What is the intrafamilial phenotypic variability and expressivity associated with TTN truncating variants in cardiomyopathies?
The cardiomyopathy phenotype associated with TTN truncating variants is highly homogenous within families, though expressivity and severity can vary, which is important for genetic counseling.
Titin truncating variants (TTNtv) are the main genetic cause of dilated cardiomyopathies (DCMs). The phenotype and prognosis of probands have been evaluated in several large cohorts. However, few data are available on intrafamilial expressivity. To evaluate the phenotypical variability, we selected probands and family members carrying a unique TTN variant and recorded cardiac and genetic information. The cohort included 332 probands (314 TTNtv probands and 18 probands with in silico predicted in-frame exon skipping probands) and 191 relatives of TTNtv probands including 98 affected family members. Within TTNtv families, 96% of the affected relatives presented the same cardiomyopathy subtype as the proband, and 60% shared severity criteria (heart transplantation, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, personal sudden death). Furthermore, we reported 18 probands that carry predicted in-frame exon skipping variants; they presented DCM (84%) as TTNtv patients but lower rate of rhythm disorders (0% vs. 29% respectively). In this work, we extend the genetic spectrum of TTNtv associated with DCM and show that within a family, and the cardiomyopathy phenotype is homogenous but the expressivity could vary. Such results are helpful for appropriate genetic counseling to better predict and manage the phenotype of mutation carriers.
Massier et al. (Wed,) studied this question.