Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy

Gene: DSG2

Green List (high evidence)

DSG2 (desmoglein 2)
EnsemblGeneIds (GRCh38): ENSG00000046604
EnsemblGeneIds (GRCh37): ENSG00000046604
OMIM: 125671, Gene2Phenotype
DSG2 is in 10 panels

8 reviews

Achchuthan Shanmugasundram (Genomics England Curator)

Green List (high evidence)

Comment on mode of inheritance: There is sufficient evidence available for the association of both monoallelic and biallelic variants in DSG2 gene with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy. Hence, the MOI can be updated to 'BOTH monoallelic and biallelic, autosomal or pseudoautosomal' in the next GMS update.
Created: 4 Sep 2026, 2:14 p.m. | Last Modified: 4 Sep 2026, 2:14 p.m.
Panel Version: 3.21
Monoallelic variants in this gene has been associated with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy in OMIM (MIM #610193), ClinGen (with 'Definitive' rating by Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy GCEP) and Gene2Phenotype (with definitive rating on the Cardiac panel) and all these records were last accessed on 04 September 2026. However, biallelic variants are associated with DSG2-related arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy only in Gene2Phenotype (with definitive rating on the Cardiac panel), but not in OMIM or ClinGen.

Below are reported cases with biallelic variants and arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy (ARVC):

PMID:16773573 (2006) reported a compound heterozygous case (Family B, proband B.II-1): a 42-year-old with ARVC carrying c.143G>A (p.Arg48His) and c.915G>A (p.Trp305Ter) in trans. The mother carried only the p.Trp305Ter allele and was clinically unaffected, while the p.Arg48His allele was of paternal origin (father deceased before testing, so full segregation could not be confirmed).

PMID:28818065 (2017) reported two unrelated Finnish families with a total of five homozygous carriers of c.1003A>G (p.Thr335Ala) all met ARVC diagnostic criteria, while nine heterozygous relatives across both pedigrees were clinically unaffected. This variant is common in gnomAD, with allele count of 1121. However, no homozygotes were present and ClinVar currently lists its overall clssifiction as "Conflicting".

PMID:30454721 (2019) reported screening of a cohort of 118 Chinese ARVC probands and found DSG2 p.Phe531Cys as an East Asian founder variant in 12 patients, causing full-penetrance ARVC when homozygous while heterozygous carriers remained largely unaffected, supporting an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. The variant is extremely rare in reference populations (gnomAD MAF 5.78×10⁻⁵), highly conserved, and located in DSG2's extracellular anchor domain.

PMID:31645976 (2019) reported two East Asian ARVC families: Family A's proband carried compound heterozygous c.146G>A (p.Arg49His, paternally inherited) plus c.1592T>G (p.Phe531Cys), while Family B's proband was homozygous for p.Phe531Cys alone.

PMID:37288269 (2023) reported a single paediatric proband (8 years old) presented with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy initially misdiagnosed as myocarditis, driven by homozygous c.1592T>G (p.Phe531Cys), identified via whole-exome sequencing.

PMID:39706847 (2024) reported four unrelated Japanese patients with heterozygous p.Arg119Ter, of which one (Pt-1, a 19-year-old woman with ARVC) was compound heterozygous, carrying p.Arg119Ter together with p.Arg292Cys; her mother, a heterozygous p.Arg119Ter carrier alone, had an enlarged heart on chest X-ray but no formal ARVC diagnosis.
Created: 4 Sep 2026, 1:56 p.m. | Last Modified: 4 Sep 2026, 2:11 p.m.
Panel Version: 3.20

Mode of inheritance
BOTH monoallelic and biallelic, autosomal or pseudoautosomal

Phenotypes
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia 10, OMIM:610193; arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia 10, MONDO:0012434

Publications

Ivone Leong (Genomics England Curator)

Green List (high evidence)

Submitted on behalf of the GMS Cardiology specialist group. The group has agreed that this gene should be Green on this panel.
Created: 2 Dec 2019, 1:28 p.m. | Last Modified: 2 Dec 2019, 1:28 p.m.
Panel Version: 1.45

Matthew Edwards (Clinical Genetics & Genomics Lab, Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Trust)

Green List (high evidence)

On CGGL Royal Brompton ACM panel. Definitive ARVC gene
Created: 18 Sep 2019, 9:51 p.m. | Last Modified: 18 Sep 2019, 9:51 p.m.
Panel Version: 1.36

Phenotypes
OMIM: 610193 Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia 10

Publications

Variants in this GENE are reported as part of current diagnostic practice

Rebecca Whittington (South West GLH)

Green List (high evidence)

Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia 10 (610193); Cardiomyopathy, dilated, 1BB (612877)
Created: 25 Mar 2019, 4:30 p.m.
PubMED: 29567486 - core gene. Lots of entries on HGMDPro for ARVC - including good evidence. One C4 reported at BGL.
Created: 25 Mar 2019, 4:27 p.m.

Mode of inheritance
MONOALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal, NOT imprinted

Variants in this GENE are reported as part of current diagnostic practice

Ellen McDonagh (Genomics England Curator)

I don't know

This gene was part of an initial gene list collated by Matthew Edwards Royal Brompton Hospital sent 16th Jan 2019 on behalf of the London South GLH for review by the GMS Cardiology Specialist Group. Only gene symbol from the Royal Brompton gene panel was provided - suggested initial gene rating and evidence for inclusion not provided with the list.
Created: 20 Feb 2019, 2:17 p.m.

James Eden (Manchester)

Green List (high evidence)

Gene currently tested on Manchester cardiac gene panel. 132 variants listed on HGMD (accessed 29/01/2019). ClinGen Knowledge Base: association with arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia 11 (accessed 29/01/2019).
Created: 14 Feb 2019, 1:38 p.m.

