Publications by authors named "Charlotte W Ockeloen"

While mostly de novo truncating variants in SCAF4 were recently identified in 18 individuals with variable neurodevelopmental phenotypes, knowledge on the molecular and clinical spectrum is still limited. We assembled data on 50 novel individuals with SCAF4 variants ascertained via GeneMatcher and personal communication. With detailed evaluation of clinical data, in silico predictions and structural modeling, we further characterized the molecular and clinical spectrum of the autosomal dominant SCAF4-associated neurodevelopmental disorder.

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  • KMT2C and KMT2D are important enzymes that modify genes, with KMT2C haploinsufficiency recently linked to Kleefstra syndrome 2, a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) with unknown clinical details.
  • A study involving 98 individuals found that most pathogenic variants in KMT2C span nearly all its exons, making variant interpretation difficult; the study also established a KMT2C DNA methylation signature for better classification of the disorder.
  • Key features of KMT2C-related NDD include developmental delays, intellectual disabilities, and distinct facial characteristics, setting it apart from similar conditions like Kleefstra and Kabuki syndromes, indicating the need for its renaming and
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The shift to a genotype-first approach in genetic diagnostics has revolutionized our understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders, expanding both their molecular and phenotypic spectra. Kleefstra syndrome (KLEFS1) is caused by EHMT1 haploinsufficiency and exhibits broad clinical manifestations. EHMT1 encodes euchromatic histone methyltransferase-1-a pivotal component of the epigenetic machinery.

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  • - The study focuses on KBG syndrome (KBGS), a rare neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in the ANKRD11 gene, exploring its clinical features in adults, which are less documented compared to children.
  • - Researchers collected data on 36 adults with confirmed KBGS from various families and found symptoms such as mild intellectual disabilities, motor difficulties, psychiatric issues, and other health concerns like seizures and vision problems.
  • - The findings reveal a diverse range of adult experiences and abilities related to education and employment, contributing to the understanding of long-term outcomes for individuals with KBGS.
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  • The study highlights the lack of understanding regarding comorbidities in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), which are crucial for accurate diagnosis and prognosis.
  • PhenomAD-NDD is a newly developed database that compiles comorbid phenotypic data from over 51,000 individuals with NDD, utilizing a standardized classification known as Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO).
  • The findings reveal that congenital anomalies are significantly more common in the NDD population compared to the general population, and highlight that many important phenotypes related to genetic NDDs are not currently documented in existing clinical resources like OMIM.
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Background: Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS) is a rare connective tissue disorder with a high risk for arterial, bowel, and uterine rupture, caused by heterozygous pathogenic variants in . The aim of this cohort study is to provide further insights into the natural history of vEDS and describe genotype-phenotype correlations in a Dutch multicenter cohort to optimize patient care and increase awareness of the disease.

Methods: Individuals with vEDS throughout the Netherlands were included.

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Background: KBG syndrome is caused by haploinsufficiency of and is characterised by macrodontia of upper central incisors, distinctive facial features, short stature, skeletal anomalies, developmental delay, brain malformations and seizures. The central nervous system (CNS) and skeletal features remain poorly defined.

Methods: CNS and/or skeletal imaging were collected from molecularly confirmed individuals with KBG syndrome through an international network.

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  • - PhenoScore is an open-source AI framework that combines facial recognition technology and Human Phenotype Ontology data to analyze and quantify phenotypic similarities in individuals.
  • - It successfully identifies distinct phenotypes for most of the 40 syndromes studied and proves to be more effective than previous methods in genotype-phenotype correlation investigations.
  • - PhenoScore also helps clarify roles of specific genetic variants by confirming known phenotypic subgroups in certain genes and providing clinical evidence for different ADNP-related phenotypes.
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Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the epilepsy phenotype in a large international cohort of patients with KBG syndrome and to study a possible genotype-phenotype correlation.

Methods: We collected data on patients with ANKRD11 variants by contacting University Medical Centers in the Netherlands, an international network of collaborating clinicians, and study groups who previously published about KBG syndrome. All patients with a likely pathogenic or pathogenic ANKRD11 variant were included in our patient cohort and categorized into an "epilepsy group" or "non-epilepsy group".

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Purpose: GenIDA is an international patient registry for individuals diagnosed with intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, and/or epilepsy, which is based on an online questionnaire that is completed by parent caregivers. In this study, the GenIDA data on Koolen-de Vries syndrome (KdVS) was analyzed illustrating the value of GenIDA and patient/caregiver participation in rare genetic neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs).

Methods: Recruitment was done on the GenIDA website from November 2016 to February 2022.

