Research Article | | Peer-Reviewed

Identification of Two CRB1 and AHI1 Pathogenetic Variants in an Iranian Family with Two Syndromic and Non-Syndromic Inherited Retinal Disorders

Received: 15 October 2025     Accepted: 8 December 2025     Published: 29 December 2025
Views:       Downloads:
Abstract

Background: Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is one of the most common inherited retinal disorders characterized by rod-cone dystrophy nystagmus, strabismus, with decreased vision after birth, photophobia, cataracts and keratoconus. In the study, we found different genotypes in patients with two different non-syndromic and syndromic patterns in an Iranian family with autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (arRP). Materials and methods: The proband’s variant were detected by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) using True Sight One Clinical Exome (TSO) panel of 234 genes related to Inherited retinal dystrophies. The pathogenicity of the variants was determined based on their allele frequency in the Genome aggregation database (gnomAD), In silico prediction tools for new missense and splicing variants, following that it performed cosegregation data in the family. The variants were confirmed by Sanger sequencing using specific primers. Results: Molecular study of NGS and following sanger sequencing showed two variants in different CRB1 and AHI1 genes in the patients of family. In the study in proband (VI:2) revealed a homozygous frameshift variant in the exon 6 of the CRB1 gene (NM_201253.2; c.1576C>T; p. (Arg526*)) and in other member of the family a homozygous missense variant in the exon 15 of the AHI1 gene. Patients affected to LCA and a patient affected to Joubert syndrome (JBTS) presented different clinical features. Conclusions: In the present study. NGS is considered as the most new and powerful sequencing technique to detect causal variants in different genes. In the family identified two different molecular genetic characteristics of patients with (LCA) and mild JBTS which is involved retinal degeneration which are known to cause severe inherited retinal dystrophies.

Published in International Journal of Medical Research and Innovation (Volume 2, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.13
Page(s) 17-22
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA), Autosomal Recessive Retinitis Pigmentosa (arRP), Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), CRB1, AHI1, Joubert Syndrome (JS)

