Analysis of genetic variants in a child with Intellectual developmental disorder with behavioral abnormalities and craniofacial dysmorphism without seizures

Abstract

To explore the clinical phenotype and genetic characteristics of a child with Intellectual developmental disorder with behavioral abnormalities and craniofacial malformations without epilepsy (IDDBCS). A child who had visited the Lianyungang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital in April 2021 was selected as the study subject. Clinical data of the child were collected. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples of the child and his parents and subjected to whole exome sequencing (WES). Candidate variants were verified by Sanger sequencing of his family members. The child, a 3-year-and-4-month-old male, had presented with global developmental delay and cranial malformation. Genetic testing revealed that he has harbored a heterozygous c.1703delA (p.K568Sfs9) variant of the PHF21A gene, for which both of his parents were of the wild type. This low-frequency variant may alter the structure and function of the protein product. Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), it was classified as a pathogenic variant (PVS1+PS2+PM2_Supporting). The heterozygous c.1703delA (p.K568Sfs9) variant of the PHF21A gene probably underlay the IDDBCS in this patient.