Arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome is a lethal autosomal recessive multisystem disorder caused by biallelic loss-of-function variants in VPS33B (ARCS1) or its obligate partner VIPAS39/VIPAR (ARCS2). These two proteins form the CHEVI (class C Homologues in Endosome-Vesicle Interaction) tethering complex, which acts with RAB11A on the apical recycling endosome pathway. Loss of CHEVI function destroys apical-basolateral polarity in hepatocytes and renal proximal tubular cells and cripples the biogenesis of two specialised lysosome-related organelles - the epidermal lamellar body and the platelet alpha-granule. The cardinal triad is neurogenic arthrogryposis multiplex congenita, renal tubular dysfunction (usually renal Fanconi syndrome), and neonatal cholestasis with a characteristically normal or low serum gamma-glutamyltransferase; ichthyosis, intractable diarrhoea, severe failure to thrive, dysmorphism, central nervous system malformation, sensorineural deafness and an alpha-granule-deficient bleeding diathesis are common. Most affected infants die within the first year of life. Nomenclature. This entry deliberately carries the ARC name and MONDO:0017123 because that is the entity whose mechanism is curated here. Two historical clinical labels resolve into it and are retained as synonyms. The first is Fanconi-ichthyosis-dysmorphism (FID) syndrome, also called Deal-Barratt-Dillon syndrome, described in 1990 in six infants of consanguineous parentage who shared renal Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, musculoskeletal abnormalities, jaundice and diarrhoea, two of them with grey-platelet-like platelet morphology, all dead before 6 months of age. A 2001 multicentre ARC series concluded explicitly that this association "is part of the ARC spectrum", and the molecular basis was then established as VPS33B (2004) and VIPAS39 (2010). The FID presentation is the arthrogryposis-poor end of the spectrum: arthrogryposis is not obligate, and patients with complete loss-of-function VPS33B alleles have been reported with ichthyosis, cholestasis and renal dysfunction but no contractures. Note that the "Fanconi" in the FID label refers to the renal proximal tubulopathy, NOT to Fanconi anaemia - a conflation that persists in some classifications (see `discussions` and `notes`). Management is supportive; no disease-modifying therapy exists. Liver and kidney biopsy carry a very high risk of fatal bleeding from the platelet alpha-granule defect, so molecular diagnosis is preferred over tissue sampling.
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Conditions with similar clinical presentations that must be differentiated from Arthrogryposis-Renal Dysfunction-Cholestasis Syndrome:
name: Arthrogryposis-Renal Dysfunction-Cholestasis Syndrome
creation_date: "2026-08-02T00:00:00Z"
category: Mendelian
synonyms:
- ARC syndrome
- arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction, and cholestasis
- ARCS1
- ARCS2
- Fanconi-ichthyosis-dysmorphism syndrome
- FID syndrome
- Deal-Barratt-Dillon syndrome
- Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea
- Fanconi syndrome-ichthyosis-dysmorphism-jaundice-diarrhoea syndrome
description: >
Arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome is a lethal
autosomal recessive multisystem disorder caused by biallelic loss-of-function
variants in VPS33B (ARCS1) or its obligate partner VIPAS39/VIPAR (ARCS2).
These two proteins form the CHEVI (class C Homologues in Endosome-Vesicle
Interaction) tethering complex, which acts with RAB11A on the apical recycling
endosome pathway. Loss of CHEVI function destroys apical-basolateral polarity
in hepatocytes and renal proximal tubular cells and cripples the biogenesis of
two specialised lysosome-related organelles - the epidermal lamellar body and
the platelet alpha-granule. The cardinal triad is neurogenic arthrogryposis
multiplex congenita, renal tubular dysfunction (usually renal Fanconi
syndrome), and neonatal cholestasis with a characteristically normal or low
serum gamma-glutamyltransferase; ichthyosis, intractable diarrhoea, severe
failure to thrive, dysmorphism, central nervous system malformation,
sensorineural deafness and an alpha-granule-deficient bleeding diathesis are
common. Most affected infants die within the first year of life.
Nomenclature. This entry deliberately carries the ARC name and MONDO:0017123
because that is the entity whose mechanism is curated here. Two historical
clinical labels resolve into it and are retained as synonyms. The first is
Fanconi-ichthyosis-dysmorphism (FID) syndrome, also called Deal-Barratt-Dillon
syndrome, described in 1990 in six infants of consanguineous parentage who
shared renal Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, musculoskeletal abnormalities,
jaundice and diarrhoea, two of them with grey-platelet-like platelet
morphology, all dead before 6 months of age. A 2001 multicentre ARC series
concluded explicitly that this association "is part of the ARC spectrum", and
the molecular basis was then established as VPS33B (2004) and VIPAS39 (2010).
The FID presentation is the arthrogryposis-poor end of the spectrum:
arthrogryposis is not obligate, and patients with complete loss-of-function
VPS33B alleles have been reported with ichthyosis, cholestasis and renal
dysfunction but no contractures. Note that the "Fanconi" in the FID label
refers to the renal proximal tubulopathy, NOT to Fanconi anaemia - a
conflation that persists in some classifications (see `discussions` and
`notes`).
Management is supportive; no disease-modifying therapy exists. Liver and
kidney biopsy carry a very high risk of fatal bleeding from the platelet
alpha-granule defect, so molecular diagnosis is preferred over tissue
sampling.
disease_term:
preferred_term: arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis syndrome
term:
id: MONDO:0017123
label: arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis syndrome
parents:
- Renal tubular transport disease
- inborn disorder of bilirubin metabolism
- hereditary disease
- Intracellular trafficking disorder
mappings:
icd11f_mappings:
- term:
id: icd11f:235762608
label: Fanconi-ichthyosis-dysmorphism syndrome
mapping_predicate: skos:narrowMatch
mapping_justification: >-
The ICD-11 Foundation entity for the historical FID label. Recorded as a
narrow match now that this entry targets the ARC spectrum
(MONDO:0017123) on the strength of PMID:11668108, which concluded the FID
association "is part of the ARC spectrum": FID denotes the
arthrogryposis-poor end of this entry's extension rather than the whole of
it. The narrow match rests on that ARC-spectrum literature and not on the
ICD-11 definition, because the ICD-11 text does not faithfully reproduce
the original Deal-Barratt-Dillon description — it substitutes the homonym
error, reading "the association of Fanconi anaemia, ichthyosis,
musculo-skeletal anomalies, jaundice, and diarrhoea" where PMID:2206896
says "the Fanconi syndrome". The ICD-11 parentage propagates the same
misreading (see the `fid_icd11_fanconi_anaemia_misparent` discussion).
mondo_mappings:
- term:
id: MONDO:0022948
label: Deal Barratt Dillon syndrome
mapping_predicate: skos:closeMatch
mapping_justification: >-
MONDO:0022948 is the historical Deal-Barratt-Dillon / FID clinical label,
carrying "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and
diarrhoea" as a synonym (from MESH:C538206). Deliberately recorded as a
close rather than narrow match, unlike the ICD-11 FID class: MONDO:0022948
is an unreconciled stub - no textual definition, no gene association, no
OMIM xref - and it sits under MONDO:0001083 Fanconi renotubular syndrome
rather than under MONDO:0017123, so its intended extension is not
formally recoverable from MONDO. Asserting a hierarchical narrowMatch
would over-claim knowledge of a class that has not been given an
extension; closeMatch states the association without the subset claim.
MONDO's placement does at least get the "Fanconi" homonym right. See the
`mondo_deal_barratt_dillon_unreconciled_stub` discussion.
- term:
id: MONDO:0008822
label: arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction, and cholestasis 1
mapping_predicate: skos:narrowMatch
mapping_justification: >-
The VPS33B-defined child class, curated here as the ARCS1 subtype.
- term:
id: MONDO:0013255
label: arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction, and cholestasis 2
mapping_predicate: skos:narrowMatch
mapping_justification: >-
The VIPAS39-defined child class, curated here as the ARCS2 subtype.
inheritance:
- name: Autosomal recessive
inheritance_term:
preferred_term: Autosomal recessive inheritance
term:
id: HP:0000007
label: Autosomal recessive inheritance
description: >
All six infants in the original FID series were born to consanguineous
couples, consistent with autosomal recessive inheritance of a rare founder
or private allele. ARC-spectrum disease, to which FID belongs, is an
established autosomal recessive disorder caused by biallelic VPS33B or
VIPAS39 variants.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "six infants, from consanguineous marriages, with a new syndrome comprising the Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, musculoskeletal abnormalities, jaundice and diarrhoea"
explanation: Consanguinity in all six index families supports recessive inheritance of the FID phenotype.
- reference: PMID:25239142
reference_title: "Arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome: from molecular genetics to clinical features."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome is a rare but fatal autosomal recessive multisystem disorder caused by mutations in the VPS33B or VIPAR gene."
explanation: Establishes autosomal recessive inheritance for the ARC spectrum that subsumes FID.
has_subtypes:
- name: ARCS1
display_name: ARCS1 (VPS33B-related)
subtype_term:
preferred_term: arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction, and cholestasis 1
term:
id: MONDO:0008822
label: arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction, and cholestasis 1
description: >
ARC syndrome caused by biallelic VPS33B variants at 15q26.1, accounting for
roughly three-quarters of cases. VPS33B is the Sec1/Munc18-family subunit of
the CHEVI complex. The allelic spectrum is dominated by null variants, and no
VPS33B protein is detectable in tissues from classical cases; rare hypomorphic
alleles retaining partial VPS33B-VIPAR interaction produce attenuated
phenotypes with survival into childhood.
genes:
- preferred_term: VPS33B
term:
id: hgnc:12712
label: VPS33B
inheritance:
- name: Autosomal recessive
evidence:
- reference: PMID:15052268
reference_title: "Mutations in VPS33B, encoding a regulator of SNARE-dependent membrane fusion, cause arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "we mapped the disease to a 7-cM interval on 15q26.1 and then identified germline mutations in the gene VPS33B in 14 kindreds with ARC"
explanation: Establishes VPS33B as the ARCS1 disease gene.
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Germline mutations in VPS33B are found in approximately 75% of individuals with ARC"
explanation: Quantifies the ARCS1 share of the spectrum.
- name: ARCS2
display_name: ARCS2 (VIPAS39/VIPAR-related)
subtype_term:
preferred_term: arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction, and cholestasis 2
term:
id: MONDO:0013255
label: arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction, and cholestasis 2
description: >
ARC syndrome caused by biallelic VIPAS39 (formerly C14orf133, protein VIPAR)
variants, accounting for the cases without VPS33B lesions. VIPAR is the
obligate binding partner of VPS33B within the CHEVI complex. Reported alleles
are predicted null, and no clinical differences distinguish ARCS2 from ARCS1,
consistent with the two proteins acting as a single functional complex.
genes:
- preferred_term: VIPAS39
term:
id: hgnc:20347
label: VIPAS39
inheritance:
- name: Autosomal recessive
evidence:
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Mutations in VIPAR accounted for all cases of classical ARC in whom mutations in and linkage to VPS33B were excluded."
explanation: Establishes VIPAS39 as the ARCS2 locus.
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "We detected no differences in clinical symptoms, signs or disease course between subjects in VPS33B- and VIPAR-mutated ARC subsets."
explanation: Documents locus-independence of the clinical phenotype.
prevalence:
- population: Worldwide
measure_type: CASES_IN_LITERATURE
prevalence_class: ULTRA_RARE
notes: >
ARC-spectrum disease has no accurately defined population prevalence and is
over-represented in populations with high consanguinity rates (Saudi Arabia,
Pakistan), with sporadic reports from Turkey, North Africa, Italy, Portugal
and Asia. The historical FID label rests on a single 1990 series of six
infants; no further cases were published under that name because subsequent
cases were reported as ARC syndrome.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "We describe six infants, from consanguineous marriages, with a new syndrome"
explanation: The complete published FID case series is six infants.
