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Novel Genetic Variants in BAG3 and TNNT2 in a Swedish Family with a History of Dilated Cardiomyopathy and Sudden Cardiac Death

I. Fernlund, Eva LU orcid ; Österberg, A. Wålinder ; Kuchinskaya, E. ; Gustafsson, M. ; Jansson, K. and Gunnarsson, C. (2017) In Pediatric Cardiology 38(6). p.1262-1268
Abstract

Familial dilated cardiomyopathy is a rare cause of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), especially in childhood. Our aim was to describe the clinical course and the genetic variants in a family where the proband was a four-month-old infant presenting with respiratory problems due to DCM. In the family, there was a strong family history of DCM and sudden cardiac death in four generations. DNA was analyzed initially from the deceased girl using next-generation sequencing including 50 genes involved in cardiomyopathy. A cascade family screening was performed in the family after identification of the TNNT2 and the BAG3 variants in the proband. The first-degree relatives underwent clinical examination including biochemistry panel, cardiac... (More)

Familial dilated cardiomyopathy is a rare cause of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), especially in childhood. Our aim was to describe the clinical course and the genetic variants in a family where the proband was a four-month-old infant presenting with respiratory problems due to DCM. In the family, there was a strong family history of DCM and sudden cardiac death in four generations. DNA was analyzed initially from the deceased girl using next-generation sequencing including 50 genes involved in cardiomyopathy. A cascade family screening was performed in the family after identification of the TNNT2 and the BAG3 variants in the proband. The first-degree relatives underwent clinical examination including biochemistry panel, cardiac ultrasound, Holter ECG, exercise stress test, and targeted genetic testing. The index patient presented with advanced DCM. After a severe clinical course, the baby had external left ventricular assist as a bridge to heart transplantation. 1.5 months after transplantation, the baby suffered sudden cardiac death (SCD) despite maximal treatment in the pediatric intensive care unit. The patient was shown to carry two heterozygous genetic variants in the TNNT2 gene [TNNT2 c.518G>A(p.Arg173Gln)] and BAG3 [BAG3 c.785C>T(p.Ala262Val)]. Two of the screened individuals (two females) appeared to carry both the familial variants. All the individuals carrying the TNNT2 variant presented with DCM, the two adult patients had mild or moderate symptoms of heart failure and reported palpitations but no syncope or presyncopal attacks prior to the genetic diagnosis. The female carriers of TNNT2 and BAG3 variants had more advanced DCM. In the family history, there were three additional cases of SCD due to DCM, diagnosed by autopsy, but no genetic analysis was possible in these cases. Our findings suggest that the variants in TNNT2 and BAG3 are associated with a high propensity to life-threatening cardiomyopathy presenting from childhood and young adulthood.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
BAG3, DCM, Familial DCM, SCD, TNNT2
in
Pediatric Cardiology
volume
38
issue
6
pages
7 pages
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • wos:000405798800025
  • pmid:28669108
  • scopus:85021700207
ISSN
0172-0643
DOI
10.1007/s00246-017-1655-0
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
008819cf-f5c9-453c-9e5f-6f3f929fa7df
date added to LUP
2017-07-31 14:24:07
date last changed
2024-02-29 19:13:05
@article{008819cf-f5c9-453c-9e5f-6f3f929fa7df,
  abstract     = {{<p>Familial dilated cardiomyopathy is a rare cause of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), especially in childhood. Our aim was to describe the clinical course and the genetic variants in a family where the proband was a four-month-old infant presenting with respiratory problems due to DCM. In the family, there was a strong family history of DCM and sudden cardiac death in four generations. DNA was analyzed initially from the deceased girl using next-generation sequencing including 50 genes involved in cardiomyopathy. A cascade family screening was performed in the family after identification of the TNNT2 and the BAG3 variants in the proband. The first-degree relatives underwent clinical examination including biochemistry panel, cardiac ultrasound, Holter ECG, exercise stress test, and targeted genetic testing. The index patient presented with advanced DCM. After a severe clinical course, the baby had external left ventricular assist as a bridge to heart transplantation. 1.5 months after transplantation, the baby suffered sudden cardiac death (SCD) despite maximal treatment in the pediatric intensive care unit. The patient was shown to carry two heterozygous genetic variants in the TNNT2 gene [TNNT2 c.518G&gt;A(p.Arg173Gln)] and BAG3 [BAG3 c.785C&gt;T(p.Ala262Val)]. Two of the screened individuals (two females) appeared to carry both the familial variants. All the individuals carrying the TNNT2 variant presented with DCM, the two adult patients had mild or moderate symptoms of heart failure and reported palpitations but no syncope or presyncopal attacks prior to the genetic diagnosis. The female carriers of TNNT2 and BAG3 variants had more advanced DCM. In the family history, there were three additional cases of SCD due to DCM, diagnosed by autopsy, but no genetic analysis was possible in these cases. Our findings suggest that the variants in TNNT2 and BAG3 are associated with a high propensity to life-threatening cardiomyopathy presenting from childhood and young adulthood.</p>}},
  author       = {{I. Fernlund, Eva and Österberg, A. Wålinder and Kuchinskaya, E. and Gustafsson, M. and Jansson, K. and Gunnarsson, C.}},
  issn         = {{0172-0643}},
  keywords     = {{BAG3; DCM; Familial DCM; SCD; TNNT2}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{08}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{1262--1268}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Pediatric Cardiology}},
  title        = {{Novel Genetic Variants in BAG3 and TNNT2 in a Swedish Family with a History of Dilated Cardiomyopathy and Sudden Cardiac Death}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00246-017-1655-0}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s00246-017-1655-0}},
  volume       = {{38}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}