Genomic analysis of 11,555 probands identifies 60 dominant congenital heart disease genes

M Michael C. Sierant (Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine) S Sheng Chih Jin K Kaya Bilguvar S Sarah U. Morton (Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital) W Weilai Dong (Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine) W Wei Jiang Z Ziyu Lu B Boyang Li (Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science) F Francesc Lopez-Giraldez I Irina Tikhonova (Yale Center for Genome Analysis, Yale University) X Xue Zeng (Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine) Q Qiongshi Lu (Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin) J Jungmin Choi (Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine) J Junhui Zhang C Carol Nelson-Williams (Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine) J James R. Knight (Yale Center for Genome Analysis, Yale University) H Hongyu Zhao J Junyue Cao S Shrikant Mane S Stanley C. Sedore (Department of Pediatrics, Section of Cardiology, Yale School of Medicine) P Peter J. Gruber (Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine) M Monkol Lek (Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine) E Elizabeth Goldmuntz (Division of Cardiology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania) J John Deanfield (Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London) A Alessandro Giardini (Pediatric Cardiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital) S Seema Mital M Mark Russell (Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan) J J. William Gaynor (Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia) E Eileen King (Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati) M Michael Wagner D Deepak Srivastava Y Yufeng Shen (Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center) D Daniel Bernstein (Department of Pediatrics, Cardiology, Stanford University) G George A. Porter (Department of Pediatrics, Section of Cardiology, Yale School of Medicine) J Jane W. Newburger (Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School) J Jonathan G. Seidman A Amy E. Roberts (Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School) M Mark Yandell (Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah and School of Medicine) H H. Joseph Yost (Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah and School of Medicine) M Martin Tristani-Firouzi (Division of Pediatric Cardiology, University of Utah) R Richard Kim (Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center) W Wendy K. Chung (Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School) B Bruce D. Gelb (Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai) C Christine E. Seidman M Martina Brueckner (Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine) R Richard P. Lifton (Laboratory of Human Genetics and Genomics, The Rockefeller University)

Abstract

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a leading cause of infant mortality. We analyzed de novo mutations (DNMs) and very rare transmitted/unphased damaging variants in 248 prespecified genes in 11,555 CHD probands. The results identified 60 genes with a significant burden of heterozygous damaging variants. Variants in these genes accounted for CHD in 10.1% of probands with similar contributions from de novo and transmitted variants in parent–offspring trios that showed incomplete penetrance. DNMs in these genes accounted for 58% of the signal from DNMs. Thirty-three genes were linked to a single CHD subtype while 12 genes were associated with 2 to 4 subtypes. Seven genes were only associated with isolated CHD, while 37 were associated with 1 or more extracardiac abnormalities. Genes selectively expressed in the cardiomyocyte lineage were associated with isolated CHD, while those widely expressed in the brain were also associated with neurodevelopmental delay (NDD). Missense variants introducing or removing cysteines in epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like domains of NOTCH1 were enriched in tetralogy of Fallot and conotruncal defects, unlike the broader CHD spectrum seen with loss of function variants. Transmitted damaging missense variants in MYH6 were enriched in multiple CHD phenotypes and account for ~1% of all probands. Probands with characteristic mutations causing syndromic CHD were frequently not diagnosed clinically, often due to missing cardinal phenotypes. CHD genes that were positively or negatively associated with development of NDD suggest clinical value of genetic testing. These findings expand the understanding of CHD genetics and support the use of molecular diagnostics in CHD.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 122, Issue 13
Published April 01, 2025
ISSN 0027-8424
Publisher National Academy of Sciences

Authors (46)

M

Michael C. Sierant

Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine

S

Sheng Chih Jin

K

Kaya Bilguvar

S

Sarah U. Morton

Division of Newborn Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital

W

Weilai Dong

Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine

W

Wei Jiang

Z

Ziyu Lu

B

Boyang Li

Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

F

Francesc Lopez-Giraldez

I

Irina Tikhonova

Yale Center for Genome Analysis, Yale University

X

Xue Zeng

Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine

Q

Qiongshi Lu

Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin

J

Jungmin Choi

Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine

J

Junhui Zhang

C

Carol Nelson-Williams

Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine

J

James R. Knight

Yale Center for Genome Analysis, Yale University

H

Hongyu Zhao

J

Junyue Cao

S

Shrikant Mane

S

Stanley C. Sedore

Department of Pediatrics, Section of Cardiology, Yale School of Medicine

P

Peter J. Gruber

Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine

M

Monkol Lek

Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine

E

Elizabeth Goldmuntz

Division of Cardiology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

J

John Deanfield

Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London

A

Alessandro Giardini

Pediatric Cardiology, Great Ormond Street Hospital

S

Seema Mital

M

Mark Russell

Department of Pediatrics and Communicable Diseases, University of Michigan

J

J. William Gaynor

Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

E

Eileen King

Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati

M

Michael Wagner

D

Deepak Srivastava

Y

Yufeng Shen

Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center

D

Daniel Bernstein

Department of Pediatrics, Cardiology, Stanford University

G

George A. Porter

Department of Pediatrics, Section of Cardiology, Yale School of Medicine

J

Jane W. Newburger

Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School

J

Jonathan G. Seidman

A

Amy E. Roberts

Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School

M

Mark Yandell

Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah and School of Medicine

H

H. Joseph Yost

Department of Human Genetics, University of Utah and School of Medicine

M

Martin Tristani-Firouzi

Division of Pediatric Cardiology, University of Utah

R

Richard Kim

Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

W

Wendy K. Chung

Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School

B

Bruce D. Gelb

Mindich Child Health and Development Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

C

Christine E. Seidman

M

Martina Brueckner

Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine

R

Richard P. Lifton

Laboratory of Human Genetics and Genomics, The Rockefeller University