GNAQ Mutations in Diffuse and Solitary Choroidal Hemangiomas.

PURPOSE: GNAQ mutations have been identified in port wine stains (both syndromic and non-syndromic) and melanocytic ocular neoplasms. This study investigates the presence of GNAQ mutations in diffuse- (those associated with Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS)) and solitary choroidal hemangiomas.

PARTICIPANTS: Tissue from 11 patients with the following diagnoses: port wine stain (n = 3), diffuse choroidal hemangioma (n = 1), solitary choroidal hemangioma (n = 6), choroidal nevus (n =1) METHODS: Ten specimens were interrogated with Memorial Sloan Kettering-Integrated Mutation Profiling of Actionable Cancer Targets (MSK-IMPACT), a hybridization capture-based next-generation sequencing assay for targeted deep sequencing of all exons and selected introns of 468 key cancer genes in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumors. Digital polymerase chain reaction was used to detect GNAQ Q209 mutation in one specimen.

MAIN OUTCOMES: Detection of GNAQ codon-specific mutation RESULTS: Activating somatic GNAQ mutations (c.547C>T; p.Arg183Cys) were found in 100% (3 of 3) of the port wine stain and in the diffuse choroidal hemangioma. Somatic GNAQ mutations (c.626A>T;p.Gln209Leu) were found in 100% (6 of 6) of the solitary choroidal hemangiomas and (c.626A>C;p.Gln209Pro) in the choroidal nevus.

CONCLUSION: GNAQ mutations occur in both diffuse and solitary hemangiomas, although, at distinct codons. An R183 codon is mutant in diffuse choroidal hemangiomas, consistent with other Sturge-Weber vascular malformations. By contrast, solitary choroidal hemangiomas have mutations in the Q209 codon, similar to other intraocular melanocytic neoplasms.