{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Deciphering complexity: TULP1 variants linked to an atypical retinal dystrophy phenotype.
{Author}: Esteve-Garcia A;Cobos E;Sau C;Padró-Miquel A;Català-Mora J;Barberán-Martínez P;Millán JM;García-García G;Aguilera C;
{Journal}: Front Genet
{Volume}: 15
{Issue}: 0
{Year}: 2024
{Factor}: 4.772
{DOI}: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1352063
{Abstract}: Introduction: TULP1 exemplifies the remarkable clinical and genetic heterogeneity observed in inherited retinal dystrophies. Our research describes the clinical and molecular characteristics of a patient manifesting an atypical retinal dystrophy pattern, marked by the identification of both a previously unreported and a rarely encountered TULP1 variant. Methods: Whole-exome sequencing was performed to identify potential causative variants. The pathogenicity of the identified TULP1 variants was evaluated through in silico predictors and a minigene splice assay, specifically designed to assess the effect of the unreported TULP1 variant. Results: We identified two TULP1 gene variants in a patient exhibiting unusual and symmetrical alterations in both retinas, characterized by an increase in autofluorescence along the distribution of retinal vessels. These variants included a known rare missense variant, c.1376T>C, and a novel splice site variant, c.822G>T. For the latter variant (c.822G>T), we conducted a minigene splice assay that demonstrated the incorporation of a premature stop codon. This finding suggests a likely activation of the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay mechanism, ultimately resulting in the absence of protein production from this allele. Segregation analysis confirmed that these variants were in trans. Discussion: Our data support that individuals with biallelic TULP1 variants may present with a unique pattern of macular degeneration and periarteriolar vascular pigmentation. This study highlights the importance of further clinical and molecular characterization of TULP1 variants to elucidate genotype-phenotype correlations in the context of inherited retinal dystrophies.