- population: Infants with neonatal cholestasis
measure_type: ANNUAL_INCIDENCE
prevalence_class: UNKNOWN
notes: >
An indirect indication of how often ARC-spectrum disease underlies neonatal
cholestasis: in a series of 90 infants with neonatal cholestasis, the relative
incidence rate ratio of ARC was estimated at one-seventh that of biliary
atresia. This is a ratio within a referral cohort, not a population rate, so
no rate_per_100000 is asserted.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25239142
reference_title: "Arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome: from molecular genetics to clinical features."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "that of biliary atresia in 90 patients with neonatal cholestasis"
explanation: >
Fragment of the review's statement that the relative incidence rate ratio of
ARC was suggested to be 1/7 that of biliary atresia in 90 patients with
neonatal cholestasis; the sentence is hyphen-broken across a line in the
cached full text, so only the verifiable span is quoted.
clinical_burden:
burden_level: HIGH
rationale: >
Uniformly lethal in the index FID series — all six infants died by 6 months
of age — and ARC-spectrum disease more broadly kills most affected infants
within the first year of life. The burden combines multiorgan failure (renal
solute wasting with acidosis and dehydration, cholestatic liver disease,
malabsorptive diarrhoea, failure to thrive), a bleeding diathesis that makes
diagnostic biopsy hazardous, recurrent sepsis, and the absence of any
disease-modifying therapy.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "they required high fluid and bicarbonate intakes and all died by the age of 6 months of dehydration, acidosis and sepsis"
explanation: Documents uniform early mortality and intensive supportive-care requirement in the FID series.
- reference: PMID:22753090
reference_title: "Associations among genotype, clinical phenotype, and intracellular localization of trafficking proteins in ARC syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Most patients with ARC do not survive past the first year of life."
explanation: Confirms the high mortality burden across the ARC spectrum.
pathophysiology:
- name: Biallelic Loss of VPS33B or VIPAS39 Function
biological_scale: MOLECULAR
description: >
Germline biallelic loss-of-function variants in VPS33B (15q26.1) or, in
VPS33B-negative families, in VIPAS39/VIPAR abolish production of functional
protein. VPS33B is a Sec1/Munc18-family protein containing a Sec1-like domain
that regulates vesicle-to-target SNARE complex formation and subsequent
membrane fusion; VIPAR is its obligate binding partner. Nearly all reported
VPS33B alleles are null (nonsense, frameshift, splice), and no VPS33B protein
is detectable in tissues from classical ARC cases. VPS33B accounts for
roughly three-quarters of ARC-spectrum cases, with VIPAS39 explaining the
remainder.
genes:
- preferred_term: VPS33B
modifier: DECREASED
term:
id: hgnc:12712
label: VPS33B
- preferred_term: VIPAS39
modifier: DECREASED
term:
id: hgnc:20347
label: VIPAS39
molecular_functions:
- preferred_term: syntaxin binding (Sec1/Munc18-type SNARE regulation)
modifier: DECREASED
term:
id: GO:0019905
label: syntaxin binding
evidence:
- reference: PMID:15052268
reference_title: "Mutations in VPS33B, encoding a regulator of SNARE-dependent membrane fusion, cause arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "we mapped the disease to a 7-cM interval on 15q26.1 and then identified germline mutations in the gene VPS33B in 14 kindreds with ARC"
explanation: Original identification of VPS33B as the ARC-spectrum disease gene.
- reference: PMID:15052268
reference_title: "Mutations in VPS33B, encoding a regulator of SNARE-dependent membrane fusion, cause arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "VPS33B encodes a homolog of the class C yeast vacuolar protein sorting gene, Vps33, that contains a Sec1-like domain important in the regulation of vesicle-to-target SNARE complex formation and subsequent membrane fusion."
explanation: Defines the molecular function lost when VPS33B is inactivated.
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "We identified mutations in VIPAR (also called C14ORF133) in individuals with ARC without VPS33B defects."
explanation: Establishes VIPAS39/VIPAR as the second ARC-spectrum locus.
downstream:
- target: Loss of the VPS33B-VIPAR (CHEVI) Tethering Complex
causal_link_type: DIRECT
description: >
Absence of either subunit prevents assembly of the heterodimeric tethering
complex, since the two proteins function only together.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: IN_VITRO
snippet: "We show that VIPAR forms a functional complex with VPS33B that interacts with RAB11A."
explanation: Demonstrates that the two disease proteins act as one complex.
- name: Loss of the VPS33B-VIPAR (CHEVI) Tethering Complex
biological_scale: MOLECULAR
description: >
VPS33B and VIPAR are the two known components of the CHEVI (class C Homologues
in Endosome-Vesicle Interaction) complex, a metazoan endosomal tethering
complex distinct from the better-characterised HOPS and CORVET complexes. The
complex interacts with the active, GTP-bound form of RAB11A, placing it on the
apical recycling endosome pathway. Loss of either subunit therefore removes a
tethering step required for delivery of specific cargo to apical membranes and
to specialised lysosome-related organelles.
cellular_components:
- preferred_term: recycling endosome
term:
id: GO:0055037
label: recycling endosome
biological_processes:
- preferred_term: vesicle-mediated transport (endosomal vesicle tethering)
modifier: DECREASED
term:
id: GO:0016192
label: vesicle-mediated transport
- preferred_term: SNARE complex assembly
modifier: DECREASED
term:
id: GO:0035493
label: SNARE complex assembly
evidence:
- reference: PMID:27555442
reference_title: "The CHEVI tethering complex: facilitating special deliveries."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: OTHER
snippet: "VPS33B and VIPAR comprise the two known components of the recently christened class C Homologues in Endosome-Vesicle Interaction (CHEVI) complex, thought to act as a tethering complex in endosomal trafficking distinct from the HOPS and CORVET complexes in mammalian cells."
explanation: Names and defines the complex whose loss underlies the disease.
downstream:
- target: Disrupted RAB11A-Dependent Apical Recycling and Cargo Sorting
causal_link_type: DIRECT
description: >
Without CHEVI tethering, RAB11A-dependent delivery of apical cargo fails and
cargo is diverted to the basolateral membrane or to lysosomal degradation.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: IN_VITRO
snippet: "We suggest that the VPS33B-VIPAR complex is involved in stabilization of apical membrane protein content, possibly via the RAB11A-dependent apical recycling pathway"
explanation: Places the complex on the apical recycling pathway whose failure is the proximal cellular lesion.
- target: Defective Epidermal Lamellar Body Biogenesis and Secretion
causal_link_type: DIRECT
description: >
The same tethering function is required for the biogenesis and exocytosis of
epidermal lamellar bodies, a lysosome-related organelle.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:29409756
reference_title: VPS33B and VIPAR are essential for epidermal lamellar body biogenesis and function.
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: MODEL_ORGANISM
snippet: "epidermal lamellar bodies, which are essential for skin barrier function, had abnormal morphology and the localisation of lamellar body cargo was disrupted"
explanation: Links CHEVI loss directly to lamellar body failure.
- target: Failed Platelet Alpha-Granule Biogenesis
causal_link_type: DIRECT
description: >
CHEVI is likewise required for construction of the platelet alpha-granule,
another lysosome-related organelle.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:16123220
reference_title: "Requirement of VPS33B, a member of the Sec1/Munc18 protein family, in megakaryocyte and platelet alpha-granule biogenesis."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "VPS33B is involved in intracellular vesicle trafficking, being essential for the development of platelet alpha-granules but not for granule secretion"
explanation: Assigns alpha-granule biogenesis to the same trafficking complex.
- target: Neurogenic Arthrogryposis and Musculoskeletal Anomalies
causal_link_type: INDIRECT_UNKNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
description: >
Arthrogryposis in this disorder is neurogenic, so CHEVI loss must reach the
motor unit, but the intermediates are not established. No published work
identifies the neuronal cargo, cell type, or developmental window through
which VPS33B/VIPAS39 deficiency produces anterior horn involvement, and the
mouse models characterised to date address the cutaneous and platelet arms
rather than the neuromuscular one. The edge is therefore asserted as
indirect with unknown intermediates rather than left implicit.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:15052268
reference_title: "Mutations in VPS33B, encoding a regulator of SNARE-dependent membrane fusion, cause arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "an autosomal recessive multisystem disorder characterized by neurogenic arthrogryposis multiplex congenita"
explanation: >
Establishes that the contractures are neurogenic and part of the same
VPS33B-determined disorder; it does not establish the intervening mechanism.
- name: Disrupted RAB11A-Dependent Apical Recycling and Cargo Sorting
biological_scale: CELLULAR
description: >
Apical membrane cargo that normally traverses RAB11A-positive apical recycling
endosomes is mis-sorted: some proteins reach the basolateral membrane instead,
and others (e.g., CEACAM5) are diverted into late endosomes and lysosomes for
degradation. Cargo that bypasses the apical recycling endosome (e.g., MRP2) is
spared, which is what makes the defect cargo-selective rather than a global
secretory block.
cellular_components:
- preferred_term: recycling endosome
term:
id: GO:0055037
label: recycling endosome
biological_processes:
- preferred_term: apical protein localization
modifier: DECREASED
term:
id: GO:0045176
label: apical protein localization
- preferred_term: endosomal transport
modifier: ABNORMAL
term:
id: GO:0016197
label: endosomal transport
genes:
- preferred_term: ABCB11
modifier: ABNORMAL
term:
id: hgnc:42
label: ABCB11
evidence:
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Mis-sorting of some BSEP to the basolateral hepatocyte membrane was seen in the livers of individuals with ARC"
explanation: Direct human tissue evidence of apical cargo mis-sorting.
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Abnormal Ceacam5 expression was due to mis-sorting toward lysosomal degradation"
explanation: Documents the second fate of mis-sorted apical cargo — lysosomal destruction.
downstream:
- target: Loss of Apical-Basolateral Epithelial Polarity
causal_link_type: DIRECT
description: >
Cargo mis-sorting, compounded by transcriptional downregulation of
E-cadherin, degrades the apical junctional complex and with it epithelial
polarity and lumen formation.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: IN_VITRO
snippet: "Vipar- and Vps33b-deficient mouse inner medullary collecting duct (mIMDC-3) cells expressed membrane proteins abnormally and had structural and functional tight junction defects."
explanation: Connects cargo mis-sorting to junctional and polarity failure.
- name: Loss of Apical-Basolateral Epithelial Polarity
biological_scale: CELLULAR
description: >
The final shared cellular lesion in liver, kidney and gut: polarised epithelia
can no longer establish or maintain distinct apical and basolateral membrane
domains, and the apical junctional complexes required to build lumenal
structures (bile canaliculi, renal tubules) are destabilised. Reduced
E-cadherin, secondary to transcriptional downregulation rather than
mis-sorting, contributes independently.
cell_types:
- preferred_term: hepatocyte
term:
id: CL:0000182
label: hepatocyte
- preferred_term: proximal tubular epithelial cell
term:
id: CL:0002306
label: epithelial cell of proximal tubule
- preferred_term: enterocyte
term:
id: CL:0000584
label: enterocyte
biological_processes:
- preferred_term: establishment or maintenance of apical/basal cell polarity
modifier: DECREASED
term:
id: GO:0035088
label: establishment or maintenance of apical/basal cell polarity
genes:
- preferred_term: CDH1
modifier: DECREASED
term:
id: hgnc:1748
label: CDH1
locations:
- preferred_term: liver
term:
id: UBERON:0002107
label: liver
- preferred_term: kidney
term:
id: UBERON:0002113
label: kidney
evidence:
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: IN_VITRO
snippet: "The VPS33B-VIPAR complex thus has diverse functions in the pathways regulating apical-basolateral polarity in the liver and kidney."
explanation: States the shared hepatic and renal polarity lesion.
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: IN_VITRO
snippet: "Reduced expression of E-cadherin underlies disordered formation of the AJCs essential for generation and maintenance of lumenal structures such as bile ducts and renal tubules."
explanation: Mechanism linking E-cadherin loss to failed bile duct and renal tubule lumen formation.
downstream:
- target: Low-GGT Intrahepatic Cholestasis
causal_link_type: DIRECT
description: >
Mis-sorted canalicular transporters and hypoplastic peripheral biliary
radicles abolish intrahepatic bile flow despite a patent biliary tree.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Consequences of disordered apical protein restriction in ARC include mis-sorting of some apical proteins to basolateral membrane and into late endosomes and lysosomes, resulting in cholestasis and in urinary wasting of sugars and amino acids."
explanation: Directly attributes both the cholestasis and the renal solute wasting to apical mis-sorting.
- target: Proximal Tubular Apical Transport Failure
causal_link_type: DIRECT
description: >
The same polarity failure in the proximal nephron prevents apical
reabsorptive transport, producing urinary wasting of sugars, amino acids,
phosphate and bicarbonate.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "resulting in cholestasis and in urinary wasting of sugars and amino acids"
explanation: Attributes proximal tubular solute wasting to the polarity defect.
