Phenotypic and genetic spectrum of Danish patients with ABCA4-related retinopathy

Background: Pathogenic variations in the ABCA4 gene were originally recognized as genetic background for the autosomal recessive disorders Stargardt disease and fundus flavimaculatus, but have expanded to embrace a diversity of retinal diseases, giving rise to the new diagnostic term, ABCA4-related retinopathy. Diagnostic genotyping of ABCA4 is complicated by the large size of the gene and the existence of approximately 600 known pathogenic variations, along with numerous rare polymorphisms. A commercial diagnostic array-based assay has been developed targeting known mutations, however a conclusive genetic diagnosis must rely on a comprehensive genetic screening as the mutation spectrum of ABCA4-related retinopathies continues to expand. Material and methods: Among 161 patients with a Stargardt-related phenotype previously assessed with the commercial ABCA4 mutation microarray, we analyzed the ABCA4 gene with High-resolution melting (HRM) in patients in whom the array analysis identified either a heterozygous mutation (n = 50) or no mutation (n = 30). Results: The HRM method detected each of the already known mutations and polymorphisms. We identified the second ABCA4 mutation in 31 of 50 heterozygous patients (62%). Several novel mutations were identified of which four were identified multiple times. The recurrent novel mutations were subsequently assessed among the 30 patients with possible ABCA4-related diseases, previously found to be negative for known ABCA4 mutations by array analysis. In total, 30 different mutations were identified of which 21 have not been described before. Conclusion: Scandinavian patients with ABCA4-related retinopathy appear to have a distinct mutation spectrum, which can be identified in patients of diverse clinical phenotypes.