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1
Inheritance
4
Pathophys.
20
Phenotypes
1
Hypotheses
18
Pathograph
1
Genes
5
Medical Actions
2
Differentials
1
References
1
Deep Research
🏷

Classifications

Harrison's Chapter
IMMUNE_RHEUMATOLOGIC GENETICS_ENVIRONMENT_DISEASE
IUIS Category
combined immunodeficiency with syndromic features
👪

Inheritance

1
Autosomal dominant
AD-HIES is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner with essentially complete penetrance and variable expressivity; the majority of cases arise from a de novo pathogenic STAT3 variant.
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:10053178 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Autosomal dominant transmission of the hyper-IgE syndrome was found, but with variable expressivity."
Defining cohort study established autosomal dominant transmission with variable expressivity.

Mechanistic Hypotheses

1
STAT3 negative dominance (dominant-negative), not haploinsufficiency
stat3_negative_dominance CANONICAL
The unifying molecular mechanism of AD-HIES is negative dominance: the mutant STAT3 allele encodes a full-length (or reinitiated) non-functional protein that dimerizes with and inactivates wild-type STAT3, reducing activity below the level expected from simple loss of one allele. This is distinct from, and contrasted with, the older haploinsufficiency hypothesis.
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:34137790 SUPPORT In Vitro
"through negative dominance rather than haploinsufficiency."
Experimental testing of all reported variants supports negative dominance as the unifying mechanism.

Pathophysiology

4
STAT3 dominant-negative dysfunction
Heterozygous variants (predominantly missense and small in-frame deletions clustering in the DNA-binding and SH2 domains, but also out-of-frame variants acting through reinitiated neoproteins) produce a STAT3 protein that dimerizes with wild-type STAT3 and abolishes DNA binding and transactivation. STAT3 tyrosine phosphorylation is often preserved; the functional defect is downstream DNA binding/transcription across the entire STAT3 cytokine network (IL-6, IL-10, IL-11, IL-21, IL-22, IL-23).
STAT3 hgnc:11364
STAT3-dependent transcriptional output (DNA binding/transactivation) GO:0006357 ↓ DECREASED JAK-STAT signaling GO:0007259 ↓ DECREASED
Show evidence (3 references)
PMID:17676033 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"dominant-negative mutations in the human signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) gene result in the classical multisystem HIES."
Landmark report establishing dominant-negative STAT3 variants as the cause of classical AD-HIES.
PMID:17676033 SUPPORT In Vitro
"the DNA-binding ability of STAT3 in these cells was greatly diminished. All five mutants were non-functional by themselves and showed dominant-negative effects when co-expressed with wild-type STAT3."
Functional assays show diminished STAT3 DNA binding and dominant-negative behavior against wild-type STAT3.
PMID:34137790 SUPPORT In Vitro
"through negative dominance rather than haploinsufficiency."
Experimental testing of the full reported variant set shows negative dominance, not haploinsufficiency, is the unifying mechanism.
Impaired Th17 differentiation and IL-17/IL-22 immunity
STAT3 is required downstream of IL-6 and IL-23 for RORgammat-driven Th17 development. Loss of IL-17A/F and IL-22 removes the signals that drive epithelial antimicrobial-peptide production and neutrophil recruitment to skin and lung, producing the characteristic susceptibility to Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans.
T-helper 17 cell CL:0000899 CD4-positive alpha-beta T cell CL:0000624 neutrophil CL:0000775 keratinocyte CL:0000312
T-helper 17 cell differentiation GO:0072539 ↓ DECREASED interleukin-17 production GO:0032620 ↓ DECREASED defense response to bacterium GO:0042742 ↓ DECREASED defense response to fungus GO:0050832 ↓ DECREASED
Show evidence (2 references)
PMID:18337720 SUPPORT In Vitro
"Purified naive T cells were unable to differentiate into IL-17-producing (T(H)17) T helper cells in vitro and had lower expression of retinoid-related orphan receptor (ROR)-gammat, which is consistent with a crucial role for STAT3 signalling in the generation of T(H)17 cells."
Patient naive T cells fail Th17 differentiation with reduced RORgammat, mechanistically linking STAT3 loss to Th17 collapse.
PMID:18337720 SUPPORT In Vitro
"T(H)17 cells have emerged as an important subset of helper T cells that are believed to be critical in the clearance of fungal and extracellular bacterial infections. Thus, our data suggest that the inability to produce T(H)17 cells is a mechanism underlying the susceptibility to the recurrent..."
Directly links the Th17 defect to the antibacterial/antifungal susceptibility of AD-HIES.
Blunted IL-6 acute-phase signaling
Impaired IL-6-to-STAT3 signaling produces a reduced systemic inflammatory response despite deep infection, which is the basis for the characteristic "cold," under-inflamed staphylococcal abscesses, and contributes to defective antibody responses.
interleukin-6-mediated signaling pathway GO:0070102 ↓ DECREASED acute-phase response GO:0006953 ↓ DECREASED
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:17881745 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"the cells from patients with the hyper-IgE syndrome generated lower levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 in response to the presence of interleukin-6 (P=0.03), suggesting a defect in interleukin-6 signaling through its downstream mediators, one of which is STAT3."
Patient cells show defective IL-6 signaling responses, the functional clue that implicated STAT3.
STAT3-dependent connective-tissue and skeletal program failure
Because STAT3 transduces IL-11, leptin, and growth-factor signals in bone, vasculature, and craniofacial tissue, dominant-negative STAT3 disrupts non-immune programs. STAT3 normally restrains osteoclastogenesis; its loss increases osteoclast activity, producing osteopenia and fractures. Impaired IL-11/STAT3 signaling links to craniosynostosis and delayed exfoliation of deciduous teeth, and vascular STAT3 deficiency contributes to arterial tortuosity, ectasia, and aneurysm.
osteoclast CL:0000092 endothelial cell CL:0000115
osteoclast differentiation GO:0030316 ↑ INCREASED
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:15694417 SUPPORT Model Organism
"STAT3 mutant mice exhibit decreased bone density, bone volume, and increased numbers of TRAP-positive OC."
Mouse hematopoietic STAT3 deletion increases osteoclastogenesis and reduces bone density, modeling the AD-HIES bone phenotype.