References
[1] Haim, M. Epidemiology of retinitis pigmentosa in Denmark. Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica. Supplement, 2002, 233, 1–34.
[2] Hamel, C. Retinitis pigmentosa. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases, 2006, 1(1), 40.
[3] Chang, S., Vaccarella, L., Olatunji, S., Cebulla, C., & Christoforidis, J. Diagnostic challenges in retinitis pigmentosa: genotypic multiplicity and phenotypic variability. Current Genomics, 2011, 12(4), 267–275.
[4] Bird, A. C. Retinal photoreceptor dystrophies LI. Edward Jackson Memorial Lecture. American Journal of Ophthalmology, 1995, 119(5), 543–562.
[5] Daiger, S P, Sullivan, L. S., & Bowne, S. J. Genes and mutations causing retinitis pigmentosa. Clinical Genetics, 2013, 84(2), 132–141.
[6] Hartong, D. T., Berson, E. L., & Dryja, T. P. Retinitis pigmentosa. The Lancet, 2016. 368(9549), 1795–1809.
[7] Liu Y, Zong X, Cao W, Zhang W, Zhang N, and Yang N. Gene therapy for retinitis pigmentosa: current challenges and new progress. Biomolecules, 2024, 14, 903.
[8] Guo, X., Li, J., Wang, Q., Shu, Y., Wang, J., Chen, L., et al. Identification of CRB1 mutations in two Chinese consanguineous families exhibiting autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa. Molecular Medicine Reports, 2019, 20(3), 2922–2928.
[9] Chacon-Camacho, O, F., Zenteno J, C. Review and update on the molecular basis of Leber congenital amaurosis. World Journal Clinical Cases, 2015, 3(2), 112-124.
[10] Skorczyk-Werner, A., Niedziela, Z., Stopa, M., & Krawczyński, M. R. Novel gene variants in Polish patients with Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA). Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases, 2020, 15(1), 345.
[11] Corton, M., Tatu, S. D., Avila-Fernandez, A., Vallespín, E., Tapias, I., Cantalapiedra, D., et al. High frequency of CRB1 mutations as cause of Early-Onset Retinal Dystrophies in the Spanish population. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases, 2013, 8, 20.
[12] Xu, K., Xie, Y., Sun, T., Zhang, X., Chen, C., & Li, Y. Genetic and clinical findings in a Chinese cohort with Leber congenital amaurosis and early onset severe retinal dystrophy. The British Journal of Ophthalmology, 2020, 104(7), 932–937,
[13] Kumaran, N., Moore, A. T., Weleber, R. G., & Michaelides, M. Leber congenital amaurosis/early-onset severe retinal dystrophy: clinical features, molecular genetics and therapeutic interventions. The British Journal of Ophthalmology, 2017, 101(9), 1147–1154.
[14] Li, S., Shen, T., Xiao, X., Guo, X., & Zhang, Q. Detection of CRB1 mutations in families with retinal dystrophy through phenotype-oriented mutational screening. International Journal of Molecular Medicine, 2014, 33(4), 913–918.
[15] Bujakowska, K., Audo, I., Mohand-Saïd, S., Lancelot, M.-E., Antonio, A., Germain, A., et al. CRB1 mutations in inherited retinal dystrophies. Human Mutation, 2012, 33(2), 306–315.
[16] Wang, S. F., Kowal, T. J., Ning, K., Koo, E. B., Wu, A. Y., Mahajan, V. B., & Sun, Y. Review of Ocular Manifestations of Joubert Syndrome. Genes, 2018, 9(12).
[17] Jasim R, A., Abed A, Y., Khalaf AL-Fahdawi M, H., Al-Zaalan A, R., Hamid R, T., Shihab R, N., Mostafa Neissi M., et al. Joubert Syndrome and the AHI1 p. Gln981Glu Variant: A Molecular and Clinical Study, Sinapse, 2025, 25(2),
[18] Joubert, M., Eisenring, J. J., & Andermann, F. Familial dysgenesis of the vermis: a syndrome of hyperventilation, abnormal eye movements and retardation. Neurology, 1968, 18(3), 302–303.
[19] Romani, M., Micalizzi, A., & Valente, E. M. Joubert syndrome: congenital cerebellar ataxia with the molar tooth. The Lancet. Neurology, 2013, 12(9), 894–905.
[20] Chafai-Elalaoui, S., Chalon, M., Elkhartoufi, N., Kriouele, Y., Mansouri, M., Attié-Bitach, T., et al. homozygous AHI1 gene mutation (p. Thr304AsnfsX6) in a consanguineous Moroccan family with Joubert syndrome: a case report. Journal of Medical Case Reports, 2015, 9, 254.
[21] Gudkov M., Thibaut L., Monger S., Das D., Winlaw D, S., Dunwoodie S, L., Giannoulatou E. Benchmarking of variant pathogenicity prediction methods using a population genetics approach. Bioinformatics Advances, 2025, 5(1).
[22] Rentzsch P., Witten D., Cooper G, M., Shendure J., Kircher M, CADD: predicting the deleteriousness of variants throughout the human genome. Nucleic Acids Research, 2019,47(D1), D886–D894.
[23] Cordovez, J. A., Traboulsi, E. I., Capasso, J. E., Sadagopan, K. A., Ganesh, A., Rychwalski, P. J., et al. Retinal Dystrophy with Intraretinal Cystoid Spaces Associated with Mutations in the Crumbs Homologue (CRB1) Gene. Ophthalmic Genetics, 2015, 36(3), 257–264.
[24] Beryozkin, A., Zelinger, L., Bandah-Rozenfeld, D., Harel, A., Strom, T. A., Merin, S., et al. Mutations in CRB1 are a relatively common cause of autosomal recessive early-onset retinal degeneration in the Israeli and Palestinian populations. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 2013, 54(3), 2068–2075.
[25] Chen, Y., Lin, Y., Vithana, E. N., Jia, L., Zuo, X., Wong, T. Y., et al. Common variants near ABCA1 and in PMM2 are associated with primary open-angle glaucoma. Nature Genetics, 2014, 46(10), 1115–1119.
[26] Valente, E. M., Brancati, F., Silhavy, J. L., Castori, M., Marsh, S. E., Barrano, G., et al. AHI1 gene mutations cause specific forms of Joubert syndrome-related disorders. Annals of Neurology, 2006, 59(3), 527–534.
[27] Brancati, F., Dallapiccola, B., & Valente, E. M. Joubert Syndrome and related disorders. Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases, 2010, 5(1), 20.
[28] Parisi, M. A., Doherty, D., Eckert, M. L., Shaw, D. W., Ozyurek, H., Aysun, S., et al. AHI1 mutations cause both retinal dystrophy and renal cystic disease in Joubert syndrome. Journal of Medical Genetics, 2006, 43(4), 334–339.
[29] Kroes, H. Y., van Zon, P. H. A., Fransen van de Putte, D., Nelen, M. R., Nievelstein, R.-J., Wittebol-Post, D., et al. DNA analysis of AHI1, NPHP1 and CYCLIN D1 in Joubert syndrome patients from the Netherlands. European Journal of Medical Genetics, 2008, 51(1), 24–34.
[30] Chen, C., Gao, J., Lv, Q., Xu, C., Xia, Y., & Du, A. Retinitis pigmentosa and molar tooth sign caused by novel AHI1 compound heterozygote pathogenic variants. BMC Medical Genomics, 2021, 14(1), 242.
[31] Nguyen, T.-M. T., Hull, S., Roepman, R., van den Born, L. I., Oud, M. M., de Vrieze, E., Hetterschijt, L., et al. Missense mutations in the WD40 domain of AHI1 cause non-syndromic retinitis pigmentosa. Journal of Medical Genetics, 2017, 54(9), 624–632.
[32] Suzuki, T., Miyake, N., Tsurusaki, Y., Okamoto, N., Alkindy, A., Inaba, A., et al. Molecular genetic analysis of 30 families with Joubert syndrome. Clinical Genetics, 2016, 90(6), 526–535.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Beigi, F., Manaviat, M. R., Ghasemi, N. (2025). Identification of Two CRB1 and AHI1 Pathogenetic Variants in an Iranian Family with Two Syndromic and Non-Syndromic Inherited Retinal Disorders. International Journal of Medical Research and Innovation, 2(1), 17-22. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.13

