A Scandinavian Case of Skin Fragility, Alopecia, and Cardiomyopathy Caused by DSP Mutations
December 2013
in “
Clinical and experimental dermatology
”
TLDR A child with skin and heart issues had rare genetic mutations affecting skin and heart cell cohesion.
The document reports on a child born with congenital skin fragility, alopecia, thick nails, and hyperkeratosis, who was later found to have a deficiency of desmoplakin due to compound heterozygous mutations in the DSP gene. This gene is crucial for cellular cohesion in epithelial and cardiac tissues and is located on chromosome 6p24. The child also developed signs of left ventricular cardiomyopathy, indicating the extracutaneous involvement that is characteristic of ectodermal dysplasia caused by DSP mutations. This case highlights the importance of considering rare genetic syndromes in the differential diagnosis of neonatal skin blistering.