RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia: current views on genetics and mechanisms of disease
JF Journal of Medical Genetics
JO J Med Genet
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 97
OP 110
DO 10.1136/jmg.2005.030833
VO 43
IS 2
A1 Abdalla, S A
A1 Letarte, M
YR 2006
UL http://jmg.bmj.com/content/43/2/97.abstract
AB Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterised by epistaxis, telangiectases, and multiorgan vascular dysplasia. The two major types of disease, HHT1 and HHT2, are caused by mutations in the ENG (endoglin) and ACVRL1 genes, respectively. The corresponding endoglin and ALK-1 proteins are specific endothelial receptors of the transforming growth factor β superfamily essential for maintaining vascular integrity. Many mutations have been identified in ENG and ACVRL1 genes and support the haploinsufficiency model for HHT. Two more genes have recently been implicated in HHT: MADH4 mutated in a combined syndrome of juvenile polyposis and HHT (JPHT), and an unidentified HHT3 gene linked to chromosome 5. Current knowledge on the genetics of HHT is summarised, including the pathways that link the genes responsible for HHT and the potential mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of the disease.