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Bosnian Journal of Basic Medical... May 2018Craniosynostosis is a developmental craniofacial anomaly, resulting in impairment of brain development and abnormally shaped skull. The main cause of craniosynostosis is... (Review)
Review
Craniosynostosis is a developmental craniofacial anomaly, resulting in impairment of brain development and abnormally shaped skull. The main cause of craniosynostosis is premature closure of one or more cranial sutures. It usually occurs as an isolated condition, but may also be associated with other malformations as part of complex syndromes. When left untreated, craniosynostosis can cause serious complications, such as developmental delay, facial abnormality, sensory, respiratory and neurological dysfunction, anomalies affecting the eye, and psychological disturbances. Thus, early diagnosis, expert surgical techniques, postoperative care, and adequate follow-up are of vital importance in treating craniosynostosis.
Topics: Brain; Cranial Sutures; Craniosynostoses; Developmental Disabilities; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Prevalence; Skull
PubMed: 28623672
DOI: 10.17305/bjbms.2017.2083 -
Disease Models & Mechanisms Apr 2022Craniosynostosis is a major congenital craniofacial disorder characterized by the premature fusion of cranial suture(s). Patients with severe craniosynostosis often have... (Review)
Review
Craniosynostosis is a major congenital craniofacial disorder characterized by the premature fusion of cranial suture(s). Patients with severe craniosynostosis often have impairments in hearing, vision, intracranial pressure and/or neurocognitive functions. Craniosynostosis can result from mutations, chromosomal abnormalities or adverse environmental effects, and can occur in isolation or in association with numerous syndromes. To date, surgical correction remains the primary treatment for craniosynostosis, but it is associated with complications and with the potential for re-synostosis. There is, therefore, a strong unmet need for new therapies. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of our current understanding of craniosynostosis, including typical craniosynostosis types, their clinical manifestations, cranial suture development, and genetic and environmental causes. Based on studies from animal models, we present a framework for understanding the pathogenesis of craniosynostosis, with an emphasis on the loss of postnatal suture mesenchymal stem cells as an emerging disease-driving mechanism. We evaluate emerging treatment options and highlight the potential of mesenchymal stem cell-based suture regeneration as a therapeutic approach for craniosynostosis.
Topics: Animals; Cranial Sutures; Craniosynostoses; Humans; Mesenchymal Stem Cells; Mutation; Syndrome
PubMed: 35451466
DOI: 10.1242/dmm.049390 -
The Veterinary Quarterly Dec 2022Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) is a chronic, lifelong, debilitating, primarily obstructive airway disease which adversely affects the quality of life... (Review)
Review
Brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) is a chronic, lifelong, debilitating, primarily obstructive airway disease which adversely affects the quality of life of many popular dog breeds. Respiratory restriction in bulldog breeds, pugs and Boston terriers frequently co-exist with pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, many brachycephalic dogs that appear clinically normal are, in fact suffering from chronic hypoxia and its systemic consequences. Concurrent gastroesophageal reflux-associated conditions, sleep disorders and systemic hypertension further impact the welfare of affected dogs. Acceptance of BOAS and associated clinical signs as being 'normal for the breed' is common amongst owners. While surgical correction of the upper airway is the mainstay of treatment, the provision of subsequent, frequently lifelong medical management is equally important for the maintenance of an acceptable quality of life, at least for some affected patients. Here we review the current knowledge concerning brachycephaly, combine it with shared clinical experience in the management of this debilitating condition, and discuss ethical considerations and the responsibility of veterinarians to contribute public education and to support appropriate breed standards for animals under our care.
Topics: Dogs; Animals; Quality of Life; Dog Diseases; Craniosynostoses; Airway Obstruction
PubMed: 36342210
DOI: 10.1080/01652176.2022.2145621 -
Nature Sep 2023Craniosynostosis is a group of disorders of premature calvarial suture fusion. The identity of the calvarial stem cells (CSCs) that produce fusion-driving osteoblasts in...
Craniosynostosis is a group of disorders of premature calvarial suture fusion. The identity of the calvarial stem cells (CSCs) that produce fusion-driving osteoblasts in craniosynostosis remains poorly understood. Here we show that both physiologic calvarial mineralization and pathologic calvarial fusion in craniosynostosis reflect the interaction of two separate stem cell lineages; a previously identified cathepsin K (CTSK) lineage CSC (CTSK CSC) and a separate discoidin domain-containing receptor 2 (DDR2) lineage stem cell (DDR2 CSC) that we identified in this study. Deletion of Twist1, a gene associated with craniosynostosis in humans, solely in CTSK CSCs is sufficient to drive craniosynostosis in mice, but the sites that are destined to fuse exhibit an unexpected depletion of CTSK CSCs and a corresponding expansion of DDR2 CSCs, with DDR2 CSC expansion being a direct maladaptive response to CTSK CSC depletion. DDR2 CSCs display full stemness features, and our results establish the presence of two distinct stem cell lineages in the sutures, with both populations contributing to physiologic calvarial mineralization. DDR2 CSCs mediate a distinct form of endochondral ossification without the typical haematopoietic marrow formation. Implantation of DDR2 CSCs into suture sites is sufficient to induce fusion, and this phenotype was prevented by co-transplantation of CTSK CSCs. Finally, the human counterparts of DDR2 CSCs and CTSK CSCs display conserved functional properties in xenograft assays. The interaction between these two stem cell populations provides a new biologic interface for the modulation of calvarial mineralization and suture patency.
