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12030370 - 5 Mar 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4575
Abstract
Tetrasomy 9p (ORPHA:3390) is a rare syndrome, hallmarked by growth retardation; psychomotor delay; mild to moderate intellectual disability; and a spectrum of skeletal, cardiac, renal and urogenital defects. Here we present a Chinese female with good past health who conceived her pregnancy naturally. [...] Read more.
Tetrasomy 9p (ORPHA:3390) is a rare syndrome, hallmarked by growth retardation; psychomotor delay; mild to moderate intellectual disability; and a spectrum of skeletal, cardiac, renal and urogenital defects. Here we present a Chinese female with good past health who conceived her pregnancy naturally. Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) showed multiple chromosomal aberrations were consistently detected in two sampling times, which included elevation in DNA from chromosome 9p. Amniocentesis was performed and sent for chromosomal microarray, which was normal. Maternal karyotype revealed that mos 47,XX,+dic(9;9)(q21.1;q21.1)(24)/46,XX(9) presents mosaic tetrasomy for the short arm of chromosome 9p and is related to the NIPT results showing elevation in DNA from chromosome 9p. The pregnancy was uneventful, and the patient was delivered at term. Maternal samples were obtained at two different time points after delivery showed the same multiple chromosomal aberrations detected during pregnancy. This is a first report on an unusual case of mosaic isodicentric tetrasomy 9p in a healthy adult with normal intellect. With widespread adoption of NIPT for screening fetal aneuploidy and genome-wide copy number changes, a rise in incidental detection of maternal rare genetic syndrome will bring challenges in our current approach to genetic counselling and prenatal diagnosis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Prenatal Genetic Screening and Diagnosis Technologies)
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10 pages, 208 KiB  
Article
Clinical Significance of Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening for Trisomy 7: Cohort Study and Literature Review
by Xiaofan Zhu, Doris Yuk Man Lam, Matthew Hoi Kin Chau, Shuwen Xue, Peng Dai, Ganye Zhao, Ye Cao, Sunny Wai Hung Cheung, Yvonne Ka Yin Kwok, Kwong Wai Choy, Xiangdong Kong and Tak Yeung Leung
Genes 2021, 12(1), 11; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12010011 - 24 Dec 2020
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4090
Abstract
Trisomy 7 is the most frequently observed type of rare autosomal trisomies in genome-wide non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS). Currently, the clinical significance of trisomy 7 NIPS-positive results is still unknown. We reviewed two independent cohorts from two laboratories where similar NIPS metrics were [...] Read more.
Trisomy 7 is the most frequently observed type of rare autosomal trisomies in genome-wide non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS). Currently, the clinical significance of trisomy 7 NIPS-positive results is still unknown. We reviewed two independent cohorts from two laboratories where similar NIPS metrics were applied. A total of 70,441 singleton cases who underwent genome-wide NIPS were analyzed, among which 39 pregnancies were positive for trisomy 7, yielding a screen-positive rate of 0.055% (39/70,441). There were 28 cases with invasive testing results available; the positive predictive value (PPV) was 3.6% (1/28). We then searched the published NIPS studies to generate a large cohort of 437,873 pregnancies and identified 247 cases (0.056%) that were screened positive for trisomy 7. The overall PPV was 3.4% (4/118) in the combined data. The presence of uniparental disomy 7 was not detected in the NIPS trisomy 7-positive pregnancies with normal fetal karyotype. Among the 85 cases with pregnancy outcome available in combined data, 88.2% were normal live births, 14.1% had intrauterine growth restriction, preterm birth or low birth weight, 3.5% presented with ultrasound abnormality, and no fetal loss was observed. Our data provide valuable information for counseling and management of trisomy 7-positive NIPS pregnancies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Prenatal Genetic Screening and Diagnosis Technologies)
18 pages, 1767 KiB  
Article
Simultaneous Detection of CNVs and SNVs Improves the Diagnostic Yield of Fetuses with Ultrasound Anomalies and Normal Karyotypes
by Qingwei Qi, Yulin Jiang, Xiya Zhou, Hua Meng, Na Hao, Jiazhen Chang, Junjie Bai, Chunli Wang, Mingming Wang, Jiangshan Guo, Yunshu Ouyang, Zhonghui Xu, Mengsu Xiao, Victor Wei Zhang and Juntao Liu
Genes 2020, 11(12), 1397; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes11121397 - 25 Nov 2020
Cited by 37 | Viewed by 3377
Abstract
The routine assessment to determine the genetic etiology for fetal ultrasound anomalies follows a sequential approach, which usually takes about 6–8 weeks turnaround time (TAT). We evaluated the clinical utility of simultaneous detection of copy number variations (CNVs) and single nucleotide variants (SNVs)/small [...] Read more.
