Test Code NTC3Z NOTCH3 Gene, Full Gene Analysis, Varies

Ordering Guidance

Targeted testing (also called site-specific or known variant testing) is available for variants identified in this gene. See FMTT / Familial Variant, Targeted Testing, Varies.

Shipping Instructions

Specimen preferred to arrive within 96 hours of collection.

Specimen Required

Patient Preparation: A previous bone marrow transplant from an allogenic donor will interfere with testing. Call 800-533-1710 for instructions for testing patients who have received a bone marrow transplant.

Submit only 1 of the following specimens:

Specimen Type: Whole blood

Container/Tube:

Preferred: Lavender top (EDTA) or yellow top (ACD)

Acceptable: Any anticoagulant

Specimen Volume: 3 mL

Collection Instructions:

1. Invert several times to mix blood.

2. Send whole blood specimen in original tube. Do not aliquot.

Specimen Stability Information: Ambient (preferred)/Refrigerated

Specimen Type: Skin biopsy

Supplies: Fibroblast Biopsy Transport Media (T115)

Container/Tube: Sterile container with any standard cell culture media (eg, minimal essential media, RPMI 1640). The solution should be supplemented with 1% penicillin and streptomycin.

Specimen Volume: 4-mm punch

Specimen Stability Information: Refrigerated (preferred)/Ambient

Additional Information: A separate culture charge will be assessed under CULFB / Fibroblast Culture for Biochemical or Molecular Testing. An additional 3 to 4 weeks is required to culture fibroblasts before genetic testing can occur.

Specimen Type: Cultured fibroblast

Container/Tube: T-25 flask

Specimen Volume: 2 Flasks

Collection Instructions: Submit confluent cultured fibroblast cells from a skin biopsy from another laboratory. Cultured cells from a prenatal specimen will not be accepted.

Specimen Stability Information: Ambient (preferred)/Refrigerated (<24 hours)

Additional Information: A separate culture charge will be assessed under CULFB / Fibroblast Culture for Biochemical or Molecular Testing. An additional 3 to -4 weeks is required to culture fibroblasts before genetic testing can occur.

Specimen Type: Blood spot

Container/Tube:

Preferred: Collection card (Whatman Protein Saver 903 Paper)

Acceptable: PerkinElmer 226 (formerly Ahlstrom 226) filter paper or blood spot collection card

Specimen Volume: 5 Blood spots

Collection Instructions:

1. An alternative blood collection option for a patient older than 1 year is a fingerstick. For detailed instructions, see How to Collect Dried Blood Spot Samples.

2. Let blood dry on the filter paper at ambient temperature in a horizontal position for a minimum of 3 hours.

3. Do not expose specimen to heat or direct sunlight.

4. Do not stack wet specimens.

5. Keep specimen dry

Specimen Stability Information: Ambient (preferred)/Refrigerated

Additional Information:

1. Due to lower concentration of DNA yielded from blood spot, it is possible that additional specimen may be required to complete testing.

2. For collection instructions, see Blood Spot Collection Instructions

3. For collection instructions in Spanish, see Blood Spot Collection Card-Spanish Instructions (T777)

4. For collection instructions in Chinese, see Blood Spot Collection Card-Chinese Instructions (T800)

Specimen Type: Saliva

Patient Preparation: Patient should not eat, drink, smoke, or chew gum 30 minutes prior to collection.

Supplies: Saliva Swab Collection Kit (T786)

Specimen Volume: 1 Swab

Collection Instructions: Collect and send specimen per kit instructions.

Additional Information: Due to lower concentration of DNA yielded from saliva, it is possible that additional specimen may be required to complete testing.

Specimen Stability Information: Ambient 30 days

Forms

1. New York Clients-Informed consent is required. Document on the request form or electronic order that a copy is on file.

The following documents are available:

-Informed Consent for Genetic Testing (T576)

-Informed Consent for Genetic Testing (Spanish) (T826)

2. Molecular Genetics: Neurology Patient Information

3. If not ordering electronically, complete, print, and send a Neurology Specialty Testing Client Test Request (T732) with the specimen.

