Chang Chih-Yu, Yang Min-Chia, Cheng Hui-Ching, Lin Yu-Chen, McGrath John, Hsu Chao-Kai, Tu Wei Ting
Department of Dermatology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
Education Center, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan.
Clin Exp Dermatol. 2025 Feb 24;50(3):642-647. doi: 10.1093/ced/llae478.
ABCA12 is crucial for skin barrier function and is traditionally linked to severe congenital ichthyoses, such as harlequin ichthyosis. However, its genotype-phenotype relationship may be more nuanced. Using whole-exome sequencing and Sanger sequencing, we identified four cases of mild ichthyosis with biallelic ABCA12 pathogenic variants. In addition to a milder phenotype, the palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK) in these cases had a distinct 'mosaic tile-like' pattern. Two cases with missense variants in the N-terminus of ABCA12 also presented an annular ichthyosis pattern resembling erythrokeratodermia variabilis et progressiva. Our findings suggest a correlation between ABCA12 missense variant location and clinical presentation, expanding the phenotypic spectrum associated with ABCA12 variants and highlighting the potential for annular patterns or 'mosaic tile-like' PPK in these patients.