Bloom syndrome is an inherited disorder characterized by short stature, a skin rash that develops after exposure to the sun, and a greatly increased risk of cancer.
Mutations in the BLM gene cause Bloom syndrome. The BLM gene provides instructions for making a member of a protein family called RecQ helicases. Helicases are enzymes that attach (bind) to DNA and unwind the two spiral strands (double helix) of the DNA molecule. This unwinding is necessary for several processes in the cell nucleus, including copying (replicating) DNA in preparation for cell division and repairing damaged DNA. Because RecQ helicases help maintain the structure and integrity of DNA, they are known as the "caretakers of the genome."
Bloom syndrome is a rare disorder. Only a few hundred affected individuals have been described in the medical literature, about one-third of whom are of Central and Eastern European (Ashkenazi) Jewish background.
This condition is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, which means both copies of the gene in each cell have mutations. The parents of an individual with an autosomal recessive condition each carry one copy of the mutated gene, but they typically do not show signs and symptoms of the condition.
Mounira Gueret-Amor practices in Orsay, France. Gueret-Amor is rated as a Distinguished expert by MediFind in the treatment of Bloom Syndrome. They are also highly rated in 1 other condition, according to our data. Their top areas of expertise are Bloom Syndrome and Adenine Phosphoribosyltransferase Deficiency.
Sagar Sengupta practices in New Delhi, India. Sengupta is rated as a Distinguished expert by MediFind in the treatment of Bloom Syndrome. He is also highly rated in 3 other conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Bloom Syndrome, Rothmund-Thomson Syndrome, PARC Syndrome, and Telangiectasia.
Stefan Meyer practices in Manchester, United Kingdom. Meyer is rated as a Distinguished expert by MediFind in the treatment of Bloom Syndrome. He is also highly rated in 6 other conditions, according to our data. His top areas of expertise are Bloom Syndrome, Fanconi Anemia, Congenital Aplastic Anemia, and Aplastic Anemia.
Published Date: April 01, 2015Published By: National Institutes of Health
There is no recent research available for this condition. Please check back because thousands of new papers are published every week and we strive to find and display the most recent relevant research as soon as it is available.