The routine assessment to determine the genetic etiology for fetal ultrasound anomalies follows a sequential approach, which usually takes about 6–8 weeks turnaround time (TAT). We evaluated the clinical utility of simultaneous detection of copy number variations (CNVs) and single nucleotide variants (SNVs)/small insertion-deletions (indels) in fetuses with a normal karyotype with ultrasound anomalies. We performed CNV detection by chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) or low pass CNV-sequencing (CNV-seq), and in parallel SNVs/indels detection by trio-based clinical exome sequencing (CES) or whole exome sequencing (WES). Eight-three singleton pregnancies with a normal fetal karyotype were enrolled in this prospective observational study. Pathogenic or likely pathogenic variations were identified in 30 cases (CNVs in 3 cases, SNVs/indels in 27 cases), indicating an overall molecular diagnostic rate of 36.1% (30/83). Two cases had both a CNV of uncertain significance (VOUS) and likely pathogenic SNV, and one case carried both a VOUS CNV and an SNV. We demonstrated that simultaneous analysis of CNVs and SNVs/indels can improve the diagnostic yield of prenatal diagnosis with shortened reporting time, namely, 2–3 weeks. Due to the relatively long TAT for sequential procedure for prenatal genetic diagnosis, as well as recent sequencing technology advancements, it is clinically necessary to consider the simultaneous evaluation of CNVs and SNVs/indels to enhance the diagnostic yield and timely TAT, especially for cases in the late second trimester or third trimester. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Prenatal Genetic Screening and Diagnosis Technologies)
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Review

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17 pages, 653 KiB  
Review
The Role of Long Non-Coding RNAs in Trophoblast Regulation in Preeclampsia and Intrauterine Growth Restriction
by Lara J. Monteiro, Reyna Peñailillo, Mario Sánchez, Stephanie Acuña-Gallardo, Max Mönckeberg, Judith Ong, Mahesh Choolani, Sebastián E. Illanes and Gino Nardocci
Genes 2021, 12(7), 970; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12070970 - 25 Jun 2021
Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3157
Abstract
Preeclampsia (PE) and Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) are two pregnancy-specific placental disorders with high maternal, fetal, and neonatal morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. The identification biomarkers involved in the dysregulation of PE and IUGR are fundamental for developing new strategies for early detection [...] Read more.
Preeclampsia (PE) and Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) are two pregnancy-specific placental disorders with high maternal, fetal, and neonatal morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. The identification biomarkers involved in the dysregulation of PE and IUGR are fundamental for developing new strategies for early detection and management of these pregnancy pathologies. Several studies have demonstrated the importance of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as essential regulators of many biological processes in cells and tissues, and the placenta is not an exception. In this review, we summarize the importance of lncRNAs in the regulation of trophoblasts during the development of PE and IUGR, and other placental disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Prenatal Genetic Screening and Diagnosis Technologies)
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32 pages, 1466 KiB  
Review
The Role of Epigenetics in Congenital Heart Disease
by Tingsen Benson Lim, Sik Yin Roger Foo and Ching Kit Chen
Genes 2021, 12(3), 390; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12030390 - 9 Mar 2021
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 10542
Abstract
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect among newborns worldwide and contributes to significant infant morbidity and mortality. Owing to major advances in medical and surgical management, as well as improved prenatal diagnosis, the outcomes for these children with CHD [...] Read more.
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect among newborns worldwide and contributes to significant infant morbidity and mortality. Owing to major advances in medical and surgical management, as well as improved prenatal diagnosis, the outcomes for these children with CHD have improved tremendously so much so that there are now more adults living with CHD than children. Advances in genomic technologies have discovered the genetic causes of a significant fraction of CHD, while at the same time pointing to remarkable complexity in CHD genetics. For this reason, the complex process of cardiogenesis, which is governed by multiple interlinked and dose-dependent pathways, is a well investigated process. In addition to the sequence of the genome, the contribution of epigenetics to cardiogenesis is increasingly recognized. Significant progress has been made dissecting the epigenome of the heart and identified associations with cardiovascular diseases. The role of epigenetic regulation in cardiac development/cardiogenesis, using tissue and animal models, has been well reviewed. Here, we curate the current literature based on studies in humans, which have revealed associated and/or causative epigenetic factors implicated in CHD. We sought to summarize the current knowledge on the functional role of epigenetics in cardiogenesis as well as in distinct CHDs, with an aim to provide scientists and clinicians an overview of the abnormal cardiogenic pathways affected by epigenetic mechanisms, for a better understanding of their impact on the developing fetal heart, particularly for readers interested in CHD research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Prenatal Genetic Screening and Diagnosis Technologies)
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Other

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11 pages, 1976 KiB  
Commentary
Optical Genome Mapping as a Next-Generation Cytogenomic Tool for Detection of Structural and Copy Number Variations for Prenatal Genomic Analyses
by Nikhil Shri Sahajpal, Hayk Barseghyan, Ravindra Kolhe, Alex Hastie and Alka Chaubey
Genes 2021, 12(3), 398; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12030398 - 11 Mar 2021
Cited by 73 | Viewed by 20261
Abstract
Global medical associations (ACOG, ISUOG, ACMG) recommend diagnostic prenatal testing for the detection and prevention of genetic disorders. Historically, cytogenetic methods such as karyotype analysis, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and chromosomal microarray (CMA) are utilized worldwide to diagnose common syndromes. However, the [...] Read more.
