Joining the fingers: A HOXD13 story

Abstract

Synpolydactyly (SPD, OMIM 186000) is a rare congenital limb disorder characterized by syndactyly between the third and fourth fingers and between the fourth and fifth toes, with partial or complete digit duplication in the syndactylous web. The majority of these anomalies co-segregate with mutations in the HOXD13 gene,a homeobox transcription factor crucial for distal limb development. Different classes of HOXD13 mutations are involved in the pathogenesis of synpolydactyly, but an unequivocal genotype–phenotype correlation cannot always be achieved due to the clinical heterogeneity and reduced penetrance of SPD. All mutations identified so far mapped to the N-terminal polyalanine tract or to the C-terminal homeodomain of HOXD13,causing typical or atypical features of SPD, respectively. However, mutations outside of these domains cause a broad variety of clinical features that complicate the differential diagnosis. The existing animal models that are currently used to study HOXD13 (mal)function are therefore instrumental in unraveling potential genotype-phenotype correlations. Both mouse- and chick-based approaches allow the in vivo study of the pathogenic mechanism by which HOXD13 mutations cause SPD phenotypes as well as help in identifying the transcriptional targets.