Trichothiodystrophy.

This case report describes an infant with frizzy, coarse, and fragile hair and low-set ears, blepharophimosis, and osteopenia.

Facial clues to the photosensitive trichothiodystrophy phenotype in childhood.

Among genodermatoses, trichothiodystrophies (TTDs) are a rare genetically heterogeneous group of syndromic conditions, presenting with skin, hair, and nail abnormalities. An extra-cutaneous involvement (craniofacial district and neurodevelopment) can be also a part of the clinical picture. The presence of photosensitivity describes three forms of TTDs: MIM#601675 (TTD1), MIM#616390 (TTD2) and MIM#616395 (TTD3), that are caused by variants afflicting some components of the DNA Nucleotide Excision Repair (NER) complex and with more marked clinical consequences. In the present research, 24 frontal images of paediatric patients with photosensitive TTDs suitable for facial analysis through the next-generation phenotyping (NGP) technology were obtained from the medical literature. The pictures were compared to age and sex-matched to unaffected controls using 2 distinct deep-learning algorithms: DeepGestalt and GestaltMatcher (Face2Gene, FDNA Inc., USA). To give further support to the observed results, a careful clinical revision was undertaken for each facial feature in paediatric patients with TTD1 or TTD2 or TTD3. Interestingly, a distinctive facial phenotype emerged by the NGP analysis delineating a specific craniofacial dysmorphic spectrum. In addition, we tabulated every single detail within the observed cohort. The novelty of the present research includes the facial characterization in children with the photosensitive types of TTDs through the 2 different algorithms. This result can become additional criteria for early diagnosis, and for subsequent targeted molecular investigations as well as a possible tailored multidisciplinary personalized management.

Debilitating hip degeneration in trichothiodystrophy: Association with ERCC2/XPD mutations, osteosclerosis, osteopenia, coxa valga, contractures, and osteonecrosis.

Trichothiodystrophy (TTD) is a rare, autosomal recessive, multisystem disorder of DNA repair and transcription with developmental delay and abnormalities in brain, eye, skin, nervous, and musculoskeletal systems. We followed a cohort of 37 patients with TTD at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from 2001 to 2019 with a median age at last observation of 12 years (range 2-36). Some children with TTD developed rapidly debilitating hip degeneration (DHD): a distinctive pattern of hip pain, inability to walk, and avascular necrosis on imaging. Ten (27%) of the 37 patients had DHD at median age 8 years (range 5-12), followed by onset of imaging findings at median age 9 years (range 5-13). All 10 had mutations in the ERCC2/XPD gene. In 7 of the 10 affected patients, DHD rapidly became bilateral. DHD was associated with coxa valga, central osteosclerosis with peripheral osteopenia of the skeleton, and contractures/tightness of the lower limbs. Except for one patient, surgical interventions were generally not effective at preventing DHD. Four patients with DHD died at a median age of 11 years (range 9-15). TTD patients with ERCC2/XPD gene mutations have a high risk of musculoskeletal abnormalities and DHD leading to poor outcomes. Monitoring by history, physical examination, imaging, and by physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists may be warranted.

Hair abnormality in Netherton syndrome observed under polarized light microscopy.

BACKGROUND: Trichorrhexis invaginata, the main diagnostic feature of Netherton syndrome, is often difficult to detect, especially in adult patients. OBJECTIVE: We sought to describe a characteristic feature of hairs in Netherton syndrome using a polarized light microscope and the underlying histopathologic changes. METHODS: Hairs obtained from 8 patients with Netherton syndrome were observed under polarized light, and we evaluated the correlation between number of band-like patterns and disease severity. RESULTS: Under polarized microscopy, the hair shafts of 8 patients showed a characteristic band-like pattern under polarized light that was not observed in healthy control individuals or patients with atopic dermatitis. This discontinuity of polarized light shows a band-like pattern in which the bands mostly ranged from 0.1 to 1.0 mm in width. The observed ratio of this finding was significantly higher than that of trichorrhexis invaginata observed under light microscopy, and patients with severe dermatitis tended to have a higher ratio than those with less severe dermatitis. LIMITATIONS: Comparative examination among other congenital ichthyoses was not performed. CONCLUSIONS: A band-like pattern in hairs with polarized light microscopy can be seen in Netherton syndrome and may have potential utility as a diagnostic marker.

