Mutations in several genes have been identified for these disorders (including latent transforming growth factor β (TGF-β)-binding protein-2 (LTBP2), ADAMTS10, ADAMSTS17 and fibrillin-1 (FBN1) for Weill-Marchesani syndrome, ADAMTSL2 for recessive GD and FBN1 for AD and dominant GD), encoding proteins involved in the microfibrillar network.
Although enhanced TGFβ signaling caused by FBN1 mutations can trigger either Marfan syndrome or GD and AD, our findings support the fact that TB5 mutations in FBN1 are responsible for short stature phenotypes.
The constellation of features in these AD and GD cases, including postnatal growth retardation of long bones and lung involvement, is reminiscent of the null ltbp3 mice phenotype.