A novel 1-bp deletion variant in DAG1 in Japanese familial asymptomatic hyper-CK-emia

Asymptomatic hyper-CK-emia (ASCK) is characterized by persistent elevation of creatine kinase (CK) in serum without any neurological symptoms. We ascertained a two-generation family of ASCK patients without clear neurological abnormalities except for the high levels of serum CK (810.5 ± 522.4 U/L). We identified a novel 1-bp deletion variant in the DAG1 gene shared by the patients in the family (NM_001177639: exon 3: c.930delC:p.R311Gfs*70). The variant causes premature termination of translation at codon 477, resulting in a protein product completely devoid of the essential DAG1 domain. Since ASCK has been associated with DAG1 in only one case carrying compound heterozygous missense variants, our new finding of a novel 1-bp deletion revealed the previously unknown dominant effect of DAG1 on ASCK.