Novel CACNA1F pathogenic variant in pediatric incomplete X-linked CSNB: integrating portable ERG and genetic analysis

To report a novel hemizygous nonsense variant in the CACNA1F gene associated with congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB) in a pediatric patient, emphasizing the utility of portable electroretinography (ERG) and genetic testing in diagnosing unexplained visual impairments.

The patient, a 5-year-old male, underwent comprehensive clinical evaluation, including detailed anterior segment and fundus examinations, full-field electroretinogram (ffERG) using a RETeval™ portable device, and whole exome sequencing (WES) to elucidate the genetic basis of his visual impairment. Structural modeling of the mutated protein was performed using SWISS-MODEL and PYMOL.

Best-corrected visual acuity was 0.4 logMAR bilaterally, with unremarkable anterior segment and fundus examinations. FFERG revealed significant abnormalities consistent with incomplete CSNB: severely reduced rod response in dark-adapted (DA) 0.01, negative waveform with b/a wave ratio < 1.0 in DA 3.0, and diminished cone response in light-adapted ERG. WES identified a novel pathogenic variant in the CACNA1F gene (c.1234G > T, p.E412*), inherited maternally. This variant introduces a premature stop codon at position 412, likely resulting in a truncated CACNA1F protein.

This case highlights the importance of comprehensive clinical assessments and genetic testing in pediatric patients with unexplained visual impairments, revealing a novel CACNA1F variant that expands our understanding of CSNB. The use of a portable ERG device proved particularly valuable in assessing retinal function in this young patient. Further investigations are warranted to elucidate the clinical implications of this novel pathogenic variant.