- target: Intestinal Malabsorption and Intractable Diarrhoea
causal_link_type: INDIRECT_KNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
description: >
Enterocyte polarity failure impairs brush-border absorptive function,
contributing to the diarrhoea and failure to thrive that are near-universal
in the ARC spectrum.
intermediate_mechanisms:
- Brush-border transporter mis-sorting and reduced absorptive surface function
- Cholestatic fat malabsorption from loss of intraluminal bile acids
evidence:
- reference: PMID:11668108
reference_title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "All had recurrent febrile illnesses, diarrhoea, and failed to thrive."
explanation: Documents diarrhoea and failure to thrive as universal in the ARC cohort.
- name: Low-GGT Intrahepatic Cholestasis
biological_scale: TISSUE
description: >
Non-obstructive cholestatic jaundice with a characteristically normal or low
serum gamma-glutamyltransferase — the combination that separates ARC-spectrum
liver disease from biliary atresia and most other neonatal cholestases.
Radionuclide imaging shows that labelled compounds normally secreted into bile
do not reach the duodenum despite biliary tract patency, and peripheral biliary
radicles are hypoplastic. Histology shows intrahepatocyte pigment accumulation
including lipofuscin, with hepatocyte giant-cell transformation.
cell_types:
- preferred_term: hepatocyte
term:
id: CL:0000182
label: hepatocyte
biological_processes:
- preferred_term: bile acid and bile salt transport
modifier: DECREASED
term:
id: GO:0015721
label: bile acid and bile salt transport
locations:
- preferred_term: bile canaliculus
term:
id: UBERON:0001283
label: bile canaliculus
evidence:
- reference: PMID:15052268
reference_title: "Mutations in VPS33B, encoding a regulator of SNARE-dependent membrane fusion, cause arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "neonatal cholestasis with bile duct hypoplasia and low gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (gGT) activity"
explanation: Defines the low-GGT cholestasis with bile duct hypoplasia characteristic of the spectrum.
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "labeled compounds normally secreted into bile do not enter the duodenum despite biliary tract patency, reflecting absent or severely reduced intrahepatic bile flow"
explanation: Demonstrates the intrahepatic, non-obstructive nature of the cholestasis.
downstream:
- target: Severe Failure to Thrive
causal_link_type: INDIRECT_KNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
description: >
Cholestasis impairs fat and fat-soluble vitamin absorption, compounding the
nutritional failure driven by diarrhoea and renal solute loss.
intermediate_mechanisms:
- Fat and fat-soluble vitamin malabsorption from absent intraluminal bile acids
evidence:
- reference: PMID:11668108
reference_title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Although all patients had severe cholestasis, serum gamma glutamyltransferase values were normal."
explanation: Documents severe cholestasis with normal GGT in the cohort that subsumed FID.
- name: Proximal Tubular Apical Transport Failure
biological_scale: CELLULAR
description: >
Generalised failure of apical reabsorptive transport in the proximal tubule
produces renal Fanconi syndrome: aminoaciduria, glycosuria, phosphaturia and
bicarbonate wasting (proximal renal tubular acidosis). In some ARC-spectrum
patients the renal presentation dominates and precedes recognition of the
hepatic and cutaneous features; a minority present instead with nephrogenic
diabetes insipidus.
cell_types:
- preferred_term: proximal tubular epithelial cell
term:
id: CL:0002306
label: epithelial cell of proximal tubule
locations:
- preferred_term: proximal tubule
term:
id: UBERON:0004134
label: proximal tubule
biological_processes:
- preferred_term: apical protein localization
modifier: DECREASED
term:
id: GO:0045176
label: apical protein localization
evidence:
- reference: PMID:11668108
reference_title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Renal Fanconi syndrome was present in all but one patient, who presented with nephrogenic diabetes insipidus."
explanation: Establishes renal Fanconi syndrome as near-universal, with a nephrogenic DI variant.
- reference: PMID:29907094
reference_title: "Severe renal Fanconi and management strategies in Arthrogryposis-Renal dysfunction-Cholestasis syndrome: a case report."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "A 6 year old girl presented during the first year of life with severe renal Fanconi as the first manifestation of ARC-Syndrome."
explanation: Documents a renal-predominant presentation, the pattern that produced the FID label.
downstream:
- target: Bicarbonate Wasting and Metabolic Acidosis
causal_link_type: DIRECT
description: >
Failure of apical bicarbonate reclamation produces proximal (type 2) renal
tubular acidosis with an obligatory high alkali requirement.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "they required high fluid and bicarbonate intakes"
explanation: Documents the obligatory alkali requirement created by bicarbonate wasting.
- target: Volume Depletion and Dehydration
causal_link_type: DIRECT
description: >
Osmotic solute wasting drives obligatory water loss and a high fluid
requirement, compounded by diarrhoeal losses.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "they required high fluid and bicarbonate intakes"
explanation: Documents the obligatory fluid requirement created by renal solute wasting.
- name: Bicarbonate Wasting and Metabolic Acidosis
biological_scale: ORGANISM
description: >
Proximal (type 2) renal tubular acidosis from obligatory urinary bicarbonate
loss, compounded by diarrhoeal alkali losses. Requires high alkali intake;
uncorrected it was a direct terminal event in the index series.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Their progress was poor: they required high fluid and bicarbonate intakes"
explanation: Documents the alkali requirement created by bicarbonate wasting.
downstream:
- target: Death in Infancy
causal_link_type: DIRECT
evidence:
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "all died by the age of 6 months of dehydration, acidosis and sepsis"
explanation: Acidosis is named as a direct cause of death in the index series.
- name: Volume Depletion and Dehydration
biological_scale: ORGANISM
description: >
Osmotic diuresis from proximal solute wasting, compounded by diarrhoeal fluid
losses, produces volume depletion requiring high obligatory fluid intake.
Failure to keep pace was a direct terminal event in the index series.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "they required high fluid and bicarbonate intakes"
explanation: Documents the fluid requirement created by renal and gastrointestinal losses.
downstream:
- target: Death in Infancy
causal_link_type: DIRECT
evidence:
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "all died by the age of 6 months of dehydration, acidosis and sepsis"
explanation: Dehydration is named as a direct cause of death in the index series.
- name: Intestinal Malabsorption and Intractable Diarrhoea
biological_scale: TISSUE
description: >
Persistent diarrhoea is one of the five cardinal FID features and is present in
essentially all ARC-spectrum infants. It reflects enterocyte apical trafficking
and polarity failure, compounded by cholestatic fat malabsorption, and drives
fluid and electrolyte loss on top of the renal losses.
cell_types:
- preferred_term: enterocyte
term:
id: CL:0000584
label: enterocyte
locations:
- preferred_term: small intestine
term:
id: UBERON:0002108
label: small intestine
evidence:
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "a new syndrome comprising the Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, musculoskeletal abnormalities, jaundice and diarrhoea"
explanation: Diarrhoea is a defining component of the FID phenotype.
downstream:
- target: Severe Failure to Thrive
causal_link_type: DIRECT
evidence:
- reference: PMID:11668108
reference_title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "All had recurrent febrile illnesses, diarrhoea, and failed to thrive."
explanation: Links diarrhoea to growth failure.
- name: Defective Epidermal Lamellar Body Biogenesis and Secretion
biological_scale: CELLULAR
description: >
Lamellar bodies (lamellar granules) are keratinocyte lysosome-related
organelles that are normally exocytosed at the boundary between the granular
and cornified layers, delivering the lipids that build the stratum corneum
permeability barrier. In ARC-spectrum skin, ultrastructural examination shows
lamellar granules entombed within cornified cells rather than secreted; their
internal structure is normal, distinguishing the defect from CEDNIK syndrome.
Vps33b- and Vipar-deficient mice reproduce the abnormal lamellar body
morphology and cargo mislocalisation.
cell_types:
- preferred_term: keratinocyte
term:
id: CL:0000312
label: keratinocyte
cellular_components:
- preferred_term: epidermal lamellar body
modifier: ABNORMAL
term:
id: GO:0097209
label: epidermal lamellar body
locations:
- preferred_term: skin epidermis
term:
id: UBERON:0001003
label: skin epidermis
evidence:
- reference: PMID:18347289
reference_title: "Defective lamellar granule secretion in arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction, and cholestasis syndrome caused by a mutation in VPS33B."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "ultrastructural examination of the skin in ARC syndrome revealed many entombed lamellar granules in the cornified cells"
explanation: Direct human ultrastructural evidence of failed lamellar granule secretion.
- reference: PMID:29409756
reference_title: VPS33B and VIPAR are essential for epidermal lamellar body biogenesis and function.
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: MODEL_ORGANISM
snippet: "Mouse knockouts of Vps33b or Vipas39 are good models of ARC syndrome and develop an ichthyotic phenotype."
explanation: Model-organism confirmation that the lamellar body lesion is sufficient for ichthyosis.
downstream:
- target: Stratum Corneum Lipid Barrier Failure and Ichthyosis
causal_link_type: DIRECT
description: >
Undelivered lamellar body lipid cargo leaves a defective cornified envelope
and reduced intercellular lipid lamellae.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:18347289
reference_title: "Defective lamellar granule secretion in arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction, and cholestasis syndrome caused by a mutation in VPS33B."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "VPS33B deficiency results in abnormal secretion of lamellar granules, which underlies ichthyosis in ARC syndrome"
explanation: Explicitly assigns the ichthyosis to defective lamellar granule secretion.
- name: Stratum Corneum Lipid Barrier Failure and Ichthyosis
biological_scale: TISSUE
description: >
The end result of failed lamellar body exocytosis is a structurally abnormal
stratum corneum — increased corneocyte thickness, a thinner cornified envelope
and reduced deposition of intercellular lipids — manifesting clinically as
ichthyosis. Skin biopsy typically shows mild hyperkeratosis without
parakeratosis. Impaired absorption of free fatty acids, secondary to cholestasis
and intestinal disease, has been proposed as an additional contributor.
locations:
- preferred_term: stratum corneum of epidermis
term:
id: UBERON:0002027
label: stratum corneum of epidermis
biological_processes:
- preferred_term: establishment of skin barrier
modifier: DECREASED
term:
id: GO:0061436
label: establishment of skin barrier
evidence:
- reference: PMID:29409756
reference_title: VPS33B and VIPAR are essential for epidermal lamellar body biogenesis and function.
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: MODEL_ORGANISM
snippet: "Stratum corneum formation was affected, with increased corneocyte thickness, decreased thickness of the cornified envelope and reduced deposition of lipids."
explanation: Quantifies the stratum corneum abnormality underlying the ichthyosis.
- reference: PMID:29409756
reference_title: VPS33B and VIPAR are essential for epidermal lamellar body biogenesis and function.
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: MODEL_ORGANISM
snippet: "These defects impact epidermal homeostasis and lead to abnormal barrier formation causing the skin phenotype in Vps33b and Vipar deficient mice and patients with ARC syndrome."
explanation: States the causal chain from lamellar body defect to skin phenotype.
- name: Failed Platelet Alpha-Granule Biogenesis
biological_scale: CELLULAR
description: >
VPS33B colocalises with alpha-granule markers in normal megakaryocytes and is
required to build the alpha-granule, which is a lysosome-related organelle like
the lamellar body. Its loss produces platelets that are large, pale on blood
films, deficient in both soluble and membrane-bound alpha-granule proteins, and
that show compensatorily increased delta-granules. This is the mechanistic basis
of the "grey platelet syndrome" morphology reported in two of the six original
FID infants — a phenocopy of, not an instance of, true NBEAL2/GFI1B grey platelet
syndrome.
cell_types:
- preferred_term: megakaryocyte
term:
id: CL:0000556
label: megakaryocyte
- preferred_term: platelet
term:
id: CL:0000233
label: platelet
cellular_components:
- preferred_term: platelet alpha granule
modifier: ABSENT
term:
id: GO:0031091
label: platelet alpha granule
biological_processes:
- preferred_term: platelet alpha granule organization
modifier: DECREASED
term:
id: GO:0070889
label: platelet alpha granule organization
evidence:
- reference: PMID:16123220
reference_title: "Requirement of VPS33B, a member of the Sec1/Munc18 protein family, in megakaryocyte and platelet alpha-granule biogenesis."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Structural abnormalities seen in ARC platelets included increased platelet size, a pale appearance in blood films, elevated numbers of delta-granules, and completely absent alpha-granules."
explanation: Defines the platelet ultrastructural phenotype matching the FID "grey platelet" observation.
