ORCID Profile
0000-0003-4186-8052
Current Organisations
Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario
,
University of Ottawa
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Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 04-09-2018
DOI: 10.1101/408492
Abstract: RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) is a complementary approach for Mendelian disease diagnosis for patients in whom exome-sequencing is not informative. For both rare neuromuscular and mitochondrial disorders, its application has improved diagnostic rates. However, the generalizability of this approach to erse Mendelian diseases has yet to be evaluated. We sequenced whole blood RNA from 56 cases with undiagnosed rare diseases spanning 11 erse disease categories to evaluate the general application of RNA-seq to Mendelian disease diagnosis. We developed a robust approach to compare rare disease cases to existing large sets of RNA-seq controls (N=1,594 external and N=31 family-based controls) and demonstrated the substantial impacts of gene and variant filtering strategies on disease gene identification when combined with RNA-seq. Across our cohort, we observed that RNA-seq yields a 8.5% diagnostic rate. These diagnoses included diseases where blood would not intuitively reflect evidence of disease. We identified RARS2 as an under-expression outlier containing compound heterozygous pathogenic variants for an in idual exhibiting profound global developmental delay, seizures, microcephaly, hypotonia, and progressive scoliosis. We also identified a new splicing junction in KCTD7 for an in idual with global developmental delay, loss of milestones, tremors and seizures. Our study provides a broad evaluation of blood RNA-seq for the diagnosis of rare disease.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 29-11-2022
DOI: 10.1111/CGE.14262
Abstract: We examined the utility of clinical and research processes in the reanalysis of publicly‐funded clinical exome sequencing data in Ontario, Canada. In partnership with eight sites, we recruited 287 families with suspected rare genetic diseases tested between 2014 and 2020. Data from seven laboratories was reanalyzed with the referring clinicians. Reanalysis of clinically relevant genes identified diagnoses in 4% (13/287) four were missed by clinical testing. Translational research methods, including analysis of novel candidate genes, identified candidates in 21% (61/287). Of these, 24 families have additional evidence through data sharing to support likely diagnoses (8% of cohort). This study indicates few diagnoses are missed by clinical laboratories, the incremental gain from reanalysis of clinically‐relevant genes is modest, and the highest yield comes from validation of novel disease‐gene associations. Future implementation of translational research methods, including continued reporting of compelling genes of uncertain significance by clinical laboratories, should be considered to maximize diagnoses.
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 21-08-2022
DOI: 10.1002/HUMU.24446
Abstract: An expanding range of genetic syndromes are characterized by genome-wide disruptions in DNA methylation profiles referred to as episignatures. Episignatures are distinct, highly sensitive, and specific biomarkers that have recently been applied in clinical diagnosis of genetic syndromes. Episignatures are contained within the broader disorder-specific genome-wide DNA methylation changes, which can share significant overlap among different conditions. In this study, we performed functional genomic assessment and comparison of disorder-specific and overlapping genome-wide DNA methylation changes related to 65 genetic syndromes with previously described episignatures. We demonstrate evidence of disorder-specific and recurring genome-wide differentially methylated probes (DMPs) and regions (DMRs). The overall distribution of DMPs and DMRs across the majority of the neurodevelopmental genetic syndromes analyzed showed substantial enrichment in gene promoters and CpG islands, and under-representation of the more variable intergenic regions. Analysis showed significant enrichment of the DMPs and DMRs in gene pathways and processes related to neurodevelopment, including neurogenesis, synaptic signaling and synaptic transmission. This study expands beyond the diagnostic utility of DNA methylation episignatures by demonstrating correlation between the function of the mutated genes and the consequent genomic DNA methylation profiles as a key functional element in the molecular etiology of genetic neurodevelopmental disorders.
No related grants have been discovered for Kym Boycott.