Topics: Humans; Mice; Animals; Craniosynostoses; Osteogenesis; Cell Lineage; Phenotype; Stem Cells
PubMed: 37730988
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06526-2 -
The Journal of Clinical Investigation Nov 2023Skull development coincides with the onset of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation, brain-CSF perfusion, and meningeal lymphangiogenesis, processes essential for brain...
Skull development coincides with the onset of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation, brain-CSF perfusion, and meningeal lymphangiogenesis, processes essential for brain waste clearance. How these processes are affected by craniofacial disorders such as craniosynostosis are poorly understood. We report that raised intracranial pressure and diminished CSF flow in craniosynostosis mouse models associate with pathological changes to meningeal lymphatic vessels that affect their sprouting, expansion, and long-term maintenance. We also show that craniosynostosis affects CSF circulatory pathways and perfusion into the brain. Further, craniosynostosis exacerbates amyloid pathology and plaque buildup in Twist1+/-:5xFAD transgenic Alzheimer's disease models. Treating craniosynostosis mice with Yoda1, a small molecule agonist for Piezo1, reduces intracranial pressure and improves CSF flow, in addition to restoring meningeal lymphangiogenesis, drainage to the deep cervical lymph nodes, and brain-CSF perfusion. Leveraging these findings, we show that Yoda1 treatments in aged mice with reduced CSF flow and turnover improve lymphatic networks, drainage, and brain-CSF perfusion. Our results suggest that CSF provides mechanical force to facilitate meningeal lymphatic growth and maintenance. Additionally, applying Yoda1 agonist in conditions with raised intracranial pressure and/or diminished CSF flow, as seen in craniosynostosis or with ageing, is a possible therapeutic option to help restore meningeal lymphatic networks and brain-CSF perfusion.
Topics: Mice; Animals; Glymphatic System; Brain; Lymphatic Vessels; Perfusion; Craniosynostoses; Drainage; Ion Channels
PubMed: 37917195
DOI: 10.1172/JCI171468 -
Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Jan 2018A number of textbooks, review articles, and case reports highlight the potential comorbidity of choanal atresia in craniosynostosis patients. However, the lack of a... (Review)
Review
A number of textbooks, review articles, and case reports highlight the potential comorbidity of choanal atresia in craniosynostosis patients. However, the lack of a precise definition of choanal atresia within the current craniosynostosis literature and widely varying methods of detection and diagnosis have produced uncertainty regarding the true coincidence of these conditions. The authors review the anatomy and embryologic basis of the human choanae, provide an overview of choanal atresia, and analyze the available literature that links choanal atresia and craniosynostosis. Review of over 50 case reports that describe patients diagnosed with both conditions reveals inconsistent descriptions of choanal atresia and limited use of definitive diagnostic methodologies. The authors further present preliminary analysis of three-dimensional medical head computed tomographic scans of children diagnosed with craniosynostosis syndromes (e.g., Apert, Pfeiffer, Muenke, and Crouzon) and typically developing children and, although finding no evidence of choanal atresia, report the potentially reduced nasal airway volumes in children diagnosed with Apert and Pfeiffer syndromes. A recent study of the Fgfr2c Crouzon/Pfeiffer syndrome mouse model similarly found a significant reduction in nasal airway volumes in littermates carrying this FGFR2 mutation relative to unaffected littermates, without detection of choanal atresia. The significant correlation between specific craniosynostosis syndromes and reduced nasal airway volume in mouse models for craniosynostosis and human pediatric patients indicates comorbidity of choanal and nasopharyngeal dysmorphologies and craniosynostosis conditions. Genetic, developmental, and epidemiologic sources of these interactions are areas particularly worthy of further research.
Topics: Abnormalities, Multiple; Animals; Choanal Atresia; Craniosynostoses; Genetic Markers; Humans; Mice; Mutation; Nasopharynx; Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2; Syndrome
PubMed: 29280877
DOI: 10.1097/PRS.0000000000003928 -
Frontiers in Endocrinology 2022Osteoporosis is the most prevalent bone condition in the ageing population. This systemic disease is characterized by microarchitectural deterioration of bone, leading... (Review)
Review
Osteoporosis is the most prevalent bone condition in the ageing population. This systemic disease is characterized by microarchitectural deterioration of bone, leading to increased fracture risk. In the past 15 years, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), have pinpointed hundreds of loci associated with bone mineral density (BMD), helping elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms and genetic architecture of fracture risk. However, the challenge remains in pinpointing causative genes driving GWAS signals as a pivotal step to drawing the translational therapeutic roadmap. Recently, a skull BMD-GWAS uncovered an intriguing intersection with craniosynostosis, a congenital anomaly due to premature suture fusion in the skull. Here, we recapitulate the genetic contribution to both osteoporosis and craniosynostosis, describing the biological underpinnings of this overlap and using zebrafish models to leverage the functional investigation of genes associated with skull development and systemic skeletal homeostasis.
