Expanding the phenotype of alveolar capillary dysplasia (ACD)
Received 19 February 2004; received in revised form 18 May 2004; accepted 29 June 2004.
Objectives
To define the phenotype of congenital alveolar capillary dysplasia (ACD) as a first step toward mapping the responsible gene(s).
Study design
Analysis of pathology reports and microscopic slides of 23 subjects with ACD and sequence analysis of two candidate genes.
Results
Our review of the pre- and postmortem records delineates both the natural history of this condition and the associated anomalies. Our collection of families corroborates the likely autosomal recessive nature of this condition in some families and provides additional data for genetic and prenatal counseling. Anomalies of many organ systems were detected either in the prenatal period or during the hospital course. However, some major anomalies were not detected until postmortem examination. Left-right asymmetry and gastrointestinal malrotation emerge as important, previously recognized but underappreciated phenotypic features of ACD. Finally, we used sequence analysis to exclude mutations in the coding region of two candidate genes, bone morphogenetic protein type II receptor (BMPR2) and endothelial monocyte-activating polypeptide II (EMAP II), as candidates for ACD.
Conclusions
Understanding the clinical spectrum of ACD and the cloning of an “ACD gene” both have implications for counseling, for prenatal testing, and for understanding the molecular pathophysiology of ACD and other organ malformations that are associated with this condition.
From the Departments of Pediatrics, Molecular and Human Genetics, Medicine, Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine; Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas; and Basic Medical Sciences Program, Washington State University, Spokane, Washington.
Reprint requests: Bassem A. Bejjani, MD, Washington State University Spokane, Health Research and Education Center, PO Box 1495, Spokane, WA 99210-1495.
Supported in part by a grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R03 HD044032-01).
ABSTRACT