Preimplantation genetic testing for structural rearrangement based on low-coverage next-generation sequencing accurately discriminates between normal and carrier embryos for patients with translocations

Abstract

Research questionCan preimplantation genetic testing for structural rearrangement (PGT-SR) based on low-coverage next-generation sequencing (NGS) accurately discriminate between normal and carrier embryos of reciprocal translocation (RecT) and Robertsonian translocation (RobT)? DesignA total of 109 couples with RecT or RobT were included in this study. The ages, bad obsteric histories (BOH), blood karyotype and IVF cycle information, including the number of cumulus–oocyte complexes, metaphase II oocytes, two pronuclei oocytes and blastocysts were recorded. 0.1 × whole genome sequencing (WGS) of embryos followed by copy number variation (identifying unbalanced/balanced) and 2 × WGS of parents and embryos followed by haplotype analysis (discriminating between normal and carrier) were carried out in PGT-SR cycles. The embryos without translocation were transferred and clinical outcomes evaluated. ResultsAmong all the couples in this study, 67 patients had RecT and 42 had RobT. After unbalanced and balanced detection, 103 balanced embryos underwent a further normal and carrier discrimination procedure, and 53 normal embryos were identified. Finally, 32 normal embryos were transferred, with an ongoing pregnancy rate of 46.88% (15/32). All ongoing pregnancies underwent amniocentesis, and the amninocentesis karyotyping results showed 100% concordance with PGT-SR diagnosis. ConclusionsOur low-coverage NGS-based PGT-SR method can accurately discriminate between normal and carrier status of balanced embryos. The method is cost-effective and has broad clinical applicability.