Functional analysis in mouse embryonic stem cells reveals wild-type activity for three MSH6 variants found in suspected Lynch syndrome patients.

Lynch syndrome confers an increased risk to various types of cancer, in particular early onset colorectal and endometrial cancer. Mutations in mismatch repair (MMR) genes underlie Lynch syndrome, with the majority of mutations found in MLH1 and MSH2. Mutations in MSH6 have also been found but these do not always cause a clear cancer predisposition phenotype and MSH6-defective tumors often do not show the standard characteristics of MMR deficiency, such as microsatellite instability. In particular, the consequences of MSH6 missense mutations are challenging to predict, which further complicates genetic counseling. We have previously developed a method for functional characterization of MSH2 missense mutations of unknown significance. This method is based on endogenous gene modification in mouse embryonic stem cells using oligonucleotide-directed gene targeting, followed by a series of functional assays addressing the MMR functions. Here we have adapted this method for the characterization of MSH6 missense mutations. We recreated three MSH6 variants found in suspected Lynch syndrome families, MSH6-P1087R, MSH6-R1095H and MSH6-L1354Q, and found all three to behave like wild type MSH6. Thus, despite suspicion for pathogenicity from clinical observations, our approach indicates these variants are not disease causing. This has important implications for counseling of mutation carriers.