Incomplete penetrance and variable phenotypes of a novel NPRL2 frameshift variant: from familial focal epilepsy with variable foci 2 to neurodevelopmental disorders

Abstract Background Familial focal epilepsy with variable foci 2 (FFEVF2), an autosomal dominant disorder caused by pathogenic heterozygous variants in the NPRL2 gene, is characterized by focal epilepsy originating in different cortical regions of the temporal, frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hui Zhu, Qiyan Wang, Wenxin Deng, Shuyao Zhu, Lan Zeng, Ai Chen, Ying Pang, Fu Xiong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-08-01
Series:BMC Neurology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12883-025-04339-6
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849333429682831360
author Hui Zhu
Qiyan Wang
Wenxin Deng
Shuyao Zhu
Lan Zeng
Ai Chen
Ying Pang
Fu Xiong
author_facet Hui Zhu
Qiyan Wang
Wenxin Deng
Shuyao Zhu
Lan Zeng
Ai Chen
Ying Pang
Fu Xiong
author_sort Hui Zhu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Familial focal epilepsy with variable foci 2 (FFEVF2), an autosomal dominant disorder caused by pathogenic heterozygous variants in the NPRL2 gene, is characterized by focal epilepsy originating in different cortical regions of the temporal, frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes of the brain. Methods The study included a Chinese family in which proband had epilepsy, and her brother had autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and mild intellectual disability (ID). Blood samples of the two children and their parents were collected for whole exome sequencing (WES). Results Proband was a 1-month-and-7-day-old baby girl with epilepsy manifesting as focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures and cranial magnetic resonance imaging showing focal cortical dysplasia or subcortical grey matter ectopia in the left anterior and posterior central gyrus. WES revealed a heterozygous variant of the NPRL2 gene [c.907delC (p. Gln303Serfs*11)]. Sanger sequencing confirmed that the variant was inherited from her unaffected mother. According to the ACMG, the variant was classified as likely pathogenic. Finally, she was diagnosed with FFEVF2. Her epilepsy type was only reported in one patient with FFEVF2 with multiple seizure types. Follow-up revealed that she had a global developmental delay and absent language, and despite numerous antiseizure medications, her seizures were uncontrolled. Her brother carried the same mutated gene, which manifested primarily as autism, ADHD, speech deficit, and mild ID. So far, he has had no seizures and a negative electroencephalogram. But he could have seizures in the future, and it’s worth following up. Conclusion This study describes a family with a new NPRL2 variant, where affected members exhibited various neurological disorders including FFEVF2, autism, and ADHD, demonstrating incomplete penetrance.
format Article
id doaj-art-1fada024570d422ca06af6d3bb677564
institution Kabale University
issn 1471-2377
language English
publishDate 2025-08-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Neurology
spelling doaj-art-1fada024570d422ca06af6d3bb6775642025-08-20T03:45:52ZengBMCBMC Neurology1471-23772025-08-0125111310.1186/s12883-025-04339-6Incomplete penetrance and variable phenotypes of a novel NPRL2 frameshift variant: from familial focal epilepsy with variable foci 2 to neurodevelopmental disordersHui Zhu0Qiyan Wang1Wenxin Deng2Shuyao Zhu3Lan Zeng4Ai Chen5Ying Pang6Fu Xiong7Department of Pediatrics, Sichuan Provincial Women’s and Children’s Hospital, The Affiliated Women’s and Children’s Hospital of Chengdu Medical CollegeChildren’s Hospital of Chengdu Medical CollegeDepartment of Neonatology, Sichuan Provincial Women’s and Children’s Hospital, The Affiliated Women’s and Children’s Hospital of Chengdu Medical CollegeDepartment of Pediatrics, Sichuan Provincial Women’s and Children’s Hospital, The Affiliated Women’s and Children’s Hospital of Chengdu Medical CollegeDepartment of Medical Genetics and Prenatal Diagnosis, Sichuan Provincial Women’s and Children’s Hospital, The Affiliated Women’s and Children’s Hospital of Chengdu Medical CollegeDepartment of Pediatrics, Sichuan Provincial Women’s and Children’s Hospital, The Affiliated Women’s and Children’s Hospital of Chengdu Medical CollegeDepartment of Pediatrics, Sichuan Provincial Women’s and Children’s Hospital, The Affiliated Women’s and Children’s Hospital of Chengdu Medical CollegeDepartment of Pediatrics, Sichuan Provincial Women’s and Children’s Hospital, The Affiliated Women’s and Children’s Hospital of Chengdu Medical CollegeAbstract Background Familial focal epilepsy with variable foci 2 (FFEVF2), an autosomal dominant disorder caused by pathogenic heterozygous