skip banner - Return to original view
site viewing options
 
Parents|Medical Information|Professionals|In your area|Campaigns

Aicardi-Goutières syndrome

What are the causes?

At the moment we do not know how changes in TREX1 and the RNASEH2 complex cause AGS. These genes make chemicals called nucleases which break down DNA and RNA. During the normal life-cycle of our cells, nucleases clean up naturally produced waste DNA and RNA. A failure of this process can induce the body to mount an immune reaction against its own DNA and RNA. A similar immune reaction is seen in response to viral DNA and RNA following an infection. This would explain why the clinical features of AGS and viral infection overlap and why we see high levels of the anti-viral agent interferon-alpha in children with AGS. 

View What are the symptoms? What are the symptoms?  |  Inheritance patterns and prenatal diagnosis View Inheritance patterns and prenatal diagnosis

Medical text written March 2007 by Dr Yanick Crow, Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant, Department of Clinical Genetics, Ashley Wing, St James's University Hospital, Leeds, UK.

 

Tell us what you think of this information...

Print whole article Print whole article

 

This Web Site © Copyright, Contact a Family 2008
Contact a Family, 209-211 City Road, London EC1V 1JN
Tel: (020) 7608 8700

Registered Charity No. 284912. Charity registered in Scotland No. SC039169
Company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales No. 1633333.
HM Revenue & Customs charity tax reference No. XN54769. VAT Reg. No. GB 749 3846 82