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Bone marrow failure syndromes — which comprise diverse conditions such as aplastic anemia, myelodysplasia (MDS), and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria — can be congenital or acquired. One of the congenital causes of bone marrow failure syndromes, dyskeratosis congenita (DC), results primarily from mutations in the gene that encodes dyskerin, a ribonucleoprotein associated with the telomerase complex. DC is also caused by mutations in genes responsible for maintaining telomere length; critical shortening of telomeres is associated with genomic instability that leads to arrested proliferation and shortened life span of cells. Clinical manifestations of DC include skin pigmentation, dystrophic fingernails, and leukoplakia. In addition, DC pa…