Pathograph

Use the checkboxes to hide or show graph categories. Hover nodes for evidence and cross-linked metadata.
Pathograph: causal mechanism network for Autosomal Dominant Hyper-IgE Syndrome Interactive directed graph showing how pathophysiology mechanisms, phenotypes, genetic factors and variants, experimental models, environmental triggers, and treatments relate through causal and linked edges.

Phenotypes

20
Blood 3
Elevated serum IgE VERY_FREQUENT Increased circulating IgE concentration HP:0003212
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:22751495 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"The immunologic phenotype was characterized by high serum IgE levels (96% of the patients)"
French national cohort documents elevated serum IgE in 96% of STAT3-deficient patients.
Eosinophilia VERY_FREQUENT Increased total eosinophil count HP:0001880
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:22751495 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"memory B-cell lymphopenia (94.5%), and hypereosinophilia (80%)."
French cohort reports hypereosinophilia in 80% of patients.
Lymphoma OCCASIONAL Lymphoma HP:0002665
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:22751495 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Four patients developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma."
French cohort reports non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 4 of 60 patients (~7%), supporting an OCCASIONAL frequency band.
Cardiovascular 1
Arterial tortuosity and aneurysm FREQUENT Arterial tortuosity HP:0005116
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:22084479 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"We reported peripheral and brain artery abnormalities in 84% of the patients and detected coronary artery abnormalities in 50% of the patients. The most frequent vascular abnormalities were ectasia and aneurysm."
Prospective vascular imaging study documents frequent and widespread arterial abnormalities (ectasia, aneurysm, tortuosity).
Digestive 2
Gastroesophageal reflux disease Gastroesophageal reflux HP:0002020
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:20301786 SUPPORT Other
"Gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations include gastroesophageal reflux disease, esophageal dysmotility, and spontaneous intestinal perforations"
GeneReviews lists gastroesophageal reflux disease among the GI manifestations of STAT3-HIES.
Esophageal dysmotility Dysphagia HP:0002015
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:20301786 SUPPORT Other
"Gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations include gastroesophageal reflux disease, esophageal dysmotility, and spontaneous intestinal perforations"
GeneReviews lists esophageal dysmotility among the GI manifestations of STAT3-HIES.
Head and Neck 2
Coarse facial features VERY_FREQUENT Coarse facial features HP:0000280
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:10053178 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Nonimmunologic features of the hyper-IgE syndrome were present in all patients older than eight years."
The defining cohort study established that the nonimmune (including characteristic facial) features are essentially universal in older patients.
Craniosynostosis VERY_RARE Craniosynostosis HP:0001363
Show evidence (2 references)
PMID:22751495 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"additional features, including facial dysmorphism, impaired shedding of deciduous teeth, bone abnormalities (osteopenia), craniosynostosis, and hyperextensibility."
French survey lists craniosynostosis among the non-immune skeletal features of AD-HIES.
PMID:22751495 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"craniosynostosis (n = 2), retracted tendons (n = 2), spondylolisthesis L5-S1 (n = 1), and spina bifida occulta (n = 1)"
French cohort reports craniosynostosis in 2 of 60 patients (~3%), supporting a VERY_RARE frequency band.
Immune 3
Recurrent cutaneous abscesses VERY_FREQUENT Recurrent cutaneous abscess formation HP:0100838
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:17676033 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"characterized by a highly elevated serum IgE, recurrent staphylococcal skin abscesses and cyst-forming pneumonia, with disproportionately milder inflammatory responses, referred to as cold abscesses"
Defines recurrent staphylococcal "cold" skin abscesses as a hallmark of HIES.
Recurrent pneumonia VERY_FREQUENT Recurrent pneumonia HP:0006532
