This study was conducted to investigate the mutation spectrum of ECM1 gene in nine Iranian families having at least one LP patient diagnosed clinically.
The absence of functional domains and truncated sequence most likely contribute to the lack of ECM1 function and thereby influence several aspects of dermal homeostasis that leads to LP pathogenesis.
Identification of mutation 507delT in a Japanese patient with LiP further supports the thesis that this mutation represents a recurrent mutation in ECM1 in patients with LiP.
Moreover, other recent studies have identified circulating autoantibodies against the ECM1 protein in most patients with lichen sclerosus, a common chronic inflammatory condition that shares some clinicopathological features with lipoid proteinosis.
Ophthalmological examinations, chart review, ultrasound biomicroscopy, corneal confocal microscopic examinations with Nidek confoScan 4 and direct sequencing of the extracellular matrix protein 1 gene in individuals from three consanguineous Saudi families with LP.
Patients with LP in the present study exhibited point mutations in the ECM1 gene, including one homozygous mutation (C220G) as previously reported, and one novel homozygous mutation c.508insCTG and two heterozygous mutations (C220G/P.R481X and c507delT/c.l473delT).
The purpose of this study was to investigate the architecture of the cutaneous microvasculature in lipoid proteinosis and lichen sclerosus to better determine the role of ECM1 in the skin pathology observed in these disorders.
The finding of a novel mutation in Pakistani family extends the body of evidence that supports the importance of ECM1 gene for the development of lipoid proteinosis.
Together with previously documented mutations in the extracellular matrix protein 1 gene, this study supports the hypothesis that exons 6 and 7 are the most common sites for extracellular matrix protein 1 gene mutations in lipoid proteinosis.
Genetic testing of theECM1 gene showed a homozygous nonsense mutation c.1441C > T (p.Arg481X) in exon 10, confirming the diagnosis of lipoid proteinosis.
Taken with the previously documented mutations in ECM1, this study supports the view that exons 6 and 7 are the most common sites for ECM1 mutations in lipoid proteinosis.
To determine the role of ECM1 in epidermal differentiation by examining gene and protein expression of epidermal differentiation markers in individuals with LiP and histological assessment of transgenic mouse skin that overexpresses Ecm1a in basal or suprabasal epidermis.