The germline POLD1 c.1420 C > A (p.Leu474Ile) variant segregates with endometrial cancer, colorectal cancer and colonic polyps demonstrating hypermutation and defective POLD1 mutational signatures
Germline pathogenic variants within the highly conserved exonuclease domain of the POLD1 gene predisposes to colorectal (CRC) and endometrial (EC) cancers. Tumours with POLD1-deficiency demonstrate unique genomic features including hypermutation and tumour mutational signatures (TMS) SBS10c, SBS10d and SBS20. The classification of variants within POLD1 remains challenging. The utility of incorporating tumour hypermutation status and TMS profiles into POLD1 gene-specific variant classification guidelines developed by ClinGen-InSiGHT remains to be established. We report a family with eight members heterozygous for the germline POLD1 c.1420C > A (p.Leu474Ile) variant. This variant resides within the exonuclease domain, is absent in gnomADv4.1 and is classified as a variant of uncertain clinical significance. Formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue and matched blood-derived DNA from person 001 (EC, 1 adenoma, 2 sessile serrated lesions), and two cousins, 009 (EC, 3 adenomas), and 010 (breast cancer, EC, CRC, 4 adenomas, 2 sessile serrated lesions and 1 traditional serrated adenoma) were tested using a custom multigene panel to determine tumour mutational burden (TMB) and TMS. All three ECs demonstrated characteristics of POLD1-deficiency namely hypermutated TMB and predominance of SBS10d. The CRC, 62.8% of the adenomas and 60% of the serrated polyps demonstrated SBS10c as the dominant TMS. EC, CRC, breast and multiple polyps from three family members heterozygous for the germline POLD1 c.1420C > A variant demonstrated hypermutation and SBS10c and SBS10d TMS, genomic features associated with defective POLD1. Somatic TMB and TMS profiling of multiple independent lesions demonstrated utility for identifying POLD1-deficiency suggesting this approach can support variant classification for POLD1.