Abstract
The definition of a rare disease in the European Union describes genetic disorders that affect less than 1 in 2,000 people per individual disease; collectively these numbers amount to millions of individuals globally, who usually manifest a rare disease early on in life. At present, there are at least 8,000 known rare conditions, of which only some are clearly molecularly defined. Over the recent years, the use of genetic diagnosis is gaining ground into informing clinical practice, particularly in the field of rare diseases, where diagnosis is difficult. To demonstrate the complexity of genetic diagnosis for rare diseases, we focus on Ciliopathies as an example of a group of rare diseases where an accurate diagnosis has proven a challenge and novel practices driven by scientists are needed to help bridge the gap between clinical and molecular diagnosis. Current diagnostic difficulties lie with the vast multitude of genes associated with Ciliopathies and trouble in distinguishing between Ciliopathies presenting with similar phenotypes. Moreover, Ciliopathies such as Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease (ARPKD) and Meckel-Gruber syndrome (MKS) present with early phenotypes and may require the analysis of samples from foetuses with a suspected Ciliopathy. Advancements in Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) have now enabled assessing a larger number of target genes, to ensure an accurate diagnosis. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of current diagnostic techniques relevant to Ciliopathies and discuss the applications and limitations associated with these techniques.
Introduction
Ciliopathies describe a group of disorders that arise due to mutations in cilia, resulting in their abnormal formation or function. The term entails a group of around 35 reported disorders, with effects seen in multiple organs. Cilia are short extracellular structures, projecting from the cell membrane that can be classified into motile or immotile (also known as primary) cilia. Both motile and primary cilia begin to form during the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle,. Motile cilia comprise of nine pairs of microtubules surrounding an additional central pair (9 + 2 arrangement) and present as multiple cilia per cell (Figure 1),. They are usually longer than primary cilia and consist of specialised ciliary motor and accessory proteins, allowing the structure to actively bend and undergo coordinated beating patterns that create flow over the cell surface. Primary cilia consist of microtubules arranged in a circular pattern, as nine microtubule doublets (9 + 0 arrangement); they play an essential mechanosensory role and have been implicated in various cell signalling pathways. One exception is the nodal cilium, a structure which presents with a 9 + 0 arrangement, however, displays directional movement. In this review, the structure of the cilium will be broadly classified and discussed as two separate compartments – the base of the cilium and intraflagellar transport (IFT).
FIGURE 1
The basal body lies at the base of the cilium, where the ciliary gate is located (Figure 1). The ciliary gate is composed of three main structures: the transition fibres (TFs), the transition zone (TZ) and the ciliary necklace and it behaves as a docking site for IFT particles
Historic and Current Diagnostic Approaches for Ciliopathies
Linkage analysis uses microsatellite markers for the analysis of genes under investigation and it has historically been a commonly practiced technique for the diagnosis of Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD)
TABLE 1
| Ciliopathy | Genes associated with ciliopathies | Current diagnostic practices | Novel molecular diagnostic practices recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meckel-Gruber syndrome (MKS) | MKS1,MKS3, MKS4, MKS5, MKS6, MKS7 | RT-PCR | TaqMan minor groove binder probes (Prenatal) whole-exome sequencing Whole-genome sequencing |
| Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) | BBS1, BBS2, BS10, MKS1, MKS4 | Clinical assessment | Targeted exome sequencing (Prenatal) whole-exome sequencing Whole-genome sequencing |
| Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease (ARPKD) | PKHD1, DZIP1L | Linkage analysis Direct mutation screening via amniocentesis and CVS | Whole-exome sequencing Whole-genome sequencing e.g., STATseq |
| Nephronophthisis (NPHP) | NPHP1, NPHP20 | Direct mutation screening | Multiplex PCR Whole-exome sequencing Whole-genome sequencing |
| Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) | PKD1, PKD2, HNF-1β, GANAB, DNAJB11 | Linkage analysis Direct mutation screening | Long-range PCR Whole-exome sequencing Whole-genome sequencing |
A summary of selected Ciliopathies, including their associated genes and their current and recommended molecular diagnostic techniques.