- reference: PMID:16123220
reference_title: "Requirement of VPS33B, a member of the Sec1/Munc18 protein family, in megakaryocyte and platelet alpha-granule biogenesis."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: IN_VITRO
snippet: "VPS33B colocalized appreciably with markers of alpha-granules, moderately with late endosomes/lysosomes, minimally with delta-granules/lysosomes, and not with cis-Golgi complexes."
explanation: Localises VPS33B to the alpha-granule biogenesis compartment.
- reference: PMID:25947942
reference_title: "VPS33B regulates protein sorting into and maturation of alpha-granule progenitor organelles in mouse megakaryocytes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: MODEL_ORGANISM
snippet: "is caused by deficiencies in the trafficking proteins VPS33B or VIPAR, and is associated with a bleeding diathesis"
explanation: Confirms the bleeding diathesis attributable to the alpha-granule defect.
downstream:
- target: Bleeding Diathesis and Procedural Haemorrhage Risk
causal_link_type: DIRECT
description: >
Alpha-granule-deficient platelets aggregate poorly, producing a bleeding
tendency that makes diagnostic liver or kidney biopsy hazardous.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:16123220
reference_title: "Requirement of VPS33B, a member of the Sec1/Munc18 protein family, in megakaryocyte and platelet alpha-granule biogenesis."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "We have characterized platelets from patients with ARC syndrome and observed reduced aggregation with arachidonate and adenosine diphosphate (ADP)."
explanation: Functional platelet defect underlying the bleeding risk.
- name: Bleeding Diathesis and Procedural Haemorrhage Risk
biological_scale: ORGANISM
description: >
Self-limiting intra-abdominal haemorrhage is common, and liver or kidney biopsy
carries a reported risk of fatal bleeding exceeding 50%. Critically, routine
platelet count and morphology can be normal and therefore cannot be used to
exclude the bleeding risk — a management trap that makes molecular rather than
histological diagnosis the safer route.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25239142
reference_title: "Arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome: from molecular genetics to clinical features."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "or liver biopsies result in a risk of fatal bleeding"
explanation: >
Fragment of the review's statement that kidney or liver biopsies carry >50%
risk of fatal bleeding; "kidney" is hyphen-broken across a line in the cached
full text, so the quote starts at the next clean word boundary.
- reference: PMID:25239142
reference_title: "Arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome: from molecular genetics to clinical features."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "therefore, normal routine platelet analysis cannot assess"
explanation: >
States that normal routine platelet analysis cannot assess bleeding risk in
ARC; the sentence continues across a hyphenated line break so only the
verifiable fragment is quoted.
- name: Neurogenic Arthrogryposis and Musculoskeletal Anomalies
biological_scale: TISSUE
description: >
Congenital joint contractures in the ARC spectrum are neurogenic rather than
primarily myopathic or connective-tissue in origin. In the FID series this
component was described as "musculoskeletal abnormalities" rather than frank
arthrogryposis, and its relative mildness is precisely why FID was initially
separated from ARC. Complete loss-of-function VPS33B alleles have since been
shown to produce ichthyosis, cholestasis and renal dysfunction without
arthrogryposis, so its absence does not exclude the diagnosis. Reported
skeletal features across the spectrum include congenital hip dislocation and
vertical talus.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:15052268
reference_title: "Mutations in VPS33B, encoding a regulator of SNARE-dependent membrane fusion, cause arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "an autosomal recessive multisystem disorder characterized by neurogenic arthrogryposis multiplex congenita"
explanation: Establishes the neurogenic basis of the contractures.
- reference: PMID:16492441
reference_title: "VPS33B mutation with ichthyosis, cholestasis, and renal dysfunction but without arthrogryposis: incomplete ARC syndrome phenotype."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "although homozygous for the novel VPS33B mutation 971delA/K324fs, predicted to abolish VPS33B function, did not exhibit arthrogryposis"
explanation: >
Demonstrates that a null VPS33B genotype can present without arthrogryposis,
reconciling the FID phenotype with the ARC molecular aetiology.
- name: Severe Failure to Thrive
biological_scale: ORGANISM
description: >
Combined renal solute wasting, diarrhoeal loss and cholestatic fat
malabsorption produce severe, near-universal growth failure. Failure to
thrive is listed among the cardinal features of the spectrum.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:22753090
reference_title: "Associations among genotype, clinical phenotype, and intracellular localization of trafficking proteins in ARC syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Cardinal features of ARC include congenital joint contractures, renal tubular dysfunction, cholestasis, severe failure to thrive, ichthyosis, and a defect in platelet alpha-granule biogenesis."
explanation: Establishes severe failure to thrive as a cardinal feature.
- reference: PMID:15052268
reference_title: "Mutations in VPS33B, encoding a regulator of SNARE-dependent membrane fusion, cause arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Affected infants do not thrive and usually die in the first year of life."
explanation: Links growth failure to the infantile-lethal course.
downstream:
- target: Recurrent Infection and Sepsis
causal_link_type: INDIRECT_KNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
description: >
Malnutrition and multiorgan failure predispose to the recurrent febrile
illnesses that were universal in the ARC cohort.
intermediate_mechanisms:
- Malnutrition-associated impairment of host defence
evidence:
- reference: PMID:11668108
reference_title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "All had recurrent febrile illnesses, diarrhoea, and failed to thrive."
explanation: Co-occurrence of growth failure and recurrent febrile illness in all cohort patients.
- target: Death in Infancy
causal_link_type: INDIRECT_KNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
intermediate_mechanisms:
- Cumulative nutritional and multiorgan failure
evidence:
- reference: PMID:15052268
reference_title: "Mutations in VPS33B, encoding a regulator of SNARE-dependent membrane fusion, cause arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Affected infants do not thrive and usually die in the first year of life."
explanation: Directly couples failure to thrive to death in the first year.
- name: Recurrent Infection and Sepsis
biological_scale: ORGANISM
description: >
Recurrent febrile illnesses were universal in the ARC cohort, and sepsis was
one of the named terminal events in the index series.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:11668108
reference_title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "All had recurrent febrile illnesses, diarrhoea, and failed to thrive."
explanation: Recurrent febrile illness in all six cohort patients.
downstream:
- target: Death in Infancy
causal_link_type: DIRECT
evidence:
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "all died by the age of 6 months of dehydration, acidosis and sepsis"
explanation: Sepsis is named as a direct cause of death in the index series.
- name: Death in Infancy
biological_scale: ORGANISM
description: >
The convergent endpoint. Death follows in infancy from dehydration, acidosis,
sepsis, or internal haemorrhage. Every infant in the original FID series died
by 6 months; across the ARC spectrum most die within the first year, with
survival beyond infancy essentially restricted to patients retaining partial
VPS33B function.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "all died by the age of 6 months of dehydration, acidosis and sepsis"
explanation: The terminal common pathway documented in the index FID series.
- reference: PMID:22753090
reference_title: "Associations among genotype, clinical phenotype, and intracellular localization of trafficking proteins in ARC syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Most patients with ARC do not survive past the first year of life."
explanation: Confirms infantile lethality across the molecularly defined spectrum.
- reference: PMID:22753090
reference_title: "Associations among genotype, clinical phenotype, and intracellular localization of trafficking proteins in ARC syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: IN_VITRO
snippet: "cell-based assays show that c.1225+5G>C VPS33B mutant retains some ability to interact with VIPAR (and thus partial wild-type function)"
explanation: Residual VPS33B-VIPAR interaction is what permits survival beyond infancy.
phenotypes:
- category: Renal
name: Renal Fanconi syndrome
description: >
Generalised proximal tubular dysfunction with urinary loss of amino acids,
glucose, phosphate and bicarbonate. The defining renal component of FID, and
the origin of the "Fanconi" in the syndrome name.
diagnostic: true
frequency: VERY_FREQUENT
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Renal Fanconi syndrome
term:
id: HP:0001994
label: Renal Fanconi syndrome
evidence:
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "a new syndrome comprising the Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, musculoskeletal abnormalities, jaundice and diarrhoea"
explanation: Renal Fanconi syndrome is a defining component of FID.
- reference: PMID:11668108
reference_title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Renal Fanconi syndrome was present in all but one patient, who presented with nephrogenic diabetes insipidus."
explanation: >
Supports the VERY_FREQUENT frequency band — 5 of 6 patients (83%) in the ARC
cohort that subsumed FID.
- category: Renal
name: Renal tubular acidosis
description: >
Proximal (type 2) renal tubular acidosis from bicarbonate wasting, requiring
high alkali intake.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Renal tubular acidosis
term:
id: HP:0001947
label: Renal tubular acidosis
evidence:
- reference: PMID:11668108
reference_title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "the association of arthrogryposis, renal tubular acidosis, and cholestasis"
explanation: Renal tubular acidosis is one of the three defining ARC-spectrum features.
- category: Renal
name: Aminoaciduria
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Aminoaciduria
term:
id: HP:0003355
label: Aminoaciduria
evidence:
- reference: PMID:16492441
reference_title: "VPS33B mutation with ichthyosis, cholestasis, and renal dysfunction but without arthrogryposis: incomplete ARC syndrome phenotype."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "We describe a patient with cholestasis, aminoaciduria, ichthyosis, partial callosal agenesis, and sensorineural deafness"
explanation: Documents aminoaciduria in the arthrogryposis-negative (FID-like) presentation.
- category: Renal
name: Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus
description: >
An alternative renal presentation reported in a minority of ARC-spectrum
infants in place of renal Fanconi syndrome.
frequency: OCCASIONAL
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus
term:
id: HP:0009806
label: Nephrogenic diabetes insipidus
evidence:
- reference: PMID:11668108
reference_title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Renal Fanconi syndrome was present in all but one patient, who presented with nephrogenic diabetes insipidus."
explanation: >
One of six patients (17%) presented with nephrogenic diabetes insipidus,
supporting the OCCASIONAL band.
- category: Dermatologic
name: Ichthyosis
description: >
Generalised scaling skin disease from failed lamellar body secretion and
consequent stratum corneum lipid barrier failure. Skin biopsy shows mild
hyperkeratosis without parakeratosis.
diagnostic: true
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Ichthyosis
term:
id: HP:0008064
label: Ichthyosis
evidence:
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "a new syndrome comprising the Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, musculoskeletal abnormalities, jaundice and diarrhoea"
explanation: Ichthyosis is a defining component of FID.
- reference: PMID:18347289
reference_title: "Defective lamellar granule secretion in arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction, and cholestasis syndrome caused by a mutation in VPS33B."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Neurological signs and ichthyosis almost invariably accompany the disease."
explanation: Confirms ichthyosis as a near-constant feature of the spectrum.
- category: Hepatic
name: Cholestasis
description: >
Severe non-obstructive intrahepatic cholestasis with characteristically normal
or low serum gamma-glutamyltransferase and bile duct hypoplasia.
diagnostic: true
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Cholestasis
term:
id: HP:0001396
label: Cholestasis
evidence:
- reference: PMID:11668108
reference_title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Although all patients had severe cholestasis, serum gamma glutamyltransferase values were normal."
explanation: Documents the severe low-GGT cholestasis of the spectrum.
- category: Hepatic
name: Jaundice
description: >
Conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia from intrahepatic cholestasis; one of the five
cardinal FID features.
diagnostic: true
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Jaundice
term:
id: HP:0000952
label: Jaundice
evidence:
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "a new syndrome comprising the Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, musculoskeletal abnormalities, jaundice and diarrhoea"
explanation: Jaundice is a defining component of FID.
- category: Hepatic
name: Conjugated hyperbilirubinemia
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Conjugated hyperbilirubinemia
term:
id: HP:0002908
label: Conjugated hyperbilirubinemia
evidence:
- reference: PMID:16492441
reference_title: "VPS33B mutation with ichthyosis, cholestasis, and renal dysfunction but without arthrogryposis: incomplete ARC syndrome phenotype."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Arthrogryposis, spillage of various substances in the urine, and conjugated hyperbilirubinemia define an ARC core phenotype"
explanation: Conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia is a core-phenotype element.
- category: Gastrointestinal
name: Diarrhea
description: >
Persistent, often intractable diarrhoea contributing to fluid loss and failure
to thrive; one of the five cardinal FID features.
frequency: VERY_FREQUENT
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Diarrhea
term:
id: HP:0002014
label: Diarrhea
temporality: CHRONIC
evidence:
- reference: PMID:11668108
reference_title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "All had recurrent febrile illnesses, diarrhoea, and failed to thrive."
explanation: >
All six patients in the ARC cohort had diarrhoea, supporting the
VERY_FREQUENT band.
