SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND

COL2A1

Kniest syndrome is a rare, genetic spondylometaepiphyseal dysplasia. There are currently around 200 known cases worldwide. It is a disease with autosomal dominant inheritance.

 

It is characterized by disproportionate short stature, progressive dysplasia of the axial skeleton and limbs, a flat facial contour, and the inability to form a closed fist. Thickening and restricted movement of the joints can lead to an inability to walk. Histologically, the articular cartilage looks like Swiss cheese with holes. In addition, myopia, blindness due to retinal detachment, hearing loss, osteoporosis, and cleft palate often occur.

 

Together with achondrogenesis, hypochondrogenesis, spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia and Stickler syndrome, these connective tissue diseases are also summarized under the term collagen type II diseases. In Kniest syndrome, deletions or splice variants are frequently found that lead to the functional loss of an allele.

 

Secretion defects of type II collagen have been identified as the cause, which in turn are associated with variants in the COL2A1 gene. Most of the structural defects described are in-frame variants caused by small deletions or splice variants.

GENES

COL2A1
How to order

LATEST ARTICLES

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

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most pressing global health threats, and accurate identification and surveillance of multidrug-resistant...

Read more

Colorectal cancer remains a significant health concern globally. While genetic factors play a crucial role in its development, identifying the exact ...

Read more

A new meta-analysis links trans-kingdom gut microbiota (bacteria, eukaryotes, viruses, archaea) to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) response in canc...

Read more