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      Drugs & Diseases > Dermatology

      Reticulate Pigmented Anomaly

      Updated: Apr 12, 2021
      • Author: Robert A Schwartz, MD, MPH; Chief Editor: William D James, MD  more...
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      Overview

      Background

      Dowling [1] first delineated this genodermatosis as a distinct entity in 1938. In 1954, Degos and Ossipowski [2] described a patient with a similar case. Few patients with reticulate pigmented anomaly, also known as Dowling-Degos disease (DDD), have been reported. [3]

      Loss-of-function mutations were identified in the keratin 5 gene (KRT5) in all affected family members and in 6 unrelated patients with Dowling-Degos disease (reticulate pigmented anomaly). Another study found the same KRT5 mutation in patients with reticulate pigmented anomaly and its acantholytic variant, Galli-Galli disease. [4] This variant has a genotype/phenotype correlation with mutations in the keratin 5 (KRT5) gene. [5] In analyzing 5 patients lacking a KRT5 mutation, mutations in POGLUT1, encoding protein O-glucosyltransferase 1, were identified. [6] Additional POFUT1 mutations in Dowling-Degos disease have been documented. [7, 8, 9, 10] A novel mutation in the POFUT1 gene associated with Dowling-Degos disease and hidradenitis suppurativa has been described. [11] Scrotal Dowling-Degos disease was identified due to a novel frameshift variant in a gamma-secretase subunit presenile enhancer gene, a heterozygous PSENEN frameshift variant. [12]

      Dowling-Degos disease (reticulate pigmented anomaly) is slowly progressive. It is characterized by pigmented filiform epidermal papules closely resembling an adenoid seborrheic keratosis, but similar proliferations also develop around the variably dilated pilosebaceous follicles.

      Typical clinical Dowling-Degos disease (reticulate pigmented anomaly) may histopathologically be Galli-Galli disease. [13] Galli-Galli disease is a rare genodermatosis in the spectrum of reticulate hyperpigmentation, probably best regarded as an acantholytic variant of Dowling-Degos disease (reticulate pigmented anomaly). [14]

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      Pathophysiology

      Dowling-Degos disease (reticulate pigmented anomaly) is often familial and appears to be inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. [15, 16] A gene locus believed responsible in one Chinese patient was mapped to 17p13.3. [17] A genome-wide linkage analysis of 2 German families mapped this disease to 12q. [18] This region includes the keratin gene cluster, which was screened for mutations.

      Loss-of-function mutations were identified in the keratin 5 gene (KRT5) in all affected family members and in 6 unrelated patients with Dowling-Degos disease (reticulate pigmented anomaly). Another study found the same KRT5 mutation in patients with reticulate pigmented anomaly and its acantholytic variant, Galli-Galli disease. [4] This variant has a genotype/phenotype correlation with mutations in the keratin 5 (KRT5) gene. [5] In analyzing 5 patients lacking a KRT5 mutation, mutations in POGLUT1, encoding protein O-glucosyltransferase 1, were identified. [6] Additional POFUT1 mutations in Dowling-Degos disease have been documented. [7, 8]

      A heterozygous frameshift mutation in the V1 domain of keratin 5 was identified in a family with Dowling-Degos disease (reticulate pigmented anomaly). [19] This study confirmed that haploinsufficiency for K5 causes Dowling-Degos disease (reticulate pigmented anomaly) and points to a prominent role for the keratin intermediate filament cytoskeleton within basal keratinocytes in epidermal pigment biology.

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      Etiology

      See Pathophysiology. Dowling-Degos disease (reticulate pigmented anomaly) may coexist with hidradenitis suppurativa. [11] The follicular occlusion inherent in Dowling-Degos disease (reticulate pigmented anomaly) may predispose to the development of hidradenitis suppurativa. [20, 21] PUVA therapy neither aggravates nor reveals Dowling-Degos disease, [22] although it was described in one patient after this treatment.

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      Epidemiology

      Frequency

      Dowling-Degos disease (reticulate pigmented anomaly) is a rare condition worldwide.

      Sex

      Dowling-Degos disease (reticulate pigmented anomaly) affects both sexes. Although Dowling-Degos disease (reticulate pigmented anomaly) appears to be inherited in an autosomal dominant manner, [23] a female predominance has been noted in some surveys. [24]

      Age

      Dowling-Degos disease (reticulate pigmented anomaly) tends to develop early in adult life, with the onset of pigmentation occurring in individuals before they are aged 24 years. A Chinese newborn with reticulate pigmented anomaly of the flexures was recently described. [25]

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      Prognosis

      Dowling-Degos disease (reticulate pigmented anomaly) is slowly progressive but not life threatening.

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      Patient Education

      The patient and his or her family should be educated about the common autosomal dominant nature of Dowling-Degos disease (reticulate pigmented anomaly).

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