- category: Growth
name: Failure to thrive
frequency: VERY_FREQUENT
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Failure to thrive
term:
id: HP:0001508
label: Failure to thrive
evidence:
- reference: PMID:11668108
reference_title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "All had recurrent febrile illnesses, diarrhoea, and failed to thrive."
explanation: >
All six patients failed to thrive, supporting the VERY_FREQUENT band.
- reference: PMID:22753090
reference_title: "Associations among genotype, clinical phenotype, and intracellular localization of trafficking proteins in ARC syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Cardinal features of ARC include congenital joint contractures, renal tubular dysfunction, cholestasis, severe failure to thrive, ichthyosis, and a defect in platelet alpha-granule biogenesis."
explanation: Lists severe failure to thrive among cardinal spectrum features.
- category: Craniofacial
name: Dysmorphic facial features
description: >
The "dysmorphism" of the FID acronym. Dysmorphic features are reported in a
substantial proportion of ARC-spectrum infants but have not been reduced to a
consistent recognisable gestalt, and no specific facial HPO terms can be
supported from the primary sources.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Abnormal facial shape
term:
id: HP:0001999
label: Abnormal facial shape
evidence:
- reference: PMID:11668108
reference_title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Many of our patients showed dysmorphic features or ichthyosis."
explanation: Documents dysmorphic features in the cohort that subsumed FID.
- category: Musculoskeletal
name: Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita
description: >
Neurogenic congenital joint contractures. Present in classical ARC but
conspicuously mild or absent in the FID presentation, where the original
description recorded "musculoskeletal abnormalities" instead. Its absence does
not exclude biallelic VPS33B loss of function.
frequency: VARIABLE
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita
term:
id: HP:0002804
label: Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita
evidence:
- reference: PMID:11668108
reference_title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "All patients had the typical pattern of arthrogryposis."
explanation: Arthrogryposis was universal in the classical ARC cohort.
- reference: PMID:16492441
reference_title: "VPS33B mutation with ichthyosis, cholestasis, and renal dysfunction but without arthrogryposis: incomplete ARC syndrome phenotype."
supports: PARTIAL
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "The phenotypes associated with VPS33B mutation may include incomplete ARC."
explanation: >
Counter-evidence for obligate arthrogryposis — supports the VARIABLE band and
explains why the FID cases were not recognised as ARC at the time.
- category: Hematologic
name: Reduced platelet alpha granules
description: >
Complete or near-complete absence of platelet alpha-granules with loss of both
soluble and membrane-bound alpha-granule proteins — the mechanistic basis of the
"grey platelet syndrome" morphology described in two of the six FID infants.
diagnostic: true
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Reduced platelet alpha granules
term:
id: HP:0033536
label: Reduced platelet alpha granules
evidence:
- reference: PMID:16123220
reference_title: "Requirement of VPS33B, a member of the Sec1/Munc18 protein family, in megakaryocyte and platelet alpha-granule biogenesis."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Soluble and membrane-bound alpha-granule proteins were significantly decreased or undetectable in ARC platelets"
explanation: Documents alpha-granule protein deficiency in patient platelets.
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "two of the infants were found to have abnormal platelet morphology--the grey platelet syndrome"
explanation: The original FID observation this phenotype term formalises.
- category: Hematologic
name: Increased mean platelet volume
description: >
Abnormally large, pale platelets on blood film — a low-cost diagnostic clue.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Increased mean platelet volume
term:
id: HP:0011877
label: Increased mean platelet volume
evidence:
- reference: PMID:11668108
reference_title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Blood films revealed abnormally large platelets."
explanation: Large platelets on blood film in the ARC cohort that subsumed FID.
- category: Hematologic
name: Abnormal bleeding
description: >
Bleeding diathesis from dysfunctional alpha-granule-deficient platelets;
self-limiting intra-abdominal haemorrhage is common and biopsy carries a high
risk of fatal bleeding.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Abnormal bleeding
term:
id: HP:0001892
label: Abnormal bleeding
evidence:
- reference: PMID:16123220
reference_title: "Requirement of VPS33B, a member of the Sec1/Munc18 protein family, in megakaryocyte and platelet alpha-granule biogenesis."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "We have characterized platelets from patients with ARC syndrome and observed reduced aggregation with arachidonate and adenosine diphosphate (ADP)."
explanation: >
Human patient platelets show impaired aggregation - the functional defect
underlying the bleeding tendency. This is the primary, human-derived support
for the phenotype.
- reference: PMID:25239142
reference_title: "Arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome: from molecular genetics to clinical features."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "abdominal hemorrhage often occurs in patients with"
explanation: >
Human clinical corroboration that self-limiting intra-abdominal haemorrhage
is common in ARC patients; the sentence wraps across a line in the cached
full text, so only the verifiable span is quoted.
- reference: PMID:25947942
reference_title: "VPS33B regulates protein sorting into and maturation of alpha-granule progenitor organelles in mouse megakaryocytes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: MODEL_ORGANISM
snippet: "is caused by deficiencies in the trafficking proteins VPS33B or VIPAR, and is associated with a bleeding diathesis"
explanation: >
Background framing from a Vps33b-conditional mouse study, retained as
secondary support only. Tagged MODEL_ORGANISM to match the same snippet's
classification on the Failed Platelet Alpha-Granule Biogenesis node.
- category: Metabolic
name: Dehydration
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Dehydration
term:
id: HP:0001944
label: Dehydration
evidence:
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "all died by the age of 6 months of dehydration, acidosis and sepsis"
explanation: Dehydration was a proximate cause of death in the FID series.
- category: Immunologic
name: Recurrent febrile illness and sepsis
description: >
Recurrent febrile illnesses were universal in the ARC cohort, and sepsis was a
terminal event in the FID series.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Sepsis
term:
id: HP:0100806
label: Sepsis
evidence:
- reference: PMID:11668108
reference_title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "All had recurrent febrile illnesses, diarrhoea, and failed to thrive."
explanation: Recurrent febrile illness in all cohort patients.
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "all died by the age of 6 months of dehydration, acidosis and sepsis"
explanation: Sepsis as a terminal event in the FID series.
- category: Neurologic
name: Sensorineural hearing impairment
description: >
Reported in the arthrogryposis-negative VPS33B presentation and, more
prominently, in the allelic ARKID syndrome.
frequency: OCCASIONAL
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Sensorineural hearing impairment
term:
id: HP:0000407
label: Sensorineural hearing impairment
evidence:
- reference: PMID:16492441
reference_title: "VPS33B mutation with ichthyosis, cholestasis, and renal dysfunction but without arthrogryposis: incomplete ARC syndrome phenotype."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "We describe a patient with cholestasis, aminoaciduria, ichthyosis, partial callosal agenesis, and sensorineural deafness"
explanation: Deafness in the FID-like arthrogryposis-negative phenotype.
- category: Neurologic
name: Corpus callosum abnormality
description: >
Partial callosal agenesis and other central nervous system malformations occur
in a subset of the spectrum.
frequency: OCCASIONAL
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Hypoplasia of the corpus callosum
term:
id: HP:0002079
label: Hypoplasia of the corpus callosum
evidence:
- reference: PMID:16492441
reference_title: "VPS33B mutation with ichthyosis, cholestasis, and renal dysfunction but without arthrogryposis: incomplete ARC syndrome phenotype."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "in some patients associated with ichthyosis, central nervous system malformation, deafness, and platelet abnormalities"
explanation: CNS malformation as a variable spectrum feature.
biochemical:
- name: Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase
presence: NORMAL
notes: >
Usually the most useful discriminating laboratory finding, but not an absolute
rule. Severe conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia with a NORMAL or low serum GGT
separates ARC-spectrum cholestasis from biliary atresia, Alagille syndrome and
most other causes of neonatal cholestasis, in which GGT is elevated, and it
overlaps with the low-GGT PFIC types, which are the principal differential.
Important exception: a genotype-confirmed ARC patient has been reported with a
persistently HIGH GGT, so a raised GGT does not exclude the diagnosis.
biomarker_term:
preferred_term: serum gamma-glutamyltransferase (normal or low despite cholestasis)
evidence:
- reference: PMID:11668108
reference_title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Although all patients had severe cholestasis, serum gamma glutamyltransferase values were normal."
explanation: Documents normal GGT despite severe cholestasis in all cohort patients.
- reference: PMID:15052268
reference_title: "Mutations in VPS33B, encoding a regulator of SNARE-dependent membrane fusion, cause arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "neonatal cholestasis with bile duct hypoplasia and low gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (gGT) activity"
explanation: Low GGT is part of the defining biochemical signature.
- reference: PMID:24782640
reference_title: "ARC syndrome with high GGT cholestasis caused by VPS33B mutations."
supports: PARTIAL
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "this case indicates that ARC syndrome cannot be excluded from the differential diagnosis of neonatal cholestasis even if high GGT activity is found"
explanation: >
Counter-evidence bounding the low-GGT rule. A genotype-confirmed ARC patient
(compound heterozygous VPS33B c.403+2T>A / c.1509-1510insG) had a HIGH GGT on
three consecutive tests alongside otherwise typical arthrogryposis, renal
involvement and ichthyosis. A high GGT therefore does not exclude ARC.
- name: Urinary amino acids
presence: INCREASED
notes: >
Generalised aminoaciduria as part of proximal tubular solute wasting.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "resulting in cholestasis and in urinary wasting of sugars and amino acids"
explanation: Documents urinary amino acid and sugar wasting as a consequence of the trafficking defect.
- name: Urinary glucose
presence: INCREASED
notes: >
Glycosuria with normal blood glucose, reflecting proximal tubular transport
failure rather than hyperglycaemia.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "urinary wasting of sugars and amino acids"
explanation: Documents urinary sugar wasting.
genetic:
- name: VPS33B
subtype: ARCS1
gene_term:
preferred_term: VPS33B
term:
id: hgnc:12712
label: VPS33B
relationship_type: CAUSATIVE
variant_origin: GERMLINE
frequency: approximately 75% of ARC-spectrum cases
inheritance:
- name: Autosomal recessive
inheritance_term:
preferred_term: Autosomal recessive inheritance
term:
id: HP:0000007
label: Autosomal recessive inheritance
notes: >
VPS33B lies at 15q26.1 and encodes a Sec1/Munc18-family protein. The reported
allelic spectrum is dominated by null variants — nonsense, frameshift and
splice-site changes — with only rare missense alleles; no VPS33B protein is
detectable in tissues from classical ARC cases. A curated locus-specific
database (LOVD) collates known VPS33B and VIPAS39 variants. Rare hypomorphic
alleles that retain partial VPS33B-VIPAR interaction (e.g., the splice variant
c.1225+5G>C) produce attenuated phenotypes with survival into childhood, giving
the first genotype-phenotype correlation in the spectrum. VPS33B is also
allelic with autosomal recessive keratoderma-ichthyosis-deafness (ARKID)
syndrome, in which missense variants impair Rab11a/Rab25 interaction and
trafficking of the collagen-modifying enzyme LH3 without producing the full ARC
picture. No molecular testing was available at the time of the 1990 FID report,
so no FID proband has a confirmed genotype (see `discussions`).
evidence:
- reference: PMID:15052268
reference_title: "Mutations in VPS33B, encoding a regulator of SNARE-dependent membrane fusion, cause arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "we mapped the disease to a 7-cM interval on 15q26.1 and then identified germline mutations in the gene VPS33B in 14 kindreds with ARC"
explanation: Establishes VPS33B as causative and localises it to 15q26.1.
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Germline mutations in VPS33B are found in approximately 75% of individuals with ARC"
explanation: Quantifies the VPS33B share of ARC-spectrum cases.
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "only one (T89C; L30P) of 31 VPS33B-proven pathogenic mutations detected so far in ARC is a missense mutation"
explanation: Documents the null-dominated allelic spectrum.
- reference: PMID:22753090
reference_title: "Associations among genotype, clinical phenotype, and intracellular localization of trafficking proteins in ARC syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "This study provides the first evidence of genotype-phenotype correlation in ARC and suggests that VPS33B c.1225+5G>C mutation predicts a mild ARC phenotype."
explanation: Establishes the hypomorphic-allele basis of attenuated phenotypes.
