This TTN truncating variant (TTNtv) was identified in one individual in this cohort and is located in an exon that is highly expressed in the heart. In the seven cohorts assessed, TTNtv were found in 14% of ambulant DCM, 22% end-stage or familial DCM, and 2% controls. Heterozygous nonsense, frameshift and canonical splice-disrupting variants found in constitutive and other highly utilised exons are highly likely to be pathogenic when identified in individuals with phenotypically confirmed DCM. TTNtv found incidentally in healthy individuals (excluding familial assessment of DCM relatives) are thought to have low penetrance, particularly when identified in exons that are not constitutively expressed in the heart.

The p.R4760* variant (also known as c.14278C>T), located in coding exon 53 of the TTN gene, results from a C to T substitution at nucleotide position 14278. This changes the amino acid from an arginine to a stop codon within coding exon 53. This alteration has been reported in association with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) (Roberts AM et al. Sci Transl Med, 2015 Jan;7:270ra6). This exon is located in the I-band region of the N2-B isoform of the titin protein and is constitutively expressed in TTN transcripts (percent spliced in or PSI 100%). This alteration is expected to result in loss of function by premature protein truncation or nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. While truncating variants in TTN are present in 1-3% of the general population, truncating variants in the A-band are the most common cause of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) (Herman DS et al. N. Engl. J. Med., 2012 Feb;366:619-28; Roberts AM et al. Sci Transl Med, 2015 Jan;7:270ra6). TTN truncating variants encoded in constitutive exons (PSI >90%) have been found to be significantly associated with DCM regardless of their position in titin (Schafer S et al. Nat. Genet., 2017 01;49:46-53). As such, this alteration is classified as likely pathogenic.

Based on the classification scheme VCGS_Germline_v1.3.4, this variant is classified as Likely pathogenic. Following criteria are met: 0102 - Loss of function is known mechanism of disease in this gene. In addition, dominant-negative is also a suggested mechanism. (PMID: 25589632). (I) 0108 - This gene is associated with both recessive and dominant disease (OMIM). (I) 0112 - The condition associated with this gene has incomplete penetrance. Variants in this gene that result in a premature truncating codon (PTC) are known to have reduced penetrance in DCM (PMID: 25589632). (I) 0201 - Variant is predicted to cause nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) and loss of protein (premature termination codon is located at least 54 nucleotides upstream of the final exon-exon junction). (SP) 0251 - This variant is heterozygous. (I) 0301 - Variant is absent from gnomAD (both v2 and v3). (SP) 0600 - Variant is located in the annotated I-band and the exon has a PSI score of 100 (PMID: 25589632). (I) 0703 - Other NMD-predicted variants comparable to the one identified in this case have moderate previous evidence for pathogenicity (ClinVar). (SP) 0803 - This variant has limited previous evidence of pathogenicity in unrelated individuals. It has been reported in at least three individuals with DCM (PMIDs: 25589632, 31983221; ClinVar, personal communication). It has been reported by clinical testing laboratories as likely pathogenic and VUS (ClinVar). (SP) 0905 - No published segregation evidence has been identified for this variant. (I) 1007 - No published functional evidence has been identified for this variant. (I) 1208 - Inheritance information for this variant is not currently available in this individual. (I) Legend: (SP) - Supporting pathogenic, (I) - Information, (SB) - Supporting benign

This sequence change creates a premature translational stop signal (p.Arg13825*) in the TTN gene. While this is not anticipated to result in nonsense mediated decay, it is expected to create a truncated TTN protein. This variant is not present in population databases (gnomAD no frequency). This premature translational stop signal has been observed in individuals with clinical features of dilated cardiomyopathy (PMID: 25589632, 31251381, 31983221; internal data). ClinVar contains an entry for this variant (Variation ID: 223274). This variant is located in the I band of TTN (PMID: 25589632). Truncating variants in this region have been reported in individuals affected with autosomal recessive centronuclear myopathy (PMID: 23975875, internal data). Truncating variants in this region have also been identified in individuals affected with autosomal dominant dilated cardiomyopathy and/or cardio-related conditions (PMID: 27869827, 32964742, internal data). For these reasons, this variant has been classified as Pathogenic.