Assessing the diagnostic impact of blood transcriptome profiling in a pediatric cohort previously assessed by genome sequencing.

Abstract

Despite advances in genome sequencing, many individuals with rare genetic disorders remain undiagnosed. Transcriptional profiling via RNA-seq can reveal functional impacts of DNA variants and improve diagnosis. We assessed blood-derived RNA-seq in the largely undiagnosed SickKids Genome Clinic cohort (n = 134), which has been subjected to multiple analyses benchmarking the utility of genome sequencing. Our RNA-centric analysis identifies gene expression outliers, aberrant splicing, and allele-specific expression. In one-third of diagnosed individuals (20/61), RNA-seq reinforced DNA-based findings. In 2/61 cases, RNA-seq revised diagnoses (EPG5 to LZTR1 in an individual with a Noonan syndrome-like disorder) and discovered an additional relevant gene (CEP120 in addition to SON in an individual with ZTTK syndrome). Additionally, ~7% (5/73) of undiagnosed cases had at least one plausible candidate gene identified. This study highlights both the benefits and limitations of whole-blood RNA profiling in refining genetic diagnoses and uncovering novel disease mechanisms.