iris hypoplasia

Three families with 4 affected individuals with similar clinical features have been reported with homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in the CPAMD8 gene (19p13.11).

A single male patient of native American/French Canadian background with somewhat similar clinical features has been reported with compound heterozygous mutations in the CYP1B1 gene (2p22.2) but this is likely a unique condition (Anterior Segment Dysgenesis 6).

The genes FOXE3 and PAX6 are characterized as transcription factors and play important roles in ocular development.  However, while mutations in these are frequently found in patients with dysgenesis of the anterior chamber they often cause more widespread ocular and systemic anomalies (e.g., Gillespie syndrome [206700]).  Therefore in this database the anterior chamber constellations of anomalies associated with mutations in these genes are not considered to be simplex conditions. 

See also related disorders iridogoniodysgenesis type 1 (601631) and type 2 (137600), and anterior segment mesenchymal dysgenesis (107250).

Autosomal dominant aniridia is the result of PAX6 (a transcription regulator gene) dysfunction.  In the majority of cases there are mutations in the PAX6 gene itself as in AN1.  There are reports, however, of familial aniridia in which direct PAX6 mutations have been excluded.  Two additional forms of aniridia in which there are alterations in genes that modulate the expression of PAX6 have been reported.  AN2 described here with mutations in ELP4, a nucleotide variant within an intron of the ELP4 gene (11p13) located distal to the 3-prime end of the PAX6 gene, plus AN3 (617142) with mutations in TRIM44.  Both ELP4 and TRIM44 are regulators of the PAX6 transcription gene.

Aniridia 2 has been reported in one patient with a nucleotide variant within an intron of the ELP4 gene (11p13) located distal to the 3-prime end of the PAX6 gene.  The gene product is a cis-regulatory enhancer.  

Other evidence for aniridia resulting from regulatory modification of PAX6 gene function comes from families in which there are structural alterations such as deletions in chromosome 11, downstream of the PAX6 gene location.

This is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by homozygous mutations in the LRP2 (low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 2 or megalin) gene located at 2q24-q31.  Some patients have an ocular phenotype resembling the Stickler syndrome (609508).

This is an autosomal recessive disorder resulting from homozygous mutations in the LAMB2 gene located at 3p21.  The normal gene encodes laminin beta-2 that is strongly expressed in intraocular muscles which may explain the hypoplasia of ciliary and pupillary muscles in Pierson syndrome.  Mutations in this gene are often associated with nephronophthisis but ocular abnormalities are not always present. 

Microcoria is also a feature of the autosomal dominant ocular condition known as congenital microcoria (156600).

This is an autosomal dominant disorder usually due to a heterozygous mutation in the PAX6 gene (11p13).  However, some patients with typical features do not have a mutation in this gene suggesting that there is genetic heterogeneity.  Some patients without point mutations nevertheless have defects in adjacent DNA suggesting a positional effect.  The possibility of autosomal recessive inheritance in some families with parental consanguinity cannot be ruled out.  The PAX6 gene plays an important role in iris development as it is also mutant in simple aniridia (106210) and in Peters anomaly (604229).

Mutations in the ITPR1 gene have also been identified in Gillespie syndrome.

This is likely an autosomal dominant disorder in which mutations of the PITX2 and FOXC1 genes common in Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome have been ruled out.  No locus has been identified.

This is an autosomal dominant disorder as in the other types.  The locus is at 13q14 but no molecular defect has been defined.  At least two individuals purported to have type 2 were found to have deletions of this segment of chromosome 13.