Abnormal Newborn Screening Follow-up for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency in an Amish Cohort with Cartilage-Hair Hypoplasia.

Cartilage-hair hypoplasia (CHH) is an autosomal recessive, short limb skeletal dysplasia with a variable immunologic phenotype. The spectrum of immune function ranges from clinically normal to severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). Multiple studies have shown that abnormal immune parameters may not predict severe outcomes. Newborn screening (NBS) using T cell receptor excision circle (TREC) assay can now effectively identify infants with severe T cell deficiency who are at risk for SCID. NBS has allowed for cost-effective identification of patients with SCID and improved outcomes with hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). Ohio reports two abnormal TREC results: decreased and absent TREC. This study evaluated the laboratory and clinical differences in eight Amish patients with CHH with an abnormal TREC result on the NBS. There were four patients with absent TREC and four patients with decreased TREC. The absent TREC patients had lower CD3, CD4, naïve CD4, CD8 cells, and phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced lymphocyte proliferation. Three patients with absent TREC were diagnosed with SCID and two underwent successful HSCT. Patients with absent TREC experienced more CHH-related morbidity including anemia requiring transfusion, Hirschsprung's disease, and failure to thrive. No patients with decreased TREC required HSCT. Our study indicates that CHH patients with absent TREC tend to have more severe immunological and clinical phenotype than patients with decreased TREC. Confirmation of these trends in a larger group would guide providers and parents in a timely referral for HSCT, or cost-effective surveillance monitoring of children with a life-threatening illness.

A novel truncating variant in ring finger protein 113A (RNF113A) confirms the association of this gene with X-linked trichothiodystrophy.

We describe an 11-year old boy with severe global developmental delays, failure to thrive and growth retardation, refractory seizures with recurrent status epilepticus, hypogammaglobulinemia, hypergonadotropic hypogonadism, and duodenal strictures. He had facial and skin findings compatible with trichothiodystrophy, including sparse and brittle hair, thin eyebrows, and dry skin. Exome sequencing showed a hemizygous, truncating variant in RNF113A, c.903_910delGCAGACCA, predicting p.(Gln302fs*12), that was inherited from his mother. Although his clinical features overlap closely with features described in the two previously reported male first cousins with RNF113A loss of function mutations, the duodenal strictures seen in this patient have not been reported. Interestingly, the patient's mother had short stature and 100% skewed X-inactivation as seen in other obligate female carriers. A second male with developmental delays, microcephaly, seizures, ambiguous genitalia, and facial anomalies that included sparse and brittle hair, thin eyebrows and dry skin was recently reported to have c.897_898delTG, predicting p.(Cys299*) in RNF113A and we provide additional clinical details for this patient. This report further supports deleterious variants in RNF113A as a cause of a novel trichothiodystrophy syndrome.

Second report of RING finger protein 113A (RNF113A) involvement in a Mendelian disorder.

RING Finger Protein 113 A (RNF113A, MIM 300951) is a highly conserved gene located on chromosome Xq24-q25, encoding a protein containing two conserved zinc finger domains involved in DNA alkylation repair and premessenger RNA splicing. To date, only one pathogenic variant of RNF113A, namely c.901C>T; p.Gln301Ter, has been reported in humans by Tarpey et al. in 2009. Thereafter, Corbett et al. stated that this variant was responsible for an X-linked form of nonphotosensitive trichothiodystrophy associated with profound intellectual disability, microcephaly, partial corpus callosum agenesis, microphallus, and absent or rudimentary testes. This variant was then shown to alter DNA alkylation repair, providing an additional argument supporting its pathogenicity and important clues about the underlying pathophysiology of nonphotosensitive trichothiodystrophy. Using exome sequencing, we identified exactly the same RNF113A variant in two fetuses affected with abnormalities similar to those previously reported by Corbett et al. To our knowledge, this is the second report of a RNF113A pathogenic variant in humans.

Novel ERCC2 mutation in two siblings with trichothiodystrophy.