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Beigi, F.; Manaviat, M. R.; Ghasemi, N. Identification of Two CRB1 and AHI1 Pathogenetic Variants in an Iranian Family with Two Syndromic and Non-Syndromic Inherited Retinal Disorders. Int. J. Med. Res. Innovation 2025, 2(1), 17-22. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.13

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Beigi F, Manaviat MR, Ghasemi N. Identification of Two CRB1 and AHI1 Pathogenetic Variants in an Iranian Family with Two Syndromic and Non-Syndromic Inherited Retinal Disorders. Int J Med Res Innovation. 2025;2(1):17-22. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.13

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.13,
      author = {Fahimeh Beigi and Masoud Reza Manaviat and Nasrin Ghasemi},
      title = {Identification of Two CRB1 and AHI1 Pathogenetic Variants in an Iranian Family with Two Syndromic and Non-Syndromic Inherited Retinal Disorders},
      journal = {International Journal of Medical Research and Innovation},
      volume = {2},
      number = {1},
      pages = {17-22},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijmri.20260201.13},
      abstract = {Background: Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is one of the most common inherited retinal disorders characterized by rod-cone dystrophy nystagmus, strabismus, with decreased vision after birth, photophobia, cataracts and keratoconus. In the study, we found different genotypes in patients with two different non-syndromic and syndromic patterns in an Iranian family with autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (arRP). Materials and methods: The proband’s variant were detected by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) using True Sight One Clinical Exome (TSO) panel of 234 genes related to Inherited retinal dystrophies. The pathogenicity of the variants was determined based on their allele frequency in the Genome aggregation database (gnomAD), In silico prediction tools for new missense and splicing variants, following that it performed cosegregation data in the family. The variants were confirmed by Sanger sequencing using specific primers. Results: Molecular study of NGS and following sanger sequencing showed two variants in different CRB1 and AHI1 genes in the patients of family. In the study in proband (VI:2) revealed a homozygous frameshift variant in the exon 6 of the CRB1 gene (NM_201253.2; c.1576C>T; p. (Arg526*)) and in other member of the family a homozygous missense variant in the exon 15 of the AHI1 gene. Patients affected to LCA and a patient affected to Joubert syndrome (JBTS) presented different clinical features. Conclusions: In the present study. NGS is considered as the most new and powerful sequencing technique to detect causal variants in different genes. In the family identified two different molecular genetic characteristics of patients with (LCA) and mild JBTS which is involved retinal degeneration which are known to cause severe inherited retinal dystrophies.},
     year = {2025}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Identification of Two CRB1 and AHI1 Pathogenetic Variants in an Iranian Family with Two Syndromic and Non-Syndromic Inherited Retinal Disorders
    AU  - Fahimeh Beigi
    AU  - Masoud Reza Manaviat
    AU  - Nasrin Ghasemi
    Y1  - 2025/12/29
    PY  - 2025
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.13
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.13
    T2  - International Journal of Medical Research and Innovation
    JF  - International Journal of Medical Research and Innovation
    JO  - International Journal of Medical Research and Innovation
    SP  - 17
    EP  - 22
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmri.20260201.13
    AB  - Background: Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is one of the most common inherited retinal disorders characterized by rod-cone dystrophy nystagmus, strabismus, with decreased vision after birth, photophobia, cataracts and keratoconus. In the study, we found different genotypes in patients with two different non-syndromic and syndromic patterns in an Iranian family with autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (arRP). Materials and methods: The proband’s variant were detected by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) using True Sight One Clinical Exome (TSO) panel of 234 genes related to Inherited retinal dystrophies. The pathogenicity of the variants was determined based on their allele frequency in the Genome aggregation database (gnomAD), In silico prediction tools for new missense and splicing variants, following that it performed cosegregation data in the family. The variants were confirmed by Sanger sequencing using specific primers. Results: Molecular study of NGS and following sanger sequencing showed two variants in different CRB1 and AHI1 genes in the patients of family. In the study in proband (VI:2) revealed a homozygous frameshift variant in the exon 6 of the CRB1 gene (NM_201253.2; c.1576C>T; p. (Arg526*)) and in other member of the family a homozygous missense variant in the exon 15 of the AHI1 gene. Patients affected to LCA and a patient affected to Joubert syndrome (JBTS) presented different clinical features. Conclusions: In the present study. NGS is considered as the most new and powerful sequencing technique to detect causal variants in different genes. In the family identified two different molecular genetic characteristics of patients with (LCA) and mild JBTS which is involved retinal degeneration which are known to cause severe inherited retinal dystrophies.
    VL  - 2
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Department of Medical Genetics, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran;Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Science, Isfahan, Iran

  • Department of Ophthalmology, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Science, Yazd, Iran

  • Abortion Research and Reproductive Sciences Institute, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

  • Sections