BRCA1 encodes a large nuclear protein that helps maintain genomic stability by coordinating the repair of DNA double-strand breaks through homologous recombination, and it also regulates transcription and the cell cycle. It acts as a tumor suppressor, working with proteins such as RAD51, BRCA2, BARD1, and PALB2 to preserve genome integrity. Inherited alterations in BRCA1 cause hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome, with elevated risks of breast, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancers, and biallelic loss underlies a rare form of Fanconi anemia. Because BRCA1-driven tumors rely on impaired DNA repair, they are treatable with PARP inhibitors.
This variant
BRCA1 is a tumor suppressor whose loss-of-function alterations cause hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome, and this nonsense variant, predicted to trigger nonsense-mediated decay, is the type of change most consistent with that mechanism. It is nevertheless classified VUS because the sole PVS1 (Very Strong) criterion satisfies no Pathogenic or Likely Pathogenic combination under the ENIGMA specification, so its clinical significance is not yet established.
Transcript
NM_007294.4
HGVS · transcript:coding
NM_007294.4:c.1387A>T
GRCh38
chr17:43094144 T>A
GRCh37
chr17:41246161 T>A
BasisVUS: PVS1 at Very Strong is the sole met criterion, satisfying no Pathogenic, Likely Pathogenic, or benign combination under ENIGMA Table 3.▾
VUS: PVS1 at Very Strong is the sole met criterion, satisfying no Pathogenic, Likely Pathogenic, or benign combination under ENIGMA Table 3.
Classification rationale
PVS1VUS
BRCA1 c.1387A>Tnonsense · exon 10
PVS1 (Very Strong): nonsense p.(Lys463Ter) in the large exon E10(11) is predicted to trigger nonsense-mediated decay, consistent with the established BRCA1 loss-of-function disease mechanism. Overall: VUS, because the sole PVS1 (Very Strong) criterion satisfies no Pathogenic or Likely Pathogenic combination under the ENIGMA Table 3 framework.
PVS1→VUS
Gene diagram
· NM_007294.4 · variants mapped to exon structure
BRCA1NM_007294.4
Fetching transcript structure from UCSC…
Exons
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Transcript span
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Strand
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Variants mapped
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Source
UCSC ncbiRefSeqCurated
All variants in BRCA1—click a row to locate it on the plot · use the link column to open its page
Variant ↕
Protein
Location
Classification
Link
Applied criteria · 1 applied · 15 assessed
MetEvidence satisfies this criterion.
Not metEvaluated against available evidence; threshold not reached.
Not assessedApplies in principle, but no evidence was found to evaluate it.
N/ADoesn't apply to this variant type.
Applied · 1
Strength Supporting Moderate Strong Very strong
✓
PVS1very strongPathogenic
Met at Very Strong: nonsense p.(Lys463Ter) in the large exon E10(11) is predicted to trigger nonsense-mediated decay.
The ENIGMA BRCA1/2 VCEP specification v1.2 identifies NM_007294.4 as the preferred BRCA1 transcript and permits PVS1 for null variants in BRCA1, a gene with established loss-of-function disease mechanism.The case normalization identifies c.1387A>T as NP_009225.1:p.(Lys463Ter), a nonsense change. The bundled transcript exon coordinates place c.1387 in the c.671–4096 coding exon (E10[11]), and the ENIGMA Table 4 summary lists E10(11) and PTC_NMD predicted among PVS1-applicable entries.
Triaged references · 8 PMIDs not cited in assessment
11358863 ↗Tumorigenesis in mice carrying a truncating Brca1 mutation.ONCOKB
12483515 ↗The cancer connection: BRCA1 and BRCA2 tumor suppression in mice and humans.ONCOKB
12947386 ↗Roles of BRCA1 and BRCA2 in homologous recombination, DNA replication fidelity and the cellular response to ionizing radiation.ONCOKB
20608970 ↗BRCA1 16 years later: risk-associated BRCA1 mutations and their functional implications.ONCOKB
17508274 ↗Risk assessment and genetic counseling for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer: recommendations of the National Society of Genetic Counselors.CLINVAR
18163131 ↗The emerging landscape of breast cancer susceptibility.CLINVAR
20301425 ↗BRCA1- and BRCA2-Associated Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer.CLINVAR
23188549 ↗NSGC practice guideline: risk assessment and genetic counseling for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.CLINVAR