Although linkage analysis helps identify markers that co-segregate with genes of interest, whilst also allowing for patient diagnosis confirmation in cases where mutation positions remain unknown
Direct mutation screening is one of the most common and cost-effective methods used to diagnose Ciliopathies such as ADPKD and ARPKD, where the causative genes are known. The technique itself involves sequencing exonic regions of a particular gene, whilst flanking intronic regions, providing details about the mutation position and type
It should be noted that direct mutation screening analysis can be useful in identifying isolated probands or in cases where de novo mutations arise but it can become quite restricting in cases where there are rarer mutations present or defects in other genes that are causative of the presenting phenotype
“Evolved” PCR as a Method To Accurately Diagnose Ciliopathies
Advanced molecular diagnostic techniques in their entirety have evolved from the Sanger method, the “first-generation” DNA sequencing technique. Nowadays, in clinical practice, the Sanger method is used to validate NGS data, however, this additional level of assurance is not without fault, as it is costly, time-consuming, and not error-free
Multiplex qPCR expands on the advantages of RT-PCR, and it is a probe-based assay, where each probe is labelled with a unique fluorescent dye, allowing for simultaneous and rapid amplification of multiple genes in a single reaction
Another ciliopathy that exhibits similar molecular diagnostic complications to ADPKD is NPHP. NPHP is an autosomal recessive disease that leads to progressive renal failure and manifests as reduced kidney size, loss of corticomedullary differentiation and corticomedullary cysts, together with polyuria, polydipsia, anaemia, growth retardation and hypertension
The benefits of utilising LR technologies for not only diagnosing ciliopathies but other disorders outweigh the costs, which is often the main limitation associated with this technique. Nevertheless, over the past recent years, the cost has significantly declined, indicating that in the foreseeable future, more LR technologies will be utilised in clinical practice
The Advances in Sequencing Technologies for Greater and More Accurate Data Capture in Ciliopathies
Targeted Exome Sequencing (TES), which concentrates on a specific panel of genes associated with disease pathogenesis and offers greater sequencing depth, reduced costs, and reduced data burden
Another option to advance current diagnostic practice for rare diseases is to implement Whole Exome Sequencing (WES). WES involves the sequencing of whole exomes in a genome and has improved sensitivity and efficiency, together with reduced costs
In some instances, Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) which involves sequencing an individual’s entire genome, including coding and non-coding regions
Using WGS is a straight-forward process that avoids the time-consuming procedure of targeted sequencing, allowing clinical professionals to identify all variant types in a single test
Conclusion
Attempting to identify the pathogenic variants within Ciliopathies, it is clear to see why advancements in molecular diagnostic techniques are undeniably needed. Current limitations lie with the time-consuming manner of diagnostic techniques due to the heterogeneity of Ciliopathies. The overlapping phenotypic presentations together with unclear molecular diagnostics in certain Ciliopathies pose limitations to techniques like direct mutation screening and linkage analysis. Although WES is more expensive than conventional Sanger sequencing, in the broader picture it is a more cost-effective tool. By employing WES as early as possible for diagnostic purposes, the financial burden on health services can be reduced, since multiple tests are not required to confirm the diagnosis, which can often also delay the start of treatment. Furthermore, disease management decisions can be based on a greater depth of information, increasing the reliability of the undertaken approach and informing accurate genetic counselling. Since WES has the capability of screening up to around 85% of a gene, it has a greater likelihood of identifying disease causing mutations than the currently employed techniques. Nevertheless, in diseases such as ADPKD, where pseudogene homology may pose complications in accurate genetic diagnosis, WGS would be the technique of choice. However, one of the major drawbacks of WGS is the cost and thus our suggestion is that WES became a commonly employed gold-standard technique in the field of biomedical science and diagnosis before further advancements to WGS.
Statements
Author contributions
KM, SM, and PG all together devised the idea for the review, wrote the manuscript and prepared the figure and table.
Funding
KM has received funding from the Institute of Biomedical Science. PG is funded by the PKD charity United Kingdom (grant ref: S<ARPKD-TR>).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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Summary
Keywords
whole exome sequencing, cilia, rare disease, polycystic kidney disease, ciliopathies
Citation
Modarage K, Malik SA and Goggolidou P (2022) Molecular Diagnostics of Ciliopathies and Insights Into Novel Developments in Diagnosing Rare Diseases. Br J Biomed Sci 79:10221. doi: 10.3389/bjbs.2021.10221
Received
12 November 2021
Accepted
02 December 2021
Published
10 January 2022
Volume
79 - 2021
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© 2022 Modarage, Malik and Goggolidou.
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*Correspondence: P. Goggolidou, p.goggolidou@wlv.ac.uk
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