Targeted next-generation sequencing identification of a novel missense mutation of the SKIV2L gene in a patient with trichohepatoenteric syndrome

Trichohepatoenteric syndrome (THES) is a rare autosomal, recessively inherited disorder. Mutations in the tetratricopeptide repeat domain 37 (TTC37) gene and the superkiller viralicidic activity 2-like (SKIV2L) gene have been identified to cause THES. The present study reported a case of a Chinese boy, who presented clinically with intrauterine growth retardation, intractable diarrhea, facial dysmorphism, abnormal scalp hair shafts, immune disorders and liver involvement. Targeted next-generation sequencing and Sanger DNA sequencing showed compound heterozygous mutations of the SKIV2L gene. The present study was the first, to the best of our knowledge, to report a case of a boy with THES resulting from compound heterozygous mutations of the SKIV2L gene in China. Target sequence capture combined with high-throughput next-generation sequencing technologies have shown to be effective methods for the molecular genetic assessment of rare inherited disorders.