FOXE3

Cataracts 34

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

Two families with mutations in the FOXE3 associated with cataracts have been reported.  The lens opacities may be present at birth or found soon thereafter.  In 1 family with 5 affected sibs membranous cataracts were present along with corneal opacities, microcornea and nystagmus.  In another family, 7 sibs had posterior subcapsular cataracts but no other ocular findings.

Systemic Features: 

No systemic abnormalities were associated with the ocular findings.

Genetics

Homozygous mutations in the FOXE3 (1p33) gene segregated with the eye findings in the two families.  FOXE3 is a transcription gene and its mutations are responsible for a variety of ocular abnormalities.

Pedigree: 
Autosomal recessive
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

Surgical cataract removal may be indicated.  Amblyopia is a risk and requires rehabilitation.

References
Article Title: 

FOXE3 contributes to Peters anomaly through transcriptional regulation of an autophagy-associated protein termed DNAJB1

Khan SY, Vasanth S, Kabir F, Gottsch JD, Khan AO, Chaerkady R, Lee MC, Leitch CC, Ma Z, Laux J, Villasmil R, Khan SN, Riazuddin S, Akram J, Cole RN, Talbot CC, Pourmand N, Zaghloul NA, Hejtmancik JF, Riazuddin SA. FOXE3 contributes to Peters anomaly through transcriptional regulation of an autophagy-associated protein termed DNAJB1. Nat Commun. 2016 Apr 6;7:10953. doi: 10.1038/ncomms10953. PubMed PMID: 27218149; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4820811.

PubMed ID: 
27218149

Anterior Segment Mesenchymal Dysgenesis

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

The unique status of this entity remains to be established as there are overlapping features with aniridia (106210), and Peters anomaly (604229), posterior embryotoxon, and iridogoniodysgenesis type 1 (601631) and type 2 (137600).  Anterior segment mesenchymal dysgenesis itself is clinically heterogeneous even within families.  Schwalbe line is often anteriorly placed and there may be iris adhesions to the cornea, with or without corneal opacities.  Some patients have microcornea.  All layers of the cornea are dysplastic from the epithelium to the endothelium suggesting abnormal migration or function of neural crest cells.  Lens opacities are highly variable but they can be progressive. Curiously, elevated intraocular pressure is usually not present.  Visual acuity is highly variable with some patients having 20/20 vision and others bare hand motions depending on the degree of opacification of the lens and cornea.

Systemic Features: 

No systemic abnormalities are present.

Genetics

This is an autosomal dominant disorder secondary to mutations in either PITX3 (10q24.32) or FOXE3 (1p32)  which are both transcription factors.  The latter gene is also mutant in congenital primary aphakia (610256) and some cases of Peters anomaly (604229).

See also Anterior Segment Dysgenesis 6 (617315) and Anterior Segment Dysgenesis 8 (617319) for autosomal recessive conditions in which mutations result in malformations of the anterior chamber.

Pedigree: 
Autosomal dominant
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

Cataract surgery is indicated in some cases and corneal transplantation has been attempted in a few individuals.

References
Article Title: 

Aphakia, Congenital Primary

Clinical Characteristics
Ocular Features: 

There is complete absence of the lens and with it aplasia of the anterior segment including complete absence of the iris, ciliary body, and trabecular meshwork.  In an autopsied case, the cornea was thinned and lacked endothelium, Bowman layer, and Descemet membrane while the retina was dysplastic.  In the single family reported, 2 sibs had sclerocornea and one had megalocornea.  Normal pressure was reported in several eyes but a single eye in one patient at the age of 3 years developed buphthalmos with elevated pressure.

Systemic Features: 

No systemic abnormalities have been reported.

Genetics

Homozygosity of a nonsense mutation in the FOXE3 transcription factor gene (1p32) seems to be responsible for this autosomal recessive disorder.  The same gene has been implicated in rare cases of Peters anomaly (604229) and in anterior segment mesenchymal dysgenesis (107250).

Pedigree: 
Autosomal recessive
Treatment
Treatment Options: 

No treatment is known to restore vision.

References
Article Title: 
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