Inherited connective tissue diseases highlight macromolecular network interdependences in skin extracellular matrix: a histomorphometric study.

Mutation of just a single extracellular matrix protein, a receptor or enzyme involved in connective tissue metabolism is sufficient to cause systemic pathologies and failure of tissues that are subjected to strong mechanical stresses. Skin histological and computerized image analyses can provide a good qualitative and quantitative indication of these inherited connective tissue diseases. In this study, skin biopsies from young (10 to 25 years) and middle-aged patients (26 to 50 years) suffering from Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS), Marfan syndrome (MS) or pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) were studied after specific staining of both the collagen and elastic networks. Findings from the histomorphometric analyses conducted on skin sections of the patients with EDS, MS and PXE were compared to skin sections of healthy subjects from the same age groups. Our results show that both the collagen and the elastic networks were affected in all the studied pathological cases, but that the adverse changes to the elastic network in older patients were distinct from the physiological changes observed during aging process for healthy subjects. This degenerative process may be explained by an added phenomenon involving a general connective tissue proteolysis.

Specific TGM1 mutation profiles in bathing suit and self-improving collodion ichthyoses: phenotypic and genotypic data from 9 patients with dynamic phenotypes of autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis.

BACKGROUND: Bathing suit ichthyosis (BSI) and self-improving collodion ichthyosis (SICI) are 2 minor variants of generalized autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis. Bathing suit ichthyosis is characterized by scaling of the skin in a bathing suit pattern, mainly limited to the trunk, whereas SICI is characterized by complete disappearance of the skin lesions. OBSERVATIONS: We report genotypic and phenotypic data from a series of 9 patients who were collodion babies and developed BSI or SICI owing to mutations in the transglutaminase-1 gene (TGM1), including 3 previously unreported missense mutations. All of our patients with BSI or SICI carried at least 1 specific missense mutation in TGM1 concerning an arginine at position 307 or 315. In 2 patients, the disease evolved (BSI to SICI or BSI to autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis). The remaining 7 patients exhibited a stable BSI phenotype after shedding of the collodion membrane. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the possibility of variable evolution of the phenotype of patients with identical mutations in the same gene. Combined with data from the literature, these findings confirm the hypothesis that only a restricted spectrum of TGM1 mutations leads to a BSI and/or an SICI phenotype. This phenotypic variability also depends on other genetic and external factors.

Revised nomenclature and classification of inherited ichthyoses: results of the First Ichthyosis Consensus Conference in Sorèze 2009.

BACKGROUND: Inherited ichthyoses belong to a large, clinically and etiologically heterogeneous group of mendelian disorders of cornification, typically involving the entire integument. Over the recent years, much progress has been made defining their molecular causes. However, there is no internationally accepted classification and terminology. OBJECTIVE: We sought to establish a consensus for the nomenclature and classification of inherited ichthyoses. METHODS: The classification project started at the First World Conference on Ichthyosis in 2007. A large international network of expert clinicians, skin pathologists, and geneticists entertained an interactive dialogue over 2 years, eventually leading to the First Ichthyosis Consensus Conference held in Sorèze, France, on January 23 and 24, 2009, where subcommittees on different issues proposed terminology that was debated until consensus was reached. RESULTS: It was agreed that currently the nosology should remain clinically based. "Syndromic" versus "nonsyndromic" forms provide a useful major subdivision. Several clinical terms and controversial disease names have been redefined: eg, the group caused by keratin mutations is referred to by the umbrella term, "keratinopathic ichthyosis"-under which are included epidermolytic ichthyosis, superficial epidermolytic ichthyosis, and ichthyosis Curth-Macklin. "Autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis" is proposed as an umbrella term for the harlequin ichthyosis, lamellar ichthyosis, and the congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma group. LIMITATIONS: As more becomes known about these diseases in the future, modifications will be needed. CONCLUSION: We have achieved an international consensus for the classification of inherited ichthyosis that should be useful for all clinicians and can serve as reference point for future research.

Connexin30 mutations responsible for hidrotic ectodermal dysplasia cause abnormal hemichannel activity.

Clouston syndrome or hidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED) is a rare dominant genodermatosis characterized by palmoplantar hyperkeratosis, generalized alopecia and nail defects. The disease is caused by mutations in the human GJB6 gene which encodes the gap junction protein connexin30 (Cx30). To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying HED, we have analyzed the consequences of two of these mutations (G11R Cx30 and A88V Cx30) on the functional properties of the connexons they form. Here, we show that the distribution of Cx30 is similar in affected palmoplantar skin and in normal epidermis. We further demonstrate that the presence of the wild-type protein (wt Cx30) improves the trafficking of mutated Cx30 to the plasma membrane where both G11R and A88V Cx30 co-localize with wt Cx30 and form functional intercellular channels. The electrophysiological properties of channels made of G11R and A88V Cx30 differ slightly from those of wt Cx30 but allow for dye transfer between transfected HeLa cells. Finally, we document a gain of function of G11R and A88V Cx30, which form functional hemichannels at the cell surface and, when expressed in HeLa cells, generate a leakage of ATP into the extracellular medium. Such increased ATP levels might act as a paracrine messenger that, by altering the epidermal factors which control the proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes, may play an important role in the pathophysiological processes leading to the HED phenotype.

Mutations in the transporter ABCA12 are associated with lamellar ichthyosis type 2.

Lamellar ichthyosis type 2 (LI2) is a rare autosomal recessive skin disorder for which a gene has been localized on chromosome 2q33-35. We report the identification of five missense mutations in the ABCA12 gene in nine families from Africa affected by LI2. The mutations were homozygous in eight consanguineous families and heterozygous in one non-consanguineous family. Four of these mutations are localized in the first ATP-binding domain (nucleotide-binding fold), which is highly conserved in all ABC proteins. The ABCA12 protein belongs to a superfamily of membrane proteins that translocate a variety of substrates across extra- and intracellular membranes. ABCA transporters have been implicated in several autosomal recessive disorders, notably of lipid metabolism. By analogy with ABCA3, a lamellar body membrane protein in lung alveolar type II cells, ABCA12 could function in cellular lipid trafficking in keratinocytes.

Lipoxygenase-3 (ALOXE3) and 12(R)-lipoxygenase (ALOX12B) are mutated in non-bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma (NCIE) linked to chromosome 17p13.1.

We report the identification of mutations in lipoxygenase-3 (ALOXE3) and 12(R)-lipoxygenase (ALOX12B) genes in non-bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma (NCIE) linked to chromosome 17. Linkage disequilibrium analysis of six families affected by NCIE permitted us to reduce a recently reported interval of 8.4 cM on chromosome 17p13.1 to a 600 kb region around the marker D17S1796, which contains LOX genes. LOX products have long been implicated in skin disorders. Two point mutations and one deletion were found in ALOXE3 and three point mutations were found in ALOX12B in these consanguineous families from the Mediterranean basin. ALOXE3 and ALOX12B are two genes which are physically linked and functionally related. They are separated by 38 kb, have one more exon than the other LOX genes and are mainly expressed in epithelial cells including keratinocytes. Although the main substrate(s) of the two enzymes is (are) still unknown, the products of ALOX12B obtained in experimental systems have been demonstrated to be of R-chirality. It seems likely that the product of one of these enzymes may be the substrate of the other, and that they belong to the same metabolic pathway.