Mode of inheritance
MONOALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal, imprinted status unknown

Phenotypes
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia 10 (610193); Cardiomyopathy, dilated, 1BB (612877)

Publications

Variants in this GENE are reported as part of current diagnostic practice

Bill Newman (Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine)

Green List (high evidence)

Mode of inheritance
MONOALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal, imprinted status unknown

Oxford Medical Genetics Laboratory (OUH NHS Foundation Trust)

Green List (high evidence)

Details

Mode of Inheritance
MONOALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal, NOT imprinted
Sources
  • South West GLH
  • London South GLH
  • North West GLH
  • Expert Review Green
  • Expert list
  • Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen
  • Emory Genetics Laboratory
  • Illumina TruGenome Clinical Sequencing Services
  • UKGTN
Phenotypes
  • Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia 10, OMIM:610193
  • arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia 10, MONDO:0012434
Tags
founder-effect Q3_26_MOI
OMIM
125671
Clinvar variants
Variants in DSG2
Penetrance
Complete
Publications
Panels with this gene

History Filter Activity

4 Sep 2026, Gel status: 3

Added Tag

Achchuthan Shanmugasundram (Genomics England Curator)

Tag Q3_26_MOI tag was added to gene: DSG2.

4 Sep 2026, Gel status: 3

Set mode of inheritance

Achchuthan Shanmugasundram (Genomics England Curator)

Mode of inheritance for gene: DSG2 was changed from MONOALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal, NOT imprinted to MONOALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal, NOT imprinted

4 Sep 2026, Gel status: 3

Set Phenotypes

Achchuthan Shanmugasundram (Genomics England Curator)

Phenotypes for gene: DSG2 were changed from Cardiomyopathy, dilated, 1BB (612877); Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia 10 ; Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia 10 (610193) to Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia 10, OMIM:610193; arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia 10, MONDO:0012434

4 Sep 2026, Gel status: 3

Set publications

Achchuthan Shanmugasundram (Genomics England Curator)

Publications for gene: DSG2 were set to 27532257; 23500315; 29567486

4 Sep 2026, Gel status: 3

Added Tag

Achchuthan Shanmugasundram (Genomics England Curator)

Tag founder-effect tag was added to gene: DSG2.

12 Sep 2019, Gel status: 3

Set publications

Ivone Leong (Genomics England Curator)

Publications for gene: DSG2 were set to 27532257; 23500315

21 Feb 2019, Gel status: 4

Added New Source, Set mode of inheritance

Ellen McDonagh (Genomics England Curator)

Source South West GLH was added to DSG2. Mode of inheritance for gene DSG2 was changed from MONOALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal, imprinted status unknown to MONOALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal, NOT imprinted

20 Feb 2019, Gel status: 4

Added New Source

Ellen McDonagh (Genomics England Curator)

Source London South GLH was added to DSG2.

14 Feb 2019, Gel status: 3

Added New Source, Set Phenotypes, Set publications, Status Update

Ellen McDonagh (Genomics England Curator)

Source North West GLH was added to DSG2. Added phenotypes Cardiomyopathy, dilated, 1BB (612877); Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia 10 (610193) for gene: DSG2 Publications for gene DSG2 were changed from to 27532257; 23500315 Rating Changed from Green List (high evidence) to Green List (high evidence)

17 Dec 2015, Gel status: 4

Gene classified by Genomics England curator

Caroline Wright (Genomics England Curator)

This gene has been classified as Green List (High Evidence).

13 Jul 2015, Gel status: 4

Set Mode of Inheritance

Ellen McDonagh (Genomics England Curator)

Model of inheritance for gene DSG2 was changed to MONOALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal, imprinted status unknown

13 Jul 2015, Gel status: 4

Added New Source

Ellen McDonagh (Genomics England Curator)

DSG2 was added to Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathypanel. Sources: UKGTN,Illumina TruGenome Clinical Sequencing Services,Emory Genetics Laboratory,Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen,Expert list

13 Jul 2015, Gel status: 4

Set Mode of Inheritance

Ellen McDonagh (Genomics England Curator)

Model of inheritance for gene DSG2 was changed to MONOALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal, imprinted status unknown

13 Jul 2015, Gel status: 4

Added New Source

Ellen McDonagh (Genomics England Curator)

DSG2 was added to Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathypanel. Sources: UKGTN,Illumina TruGenome Clinical Sequencing Services,Emory Genetics Laboratory,Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen,Expert list

13 Jul 2015, Gel status: 3

Set Mode of Inheritance

Ellen McDonagh (Genomics England Curator)

Model of inheritance for gene DSG2 was changed to MONOALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal, imprinted status unknown

13 Jul 2015, Gel status: 3

Added New Source

Ellen McDonagh (Genomics England Curator)

DSG2 was added to Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathypanel. Sources: UKGTN,Illumina TruGenome Clinical Sequencing Services,Emory Genetics Laboratory,Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen,Expert list

13 Jul 2015, Gel status: 2

Set Mode of Inheritance

Ellen McDonagh (Genomics England Curator)

Model of inheritance for gene DSG2 was changed to MONOALLELIC, autosomal or pseudoautosomal, imprinted status unknown

13 Jul 2015, Gel status: 2

Added New Source

Ellen McDonagh (Genomics England Curator)

DSG2 was added to Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathypanel. Sources: UKGTN,Illumina TruGenome Clinical Sequencing Services,Emory Genetics Laboratory,Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen,Expert list

13 Jul 2015, Gel status: 1

Added New Source

Ellen McDonagh (Genomics England Curator)

DSG2 was added to Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathypanel. Sources: UKGTN,Illumina TruGenome Clinical Sequencing Services,Emory Genetics Laboratory,Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen,Expert list