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  • The study investigates a new neurodevelopmental syndrome linked to loss-of-function variants in the ANK2 gene, associated with conditions like intellectual disability and autism.
  • Researchers used CRISPR technology to create human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) with these genetic variants, then differentiated these cells into neurons for further examination.
  • Findings revealed that ANK2-deficient neurons exhibited hyperactivity and lack of synchronization within neuronal networks, along with structural changes that affect their function and adaptability.
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  • The study investigates the role of the PRRX1 gene in craniosynostosis, focusing on how certain variants (missense and loss-of-function) affect craniofacial development, with previous research linking PRRX1 to preosteogenic cells in cranial sutures.
  • Researchers used sequencing methods to identify rare variants in PRRX1 among patients suffering from craniosynostosis, discovering a total of 18 individuals with potential pathogenic variants and noting abnormal behavior of mutant proteins through immunofluorescence analyses.
  • The findings highlight that PRRX1 plays a significant role in cranial suture development, and the presence of pathogenic variants is frequently inherited from non-affected relatives,
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  • Recent research highlights the role of missense and truncating variants in the CLCN4 gene, affecting chloride/proton exchange and leading to neurocognitive issues in both genders.
  • A comprehensive database was created from 90 families, identifying 41 unique and 18 recurrent CLCN4 variants, with detailed clinical data collected from 43 families.
  • Functional studies in Xenopus oocytes revealed that 25% of the variants displayed loss-of-function characteristics, while others led to gain-of-function issues, indicating the complexities of assessing genetic pathogenicity and suggesting a need for better patient care and further research.
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  • De novo truncating and splicing pathogenic variants in the ASXL3 gene lead to various developmental and intellectual challenges, including delays and behavioral issues.
  • The study documents three families with inherited ASXL3-related disorders, detailing specific pathogenic variants affecting the father-son duo, mother-child trio, and a mother-daughter pair.
  • Findings highlight the variability of symptoms within affected families and confirm that ASXL3-related disorders can be inherited.
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Purpose: Although haploinsufficiency of ANKRD11 is among the most common genetic causes of neurodevelopmental disorders, the role of rare ANKRD11 missense variation remains unclear. We characterized clinical, molecular, and functional spectra of ANKRD11 missense variants.

Methods: We collected clinical information of individuals with ANKRD11 missense variants and evaluated phenotypic fit to KBG syndrome.

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The USH2A variant c.2276 G > T (p.(Cys759Phe)) has been described by many authors as a frequent cause of autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (arRP).

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  • * Trio ES, which involves analyzing DNA from both parents and the child, is preferred as it helps reduce complex variant interpretations by providing clear information about inheritance.
  • * Ongoing advancements in genetic analysis techniques and better collaboration between clinicians and geneticists are essential to overcoming challenges in ES, enhancing diagnosis, and paving the way for personalized treatments.
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Purpose: Common diagnostic next-generation sequencing strategies are not optimized to identify inherited variants in genes associated with dominant neurodevelopmental disorders as causal when the transmitting parent is clinically unaffected, leaving a significant number of cases with neurodevelopmental disorders undiagnosed.

Methods: We characterized 21 families with inherited heterozygous missense or protein-truncating variants in CHD3, a gene in which de novo variants cause Snijders Blok-Campeau syndrome.

Results: Computational facial and Human Phenotype Ontology-based comparisons showed that the phenotype of probands with inherited CHD3 variants overlaps with the phenotype previously associated with de novo CHD3 variants, whereas heterozygote parents are mildly or not affected, suggesting variable expressivity.

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Objective: To investigate if dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase phenotyping has added value when combined with genotyping in predicting fluoropyrimidine-related toxicity.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study in which treatment and toxicity data were collected of 228 patients genotyped for four variants and phenotyped using an peripheral blood mononuclear cell assay.

Results: Severe toxicity occurred in 25% of patients with a variant and normal dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase activity, in 21% of patients without a variant and with decreased dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase activity, and in 29% of patients without a variant and with normal dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase activity (controls).

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The study aimed at widening the clinical and genetic spectrum of ASXL3-related syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder, caused by truncating variants in the ASXL3 gene. In this international collaborative study, we have undertaken a detailed clinical and molecular analysis of 45 previously unpublished individuals with ASXL3-related syndrome, as well as a review of all previously published individuals. We have reviewed the rather limited functional characterization of pathogenic variants in ASXL3 and discuss current understanding of the consequences of the different ASXL3 variants.

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The genetic etiology of intellectual disability remains elusive in almost half of all affected individuals. Within the Solve-RD consortium, systematic re-analysis of whole exome sequencing (WES) data from unresolved cases with (syndromic) intellectual disability (n = 1,472 probands) was performed. This re-analysis included variant calling of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variants, although mtDNA is not specifically targeted in WES.

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  • - The MCM2-7 helicase complex is crucial for DNA replication, and disruptions to it are linked to conditions like Meier-Gorlin syndrome and immune deficiencies, often involving variants in genes like MCM4, MCM5, and others involved in the replication process.
  • - Recent studies identified harmful genetic variants in MCM7 and MCM3 that affect how well the MCM complex forms, impacting DNA replication efficiency and leading to diverse health issues in affected patients.
  • - The findings highlight that even with similar genetic variants in MCM7, patients can exhibit very different symptoms, illustrating the complex relationship between DNA replication disruptions and various clinical outcomes.
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Background: Mental disorders, including Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), have a complex etiology, and identification of underlying genetic risk factors is challenging. This study used a multistep approach to identify and validate a novel risk gene for ADHD and psychiatric comorbidity.

Methods: In a single family, severely affected by ADHD and cooccurring disorders, we applied single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-array analysis to detect copy-number variations (CNVs) linked to disease.

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