Identification of a Novel WFS1 Mutation Using the Whole Exome Sequencing in an Iranian Pedigree with Autosomal Dominant Hearing Loss

Sensorineural hearing loss is the most frequent type of hearing impairment in the human population. Genetic factors account for over 60% of hearing loss in patients. This is a genetically heterogeneous sensorineural disorder. We carried out whole exome sequencing (WES) to screen hearing loss candidate genes in a member of an Iranian family with hearing loss. The Sanger process was used to sequencing the variant in the family members. A novel mutation (c. 559C > T) was found in the WFS1 gene (in exon 5) in the patient leading to a heterozygous missense mutation (p.L187F). Furthermore, it co-segregated with HL in the family. All affected individuals in the family had severe-to-profound HL. This survey is the first to describe WFS1 related HL in the Iranian population. Our data propose that the WFS1-p.L187F mutation is the pathogenic variant for autosomal dominant nonsyndromic hearing loss. Our results extend the range of the WFS1 gene mutations.