Geroderma osteodysplastica maps to a 4 Mb locus on chromosome 1q24

Discriminative Features in Three Autosomal Recessive Cutis Laxa Syndromes: Cutis Laxa IIA, Cutis Laxa IIB, and Geroderma Osteoplastica

Cutis laxa is a heterogeneous condition characterized by redundant, sagging, inelastic, and wrinkled skin. The inherited forms of this disease are rare and can have autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, or X-linked inheritance. Three of the autosomal recessive cutis laxa syndromes, namely cutis laxa IIA (ARCL2A), cutis laxa IIB (ARCL2B), and geroderma osteodysplastica (GO), have very similar clinical features, complicating accurate diagnosis. Individuals with these conditions often present with cutis laxa, progeroid features, and hyperextensible joints. These conditions also share additional features, such as short stature, hypotonia, and congenital hip dislocation, but the severity and frequency of these findings are variable in each of these cutis laxa syndromes. The characteristic features for ARCL2A are abnormal isoelectric focusing and facial features, including downslanting palpebral fissures and a long philtrum. Rather, the clinical phenotype of ARCL2B includes severe wrinkling of the dorsum of the hands and feet, wormian bones, athetoid movements, lipodystrophy, cataract and corneal clouding, a thin triangular face, and a pinched nose. Normal cognition and osteopenia leading to pathological fractures, maxillary hypoplasia, and oblique furrowing from the outer canthus to the lateral border of the supraorbital ridge are discriminative features for GO. Here we present 10 Iranian patients who were initially diagnosed clinically using the respective features of each cutis laxa syndrome. Each patient’s clinical diagnosis was then confirmed with molecular investigation of the responsible gene. Review of the clinical features from the cases reported from the literature also supports our conclusions.

Identification of therapeutic target genes with DNA microarray in multiple myeloma cell line treated by IKKβ/NF-κB inhibitor

PURPOSE

To explore the mechanism of resistance to IKKβ inhibitor in multiple myeloma (MM) cells and uncover novel therapeutic targets for MM.

METHODS

We downloaded the microarray data (GSE8476) from GEO (Gene Expression Omnibus) database. The data were derived from the human MM cells lines (L363 cells) treated with IKKβ inhibitor MLN120b (MLN) for eight, 12 and 24 hours. Furthermore, we applied the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) and Expression Analysis Systematic Explorer (EASE) database to construct protein-protein interaction networks and identified over-represented pathway among DEGs (differentially expressed genes).

RESULTS

We obtained 108 DGEs in 8h vs. 12h group and 101 ones in 8h vs. 24h group. Most of DGEs were found to be involved in biological regulation. The significant pathways were Ig A pathway and the CAMs pathways. In addition, 24 common DGEs were found in the networks of the two groups such as ICAM 3 and SELL.

CONCLUSION

Intercellular adhesion molecule 3 and SELL may be potential targets in multiple myeloma treatment in the future.

Unusual and recently described cutaneous atrophic disorders

Cutaneous atrophic conditions are typically caused by changes in the dermis or subcutaneous tissue, sometimes consisting of the loss of a single fiber type. Since a significant decrease of subepidermal tissue is necessary for these lesions to be macroscopically atrophic, many conditions may not be appreciated as atrophy in the clinical setting. Clinicians should be familiar with the common or classic disorders causing cutaneous atrophy; however, there are a few new or rarely described atrophic conditions which are more difficult to identify and may not be atrophic clinically. This paper serves to describe the salient clinical and histological features of these new or rare disorders.

The phenotype caused by PYCR1 mutations corresponds to geroderma osteodysplasticum rather than autosomal recessive cutis laxa type 2

Geroderma osteodysplasticum is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by wrinkled skin on the dorsum of the hands and feet, osteopenia, prognathism, and an elongated and lax face. The mutated gene was identified as GORAB (SCYL1BP1). As well, the PYCR1 gene also was shown to be mutated in a similar disease, designated cutis laxa, autosomal recessive, type IIB (ARCL2B) or cutis laxa with progeroid features. We describe here the clinical findings in four affected individuals in a family with geroderma osteodysplasticum with mental retardation and a homozygous mutation in PYCR1. Although the disease resulting from recessive mutations in that gene has been recently designated ARCL2B, some clinical features, such as prognathism, elongated and lax face, osteopenia and limitation of skin wrinkling to the dorsum of hands and feet, in the patients reported here as well as in others reported with PYCR1 mutations, are generally more common in geroderma osteodysplasticum resulting from recessive GORAB mutations. While the patients with GORAB mutations have severe osteopenia, the patients with PYCR1 mutations have severe mental retardation. In conclusion, the phenotype caused by PYCR1 mutations corresponds to geroderma osteodysplasticum rather than ARCL2B.