Renal-hepatic-pancreatic dysplasia: a broad entity

Liver and kidney disease in ciliopathies

Hepatorenal fibrocystic diseases (HRFCDs) are among the most common inherited human disorders. The discovery that proteins defective in the autosomal dominant and recessive polycystic kidney diseases (ADPKD and ARPKD) localize to the primary cilia and the recognition of the role these organelles play in the pathogenesis of HRFCDs led to the term "ciliopathies." While ADPKD and ARPKD are the most common ciliopathies associated with both liver and kidney disease, variable degrees of renal and/or hepatic involvement occur in many other ciliopathies, including Joubert, Bardet-Biedl, Meckel-Gruber, and oral-facial-digital syndromes. The ductal plate malformation (DPM), a developmental abnormality of the portobiliary system, is the basis of the liver disease in ciliopathies that manifest congenital hepatic fibrosis (CHF), Caroli syndrome (CS), and polycystic liver disease (PLD). Hepatocellular function remains relatively preserved in ciliopathy-associated liver diseases. The major morbidity associated with CHF is portal hypertension (PH), often leading to esophageal varices and hypersplenism. In addition, CD predisposes to recurrent cholangitis. PLD is not typically associated with PH, but may result in complications due to mass effects. The kidney pathology in ciliopathies ranges from non-functional cystic dysplastic kidneys to an isolated urinary concentration defect; the disorders contributing to this pathology, in addition to ADPKD and ARPKD, include nephronophithisis (NPHP), glomerulocystic kidney disease and medullary sponge kidneys. Decreased urinary concentration ability, resulting in polyuria and polydypsia, is the first and most common renal symptom in ciliopathies. While the majority of ADPKD, ARPKD, and NPHP patients require renal transplantation, the frequency and rate of progression to renal failure varies considerably in other ciliopathies. This review focuses on the kidney and liver disease found in the different ciliopathies.

Combination of cor triatriatum sinistrum and hypoplastic left heart syndrome in Meckel-Gruber syndrome: a case report

Meckel-Gruber syndrome (MKS) is a fatal, autosomal recessive disorder characterized by malformation of central nervous system, particularly occipital encephalocele, bilateral renal dysplasia, and polydactyly. However, the clinical findings of this syndrome encompass various organ abnormalities as a result of genetic heterogeneity. The associated heart anomaly in MKS is inconstant. Its prevalence is rare and no striking or specific cardiac defects have been documented. We present a case of MKS with combined cor triatriatum sinistrum (left atrium divided into upper and lower compartment by a thin membrane) and hypoplastic left heart syndrome (underdeveloped mitral valve, left ventricle, and aorta) in a 33-week male fetus that was ultrasonographically detected and confirmed by autopsy. In addition to the cardiac defects, the patient was found to have postaxial polydactyly of 4 extremities, Dandy-Walker malformation, bilateral renal cystic dysplasia, and hepatic plate malformation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a combination of cor triatriatum sinistrum and hypoplastic left heart syndrome in MKS has been reported in the literature.

Neonatal diabetes mellitus, congenital hypothyroidism, hepatic fibrosis, polycystic kidneys, and congenital glaucoma: a new autosomal recessive syndrome?

We report on two sibs (of 4) with a syndrome of minor facial anomalies, proportionate IUGR, neonatal non-autoimmune diabetes mellitus (NDM), severe congenital hypothyroidism (CH), cholestasis, congenital glaucoma, and polycystic kidneys. Liver disease progressed to hepatic fibrosis. The renal disease was characterized by large kidneys and multiple small cysts with deficient corticomedullary junction differentiation and normal kidney function. The phenotype observed in the two sibs was identical. Although a combination of liver, kidney, and pancreatic involvement has been described in Ivemark syndrome (hepato-renal-pancreatic syndrome), the coexistence of NDM, CH, and glaucoma in both sibs suggests the possibility that this combination of manifestations describes a new autosomal recessive syndrome. Mutation analysis for several candidate genes is warranted.