OMIM 607323 | DiseasesDB 33688 | |
Duane-radial ray syndrome is a rare disorder that affects the eyes and causes abnormalities of bones in the arms and hands.
Contents
Presentation
The name of the condition refers to the two elements which most commonly present:
People with the combination of Duane anomaly and radial ray malformations may have a variety of other signs and symptoms. These features include unusually shaped ears, hearing loss, heart and kidney defects, a distinctive facial appearance, an inward- and downward-turning foot (a clubfoot), and fused vertebrae.
Related conditions
The varied signs and symptoms of Duane-radial ray syndrome often overlap with features of other disorders.
Genetics
Mutations in the SALL4 gene cause Duane-radial ray syndrome. The SALL4 gene is part of a group of genes called the SALL family. These genes provide instructions for making proteins that are involved in the formation of tissues and organs before birth. SALL proteins act as transcription factors, which means they bind to specific regions of DNA and help control the activity of particular genes. Mutations in the SALL4 gene prevent one copy of the gene in each cell from making any protein. It remains unclear how a reduction in the amount of SALL4 protein leads to Duane anomaly, radial ray malformations, and the other features of Duane-radial ray syndrome and similar conditions. Duane-radial ray syndrome often is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, which means one copy of the altered gene in each cell is sufficient to cause the disorder.