Topics: Animals; Craniosynostoses; Genome-Wide Association Study; Osteoporosis; Skull; Zebrafish
PubMed: 36225206
DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1020821 -
Current Opinion in Pediatrics Dec 2017When providing accurate clinical diagnosis and genetic counseling in craniosynostosis, the challenge is heightened by knowledge that etiology in any individual case may... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
When providing accurate clinical diagnosis and genetic counseling in craniosynostosis, the challenge is heightened by knowledge that etiology in any individual case may be entirely genetic, entirely environmental, or anything in between. This review will scope out how recent genetic discoveries from next-generation sequencing have impacted on the clinical genetic evaluation of craniosynostosis.
RECENT FINDINGS
Survey of a 13-year birth cohort of patients treated at a single craniofacial unit demonstrates that a genetic cause of craniosynostosis can be identified in one quarter of cases. The substantial contributions of mutations in two genes, TCF12 and ERF, is confirmed. Important recent discoveries are mutations of CDC45 and SMO in specific craniosynostosis syndromes, and of SMAD6 in nonsyndromic midline synostosis. The added value of exome or whole genome sequencing in the diagnosis of difficult cases is highlighted.
SUMMARY
Strategies to optimize clinical genetic diagnostic pathways by combining both targeted and next-generation sequencing are discussed. In addition to improved genetic counseling, recent discoveries spotlight the important roles of signaling through the bone morphogenetic protein and hedgehog pathways in cranial suture biogenesis, as well as a key requirement for adequate cell division in suture maintenance.
Topics: Craniosynostoses; Genetic Counseling; Genetic Markers; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Genetic Testing; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; Humans; Mutation; Exome Sequencing
PubMed: 28914635
DOI: 10.1097/MOP.0000000000000542 -
In Vivo (Athens, Greece) 2023Craniosynostosis refers to the early fusion of one or many cranial sutures, causing craniofacial abnormalities observed in 1:2,500 births worldwide. In most cases (85%),... (Review)
Review
Craniosynostosis refers to the early fusion of one or many cranial sutures, causing craniofacial abnormalities observed in 1:2,500 births worldwide. In most cases (85%), craniosynostosis is presented as sporadic anomaly (non-syndromic craniosynostosis), while in other cases (15%) as part of syndromes (syndromic craniosynostosis). Patients with syndromic disorder usually have more severe symptoms compared to those with single suture synostosis. Most common syndromes of craniosynostosis include Pfeiffer, Apert, Crouzon, Jackson-Weiss, Muenke and Boston type MSX2-related syndrome. The main gene mutations in craniosynostosis involve FGFR1, FGFR2, FGFR3, TWIST1 and MSX2, which encode key factors influencing cranial bone morphogenesis. The main therapeutic approaches are surgical as discussed in this review, and the type of therapy depends on the graveness of the incident.
Topics: Humans; Craniosynostoses; Skull; Mutation; Syndrome
PubMed: 36593018
DOI: 10.21873/invivo.13052 -
Indian Journal of Ophthalmology Jul 2022The current literature review aims to evaluate the ocular findings and associated ophthalmic features in Crouzon syndrome. Craniosynostoses are syndromes characterized... (Review)
Review
The current literature review aims to evaluate the ocular findings and associated ophthalmic features in Crouzon syndrome. Craniosynostoses are syndromes characterized by premature fusion of sutures of the skull and Crouzon syndrome is the most common of the craniosynostosis syndromes. Early fusion of sutures results in craniofacial anomalies, including abnormalities of the orbits. To prepare this review of the ophthalmic findings in this disorder, an organized search on online databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Ovid was carried out. The key terms searched were "Crouzon", "craniosynostosis", "eye" and "ophthalmic", and 51 research items were found. A total of 17 articles were included after scrutiny of the databases and a further 25 articles were added after augmented search. A detailed review was performed from the final 42 articles. A comprehensive description of associated anomalies is given along with the author's own technique of surgical management in cases with Crouzon syndrome having bilateral luxation bulbi with exposure keratopathy. However, for optimum management of cranial and oculo-facial dysmorphisms, a multidisciplinary team of specialists is required.
Topics: Craniofacial Dysostosis; Craniosynostoses; Eye; Face; Humans; Syndrome
PubMed: 35791116
DOI: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_3207_21