A Targeted Next Generation Sequencing Panel for Non-syndromic Early Onset Severe Obesity and Identification of Novel Likely -Pathogenic Variants in the MC4R and LEP Genes.

Objectives: To screen for variants in the MC4R and LEP genes in 46 patients with clinical suspicion of non-syndromic early onset severe obesity (NEOSO).

Methods: Children with early onset obesity satisfying WHO criteria of obesity were studied. The MC4R and LEP genes were sequenced using a PCR amplicon based NGS on Illumina MiSeq next generation sequencer using an in-house developed protocol.