Winchester syndrome
Encyclopedia
Winchester syndrome in a rare congenital
connective tissue disease
described in 1969, of which the main characteristics are short stature
, marked contracture
s of joints, opacities in the cornea
, a coarse face, dissolution of the carpal and tarsal
bones (in the hands and feet respectively) and osteoporosis
. Appearances resembled rheumatoid arthritis
. Increased uronic acid
was demonstrated in cultured fibroblast
s from the skin and to a lesser degree in both parents. Despite initial tests not showing increased mucopolysaccharide excretion, the disease was regarded as a mucopolysaccharidosis
.
In 2005 a patient with Winchester syndrome was shown to have mutation
s in the matrix metalloproteinase 2
(MMP2) gene. A 2006 study showed other mutations in the same gene, and observed that Winchester syndrome is probably part of a continuum that also includes Torg syndrome and nodulosis-arthropathy-osteolysis syndrome (NAO).
Congenital disorder
A congenital disorder, or congenital disease, is a condition existing at birth and often before birth, or that develops during the first month of life , regardless of causation...
connective tissue disease
Connective tissue disease
A connective tissue disease is any disease that has the connective tissues of the body as a target of pathology. Connective tissue is any type of biological tissue with an extensive extracellular matrix that supports, binds together, and protects organs...
described in 1969, of which the main characteristics are short stature
Short stature
Short stature refers to a height of a human being which is below expected. Shortness is a vague term without a precise definition and with significant relativity to context...
, marked contracture
Contracture
A muscle contracture is a permanent shortening of a muscle or joint.. It is usually in response to prolonged hypertonic spasticity in a concentrated muscle area, such as is seen in the tightest muscles of people with conditions like spastic cerebral palsy....
s of joints, opacities in the cornea
Cornea
The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber. Together with the lens, the cornea refracts light, with the cornea accounting for approximately two-thirds of the eye's total optical power. In humans, the refractive power of the cornea is...
, a coarse face, dissolution of the carpal and tarsal
Tarsus (skeleton)
In tetrapods, the tarsus is a cluster of articulating bones in each foot situated between the lower end of tibia and fibula of the lower leg and the metatarsus. In the foot the tarsus articulates with the bones of the metatarsus, which in turn articulate with the bones of the individual toes...
bones (in the hands and feet respectively) and osteoporosis
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease of bones that leads to an increased risk of fracture. In osteoporosis the bone mineral density is reduced, bone microarchitecture is deteriorating, and the amount and variety of proteins in bone is altered...
. Appearances resembled rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial joints. The process produces an inflammatory response of the synovium secondary to hyperplasia of synovial cells, excess synovial fluid, and the development...
. Increased uronic acid
Uronic acid
thumb|300px|The [[Fischer projection]]s of [[glucose]] and [[glucuronic acid]]. Glucose's terminal carbon's hydroxyl group has been oxidized to a [[carboxylic acid]]....
was demonstrated in cultured fibroblast
Fibroblast
A fibroblast is a type of cell that synthesizes the extracellular matrix and collagen, the structural framework for animal tissues, and plays a critical role in wound healing...
s from the skin and to a lesser degree in both parents. Despite initial tests not showing increased mucopolysaccharide excretion, the disease was regarded as a mucopolysaccharidosis
Mucopolysaccharidosis
Mucopolysaccharidoses are a group of metabolic disorders caused by the absence or malfunctioning of lysosomal enzymes needed to break down molecules called glycosaminoglycans - long chains of sugar carbohydrates in each of our cells that help build bone, cartilage, tendons, corneas, skin and...
.
In 2005 a patient with Winchester syndrome was shown to have mutation
Mutation
In molecular biology and genetics, mutations are changes in a genomic sequence: the DNA sequence of a cell's genome or the DNA or RNA sequence of a virus. They can be defined as sudden and spontaneous changes in the cell. Mutations are caused by radiation, viruses, transposons and mutagenic...
s in the matrix metalloproteinase 2
MMP2
72 kDa type IV collagenase also known as matrix metalloproteinase-2 and gelatinase A is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the MMP2 gene....
(MMP2) gene. A 2006 study showed other mutations in the same gene, and observed that Winchester syndrome is probably part of a continuum that also includes Torg syndrome and nodulosis-arthropathy-osteolysis syndrome (NAO).