SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND

EDN3, EDNRB, MITF, PAX3, SNAI2, SOX10

Category:

Scientific Background

Waardenburg syndrome (WS) is a rare autosomal dominant inherited, clinically and genetically heterogeneous disease. The four clinically defined subtypes have pigmentation disorders of the skin and hair, often with a white forelock, heterochromia iridis, and sensorineural hearing loss, in common. The frequency is reported to be 1:40,000 in the general population. Waardenburg syndrome is thought to be present in 3% of all patients with sensorineural hearing loss.

 

WS1 and WS2 are the most common forms. They are distinguished by telecanthus and synophris, which do not occur in WS2. WS3 is also known as Waardenburg-Klein syndrome and has upper extremity malformations as an additional main symptom. WS4 or Waardenburg-Shah syndrome shows pigmentation abnormalities and hearing loss in addition to Hirschsprung disease.

 

The symptoms are caused by differentiation disorders of embryonic cells of the neural crest. The genes known to be causative genes are also involved in the development of the neural crest, the inner ear and the migration of melanocytes.

 

References

Bocángel et al. 2018, Eur J Med Genet 61:348 / Song et al. 2016 Clin Genet 89:416 / Sun et al 2016, Sci Rep 6:35498 / Yang et al. 2013, PLoS One 8: e77149 / Pingault et al. 2010, Hum Mut 31:1 / Pardono et al. 2003, Am J Med Genet 117A:22 / Read & Newton 1997, J Med Genet 34:656

GENES

EDN3, EDNRB, MITF, PAX3, SNAI2, SOX10

ASSOCIATED TESTS

How to order

LATEST ARTICLES

A recent study highlights promising outcomes for BRCA variant carriers with breast cancer undergoing breast-conserving therapy. Analyzing 172 women, ...

Read more

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB), sometimes called butterfly skin, is a group of rare skin diseases with a common symptom: fragile skin that tears and blis...

Read more

In the rapidly evolving field of human genetics diagnostics, laboratories face the challenge of keeping up with the latest advancements in technology...

Read more

Medicine as we know it has been around for just over 100 years. Before this, alcohol and opium were the main forms of pain relief in Europe. The deve...

Read more

Below you can read the two winning essays from the second annual DNA essay competition. The subject of the essay was “Family history is one of the ...

Read more

Mosaicism is the presence of two or more genetically different sets of cells within the same person. It is a biological phenomenon that may have no e...

Read more

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-threatening, progressive, inherited condition that causes severe damage to the body, mainly to organs of the respirato...

Read more

Cancer can sometimes run in families; in fact, it is estimated that 5-10% of all cancer cases are inherited. This includes up to 10% of breast cancer...

Read more

Mosaicism is a biological phenomenon in which a person has two or more genetically different sets of cells. Although mosaicism may have no effect, it...

Read more

Background information on in vitro diagnostic services Laboratory-based testing methods and medical devices play a critical role in diagnosis and ...

Read more