Identification of CYP4V2 mutation in 21 families and overview of mutation spectrum in Bietti crystalline corneoretinal dystrophy

► Mutations in CYP4V2 of 21 families with BCD were identified. ► Thirty-four mutations in 109 patients were reviewed and summarized. ► The c.802-8_810del17insGC is the most common mutation. ► Mutations in exons 7, 8, and 9 account for 83.3% of the mutant alleles. ► BCD is a clinically and genetically homogenous disease. Bietti crystalline corneoretinal dystrophy (BCD, MIM 210370) is a common form of hereditary retinal degeneration in the Chinese population. BCD is caused by CYP4V2 mutations. Understanding the CYP4V2 mutational spectrum and associated phenotypes is of value for clinical practice. In this study, nine CYP4V2 mutations, including four novel ones (c.215-2A>G, c.761A>G, c.958C>T, and c.1169G>A), were detected in all 21 families with BCD. All patients with CYP4V2 mutations had phenotypes typical for BCD. As of now, 34 CYP4V2 mutations have been identified in 104 of 109 families (95.4%), affecting 204 of the 218 alleles (93.6%). Of the 34 mutations, c.802-8_810del17insGC, c.992A>C, and c.1091-2A>G are the most common mutations, accounting for 62.7%, 7.4%, and 6.4% of the 204 mutant alleles, respectively. The remaining 31 mutations were only detected in 1–6 alleles. Mutations in exons 7, 8, and 9 account for 83.3% of mutant alleles (64.7%, 9.3%, and 10.3%, respectively). Our results expand the mutation spectrum of CYP4V2 and demonstrate an overview of the CYP4V2 mutation spectrum and its frequency in families with BCD. BCD is a clinically and genetically homogenous disease.