Variants in the CxxC domain of the epigenetic regulator KDM2B support its role in developmental eye anomalies

KDM2B encodes an epigenetic regulator that binds to promoter-associated CpG islands via its CxxC zinc-finger domain, protecting them from DNA methylation. It also helps establish transcriptional programs essential for development by recruiting the non-canonical Polycomb Repressive Complex 1.1 to lineage-specific genes. Heterozygous variants in KDM2B were recently associated with a neurodevelopmental disorder. Notably, some individuals with variants in the CxxC domain also exhibited congenital heart, kidney and/or structural eye anomalies. By screening 706 families with developmental eye disorders, we identified two cases with KDM2B-CxxC variants, NM_032590.5:c.1841G>C;p.(Arg614Pro) and NM_032590.5:c.1880G>C;p.(Cys627Ser), both resulting in a characteristic KDM2B DNA episignature. Both individuals exhibited complex structural eye defects, with neurodevelopmental, cardiac and renal anomalies variably present. These cases strengthen the association between KDM2B-CxxC variants and eye, kidney and heart malformations and highlight the importance of testing this gene and its episignature in individuals with structural eye disorders, especially when accompanied by congenital cardiac and/or renal anomalies.