The molecular basis of the cartilage-hair hypoplasia-anauxetic dysplasia spectrum

Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Feb;25(1):131-42. doi: 10.1016/j.beem.2010.08.004.

Abstract

Cartilage-hair hypoplasia and anauxetic dysplasia are two autosomal recessive skeletal dysplasias characterized by different degrees from metaphyseal to spondylo-meta-epiphyseal dysplasia and variable additional features including predisposition to cancer, anemia, immunodeficiency, and gastrointestinal malabsorption and Hirschsprung's disease. Both are caused by mutations in the untranslated RMRP gene, which forms the RNA subunit of the RNase MRP complex. This complex is involved in the ribosome assembly by cleavage of 5.8S rRNA, cell cycle control by Cyclin B2 mRNA cleavage at the end of mitosis, processing the mitochondrial RNA, and forming a complex with hTERT suggesting a possible involvement in expression regulation by siRNA synthesis. The degree of skeletal dysplasia correlates mainly with the rRNA cleavage activity, whereas significantly diminished mRNA cleavage activity is a prerequisite for immunodeficiency. Thus, the clinical phenotype emerges in most cases of the combined effect on the respective effect on RNase MRP function.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Dwarfism* / genetics
  • Endoribonucleases / genetics
  • Endoribonucleases / metabolism
  • Female
  • Hair / abnormalities
  • Hirschsprung Disease* / genetics
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes* / genetics
  • Male
  • Osteochondrodysplasias* / congenital
  • Osteochondrodysplasias* / genetics
  • Phenotype
  • Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases
  • RNA, Long Noncoding
  • RNA, Untranslated / genetics

Substances

  • RMRP non-coding RNA, human
  • RNA, Long Noncoding
  • RNA, Untranslated
  • Endoribonucleases
  • mitochondrial RNA-processing endoribonuclease

Supplementary concepts

  • Anauxetic dysplasia
  • Cartilage-hair hypoplasia