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:22751495 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Up to 90% of the patients had pneumonia, mostly caused by Staph. aureus (31%) or Streptococcus pneumoniae (30%)."
French cohort documents pneumonia in up to 90% of patients.
Eczematoid dermatitis VERY_FREQUENT Eczematoid dermatitis HP:0000964
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:22751495 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Up to 92% of the patients had dermatitis and connective"
French cohort documents dermatitis in up to 92% of patients.
Musculoskeletal 4
Joint hypermobility FREQUENT Joint hypermobility HP:0001382
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:10053178 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Common findings among patients were recurrent fractures (in 57 percent of patients), hyperextensible joints (in 68 percent)"
Defining cohort study quantifies hyperextensible joints at 68%.
Recurrent fractures FREQUENT Recurrent fractures HP:0002757
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:10053178 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Common findings among patients were recurrent fractures (in 57 percent of patients)"
Defining cohort study quantifies recurrent fractures at 57%.
Osteopenia FREQUENT Osteopenia HP:0000938
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:22751495 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"(65%), osteopenia (50%), and hyperextensibility (50%)."
French cohort documents osteopenia in 50% of patients.
Scoliosis FREQUENT Scoliosis HP:0002650
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:10053178 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"scoliosis (in 76 percent of patients 16 years of age or older)."
Defining cohort study quantifies scoliosis at 76% of patients aged 16 or older.
Respiratory 1
Bronchiectasis FREQUENT Bronchiectasis HP:0002110
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:22751495 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Lung sequelae were reported in 67% (40/60) of patients, taking the form of bronchiectasis in 65% (39/60) of patients or pneumatocele in 52% (31/60) of patients"
French cohort quantifies bronchiectasis as a lung sequela in 65% of patients.
Other 4
Pulmonary pneumatocele FREQUENT Pulmonary pneumatocele HP:0025419
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:22751495 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Lung sequelae were reported in 67% (40/60) of patients, taking the form of bronchiectasis in 65% (39/60) of patients or pneumatocele in 52% (31/60) of patients"
French cohort quantifies pneumatocele as a lung sequela in 52% of patients.
Chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis VERY_FREQUENT Chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis HP:0002728
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:22751495 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Mucocutaneous infections were the most frequent, typically caused by Staphylococcus aureus (all patients) and Candida albicans (85%)."
French cohort documents Candida albicans mucocutaneous infection in 85% of patients.
Persistence of primary teeth FREQUENT Persistence of primary teeth HP:0006335
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:10053178 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Seventy-two percent had the previously unrecognized feature of failure or delay of shedding of the primary teeth owing to lack of root resorption."
Defining cohort study quantifies retained primary teeth at 72%.
Coronary artery aneurysm FREQUENT Coronary artery aneurysm HP:0030882
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:22084479 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"detected coronary artery abnormalities in 50% of the patients. The most frequent vascular abnormalities were ectasia and aneurysm."
Prospective imaging documents coronary artery abnormalities including aneurysm in 50% of adult patients.
🧬

Genetic Associations

1
STAT3 (Causative)
Gene: STAT3 hgnc:11364
Show evidence (2 references)
PMID:17881745 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"We identified missense mutations and single-codon in-frame deletions in STAT3 in 50 familial and sporadic cases of the hyper-IgE syndrome."
Identifies STAT3 missense and in-frame deletion variants as causative across familial and sporadic HIES.
PMID:34137790 SUPPORT In Vitro
"the 135 in-frame variants (95%) were also DN."
Experimental testing shows 95% of in-frame STAT3 variants act by dominant negativity.
💊

