The role of large gene deletions and duplications in MYBPC3 and TNNT2 in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common cardiovascular genetic disorder, and can result in heart failure and sudden death in the young. No mutation is identified in up to 50% of cases of HCM following comprehensive analysis of known causal genes, however standard methods overlook large deletions and duplications. The multiple ligation-dependent probe amplification method was used to screen for large deletions and duplications in the myosin-binding protein-C (MYBPC3) and cardiac troponin T (TNNT2) genes in patients with HCM. One novel 3 base pair deletion was identified in MYBPC3 in a severely affected patient; however this change was also found in an unaffected relative. No alterations in the TNNT2 gene were identified. In conclusion, large deletions and duplications do not appear to play a major role in the pathogenesis of HCM.