- reference: PMID:28017832
reference_title: "Autosomal Recessive Keratoderma-Ichthyosis-Deafness (ARKID) Syndrome Is Caused by VPS33B Mutations Affecting Rab Protein Interaction and Collagen Modification."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Biallelic mutations were found in VPS33B, encoding VPS33B, a Sec1/Munc18 family protein that interacts with Rab11a and Rab25 proteins and is involved in trafficking of the collagen-modifying enzyme LH3."
explanation: Documents the allelic ARKID phenotype and an additional VPS33B cargo (LH3).
- name: VIPAS39
subtype: ARCS2
gene_term:
preferred_term: VIPAS39
term:
id: hgnc:20347
label: VIPAS39
relationship_type: CAUSATIVE
variant_origin: GERMLINE
frequency: the minority of ARC-spectrum cases without VPS33B variants
inheritance:
- name: Autosomal recessive
inheritance_term:
preferred_term: Autosomal recessive inheritance
term:
id: HP:0000007
label: Autosomal recessive inheritance
notes: >
VIPAS39 (formerly C14orf133, protein name VIPAR) encodes the obligate binding
partner of VPS33B. Biallelic VIPAS39 variants accounted for every classical ARC
case in which VPS33B mutation and linkage were excluded, and the reported
alleles (six nonsense, one frameshift, one start-codon change) are predicted
null. No clinical differences distinguish VPS33B- from VIPAS39-mutated
patients, consistent with the two proteins acting as a single functional
complex.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Mutations in VIPAR accounted for all cases of classical ARC in whom mutations in and linkage to VPS33B were excluded."
explanation: Establishes VIPAS39 as the second and apparently only other ARC-spectrum locus.
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "We detected no differences in clinical symptoms, signs or disease course between subjects in VPS33B- and VIPAR-mutated ARC subsets."
explanation: Documents locus-independence of the clinical phenotype.
diagnosis:
- name: Molecular genetic testing of VPS33B and VIPAS39
description: >
Sequencing of VPS33B and VIPAS39 is the preferred confirmatory test and is
explicitly safer than tissue diagnosis, because liver or kidney biopsy carries a
reported risk of fatal bleeding above 50% from the platelet alpha-granule
defect. Limitations are turnaround time and the possibility of false negatives.
diagnosis_term:
preferred_term: molecular genetic testing
term:
id: NCIT:C19770
label: Molecular Analysis
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25239142
reference_title: "Arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome: from molecular genetics to clinical features."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "along with VPS33B and VIPAR sequencing analyses constitute an apparently safer diagnostic procedure"
explanation: >
Recommends sequencing over biopsy as the safer diagnostic route; the sentence
begins with a hyphen-broken word ("presenta-tions") in the cached full text, so
the quote starts at the verifiable boundary.
- name: Peripheral blood film and platelet morphology
description: >
Examination of platelet morphology on a peripheral blood smear is a proposed
low-cost screening tool: large, pale, alpha-granule-deficient platelets are
characteristic. It must not be used to exclude bleeding risk, since routine
platelet analysis can be normal in patients who nonetheless bleed. Assay of
VPS33B protein expression in cultured skin fibroblasts is the paired
non-invasive alternative.
diagnosis_term:
preferred_term: peripheral blood smear examination
term:
id: NCIT:C49286
label: Hematology Test
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25239142
reference_title: "Arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome: from molecular genetics to clinical features."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "in skin fibroblasts and platelet morphology in peripheral blood smears are two alternative techniques that have"
explanation: >
Fragment of the review's statement that VPS33B expression in skin fibroblasts
and platelet morphology on blood smears are proposed screening alternatives to
biopsy; the sentence is line-wrapped in the cached full text.
- reference: PMID:11668108
reference_title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Blood films revealed abnormally large platelets."
explanation: Documents the blood-film finding this test detects.
- name: Serum GGT with conjugated bilirubin
description: >
A normal or low serum gamma-glutamyltransferase in the face of severe conjugated
hyperbilirubinaemia is the pivotal biochemical clue that redirects a neonatal
cholestasis workup away from biliary atresia and towards the low-GGT
cholestases, including ARC-spectrum disease. It is a rule-in rather than a
rule-out test: a genotype-confirmed ARC patient has been reported with
persistently high GGT, so a raised GGT does not exclude ARC and should not stop
the workup if the arthrogryposis / renal / cutaneous features are present.
diagnosis_term:
preferred_term: blood chemistry measurement
term:
id: NCIT:C47868
label: Blood Chemistry Measurement
evidence:
- reference: PMID:11668108
reference_title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Although all patients had severe cholestasis, serum gamma glutamyltransferase values were normal."
explanation: Establishes the discriminating normal-GGT-with-severe-cholestasis pattern.
- reference: PMID:24782640
reference_title: "ARC syndrome with high GGT cholestasis caused by VPS33B mutations."
supports: PARTIAL
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "this case indicates that ARC syndrome cannot be excluded from the differential diagnosis of neonatal cholestasis even if high GGT activity is found"
explanation: >
Counter-evidence bounding the low-GGT rule. A genotype-confirmed ARC patient
(compound heterozygous VPS33B c.403+2T>A / c.1509-1510insG) had a HIGH GGT on
three consecutive tests alongside otherwise typical arthrogryposis, renal
involvement and ichthyosis. A high GGT therefore does not exclude ARC.
- name: Skin biopsy with electron microscopy
description: >
Ultrastructural examination of skin shows lamellar granules entombed within
cornified cells with normal internal granule structure — the finding that
separates ARC-spectrum ichthyosis from CEDNIK syndrome, where the granules are
themselves structurally abnormal. Light microscopy shows mild hyperkeratosis
without parakeratosis. Skin is a far safer biopsy site than liver or kidney.
diagnosis_term:
preferred_term: skin biopsy with electron microscopy
term:
id: NCIT:C51692
label: Skin Biopsy
evidence:
- reference: PMID:18347289
reference_title: "Defective lamellar granule secretion in arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction, and cholestasis syndrome caused by a mutation in VPS33B."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "ultrastructural examination of the skin in ARC syndrome revealed many entombed lamellar granules in the cornified cells"
explanation: The diagnostic ultrastructural finding on skin biopsy.
differential_diagnoses:
- name: Fanconi Renotubular Syndrome
description: >
The isolated renal phenotype. ARC-spectrum disease includes renal Fanconi
syndrome as one component of a multisystem disorder, so an infant presenting
first with proximal tubulopathy can be mistaken for isolated FRTS. The
distinguishing move is to look for the extrarenal components — cholestasis,
ichthyosis, contractures, platelet defect — none of which belong to FRTS.
This is also the entity MONDO places MONDO:0022948 (the Deal-Barratt-Dillon
stub) under, which is why the nomenclatural argument in `discussions` turns
on it.
distinguishing_features:
- Isolated FRTS lacks low-GGT cholestasis, ichthyosis, neurogenic arthrogryposis and the platelet alpha-granule defect
- Renal Fanconi syndrome in ARC-spectrum disease is one component of a CHEVI-trafficking multisystem disorder, not the whole phenotype
evidence:
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "a new syndrome comprising the Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, musculoskeletal abnormalities, jaundice and diarrhoea"
explanation: >
The index description presents renal Fanconi syndrome as one component of a
multisystem association, not as isolated renotubular disease.
- name: Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita
description: >
The isolated musculoskeletal phenotype. AMC is an aetiologically
heterogeneous endpoint of reduced fetal movement; the ARC spectrum is one
specific neurogenic cause of it, and MONDO parents ARC under
MONDO:0008823 arthrogryposis multiplex congenita 2, neurogenic type. An
infant with contractures should be evaluated for the renal and hepatic
components before AMC is called isolated.
distinguishing_features:
- ARC-spectrum arthrogryposis is neurogenic and accompanied by renal tubular dysfunction and low-GGT cholestasis; isolated AMC has neither
- Arthrogryposis is not obligate in the ARC spectrum, so its absence does not exclude ARC while its presence does not establish isolated AMC
evidence:
- reference: PMID:15052268
reference_title: "Mutations in VPS33B, encoding a regulator of SNARE-dependent membrane fusion, cause arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "an autosomal recessive multisystem disorder characterized by neurogenic arthrogryposis multiplex congenita"
explanation: >
Establishes that ARC-spectrum contractures are neurogenic AMC occurring
within a multisystem disorder, distinguishing them from isolated AMC.
- name: Fanconi anemia
description: >
Not a clinical mimic but a persistent nomenclatural trap, entered through this
entry's historical FID synonym. The "Fanconi" in Fanconi-ichthyosis-dysmorphism
syndrome denotes renal Fanconi syndrome (proximal tubulopathy), not Fanconi
anaemia (the DNA interstrand-crosslink repair and bone marrow failure disorder).
The ICD-11 Foundation entry for FID both defines it as an association with
"Fanconi anaemia" and classifies it as a child of Fanconi anaemia; MONDO instead
places the same entity under Fanconi renotubular syndrome, which matches the
primary literature.
distinguishing_features:
- ARC-spectrum disease has proximal renal tubulopathy with no reported DNA crosslinker sensitivity; Fanconi anemia is defined by chromosome breakage on diepoxybutane/mitomycin C testing
- ARC-spectrum disease causes early-infantile death from acidosis, dehydration and sepsis; Fanconi anemia presents with progressive bone marrow failure and cancer predisposition over years
- ARC-spectrum disease has low-GGT cholestasis and ichthyosis, neither of which is characteristic of Fanconi anemia
evidence:
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "a new syndrome comprising the Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, musculoskeletal abnormalities, jaundice and diarrhoea"
explanation: >
The primary description names the renal "Fanconi syndrome", not Fanconi
anaemia, establishing which entity the eponym refers to.
- name: Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis
description: >
The low-GGT PFIC types (notably PFIC1/ATP8B1 and PFIC2/ABCB11) share severe
conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia with normal GGT, diarrhoea and failure to thrive,
and are the principal hepatic differential. They lack the renal Fanconi
syndrome, ichthyosis, arthrogryposis and alpha-granule defect.
distinguishing_features:
- PFIC lacks renal proximal tubulopathy, ichthyosis and the platelet alpha-granule defect
- Mechanistically related — ARC-spectrum cholestasis arises partly from mis-sorting of BSEP/ABCB11, the protein mutated in PFIC2
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25239142
reference_title: "Arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome: from molecular genetics to clinical features."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "similar clinical and laboratory findings could be observed both in ARC syndrome and progressive"
explanation: >
States the clinical and laboratory overlap with progressive familial
intrahepatic cholestasis; the sentence is hyphen-broken across a line in the
cached full text, so only the verifiable fragment is quoted.
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Mis-sorting of some BSEP to the basolateral hepatocyte membrane was seen in the livers of individuals with ARC"
explanation: The mechanistic link between the two entities — BSEP is the PFIC2 protein.
- name: Biliary atresia
description: >
The dominant differential for any infant with conjugated hyperbilirubinaemia.
Distinguished by an elevated GGT and by hepatobiliary imaging showing obstruction;
in ARC-spectrum disease the biliary tree is patent but intrahepatic bile flow is
absent, and GGT is normal. Misdirection towards biliary atresia risks a
hazardous laparotomy or biopsy in a child with a bleeding diathesis.
distinguishing_features:
- GGT is usually elevated in biliary atresia and normal or low in ARC-spectrum cholestasis, but a high-GGT ARC case is documented, so GGT does not reliably rule ARC out
- Biliary tract is patent in ARC-spectrum disease despite absent intrahepatic bile flow
evidence:
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "labeled compounds normally secreted into bile do not enter the duodenum despite biliary tract patency"
explanation: Documents biliary patency, the anatomical feature distinguishing this from biliary atresia.
- reference: PMID:24782640
reference_title: "ARC syndrome with high GGT cholestasis caused by VPS33B mutations."
supports: PARTIAL
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "this case indicates that ARC syndrome cannot be excluded from the differential diagnosis of neonatal cholestasis even if high GGT activity is found"
explanation: >
Counter-evidence bounding the low-GGT rule. A genotype-confirmed ARC patient
(compound heterozygous VPS33B c.403+2T>A / c.1509-1510insG) had a HIGH GGT on
three consecutive tests alongside otherwise typical arthrogryposis, renal
involvement and ichthyosis. A high GGT therefore does not exclude ARC.
