Novel Mutations in the Gene Encoding Secreted Lymphocyte Antigen-6/Urokinase-type Plasminogen Activator Receptor-related Protein-1 (SLURP-1) and Description of Five Ancestral Haplotypes in Patients with Mal de Meleda

Mal de Meleda is a recessive, transgressive palmoplantar keratoderma for which we previously identified mutations in the gene encoding secreted lymphocyte antigen-6/urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor-related protein-1 (SLURP-1). In this report we describe two new mutations: (i) a founder mutation, which changes a conserved cysteine residue to tyrosine (C99Y) in a large inbred Tunisian pedigree, and (ii) a signal sequence mutation (W15R), which was homozygous in a German family and heterozygous in a Scottish patient. Four ancestral haplotypes were observed in 69 patients from countries around the Mediterranean basin, and an additional haplotype was found in the German and Scottish patients. Key words: palmoplantar keratoderma/Mal de Meleda/ARS (component B) mutations/secreted lymphocyte antigen-6/urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor related protein-1/ancestral haplotypes/SLURP-1.