Conradi-Hunermann syndrome

Fig. 5.1.2 Cholesterol biosynthesis branch of the isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway. Enzymes are numbered as follows 1 squalene synthase 2 squalene epoxidase 3 2,3-oxidosqua-lene sterol cyclase 4 sterol A24-reductase (desmosterolosis) 5 sterol C-14 demethylase 6 sterol A14-reductase (hydrops-ectopic calcification-moth-eaten, HEM, dysplasia) 7 sterol C-4 demethylase complex (including a 3/ -hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase defective in congenital hemidyspla-sia with ichthyosiform nevus and limb defects, CHILD, syndrome) 8 sterol A8-A7 isomerase (Conradi-Hunermann syndrome CDPX2) 9 sterol A5-desaturase (lathosterolosis) 10 sterol A7-reductase (Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome). Enzyme deficiencies are indicated by solid bars across the arrows...

Table 5.1.1 Inherited disorders of isoprenoid/cholesterol biosynthesis. CDPX2 Conradi-Hunermann syndrome, CHILD congenital hemidysplasia with ichthyosiform nevus and limb defects, HEM hydrops-ectopic calcification-moth-eaten, MA/HIDS mevalonic aciduria/ hyperimmunoglobulinemia D and periodic fever syndrome, MIM Mendelian Inheritance in Man... 

As an alternative, primary skin fibroblasts or lymphoblasts of patients suspected to be affected with a cholesterol biosynthesis defect can be cultured for 3-7 days in medium supplemented with fetal calf serum depleted of lipoproteins to induce cholesterol biosynthesis, whereupon the specific defect can be determined by sterol analysis using GC-MS as described above. This procedure will readily identify patients affected with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome, desmosterolosis, lathosterolosis, hydrops-ectopic calcification-motheaten (HEM) skeletal dysplasia and most patients with Conradi-Hunermann syndrome (CDPX2). Patients with congenital hemidys-plasia with ichthyosiform nevus and limb defects (CHILD) syndrome may not be identified with this assay, but they can be readily diagnosed on the basis of their typical clinical presentation. 

Sterol-A -isomerase deficiency, known as Conradi-HUnermann syndrome (CDPX2), is an X-linked dominant disorder. Clinical manifestations of this disorder include skeletal abnormalities, chondrodysplasia punctata, craniofacial anomalies, cataracts, and skin abnormalities. The 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase deficiency, known as Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLO) is an autosomal recessive disorder occurring in about 1 in 20,000 births. Clinical manifestations of affected individuals include craniofacial abnormalities, microcephaly, congenital heart disease, malformation of the limbs, psychomotor retardation, cerebral maldevelopment, and urogenital anomalies. Measurement of 7-dehydrocholesterol in amniotic fluid during second trimester or in neonatal blood specimen has been useful in the identification of the disorder. The sterol-A " -reductase deficiency causes a developmental phenotype similar to SLO syndrome and is associated with accumulation of desmosterol. The inability of de novo fetal synthesis of cholesterol combined with its inadequate transport from the mother to the fetus appears... 

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