Novel PRRT2 gene variants identified in paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia and benign familial infantile epilepsy in Chinese families

Exp Ther Med. 2021 May;21(5):504. doi: 10.3892/etm.2021.9935. Epub 2021 Mar 18.

Abstract

The present study was performed to investigate the clinical manifestations and pathogenic variants in three large families with autosomal dominant paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD) and/or benign familial infantile epilepsy (BFIE) in China. Detailed clinical data and family history were collected. Genomic DNA was isolated from the peripheral blood samples of all available members. The genetic diagnosis was made by whole-exome sequencing on the three probands and the candidate variants were verified by PCR-Sanger sequencing. The pathogenicity of variants was predicted by bioinformatics analyses and classified according to the American College of Medical Genetics criteria. A total of three causative heterozygous variants were identified in the proline-rich transmembrane protein 2 (PRRT2) gene by DNA sequencing: A novel c.324_334del(p.Val109Argfs*21) deletion variant in Family A, as well as the previously known c.510_513del(p.Ser172Argfs*3) deletion variant in Family B and c.649dupC(p.Arg217Profs*8) duplication variant in Family C. The three variants of PRRT2 co-segregated with the phenotype and genotype in the family members. The present results deepen the current understanding of PKD/BFIE and extend the genotypic-phenotypic spectrum of PKD/BFIE.

Keywords: PRRT2; dystonia; gene variant; genotypic-phenotypic spectrum.

Grants and funding

Funding: This study was supported by the Project from Hunan Provincial Science and Technology Department (grant no. 2019SK1010), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant nos. 81671299, 81974206 and 81671300), the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province Project (grant no. 2020JJ5914) and the Central South University Graduate Innovation Foundation (grant no. 1053320183945).