SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND

KDM6A, KMT2D

Scientific Background

Kabuki syndrome is a characteristic combination of small physical features, malformations and a developmental disorder; failure to thrive is often also seen in infancy and toddlerhood. The characteristic craniofacial features are: laterally elongated eyelid crevices with eversion of the lateral lower lid; arched, laterally sparse eyebrows, often with a hairless narrow area in the middle; a short columella and a flat-looking tip of the nose; poorly shaped, large earlobes; fetal fingertip pads on the hands; brachydactyly V; and occasionally cleft palate or lip-jaw-palate cleft. Initially, muscular hypotonia, extreme failure to thrive that requires tube feeding, and a heart defect may be at the forefront, later a moderate developmental delay, increased otitis media and infections are seen, as well as seizures in some patients.

 

Kabuki syndrome is caused by heterozygous pathogenic variants in the KMT2D gene in about 60% of cases, and rarely by pathogenic changes in KDM6A on the X chromosome. In some cases no cause has been found, so that genetic heterogeneity is suspected.

 

References

Adam et al. 2019 J Med Genet 56:89 / Micale et al. 2011, Orphanet J Rare Dis 6:38 / Miyake et al. 2013, Am J Med Genet A 161A:2234 / Adam et al. 2011, GeneReviews „Kabuki syndrome“

GENES

KDM6A, KMT2D
How to order

LATEST ARTICLES

Every year on April 25th, DNA Day celebrates the discovery of DNA’s double helix and the advances we’ve made in understanding genetics. D...

Read more

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) have diverse genetic origins, making diagnosis challenging. A new study analyzing over 1,100 pediatric patients f...

Read more

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the most prevalent and deadly cancers worldwide, with a significant number of cases presenting at an advanced ...

Read more

Carrier screening is a genetic test designed to identify whether an individual carries a gene with changes (mutations) associated with inherited diso...

Read more

Trisomy 13, also known as Patau syndrome, is a genetic condition in which cells in the body have three copies of chromosome 13 instead of two. The co...

Read more

The human brain develops through a complex series of events, with genes carefully regulating the formation of neurons and glial cells. A recent study...

Read more

Rare diseases affect between 300 and 400 million people worldwide – more than cancer and AIDS combined [1, 2], but despite this, many people face a...

Read more

Rosalind Elsie Franklin was a brilliant and meticulous research scientist whose interdisciplinary work made fundamental contributions to various area...

Read more

February, designated as Cancer Awareness Month, marks a time to reflect on the remarkable progress made in cancer research and to inspire hope for th...

Read more

Introduction Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major health issue as it remains a leading cause of death worldwide [1]. CVD is responsible for mor...

Read more