Abstract
Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by obesity, mental retardation, retinal dystrophy, hypogenitalism and renal and polydactyly malformations. The last two malformations may be observed antenatally and are highly variable, making the prenatal diagnosis of BBS challenging. The present study investigated the molecular etiology of BBS and validated a method for prenatal diagnosis. A Chinese couple who had conceived two fetuses with multiple malformations, including hyperechogenic kidneys, polydactyly, cardiac malformation and abdominal abnormalities, presented at the Prenatal Diagnosis Center of Boai Hospital of Zhongshan Affiliated to Southern Medical University (Zhongshan, China) in November 2018. BBS was suspected and whole-exome sequencing was performed for the second fetus. Two novel compound heterozygous variants were detected in the BBS10 gene, c.784_785delGA from the father and c.1812dupT from the mother, which are probably causative of the pathogenesis of BBS. This finding provided a basis for genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis for the couple and enriched the variation spectrum of the BBS10 gene. The ultrasonic findings of the fetal abdomen are the first reported in fetuses with BBS, expanding the antenatal phenotypes of BBS.