Interferon Regulatory Factor 6 Controls Proliferation of Keratinocytes From Children With Van der Woude Syndrome

Objective:  Interferon Regulatory Factor 6 (IRF6) is critical for craniofacial development, epidermal differentiation, and tissue repair. IRF6 mutations cause Van der Woude Syndrome (VWS) and Popliteal Pterygium Syndrome. Individuals with VWS exhibit craniofacial anomalies, including cleft lip and palate and lip pits. Furthermore, they have an increased risk for wound-healing complications following surgical repair when compared with patients with nonsyndromic cleft lip and palate (NSCLP). However, nothing is known about the skin of these patients. The objective was to characterize the skin of patients with VWS. We hypothesize that IRF6 is required for proper skin homeostasis in humans. Design:  Discarded tissue from a hip was collected during surgical alveolar bone graft. Samples from children with VWS harboring IRF6 mutations (n = 2) were compared with samples from children with NSCLP (n = 7). Histology was assessed following hematoxylin and eosin staining. The expressions of Proliferating Cell Nuclear ...