Prevalence and clinical/molecular characteristics of PTEN mutations in Turkish children with autism spectrum disorders and macrocephaly

Mol Genet Genomic Med. 2021 Aug;9(8):e1739. doi: 10.1002/mgg3.1739. Epub 2021 Jul 16.

Abstract

Background: Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) germline mutations are associated with cancer syndromes (PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome; PHTS) and in pediatric patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and macrocephaly. The exact prevalence of PTEN mutations in patients with ASD and macrocephaly is uncertain; with prevalence rates ranging from 1% to 17%. Most studies are retrospective and contain more adult than pediatric patients, there is a need for more prospective pediatric studies.

Methods: We recruited 131 patients (108 males, 23 females) with ASD and macrocephaly between the ages of 3 and 18 from five child and adolescent psychiatry clinics in Turkey from July 2018 to December 2019. We defined macrocephaly as occipito-frontal HC size at or greater than 2 standard deviations (SD) above the mean for age and sex on standard growth charts. PTEN gene sequence analysis was performed using a MiSeq next generation sequencing (NGS) platform, (Illumina).

Conclusion: PTEN gene sequence analyses identified three pathogenic/likely pathogenic mutations [NM_000314.6; p.(Pro204Leu), (p.Arg233*) and novel (p.Tyr176Cys*8)] and two variants of uncertain significance (VUS) [NM_000314.6; p.(Ala79Thr) and c.*10del]. We also report that patient with (p.Tyr176Cys*8) mutation has Grade 1 hepatosteatosis, a phenotype not previously described. This is the first PTEN prevalence study of patients with ASD and macrocephaly in Turkey and South Eastern Europe region with a largest homogenous cohort. The prevalence of PTEN mutations was found 3.8% (VUS included) or 2.29% (VUS omitted). We recommend testing for PTEN mutations in all patients with ASD and macrocephaly.

Keywords: PTEN; autism spectrum disorder; macrocephaly; mutation; prevalence.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder / genetics*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Gene Frequency
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Megalencephaly / genetics*
  • Mutation
  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase / genetics*
  • Turkey

Substances

  • PTEN Phosphohydrolase
  • PTEN protein, human