variants in the NPRL2 gene, is characterized by focal epilepsy originating in different cortical regions of the temporal, frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes of the brain. Methods The study included a Chinese family in which proband had epilepsy, and her brother had autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and mild intellectual disability (ID). Blood samples of the two children and their parents were collected for whole exome sequencing (WES). Results Proband was a 1-month-and-7-day-old baby girl with epilepsy manifesting as focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures and cranial magnetic resonance imaging showing focal cortical dysplasia or subcortical grey matter ectopia in the left anterior and posterior central gyrus. WES revealed a heterozygous variant of the NPRL2 gene [c.907delC (p. Gln303Serfs*11)]. Sanger sequencing confirmed that the variant was inherited from her unaffected mother. According to the ACMG, the variant was classified as likely pathogenic. Finally, she was diagnosed with FFEVF2. Her epilepsy type was only reported in one patient with FFEVF2 with multiple seizure types. Follow-up revealed that she had a global developmental delay and absent language, and despite numerous antiseizure medications, her seizures were uncontrolled. Her brother carried the same mutated gene, which manifested primarily as autism, ADHD, speech deficit, and mild ID. So far, he has had no seizures and a negative electroencephalogram. But he could have seizures in the future, and it’s worth following up. Conclusion This study describes a family with a new NPRL2 variant, where affected members exhibited various neurological disorders including FFEVF2, autism, and ADHD, demonstrating incomplete penetrance.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12883-025-04339-6NPRL2NPRL2-associated epilepsyFamilial focal epilepsy with variable foci 2Focal epilepsy
spellingShingle Hui Zhu
Qiyan Wang
Wenxin Deng
Shuyao Zhu
Lan Zeng
Ai Chen
Ying Pang
Fu Xiong
Incomplete penetrance and variable phenotypes of a novel NPRL2 frameshift variant: from familial focal epilepsy with variable foci 2 to neurodevelopmental disorders
BMC Neurology
NPRL2
NPRL2-associated epilepsy
Familial focal epilepsy with variable foci 2
Focal epilepsy
title Incomplete penetrance and variable phenotypes of a novel NPRL2 frameshift variant: from familial focal epilepsy with variable foci 2 to neurodevelopmental disorders
title_full Incomplete penetrance and variable phenotypes of a novel NPRL2 frameshift variant: from familial focal epilepsy with variable foci 2 to neurodevelopmental disorders
title_fullStr Incomplete penetrance and variable phenotypes of a novel NPRL2 frameshift variant: from familial focal epilepsy with variable foci 2 to neurodevelopmental disorders
title_full_unstemmed Incomplete penetrance and variable phenotypes of a novel NPRL2 frameshift variant: from familial focal epilepsy with variable foci 2 to neurodevelopmental disorders
title_short Incomplete penetrance and variable phenotypes of a novel NPRL2 frameshift variant: from familial focal epilepsy with variable foci 2 to neurodevelopmental disorders
title_sort incomplete penetrance and variable phenotypes of a novel nprl2 frameshift variant from familial focal epilepsy with variable foci 2 to neurodevelopmental disorders
topic NPRL2
NPRL2-associated epilepsy
Familial focal epilepsy with variable foci 2
Focal epilepsy
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12883-025-04339-6
work_keys_str_mv AT huizhu incompletepenetranceandvariablephenotypesofanovelnprl2frameshiftvariantfromfamilialfocalepilepsywithvariablefoci2toneurodevelopmentaldisorders
AT qiyanwang incompletepenetranceandvariablephenotypesofanovelnprl2frameshiftvariantfromfamilialfocalepilepsywithvariablefoci2toneurodevelopmentaldisorders
AT wenxindeng incompletepenetranceandvariablephenotypesofanovelnprl2frameshiftvariantfromfamilialfocalepilepsywithvariablefoci2toneurodevelopmentaldisorders
AT shuyaozhu incompletepenetranceandvariablephenotypesofanovelnprl2frameshiftvariantfromfamilialfocalepilepsywithvariablefoci2toneurodevelopmentaldisorders
AT lanzeng incompletepenetranceandvariablephenotypesofanovelnprl2frameshiftvariantfromfamilialfocalepilepsywithvariablefoci2toneurodevelopmentaldisorders
AT aichen incompletepenetranceandvariablephenotypesofanovelnprl2frameshiftvariantfromfamilialfocalepilepsywithvariablefoci2toneurodevelopmentaldisorders
AT yingpang incompletepenetranceandvariablephenotypesofanovelnprl2frameshiftvariantfromfamilialfocalepilepsywithvariablefoci2toneurodevelopmentaldisorders
AT fuxiong incompletepenetranceandvariablephenotypesofanovelnprl2frameshiftvariantfromfamilialfocalepilepsywithvariablefoci2toneurodevelopmentaldisorders