The phenotype of human STK4 deficiency

H Abdollahpour, G Appaswamy… - Blood, The Journal …, 2012 - ashpublications.org
H Abdollahpour, G Appaswamy, D Kotlarz, J Diestelhorst, R Beier, AA Schäffer, EM Gertz…
Blood, The Journal of the American Society of Hematology, 2012ashpublications.org
We describe a novel clinical phenotype associating T-and B-cell lymphopenia, intermittent
neutropenia, and atrial septal defects in 3 members of a consanguineous kindred. Their
clinical histories included recurrent bacterial infections, viral infections, mucocutaneous
candidiasis, cutaneous warts, and skin abscesses. Homozygosity mapping and candidate
gene sequencing revealed a homozygous premature termination mutation in the gene STK4
(serine threonine kinase 4, formerly having the symbol MST1). STK4 is the human ortholog …
We describe a novel clinical phenotype associating T- and B-cell lymphopenia, intermittent neutropenia, and atrial septal defects in 3 members of a consanguineous kindred. Their clinical histories included recurrent bacterial infections, viral infections, mucocutaneous candidiasis, cutaneous warts, and skin abscesses. Homozygosity mapping and candidate gene sequencing revealed a homozygous premature termination mutation in the gene STK4 (serine threonine kinase 4, formerly having the symbol MST1). STK4 is the human ortholog of Drosophila Hippo, the central constituent of a highly conserved pathway controlling cell growth and apoptosis. STK4-deficient lymphocytes and neutrophils exhibit enhanced loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and increased susceptibility to apoptosis. STK4 deficiency is a novel human primary immunodeficiency syndrome.
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