Neuro-ichthyotic Syndromes: A Case Series.

BACKGROUND: The neuro-ichthyotic diseases are clinically and genetically heterogeneous. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and neuroradiological findings and to analyze mutation in 15 patients with neuro-ichthyotic diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the records of 15 patients with the diagnosis of neuro-ichthyotic diseases. RESULTS: Eight female and seven male patients (age range 11 months-52 years) were investigated. There were eight patients with Sjögren-Larsson syndrome (SLS), five patients with multiple sulfatase deficiency (MSD), one patient with Chanarin-Dorfman's syndrome, and one patient with mental retardation, enteropathy, deafness, neuropathy, ichthyosis, and keratodermia (MEDNIK) syndrome. Parental consanguinity was found in all the patients except one. All patients had ichthyosis. Diagnosis was performed with genetic study. CONCLUSIONS: Because biochemical and clinical findings are variable, the diagnosis is difficult in most of the cases. Detailed skin and physical examinations are mandatory in these patients. Genetic tests are necessary for accurate diagnosis.

A Turkish family with Sjögren-Larsson syndrome caused by a novel ALDH3A2 mutation.

Sjögren-Larsson syndrome (SLS) is an inherited neurocutaneous disorder caused by mutations in the aldehyde dehydrogenase family 3 member A2 (ALDH3A2) gene that encodes fatty aldehyde dehydrogenase. Affected patients display ichthyosis, mental retardation, and spastic diplegia. More than 70 mutations in ALDH3A2 have been discovered in SLS patients. We diagnosed two brothers age of 12 and 20 years with characteristic features of this rare syndrome. Magnetic resonance imaging showed demyelinating disease in both of them. We described a novel homozygous, c. 835 T > A (p.Y279N) mutation in exon 6 in two patients.

Novel and recurrent ALDH3A2 mutations in Italian patients with Sjögren-Larsson syndrome.

Sjögren-Larsson syndrome (SLS; MIM#270200) is an autosomal recessive neurocutaneous disease caused by mutations in the ALDH3A2 gene for fatty aldehyde dehydrogenase (FALDH), a microsomal enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of medium- and long- chain aliphatic aldehydes fatty acids. We studied two unrelated Italian SLS patients with ichthyosis, developmental delay, spastic diplegia and brain white matter disease. One patient was homozygous for a novel ALDH3A2 insertion mutation (c.767insA) in exon 5. The other SLS patient was a compound heterozygote for two previously reported mutations: a slice site mutation (c.1094C > T; S365L) in exon 7. Analysis of fibroblast RNA by RT-PCR indicated that the spice-site mutation caused skipping of exons 2 and 3. The c.1094C > T mutation, previously associated with two ALDH3A2 haplotypes, was found on a third distinct haplotype in our patient, which indicates that arose independently in this kindred. These results add to understanding of the genetic basis of SLS and will be useful for DNA diagnosis of this disease.