Whole-exome sequencing reveals a likely pathogenic LMNA variant causing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Objective: We studied the clinical and molecular features of a family with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).

Background: A very heterogeneous disease affecting the heart muscle, HCM is mostly caused by variants in the proteins of sarcomeres. The detection of HCM pathogenic variants can affect the handling of patients and their families.

Methods: Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was performed to assess the genetic cause(s) of HCM in a consanguineous Iranian family.

Results: Missense likely pathogenic variant c.1279C>T (p.Arg427Cys) within exon 7 of the LMNA gene (NM_170707) was found. The segregations were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction-based Sanger sequencing.

Conclusions: Variant c.1279C>T (p.Arg427Cys) in the LMNA gene seemed to have been the cause of HCM in the family. A few LMNA gene variants related to HCM phenotypes have been recognized so far. Identifying HCM genetic basis confers significant opportunities to understand how the disease can develop and, by extension, how this progression can be arrested. Our study supports WES effectiveness for first-tier variant screening of HCM in a clinical setting.