Tetra-amelia syndrome
| Tetra-amelia syndrome | |
|---|---|
| Classification and external resources | |
| OMIM | 273395 |
| DiseasesDB | 34469 |
Tetra-amelia syndrome, also called Autosomal recessive tetraamelia,[1] is a very rare autosomal recessive[2] congenital disorder characterized by the absence of all four limbs. Other areas of the body are also affected by malformations, such as the face, skull, reproductive organs, anus and pelvis.[1] The disorder is caused by mutations in the WNT3 gene.[2]
Contents |
[edit] Characteristics
The syndrome causes severe malformations of various parts of the body, including the face and head, heart, nervous system, skeleton, and genitalia. In many cases, the lungs are underdeveloped, which makes breathing difficult or impossible. Because children with Tetra-Amelia syndrome have such serious medical problems, most are stillborn or die shortly after birth. Motivational speaker Nick Vujicic is one survivor of the syndrome and Japanese author and sports journalist Hirotada Ototake is another.
[edit] Cause and genetics
Researchers have found a mutation in the WNT3 gene in people with Tetra-Amelia syndrome from one large family. This gene is part of a family of WNT genes that play critical roles in development before birth. The WNT3 gene is located at human chromosome 17q21.[3]
The protein produced from the WNT3 gene is involved in the formation of the limbs and other body systems during embryonic development. Mutations in the WNT3 gene prevent cells from producing functional WNT3 protein, which disrupts normal limb formation and leads to the other serious birth defects associated with Tetra-Amelia syndrome.
In some affected families, the cause of tetra-amelia syndrome has not been determined. Some researchers believe that unidentified mutations in WNT3 or other genes involved in limb development may be responsible for the disorder.
In most of the families reported so far, tetra-amelia syndrome appears to have an autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance.[1][2] This means the defective gene responsible for the disorder is located on an autosome (chromosome 17 is an autosome), and two copies of the defective gene (one inherited from each parent) are required in order to be born with the disorder. The parents of an individual with an autosomal recessive disorder both carry one copy of the defective gene, but usually do not experience any signs or symptoms of the disorder.
[edit] Epidemiology
Tetra-Amelia syndrome has been reported in only a few families worldwide.
[edit] Etymology
The name's parts both come from Greek. "Tetra-" is the Greek word for "four," and "amelia" refers to the failure of an arm or leg to develop before birth.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Online 'Mendelian Inheritance in Man' (OMIM) 273395
- ^ a b c Niemann, S.; Zhao, C.; Pascu, F.; Stahl, U.; Aulepp, U.; Niswander, L.; Weber, J.; Muller, U. (Mar 2004). "Homozygous WNT3 Mutation Causes Tetra-Amelia in a Large Consanguineous Family" (Free full text). The American Journal of Human Genetics 74 (3): 558–563. doi:10.1086/382196. PMC 1182269. PMID 14872406. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=1182269.
- ^ Online 'Mendelian Inheritance in Man' (OMIM) 165330
[edit] External links
- "Tetra-amelia syndrome - Genetics Home Reference". U.S. National Library of Medicine. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=tetraameliasyndrome. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
- "Tetra-Amelia Syndrome -- GeneReviews -- NCBI Bookshelf". University of Washington, Seattle. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=gene&part=tetra-amelia. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
[edit] Further reading
- "Tetra-Amelia-Syndrome (Birth defects & disorders)". I-Am-Pregnant. http://www.i-am-pregnant.com/Birth/Birth-defects/Tetra-Amelia-Syndrome. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
- "Tetraamelia multiple malformations - WrongDiagnosis.com". WrongDiagnosis. http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/medical/tetraamelia_multiple_malformations.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