Global medical associations (ACOG, ISUOG, ACMG) recommend diagnostic prenatal testing for the detection and prevention of genetic disorders. Historically, cytogenetic methods such as karyotype analysis, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) and chromosomal microarray (CMA) are utilized worldwide to diagnose common syndromes. However, the limitations of each of these methods, either performed in tandem or simultaneously, demonstrates the need of a revolutionary technology that can alleviate the need for multiple technologies. Optical genome mapping (OGM) is a novel method that fills this void by being able to detect all classes of structural variations (SVs), including copy number variations (CNVs). OGM is being adopted by laboratories as a tool for both postnatal constitutional genetic disorders and hematological malignancies. This commentary highlights the potential for OGM to become a standard of care in prenatal genetic testing based on its capability to comprehensively identify large balanced and unbalanced SVs (currently the strength of karyotyping and metaphase FISH), CNVs (by CMA), repeat contraction disorders (by Southern blotting) and multiple repeat expansion disorders (by PCR-based methods or Southern blotting). Next-generation sequencing (NGS) methods are excellent at detecting sequence variants, but they are unable to accurately resolve repeat regions of the genome, which limits their ability to detect all classes of SVs. Notably, multiple molecular methods are used to identify repeat expansion and contraction disorders in routine clinical laboratories around the world. With non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) becoming the standard of care screening assay for all global pregnancies, we anticipate that OGM can provide a high-resolution, cytogenomic assay to be employed following a positive NIPT screen or for high-risk pregnancies with an abnormal ultrasound. Accurate detection of all types of genetic disorders by OGM, such as liveborn aneuploidies, sex chromosome anomalies, microdeletion/microduplication syndromes, repeat expansion/contraction disorders is key to reducing the global burden of genetic disorders. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Prenatal Genetic Screening and Diagnosis Technologies)
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9 pages, 3763 KiB  
Case Report
Fetal Megalencephaly with Cortical Dysplasia at 18 Gestational Weeks Related to Paternal UPD Mosaicism with PTEN Mutation
by Ritsuko Kimata Pooh, Megumi Machida, Issei Imoto, Eri Noel Arai, Hiroyasu Ohashi, Masayoshi Takeda, Osamu Shimokawa, Kaori Fukuta, Arihiro Shiozaki, Shigeru Saito and Hideaki Chiyo
Genes 2021, 12(3), 358; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes12030358 - 2 Mar 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2998
Abstract
The phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) gene is a tumor-suppressor gene located on 10q22-23. Since the introduction of molecular genetics in prenatal diagnostics, various birth defects associated with gene mutations have been diagnosed. However, no reports on fetal cases related to [...] Read more.
The phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) gene is a tumor-suppressor gene located on 10q22-23. Since the introduction of molecular genetics in prenatal diagnostics, various birth defects associated with gene mutations have been diagnosed. However, no reports on fetal cases related to PTEN mutation have been found, so far. We encountered a rare case of fetal PTEN mutation. Fetal macrocephaly was noted at 16 weeks. At 18 and 20 weeks, neurosonography revealed megalencephaly with an asymmetrical structure and multifocal polygyria. The head circumference (HC) was +6.2 SD at 18 weeks and +8.1 SD at 20 weeks. The parents opted for pregnancy termination, and the male fetus was delivered at 21 weeks, with HC +9.3 SD. Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array for amniotic cells showed paternal uniparental disomy (UPD) 10q mosaicism, and the mosaic ratio was calculated as 56% from B-allele frequency. Exome sequencing revealed the pathogenic PTEN mutation with mosaicism. The heterozygous PTEN mutation may not cause early manifestations from the fetal period, and an abnormal phenotype may appear after birth. This may be the reason why fetal defects associated with PTEN mutation are not detected. Since this case had homozygous and heterozygous mutations, survival was possible, exhibiting an incredibly huge head with cortical dysplasia from early pregnancy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Prenatal Genetic Screening and Diagnosis Technologies)
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