Preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic disorders (PGT-M) offers an alternative strategy to prevent children from being born with hereditary neurological diseases or metabolic diseases dominated by nervous system phenotypes: a retrospective study

J Assist Reprod Genet. 2024 May;41(5):1245-1259. doi: 10.1007/s10815-024-03057-1. Epub 2024 Mar 12.

Abstract

Background: Preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic disorders (PGT-M) is now widely used as an effective strategy to prevent various monogenic or chromosomal diseases.

Material and methods: In this retrospective study, couples with a family history of hereditary neurological diseases or metabolic diseases dominated by nervous system phenotypes and/or carrying the pathogenic genes underwent PGT-M to prevent children from inheriting disease-causing gene mutations from their parents and developing known genetic diseases. After PGT-M, unaffected (i.e., normal) embryos after genetic detection were transferred into the uterus of their corresponding mothers.

Results: A total of 43 carrier couples with the following hereditary neurological diseases or metabolic diseases dominated by nervous system phenotypes underwent PGT-M: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (13 families); methylmalonic acidemia (7 families); spinal muscular atrophy (5 families); infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy and intellectual developmental disorder (3 families each); Cockayne syndrome (2 families); Menkes disease, spinocerebellar ataxia, glycine encephalopathy with epilepsy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, mucopolysaccharidosis, Aicardi-Goutieres syndrome, adrenoleukodystrophy, phenylketonuria, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Dravet syndrome (1 family each). After 53 PGT-M cycles, the final transferable embryo rate was 12.45%, the clinical pregnancy rate was 74.19%, and the live birth rate was 89.47%; a total of 18 unaffected (i.e., healthy) children were born to these families.

Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of PGT-M in preventing children born with hereditary neurological diseases or metabolic diseases dominated by nervous system phenotypes.

Keywords: Children; Hereditary neurological diseases (HND); Preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic disorders (PGT-M); Prevent.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Child
  • Embryo Transfer
  • Female
  • Genetic Testing* / methods
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Metabolic Diseases* / genetics
  • Metabolic Diseases* / pathology
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Nervous System Diseases / genetics
  • Phenotype
  • Pregnancy
  • Preimplantation Diagnosis* / methods
  • Retrospective Studies