Trichothiodystrophy describes a group of recessively inherited multisystem neuroectodermal disorders that takes its name from the characteristic feature of brittle, sulfur-deficient hair. We describe two siblings with trichothiodystrophy due to a novel genotype. The maternal mutation (p.Arg722Trp) is a previously described pathogenic mutation in ERCC2 that has been shown to result in a severe phenotype, while the paternal mutation (c.1480-1G > C) has not been previously reported. Our cases confirm the severe phenotype associated with the p.Arg722Trp mutation and expand the known genetic mutations associated with trichothiodystrophy by demonstrating a novel pathogenic mutation in ERCC2.

Trichothiodystrophy: a case report of childhood glaucoma associated with non-acquired systemic disease / Tricotiodistrofia: relato de caso de glaucoma infantil associado a doença sistémica não adquirida

ABSTRACT Trichothiodystrophy belongs to a group of rare genetic diseases characterized by DNA repair anomalies. Ocular manifestations can occur in 50% of cases, including cataract, refractive errors, strabismus, microcornea, microphthalmia, dry eye, and pigmentary macular changes. We report a case of childhood glaucoma in a patient with trichothiodystrophy who underwent trabeculectomy in the left eye. To our knowledge, this is the first clinical report of childhood glaucoma associated with trichothiodystrophy.

RESUMO A tricotiodistrofia pertence a um grupo de doenças genéticas raras caracterizadas por anomalias da reparação do DNA. Manifestações oculares podem ocorrer em 50% dos casos, incluindo catarata, erros refrativos, estrabismo, microcórnea, microftalmia, olho seco e alterações maculares pigmentares. Relatamos um caso de glaucoma infantil em um paciente com tricotiodistrofia submetido à trabeculectomia no olho esquerdo. No nosso conhecimento, este é o primeiro caso descrito de glaucoma infantil associado à tricotiodistrofia.

Trichothiodystrophy: a case report of childhood glaucoma associated with non-acquired systemic disease.

Trichothiodystrophy belongs to a group of rare genetic diseases characterized by DNA repair anomalies. Ocular manifestations can occur in 50% of cases, including cataract, refractive errors, strabismus, microcornea, microphthalmia, dry eye, and pigmentary macular changes. We report a case of childhood glaucoma in a patient with trichothiodystrophy who underwent trabeculectomy in the left eye. To our knowledge, this is the first clinical report of childhood glaucoma associated with trichothiodystrophy.

The First Reported Case of Trichothiodystrophy in Hungary: A Young Male Patient with Mutations in the ERCC2 Gene.

Trichothiodystrophy, also called sulphur-deficient brittle hair syndrome, is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder of DNA repair and transcription. Trichothiodysthrophy is characterised by dry, thin, easily broken hair, showing alternating light and dark pattern called 'tiger tail' banding under polarizing light microscopy. According to our knowledge, our report is the first one on this rare disorder from Hungary: a case of a 9-year-old boy showing clinical features typical of trichotiodystrophy. Sequence analysis of the ERCC2 gene identified two recurrent trichothidodystrophy missense heterozygous mutations - c.934G/A p.Asp312Asn (CM015299) and c.2251A/C p.Lys751Gln (CM004814) - suggesting compound heterozygous state of the patient and confirming the clinically suspected diagnosis of trichothiodystrophy.

Do you know this syndrome? Ichthyosis associated with neurological condition and alteration of hairs.

Trichothiodystrophy refers to a heterogeneous group of rare genetic diseases that affects neuroectodermal-derived tissues with multisystem involvement. The hallmark of these syndromes is the deficiency of sulfur in hair matrix proteins, leading to short and brittle hair. Few cases of this rare disorder have been published. The authors report a case of trichothiodystrophy in a male infant with ichthyosis, photosensitivity, spastic paraparesis, short stature, and neurologic and psychomotor retardation. Diagnosis was based on clinical and microscopic features of hair samples.