- name: CEDNIK syndrome
description: >
Cerebral dysgenesis-neuropathy-ichthyosis-keratoderma syndrome (SNAP29) is the
closest dermatological mimic: another SNARE-machinery disorder with ichthyosis
from abnormal lamellar granule handling. It is distinguished ultrastructurally —
in ARC-spectrum disease the entombed lamellar granules have normal internal
structure, whereas in CEDNIK the granule structure itself is abnormal — and
clinically by the absence of cholestasis and renal tubulopathy.
distinguishing_features:
- Lamellar granule internal structure is normal in ARC-spectrum disease and abnormal in CEDNIK
- CEDNIK lacks low-GGT cholestasis and renal Fanconi syndrome
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25239142
reference_title: "Arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome: from molecular genetics to clinical features."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "lamellar granule internal structure is normal in ARC syndrome while it is abnormal in"
explanation: >
States the ultrastructural discriminator between the two lamellar-granule
ichthyoses; "CEDNIK" is hyphen-broken across a line in the cached full text.
- name: Gray platelet syndrome
description: >
True grey platelet syndrome (NBEAL2, and the GFI1B-related form) is an isolated
platelet alpha-granule deficiency with macrothrombocytopenia and myelofibrosis.
Two of the six original FID infants were labelled as having "the grey platelet
syndrome" on morphology alone; the ARC-spectrum alpha-granule defect is a
phenocopy arising from a different trafficking lesion and is accompanied by
multisystem disease.
distinguishing_features:
- Gray platelet syndrome is confined to the platelet lineage, without cholestasis, renal tubulopathy or ichthyosis
- In the ARC spectrum, delta-granules are increased rather than normal
evidence:
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "two of the infants were found to have abnormal platelet morphology--the grey platelet syndrome"
explanation: The original morphological attribution that this differential resolves.
- reference: PMID:16123220
reference_title: "Requirement of VPS33B, a member of the Sec1/Munc18 protein family, in megakaryocyte and platelet alpha-granule biogenesis."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "elevated numbers of delta-granules, and completely absent alpha-granules"
explanation: The increased delta-granule count distinguishing the ARC-spectrum platelet from classical grey platelet syndrome.
treatments:
- name: Fluid, alkali and electrolyte replacement
description: >
The cornerstone of care. High fluid and bicarbonate intakes are required to
offset proximal tubular bicarbonate and solute wasting compounded by diarrhoeal
losses; failure to keep pace results in fatal dehydration and acidosis.
Phosphate supplementation addresses renal phosphate wasting.
action_category: THERAPEUTIC
therapeutic_modality: OTHER
treatment_term:
preferred_term: fluid and electrolyte replacement
term:
id: NCIT:C15747
label: Supportive Care
target_mechanisms:
- target: Bicarbonate Wasting and Metabolic Acidosis
treatment_effect: INHIBITS
description: >
Exogenous alkali offsets the obligatory renal bicarbonate loss; this
compensates for, rather than corrects, the upstream tubular transport failure.
- target: Volume Depletion and Dehydration
treatment_effect: INHIBITS
description: >
Exogenous fluid offsets the obligatory renal and gastrointestinal water loss.
target_phenotypes:
- preferred_term: Renal tubular acidosis
term:
id: HP:0001947
label: Renal tubular acidosis
- preferred_term: Dehydration
term:
id: HP:0001944
label: Dehydration
evidence:
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "they required high fluid and bicarbonate intakes"
explanation: Documents the fluid and alkali requirement in the index FID series.
- reference: PMID:25239142
reference_title: "Arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome: from molecular genetics to clinical features."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "including fluid infusion, anti-infection, supplement with ursodeoxycholic acid, fat-soluble vitamins, calcium glubionate, L-thyroxine and phosphate"
explanation: Enumerates the supportive-care regimen used across the ARC spectrum.
- name: Ursodeoxycholic acid for cholestasis
description: >
Used as part of supportive management of the cholestatic liver disease. As with
all ARC-spectrum therapy this is symptomatic; no agent modifies the underlying
trafficking defect.
action_category: THERAPEUTIC
therapeutic_modality: SMALL_MOLECULE
treatment_term:
preferred_term: Pharmacotherapy
term:
id: NCIT:C15986
label: Pharmacotherapy
therapeutic_agent:
- preferred_term: ursodeoxycholic acid
term:
id: CHEBI:9907
label: ursodeoxycholic acid
target_phenotypes:
- preferred_term: Cholestasis
term:
id: HP:0001396
label: Cholestasis
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25239142
reference_title: "Arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome: from molecular genetics to clinical features."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "supplement with ursodeoxycholic acid, fat-soluble vitamins, calcium glubionate, L-thyroxine and phosphate"
explanation: Names ursodeoxycholic acid within the standard supportive regimen.
- name: Nutritional support with fat-soluble vitamin supplementation
description: >
Cholestatic fat malabsorption plus diarrhoeal and renal losses make aggressive
nutritional support and fat-soluble vitamin replacement necessary, though failure
to thrive typically persists.
action_category: THERAPEUTIC
therapeutic_modality: OTHER
treatment_term:
preferred_term: nutritional support
term:
id: NCIT:C15433
label: Nutritional Support
target_mechanisms:
- target: Severe Failure to Thrive
treatment_effect: INHIBITS
description: >
Caloric and fat-soluble vitamin replacement partially offsets malabsorptive
and renal losses; growth failure typically persists.
target_phenotypes:
- preferred_term: Failure to thrive
term:
id: HP:0001508
label: Failure to thrive
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25239142
reference_title: "Arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome: from molecular genetics to clinical features."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "supplement with ursodeoxycholic acid, fat-soluble vitamins, calcium glubionate, L-thyroxine and phosphate"
explanation: Fat-soluble vitamin and mineral supplementation within the supportive regimen.
- name: Avoidance of liver and kidney biopsy
description: >
A management decision rather than an intervention, but arguably the highest-value
one. Percutaneous liver or kidney biopsy carries a reported risk of fatal bleeding
above 50% because of the platelet alpha-granule defect, and routine platelet
analysis cannot identify who is at risk. Diagnosis should proceed via clinical
features, blood film, fibroblast VPS33B expression and sequencing instead.
action_category: THERAPEUTIC
therapeutic_modality: OTHER
treatment_term:
preferred_term: supportive care
term:
id: NCIT:C15747
label: Supportive Care
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25239142
reference_title: "Arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome: from molecular genetics to clinical features."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "or liver biopsies result in a risk of fatal bleeding"
explanation: >
Quantifies the biopsy bleeding risk (>50% in the source sentence) that motivates
avoidance; "kidney" is hyphen-broken across a line in the cached full text.
- name: LDL apheresis and biliary diversion for intractable cholestatic pruritus
description: >
Reported in a single ARC-spectrum patient with a renal-predominant presentation,
combining LDL apheresis with biliodigestive derivation for cholestatic pruritus,
with encouraging results. This is anecdotal rescue therapy, not established
practice.
action_category: THERAPEUTIC
therapeutic_modality: DEVICE
treatment_term:
preferred_term: therapeutic apheresis
term:
id: NCIT:C173286
label: Therapeutic Apheresis
evidence:
- reference: PMID:29907094
reference_title: "Severe renal Fanconi and management strategies in Arthrogryposis-Renal dysfunction-Cholestasis syndrome: a case report."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "we report on the successful use of LDL-Apheresis and biliodigestive derivation for treatment of cholestatic pruritus with encouraging results"
explanation: Single-case report of this rescue approach.
- name: Genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis
description: >
Given autosomal recessive inheritance with a 25% recurrence risk, high
consanguinity in affected families and near-uniform infantile lethality, genetic
counselling with the option of prenatal or preimplantation genetic diagnosis is a
central part of care once the family's variants are known.
action_category: COUNSELING_INFORMATIONAL
therapeutic_modality: OTHER
treatment_term:
preferred_term: genetic counseling
term:
id: NCIT:C15240
label: Genetic Counseling
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25239142
reference_title: "Arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome: from molecular genetics to clinical features."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "provide genetic counseling and prenatal or preimplantation genetic diagnosis"
explanation: Recommends genetic counselling and prenatal/preimplantation diagnosis for affected families.
- name: Palliative and supportive care
description: >
No specific or disease-modifying treatment exists. Care is directed at quality of
life, infection control and symptom relief; aggressive orthopaedic intervention
for contractures is generally not recommended because poor general status and low
survival compromise surgical outcomes.
action_category: THERAPEUTIC
therapeutic_modality: OTHER
treatment_term:
preferred_term: palliative care
term:
id: NCIT:C15292
label: Palliative Therapy
evidence:
- reference: PMID:25239142
reference_title: "Arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome: from molecular genetics to clinical features."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "However, no specific treatment currently exists for this syndrome."
explanation: States the absence of disease-modifying therapy.
- reference: PMID:25239142
reference_title: "Arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome: from molecular genetics to clinical features."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "orthopedic management is still not recommended, since poor general status and low survival rates may affect the outcome of the surgery"
explanation: >
Advises against aggressive orthopaedic surgery; the sentence continues past a
line break in the cached full text so only the verifiable span is quoted.
animal_models:
- species: Mus musculus
genotype: Vps33b knockout (constitutive and tamoxifen-inducible Vps33b-fl/fl-ERT2); Vipas39 knockout
category: KNOCKOUT
genes:
- preferred_term: VPS33B
term:
id: hgnc:12712
label: VPS33B
- preferred_term: VIPAS39
term:
id: hgnc:20347
label: VIPAS39
description: >
Vps33b and Vipas39 knockout mice reproduce the ichthyotic skin phenotype with
histologically similar changes to human ARC-spectrum skin, abnormal epidermal
lamellar body morphology, disrupted lamellar body cargo localisation, and reduced
stratum corneum lipid deposition. The tamoxifen-inducible Vps33b model also
reproduces the platelet alpha-granule defect. These are good models of the
cutaneous and haematological arms specifically; fidelity to the renal and hepatic
arms is not established by these papers.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:29409756
reference_title: VPS33B and VIPAR are essential for epidermal lamellar body biogenesis and function.
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: MODEL_ORGANISM
snippet: "We demonstrate that the skin manifestations in Vps33b and Vipar deficient mice are histologically similar to those of patients with ARC syndrome."
explanation: Establishes fidelity of the mouse skin phenotype to human disease.
- reference: PMID:25947942
reference_title: "VPS33B regulates protein sorting into and maturation of alpha-granule progenitor organelles in mouse megakaryocytes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: MODEL_ORGANISM
snippet: "We generated a tamoxifen-inducible mouse model of VPS33B deficiency, Vps33b(fl/fl)-ER(T2), and studied the platelet phenotype"
explanation: Describes the inducible model used to dissect the platelet phenotype.
- species: Danio rerio
genotype: vipar morpholino knockdown
category: KNOCKDOWN
genes:
- preferred_term: VIPAS39
term:
id: hgnc:20347
label: VIPAS39
description: >
Morpholino knockdown of vipar in zebrafish produces biliary excretion and
E-cadherin defects mirroring those in human ARC-spectrum disease, supporting the
causal role of the polarity defect in cholestasis.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: MODEL_ORGANISM
snippet: "Knockdown of vipar in zebrafish resulted in biliary excretion and E-cadherin defects similar to those in individuals with ARC."
explanation: Zebrafish model recapitulating the biliary and junctional phenotype.
discussions:
- discussion_id: fid_icd11_fanconi_anaemia_misparent
kind: INTERPRETATION
status: OPEN
prompt: >
Should the ICD-11 Foundation classification of Fanconi-ichthyosis-dysmorphism
syndrome as a child of Fanconi anaemia be corrected to renal Fanconi syndrome?
rationale: >
The ICD-11 Foundation entity icd11f:235762608 defines FID as "the association of
Fanconi anaemia, ichthyosis, musculo-skeletal anomalies, jaundice, and
diarrhoea" and places it under Fanconi anaemia. The primary description
(PMID:2206896), its MeSH synonym, and MONDO all use "Fanconi syndrome" in the
renal proximal-tubulopathy sense; MONDO:0022948 is classified under
MONDO:0001083 Fanconi renotubular syndrome. Nothing in the primary literature
describes bone marrow failure, pancytopenia, chromosome breakage or cancer
predisposition in these infants, and the molecular aetiology — biallelic
VPS33B/VIPAS39 loss disrupting apical trafficking — has no relationship to the
Fanconi anaemia DNA interstrand-crosslink repair pathway. The ICD-11 placement
appears to be a homonym error between two unrelated Fanconi eponyms, and it
propagates into any downstream system that inherits ICD-11 parentage. dismech
records the mapping as a narrow match - the ICD-11 definition delimits the
arthrogryposis-poor FID end of this entry's ARC spectrum - while flagging the
parentage as incorrect.
attaches_to:
- pathophysiology#Proximal Tubular Apical Transport Failure
evidence:
- reference: PMID:2206896
reference_title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "No evidence of a recognised metabolic disorder was found in any of the six infants"
explanation: >
The primary series describes a renal tubulopathy phenotype and reports no
haematological marrow-failure disorder, contradicting the ICD-11 parentage.
