Screening for intellectual disability using high-resolution CMA technology in a retrospective cohort from Central Brazil

• Published in: PloS one 2014-07, Vol.9 (7), p.e103117-e103117
• Main Authors: Pereira, Rodrigo Roncato, Pinto, Irene Plaza, Minasi, Lysa Bernardes, de Melo, Aldaires Vieira, da Cruz e Cunha, Damiana Mirian, Cruz, Alex Silva, Ribeiro, Cristiano Luiz, da Silva, Cláudio Carlos, de Melo e Silva, Daniela, da Cruz, Aparecido Divino
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abnormalities; Adult; Analysis; Ataxia; Autism; Biology and Life Sciences; Brazil; Change detection; Chromosome Aberrations; Chromosomes; Chromosomes, Human - genetics; Congenital diseases; Copy number; Disabilities; DNA Copy Number Variations - genetics; DNA microarrays; Doctors; Etiology; Female; Genomes; Genomics; Humans; Intellectual disabilities; Intellectual Disability - diagnosis; Intellectual Disability - genetics; Intellectual Disability - pathology; Karyotyping; Laboratories; Medical diagnosis; Medical personnel; Medical screening; Microarray Analysis - methods; Middle Aged; Mutation; Patients; Physicians; Public health; Research and Analysis Methods; Technology
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103117

Intellectual disability is a complex, variable, and heterogeneous disorder, representing a disabling condition diagnosed worldwide, and the etiologies are multiple and highly heterogeneous. Microscopic chromosomal abnormalities and well-characterized genetic conditions are the most common causes of intellectual disability. Chromosomal Microarray Analysis analyses have made it possible to identify putatively pathogenic copy number variation that could explain the molecular etiology of intellectual disability. The aim of the current study was to identify possible submicroscopic genomic alterations using a high-density chromosomal microarray in a retrospective cohort of patients with otherwise undiagnosable intellectual disabilities referred by doctors from the public health system in Central Brazil. The CytoScan HD technology was used to detect changes in the genome copy number variation of patients who had intellectual disability and a normal karyotype. The analysis detected 18 CNVs in 60% of patients. Pathogenic CNVs represented about 22%, so it was possible to propose the etiology of intellectual disability for these patients. Likely pathogenic and unknown clinical significance CNVs represented 28% and 50%, respectively. Inherited and de novo CNVs were equally distributed. We report the nature of CNVs in patients from Central Brazil, representing a population not yet screened by microarray technologies.