Do you know this syndrome? Ichthyosis associated with neurological condition and alteration of hairs

Abstract: Trichothiodystrophy refers to a heterogeneous group of rare genetic diseases that affects neuroectodermal-derived tissues with multisystem involvement. The hallmark of these syndromes is the deficiency of sulfur in hair matrix proteins, leading to short and brittle hair. Few cases of this rare disorder have been published. The authors report a case of trichothiodystrophy in a male infant with ichthyosis, photosensitivity, spastic paraparesis, short stature, and neurologic and psychomotor retardation. Diagnosis was based on clinical and microscopic features of hair samples.

Polarized transilluminating dermoscopy: Bedside trichoscopic diagnosis of trichothiodystrophy.

Trichothiodystrophy is a rare autosomal recessive disorder resulting in a broad range of systemic abnormalities. Polarizing microscopy of the hair reveals the pathognomic "tiger tail" of alternating light and dark bands, but the need for a microscope prevents rapid bedside diagnosis. We describe a new technique for the bedside diagnosis of trichothiodystrophy using a handheld polarizing dermatoscope, precluding the need for microscopic examination.

A homozygous G insertion in MPLKIP leads to TTDN1 with the hypergonadotropic hypogonadism symptom.

BACKGROUND: Trichothiodystrophy nonphotosensitive 1 (TTDN1) is a disease with mental retardation, brittle hair. Some cases of the diseases are caused by mutations of the MPLKIP gene. METHODS: We carefully identified the clinic characteristics, the sulfur level and pattern of the hair shafts of a female patient of with the symptom of hypergonadotropic hypogonadism, and of her parents and brother whose are healthy. We also collected the blood sample of the patient and performed the exon sequencing. One G insertion in MPLKIP was identified after analyzing the obtained exon sequencing profile. The G insertion sites in the patient, her parents and brother, were verified using Sanger sequencing. The G insertion in MPLKIP were compared to the dbSNP. RESULTS: The female patient of TTDN1 carries a homozygous G insertion (rs747470385) in the MPLKIP gene. The parents and brother of the patient are heterozygous carriers of the same mutation, but are healthy. The hair shafts of the patient had a tiger-tail pattern with relatively low sulfur levels. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that autosomal recessive inheritance of the G insertion in the MPLKIP gene results in TTDN1. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the homozygotic G insertion in MPLKIP results in the TTDN1 with hypergonadotropic hypogonadism, while heterozygous carriers of the same mutation have no symptoms and healthy. These results provide novel insights into the association of mutations in MPLKIP and TTDN1 with hypergonadotropic hypogonadism.

Acquired trichorrhexis nodosa: how to diagnose it?

Acquired trichorrhexis nodosa is an uncommon hair disorder, defined as a cuticle response to extrinsic or environmental insults, such as certain chemical agents. In the following report, we present a clinical case of acquired trichorrhexis nodosa and make a critical comparison by trichoscopy, optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Some diagnostic tools can provide high quality information, but their high cost and low access make them an inconvenient option. When comparing the cost-benefit ratio of each one, we conclude that acquired trichorrhexis nodosa can be easily diagnosed with a careful clinical history and examination using a dermatoscope with non-polarized light.

Hair Loss: Common Causes and Treatment.

Hair loss is often distressing and can have a significant effect on the patient's quality of life. Patients may present to their family physician first with diffuse or patchy hair loss. Scarring alopecia is best evaluated by a dermatologist. Nonscarring alopecias can be readily diagnosed and treated in the family physician's office. Androgenetic alopecia can be diagnosed clinically and treated with minoxidil. Alopecia areata is diagnosed by typical patches of hair loss and is self-limited. Tinea capitis causes patches of alopecia that may be erythematous and scaly and must be treated systemically. Telogen effluvium is a nonscarring, noninflammatory alopecia of relatively sudden onset caused by physiologic or emotional stress. Once the precipitating cause is removed, the hair typically will regrow. Trichotillomania is an impulse-control disorder; treatment is aimed at controlling the underlying psychiatric condition. Trichorrhexis nodosa occurs when hairs break secondary to trauma and is often a result of hair styling or overuse of hair products. Anagen effluvium is the abnormal diffuse loss of hair during the growth phase caused by an event that impairs the mitotic activity of the hair follicle, most commonly chemotherapy. Physician support is especially important for patients in this situation.