- discussion_id: fid_molecular_confirmation_gap
kind: KNOWLEDGE_GAP
status: OPEN
prompt: >
Were the six original Deal-Barratt-Dillon infants molecularly VPS33B- or
VIPAS39-deficient, and does any FID-labelled case exist that is not explained by
CHEVI complex loss?
rationale: >
The 1990 FID series predates the identification of VPS33B (2004) and VIPAS39
(2010), so no proband from that series has a confirmed genotype. The assignment
of FID to the ARC spectrum rests on the phenotypic argument made by Eastham and
colleagues in 2001 (PMID:11668108) plus the subsequent demonstration that
VPS33B-null patients can lack arthrogryposis (PMID:16492441). That argument is
strong but is not the same as molecular proof for these specific families.
Because the assignment determines whether FID should be retired as an
independent entity or retained as a distinct locus, the gap is worth stating
explicitly rather than papering over.
attaches_to:
- pathophysiology#Biallelic Loss of VPS33B or VIPAS39 Function
- pathophysiology#Neurogenic Arthrogryposis and Musculoskeletal Anomalies
proposed_experiments:
- experiment_id: fid_archival_genotyping
name: Retrospective genotyping of archival FID material
description: >
Where archival DNA or fixed tissue from the 1990 Great Ormond Street cohort or
surviving relatives can be located and consented, sequence VPS33B and VIPAS39
(with copy-number analysis) to test directly whether the FID probands carry
biallelic CHEVI-complex variants.
would_support:
- FID is a phenotypic variant of VPS33B/VIPAS39-related ARC-spectrum disease and should be retired as an independent entity
would_refute:
- FID represents a distinct, still-unidentified locus that phenocopies the ARC spectrum
- experiment_id: fid_phenotype_negative_cohort_sequencing
name: Exome/genome sequencing of ARC-phenotype, CHEVI-negative infants
description: >
Sequence infants presenting with renal Fanconi syndrome, low-GGT cholestasis,
ichthyosis and diarrhoea but no VPS33B or VIPAS39 variant, to determine whether
a third locus exists that would correspond to a genuinely separate FID entity.
would_support:
- A distinct FID locus exists outside the CHEVI complex
would_refute:
- VPS33B and VIPAS39 account for the entire phenotypic spectrum, as suggested when VIPAR mutations explained all VPS33B-negative classical ARC cases
evidence:
- reference: PMID:11668108
reference_title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "The association of Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice, and diarrhoea has previously been reported as a separate syndrome: our observations indicate that it is part of the ARC spectrum."
explanation: >
The phenotypic, pre-molecular basis on which FID was subsumed into the ARC
spectrum — strong, but not genotype-confirmed for the FID probands themselves.
- reference: PMID:20190753
reference_title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Mutations in VIPAR accounted for all cases of classical ARC in whom mutations in and linkage to VPS33B were excluded."
explanation: >
Evidence bearing on whether a third locus is likely: VIPAS39 closed the
residual gap in classical ARC, arguing against an unidentified FID locus.
- discussion_id: fid_chevi_trafficking_module_candidate
kind: CURATION_TODO
status: OPEN
prompt: >
Should a "CHEVI-complex apical trafficking failure" mechanism module be factored
out of this entry and its allelic relatives?
rationale: >
The mechanism curated here — CHEVI/RAB11A-dependent apical recycling failure
producing simultaneous epithelial polarity loss and defective biogenesis of two
lysosome-related organelles (lamellar body, platelet alpha-granule) — is shared
across ARC syndrome, this FID presentation, and the allelic ARKID syndrome, and
is conceptually adjacent to other lysosome-related-organelle disorders
(Hermansky-Pudlak, Chediak-Higashi). No existing dismech module covers it: the
`epithelial_barrier_dysfunction` and `intestinal_barrier_dysfunction` modules
model allergic and inflammatory barrier loss, not a constitutive trafficking
lesion. No `conforms_to` edge is asserted in this entry for that reason. If
ARC syndrome and ARKID are curated as separate entries, a shared module becomes
worthwhile.
attaches_to:
- pathophysiology#Loss of the VPS33B-VIPAR (CHEVI) Tethering Complex
evidence:
- reference: PMID:27555442
reference_title: "The CHEVI tethering complex: facilitating special deliveries."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: OTHER
snippet: "corroborate its role in the specialized delivery of cargo in different cell types"
explanation: >
Frames CHEVI as a general cargo-delivery mechanism operating across cell types,
which is the recurrence criterion a dismech mechanism module requires.
- discussion_id: mondo_deal_barratt_dillon_unreconciled_stub
kind: OPEN_QUESTION
status: OPEN
prompt: >
Should MONDO:0022948 (Deal Barratt Dillon syndrome) be obsoleted and merged
into, or asserted as a subclass of, MONDO:0017123 arthrogryposis-renal
dysfunction-cholestasis syndrome?
rationale: >
MONDO:0022948 is an unreconciled legacy class. It has no textual definition, no
gene association, and no OMIM xref - only GARD, MEDGEN, MeSH and UMLS
cross-references - and it is classified under MONDO:0001083 Fanconi renotubular
syndrome. By contrast MONDO:0017123 has an Orphanet-sourced definition, an
OMIMPS xref, and two gene-defined children (MONDO:0008822 VPS33B, MONDO:0013255
VIPAS39). The primary literature closed this gap in 2001: PMID:11668108
concluded that the Fanconi
syndrome-ichthyosis-dysmorphism-jaundice-diarrhoea association "is part of the
ARC spectrum", and the molecular basis was established in 2004 and 2010. So the
two MONDO classes denote the same patients, one of them without any mechanistic
grounding. dismech anchors on MONDO:0017123 and records MONDO:0022948 as a
close match; the ontology-side fix is out of scope here but worth filing
upstream.
attaches_to:
- pathophysiology#Biallelic Loss of VPS33B or VIPAS39 Function
evidence:
- reference: PMID:11668108
reference_title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "The association of Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice, and diarrhoea has previously been reported as a separate syndrome: our observations indicate that it is part of the ARC spectrum."
explanation: >
The published statement that the two labels denote one entity, which is what
MONDO has not yet reflected in its class hierarchy.
notes: >
Nosological status. This entry is anchored on the ARC entity (MONDO:0017123)
because dismech is a pathograph resource: the name should correspond to the
mechanism curated, and the mechanism here is CHEVI-complex (VPS33B/VIPAS39)
apical-trafficking failure, which is ARC. It was originally drafted under the
historical label Fanconi-ichthyosis-dysmorphism syndrome, seeded from ICD-11
icd11f:235762608 and bound to MONDO:0022948; that was a mismatch between the
bound term and the content, since MONDO:0022948 is a clinical-gestalt stub with
no gene association. FID and Deal-Barratt-Dillon are retained as synonyms and as
a `mappings` entry so the historical labels still resolve here. Discoverability
by the old names is MONDO's concern, not this resource's.
Synonyms vs mappings. The `synonyms` list is a deliberately broad lookup aid and
is not a co-denotation claim: it carries historical labels
(Fanconi-ichthyosis-dysmorphism syndrome, Deal-Barratt-Dillon syndrome) and
gene-level labels (ARCS1, ARCS2) that `mappings` separately records as
`skos:narrowMatch`, and that ARCS1/ARCS2 additionally appear in `has_subtypes`.
Where the two disagree, `mappings` carries the formal claim and `synonyms` is
the search surface. MONDO likewise does not list ARCS1/ARCS2 as exact synonyms
of MONDO:0017123.
Eponym collision. "Fanconi" in the FID label refers to renal Fanconi syndrome
(Guido Fanconi's proximal tubulopathy), not Fanconi anaemia. The ICD-11
Foundation entry propagates the wrong reading in both its definition and its
parentage; see the `fid_icd11_fanconi_anaemia_misparent` discussion. MONDO's
placement of MONDO:0022948 under Fanconi renotubular syndrome gets the homonym
right but still does not connect it to ARC; see
`mondo_deal_barratt_dillon_unreconciled_stub`.
Subtypes. ARCS1 (VPS33B, MONDO:0008822) and ARCS2 (VIPAS39, MONDO:0013255) are
curated as `has_subtypes` following MONDO's disease-series-by-gene pattern. No
clinical differences distinguish them, so the pathograph is shared rather than
split per subtype.
Mortality. All six infants in the index FID series died by 6 months of age, and
most ARC-spectrum infants die within the first year. Following repository convention
(see Cardiomyopathy-Hypotonia-Lactic_Acidosis_Syndrome), this is not curated as a
`phenotypes` entry, because HP:0001522 (Death in infancy) sits in the HPO
mortality/clinical-modifier branch rather than under HP:0000118 Phenotypic
abnormality and so is outside the PhenotypeTerm enum. It is instead captured on
the `Death in Infancy` pathophysiology node and in `clinical_burden`.
Evidence provenance. In the absence of a GeneReviews chapter (see "GeneReviews
baseline" below for the check and its provenance), the phenotype baseline is
drawn from the primary FID series (PMID:2206896), the multicentre ARC
phenotype series that subsumed it (PMID:11668108), the two gene-discovery papers
(PMID:15052268, PMID:20190753), and the ARC review (PMID:25239142). Several
snippets are quoted from the full text of PMID:25239142 and PMID:20190753 rather
than their abstracts; because that cached full text is hard-wrapped with
hyphenated word breaks, some snippets begin or end mid-sentence at the nearest
verifiable boundary. Each such snippet's `explanation` states what the complete
sentence says.
Frequency bands. VERY_FREQUENT and OCCASIONAL bands are derived from the
six-patient ARC cohort of PMID:11668108 (6/6 for diarrhoea, febrile illness and
failure to thrive; 5/6 for renal Fanconi syndrome; 1/6 for nephrogenic diabetes
insipidus). These are small denominators from referral series and should be read
as order-of-magnitude indications, not population frequencies. Phenotypes with no
defensible denominator carry no `frequency`.
GGT is not an absolute rule. The low/normal-GGT signature is the standard
discriminator and is used as such throughout this entry, but PMID:24782640
reports a genotype-confirmed ARC patient with high GGT on three consecutive
tests. That paper is cited as PARTIAL counter-evidence on the biochemical,
diagnosis and biliary-atresia-differential blocks so the rule is not read as
exclusionary. The mechanism of the raised GGT in that patient is unexplained.
GeneReviews baseline. Verified 2026-08-02 by searching the GeneReviews
bookshelf: no dedicated chapter exists for ARC syndrome, VPS33B, VIPAS39 or the
historical FID label. (An earlier revision of this entry asserted the same thing
before the check had actually been run; the PR reviewer correctly flagged it as
author-attested, and it has since been confirmed.)
Deep research. No deep-research provider artifact underlies this entry; it was
curated directly from primary literature (the index series, the multicentre ARC
phenotype series, the two gene-discovery papers, and the ARC review), which is
why there is no `research/*-deep-research-*.md` file in the change.
Not curated. The allelic autosomal recessive keratoderma-ichthyosis-deafness
(ARKID) syndrome, which shares the VPS33B locus but not the full ARC phenotype,
does not yet have a dismech entry; when it is added, this entry should be
cross-referenced from it and the shared mechanism considered for a module (see
`fid_chevi_trafficking_module_candidate`).
references:
- reference: PMID:2206896
title: "Fanconi syndrome, ichthyosis, dysmorphism, jaundice and diarrhoea--a new syndrome."
- reference: PMID:11668108
title: "ARC syndrome: an expanding range of phenotypes."
- reference: PMID:15052268
title: "Mutations in VPS33B, encoding a regulator of SNARE-dependent membrane fusion, cause arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome."
- reference: PMID:20190753
title: "Mutations in VIPAR cause an arthrogryposis, renal dysfunction and cholestasis syndrome phenotype with defects in epithelial polarization."
- reference: PMID:25239142
title: "Arthrogryposis-renal dysfunction-cholestasis (ARC) syndrome: from molecular genetics to clinical features."