A novel p63 sterile alpha motif (SAM) domain mutation in a Japanese patient with ankyloblepharon, ectodermal defects and cleft lip and palate (AEC) syndrome without ankyloblepharon.

ABSTRACT

We present a sporadic case of a Japanese female infant with ectodermal dysplasia, complete cleft lip and palate, severe skin erosions at birth and recurrent scalp infection. She had typical clinical features of ankyloblepharon, ectodermal defects and cleft lip and palate (AEC) syndrome without ankyloblepharon. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses showed reduced granular cell layers and aberrant expression of the p63 protein in the suprabasal keratinocytes. Mutation analysis of the exon 13 of p63 gene revealed a heterozygous in-frame 3-bp insert (c. 538-539 ins TTC) encoding additional amino acid residues (F). This is the first report of sterile alpha motif domain mutation except for single nucleotide transitions.