Targeted next-generation sequencing reveals multiple deleterious variants in OPLL-associated genes

Sci Rep. 2016 Jun 1:6:26962. doi: 10.1038/srep26962.

Abstract

Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine (OPLL), which is characterized by ectopic bone formation in the spinal ligaments, can cause spinal-cord compression. To date, at least 11 susceptibility genes have been genetically linked to OPLL. In order to identify potential deleterious alleles in these OPLL-associated genes, we designed a capture array encompassing all coding regions of the target genes for next-generation sequencing (NGS) in a cohort of 55 unrelated patients with OPLL. By bioinformatics analyses, we successfully identified three novel and five extremely rare variants (MAF < 0.005). These variants were predicted to be deleterious by commonly used various algorithms, thereby resulting in missense mutations in four OPLL-associated genes (i.e., COL6A1, COL11A2, FGFR1, and BMP2). Furthermore, potential effects of the patient with p.Q89E of BMP2 were confirmed by a markedly increased BMP2 level in peripheral blood samples. Notably, seven of the variants were found to be associated with the patients with continuous subtype changes by cervical spinal radiological analyses. Taken together, our findings revealed for the first time that deleterious coding variants of the four OPLL-associated genes are potentially pathogenic in the patients with OPLL.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 / genetics*
  • Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 / metabolism
  • Cohort Studies
  • Collagen Type VI / genetics*
  • Collagen Type VI / metabolism
  • Collagen Type XI / genetics*
  • Collagen Type XI / metabolism
  • Computational Biology
  • Female
  • Gene Expression
  • Genetic Association Studies
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease*
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Ligaments / diagnostic imaging
  • Longitudinal Ligaments / metabolism
  • Longitudinal Ligaments / pathology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mutation, Missense*
  • Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament / diagnostic imaging
  • Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament / genetics*
  • Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament / metabolism
  • Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament / pathology
  • Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 1 / genetics*
  • Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 1 / metabolism
  • Spine / diagnostic imaging
  • Spine / metabolism
  • Spine / pathology
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • BMP2 protein, human
  • Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2
  • COL11A2 protein, human
  • Col6a1 protein, human
  • Collagen Type VI
  • Collagen Type XI
  • FGFR1 protein, human
  • Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 1