Secondary ID

616563

Useful For

Establishing a molecular diagnosis in individuals with features of cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) and NOTCH3-related disorders

Identifying disease-causing variants within the NOTCH3 gene known to be associated with CADASIL and NOTCH3-related disorders, allowing for predictive testing of at-risk family members

Reflex Tests

Test ID	Reporting Name	Available Separately	Always Performed
CULFB	Fibroblast Culture for Genetic Test	Yes	No

Testing Algorithm

For skin biopsy or cultured fibroblast specimens, fibroblast culture testing will be performed at an additional charge. If viable cells are not obtained, the client will be notified.

Special Instructions

Method Name

Sequence Capture and Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing followed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Sanger Sequencing

Reporting Name

NOTCH3 Gene, Full Gene Analysis

Specimen Type

Varies

Specimen Minimum Volume

See Specimen Required

Specimen Stability Information

Specimen Type	Temperature	Time	Special Container
Varies	Varies

Reject Due To

All specimens will be evaluated by Mayo Clinic Laboratories for test suitability.

Clinical Information

Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is a hereditary small vessel disorder and common genetic cause of stroke and dementia in adults. Onset of clinical symptoms typically occurs in mid-adulthood and may include recurrent ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attacks, cognitive decline that progresses to dementia, migraine with aura, and psychiatric disturbances. Symmetric and progressive white matter hyperintensities, lacunes of presumed vascular origin, and subcortical infarcts are characteristic neuroimaging findings. Granular osmophilic material (GOM) detected by electron microscopy on skin fibroblasts is considered a pathognomonic finding for CADASIL.

Disease-causing variants in the NOTCH3 gene cause CADASIL. Most individuals with CADASIL inherit the condition from a parent, but rare de novo variants have been reported. The family history may appear negative due to variable expressivity of the condition and failure to recognize symptoms in other affected family members. Further, NOTCH3 is comprised of repetitive epidermal growth-factor like repeat (EGFr) domains. Reported pathogenic variants typically result in either loss of or gain of cysteine residues within EGFr domains; those impacting EGFr domains 1-6 are fully penetrant, while those impacting EGRr domains 7-34 may be associated with mild disease or incomplete penetrance.

Heterozygous pathogenic variants in NOTCH3 also cause autosomal dominant lateral meningocele syndrome (LMS). LMS is a rare condition associated with multiple lateral meningoceles, hearing loss, developmental delay, hypotonia, joint hyperlaxity, and variable additional congenital malformations. LMS typically occurs due to a de novo disease-causing variant, but rare instances of inheritance from an affected parent have been reported.

Reference Values

An interpretive report will be provided.

Interpretation

All detected variants are evaluated according to American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) recommendations.(1) Variants are classified based on known, predicted, or possible pathogenicity and reported with interpretive comments detailing their potential or known significance.

Method Description

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) and/or Sanger sequencing is performed to test for the presence of variants in coding regions and intron/exon boundaries of the gene analyzed, as well as some other regions that have known disease-causing variants. The human genome reference GRCh37/hg19 build was used for sequence read alignment. At least 99% of the bases are covered at a read depth over 30X. Sensitivity is estimated at above 99% for single nucleotide variants, above 94% for deletion/insertions (delins) less than 40 base pairs (bp), above 95% for deletions up to 75 bp and insertions up to 47 bp. NGS and/or a polymerase chain reaction -based quantitative method is performed to test for the presence of deletions and duplications in the gene analyzed.

There may be regions of genes that cannot be effectively evaluated by sequencing or deletion and duplication analysis as a result of technical limitations of the assay, including regions of homology, high guanine-cytosine (GC) content, and repetitive sequences.

The reference transcript for the NOTCH3 gene is NM_000435.3. Reference transcript numbers may be updated due to transcript re-versioning. Always refer to the final patient report for gene transcript information referenced at the time of testing. Confirmation of select reportable variants may be performed by alternate methodologies based on internal laboratory criteria.

Gene analyzed: NOTCH3

Day(s) Performed