Significant Mendelian genetic contribution to pediatric mild-to-moderate hearing loss and its comprehensive diagnostic approach

Timely diagnosis and identification of etiology of pediatric mild-to-moderate sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) are both medically and socioeconomically important. However, the exact etiologic spectrum remains uncertain. We aimed to establish a genetic etiological spectrum, including copy-number variations (CNVs) and efficient genetic testing pipeline, of this defect. A cohort of prospectively recruited pediatric patients with mild-to-moderate nonsyndromic SNHL from 2014 through 2018 (n = 110) was established. Exome sequencing, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA), and nested customized polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for exclusion of a pseudogene, STRCP, from a subset (n = 83) of the cohort, were performed. Semen analysis was also performed to determine infertility (n = 2). Genetic etiology was confirmed in nearly two-thirds (52/83 = 62.7%) of subjects, with STRC-related deafness (n = 29, 34.9%) being the most prevalent, followed by MPZL2-related deafness (n = 9, 10.8%). This strikingly high proportion of Mendelian genetic contribution was due particularly to the frequent detection of CNVs involving STRC in one-third (27/83) of our subjects. We also questioned the association of homozygous continuous gene deletion of STRC and CATSPER2 with deafness–infertility syndrome (MIM61102). Approximately two-thirds of sporadic pediatric mild-to-moderate SNHL have a clear Mendelian genetic etiology, and one-third is associated with CNVs involving STRC. Based on this, we propose a new guideline for molecular diagnosis of these children.