To analyze the results of ATP7B gene screening in neonates and explore the linkage disequilibrium between different mutation loci, providing a basis for the clinical diagnosis and genetic counseling of Wilson′s disease.

A total of 12 619 newborns who were born in Women′s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University during March 18 and December 30, 2022, including 6 605 male neonates and 6 014 female neonates, with birth weight of (3.44±0.56) kg, were retrospectively collected. The results of ATP7B gene screening in all newborns were analyzed.Next-generation sequencing technology was employed to detect the pathogenic loci of ATP7B gene, and the identified loci were verified using Sanger sequencing. PLINK 1.9 software was used to analyze the linkage disequilibrium of different mutation loci.

Among 12 619 neonates, 22 cases were diagnosed with 2-3 pathogenic mutations in the ATP7B gene (suspected positive). Among them, 20 cases were recalled for family verification, and 2 cases refused to recall. The verification results showed that 3 newborns had mutations of two loci respectively from their parents and were preliminarily diagnosed with Wilson′s disease, the other 17 neonates were carriers of the c.3316G>A/c.588C>A or c.1708-1G>C/c.1168A>G mutation loci arranged in a cis-acting manner from the father source or maternal source. A total of 249 pathogenic mutation carriers were detected (232 cases carrying 1 pathogenic mutation, and 17 cases carrying 2 pathogenic mutations), with a carrier rate of 1/51. Among them, the mutation c.2333G>T was most frequently detected (1/207), followed by c.2975C>T (1/421), c.2621C>T (1/742), c.2755C>G (1/971) and c.2605G>A (1/971). The results of linkage disequilibrium analysis in both c.3316G>A/c.588C>A and c.1708-1G>C/c.1168A>G showed that D ′=1, which showed complete linkage disequilibrium.

The carrier rate of pathogenic mutations in the ATP7B gene is relatively high.Moreover, the c.3316G>A/c.588C>A and c.1708-1G>C/c.1168A>G pathogenic mutation loci are likely to be arranged in a cis-acting manner, highlighting the existence of linkage disequilibrium between the two groups of mutations. This finding provides important reference value for the clinical diagnosis and genetic counseling of Wilson disease.

Hepatolenticular degeneration; ATP7B gene; Gene screening; Carriers; Linkage disequilibrium