Medical Actions

5
Anti-staphylococcal prophylactic antibiotics
Action: Antibiotic prophylaxis Ontology label: Antibiotic Therapy NCIT:C15620
Agent: trimethoprim CHEBI:45924 sulfamethoxazole CHEBI:9332
The mainstay of management is prevention of staphylococcal abscesses and pneumonias with prophylactic anti-staphylococcal antibiotics (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is standard) plus early aggressive treatment of infections. Practical caution: trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole hypersensitivity is a recognized adverse-reaction risk.
Mechanism Target:
BYPASSES Impaired Th17 differentiation and IL-17/IL-22 immunity — Prophylactic antibiotics control staphylococcal infection that the impaired Th17/IL-17 mucocutaneous defense fails to clear.
Target Phenotypes: Recurrent cutaneous abscess HP:0100838
Show evidence (2 references)
PMID:20301786 SUPPORT Other
"The mainstay of treatment is prevention of staphylococcal abscesses and pneumonias with anti-staphylococcal prophylactic antibiotics as well as early aggressive treatment of infections."
GeneReviews identifies anti-staphylococcal prophylactic antibiotics as the mainstay of STAT3-HIES management.
PMID:22751495 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Antibiotic prophylaxis (90% of patients),"
French cohort confirms antibiotic prophylaxis as standard management, used in 90% of patients.
Antifungal prophylaxis and therapy
Action: Antifungal pharmacotherapy Ontology label: Pharmacotherapy NCIT:C15986
Agent: fluconazole CHEBI:46081 itraconazole CHEBI:6076
Antifungal agents (e.g., fluconazole for Candida; itraconazole for Aspergillus colonizing pneumatoceles and for chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis) are used for prophylaxis and treatment. Note azole-drug CYP3A4 interactions in practice.
Mechanism Target:
BYPASSES Impaired Th17 differentiation and IL-17/IL-22 immunity — Antifungal agents control Candida and Aspergillus that the impaired IL-17 antifungal defense fails to clear.
Target Phenotypes: Chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis HP:0002728
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:22751495 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Mucocutaneous infections were the most frequent, typically caused by Staphylococcus aureus (all patients) and Candida albicans (85%)."
High Candida burden establishes the rationale for antifungal prophylaxis/therapy in AD-HIES.
Skin antiseptic care
Action: Supportive care Ontology label: supportive care MAXO:0000950
Antiseptic skin therapies such as dilute bleach (sodium hypochlorite) baths and chlorhexidine, with histamine-1 antagonists to control pruritus, reduce staphylococcal skin disease and eczema burden.
Target Phenotypes: Eczematoid dermatitis HP:0000964
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:20301786 SUPPORT Other
"Antiseptic therapies for the skin such as dilute bleach baths and chlorhexidine are beneficial."
GeneReviews directly supports dilute bleach baths and chlorhexidine antiseptic skin therapy as beneficial in STAT3-HIES.
Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Action: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation Ontology label: hematopoietic stem cell transplantation MAXO:0000747
Allogeneic HSCT is increasingly used and is the only therapy that corrects the immune phenotype (abolishing infections and abscesses and stabilizing lung disease). Important nuance: HSCT does NOT reverse established non-immune features (skeletal, dental, connective-tissue), and its effect on the vasculopathy is uncertain.
Mechanism Target:
RESTORES Impaired Th17 differentiation and IL-17/IL-22 immunity — HSCT replaces the affected hematopoietic compartment, restoring STAT3-competent immune cells and the Th17/IL-17 defense.
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:20301786 SUPPORT Other
"The role of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HSCT) in STAT3-HIES is emerging; while successful transplant recipients have improved infection phenotype, the effect of HSCT on the nonimmunologic aspects of the disease remains unclear."
GeneReviews supports HSCT as an emerging therapy that improves the infection phenotype while leaving the nonimmunologic features unresolved.
Genetic counseling
Action: Genetic counseling Ontology label: Genetic Counseling NCIT:C15240
Genetic counseling addresses the autosomal dominant inheritance (50% transmission risk per offspring of an affected individual; most cases de novo) and reproductive options including prenatal and preimplantation genetic testing once the familial STAT3 variant is known.
Show evidence (2 references)
PMID:20301786 SUPPORT Other
"Each child of an individual with STAT3-HIES has a 50% chance of inheriting the pathogenic variant."
GeneReviews provides the autosomal dominant recurrence risk (50% per child) that genetic counseling communicates.
PMID:10053178 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"Autosomal dominant transmission of the hyper-IgE syndrome was found, but with variable expressivity."
Autosomal dominant transmission with variable expressivity is the basis for genetic counseling.
🔬

Biochemical Markers

3
Markedly elevated serum IgE (Abnormal)
Context: Serum IgE is markedly elevated, typically >2000 IU/mL and historically often far higher; levels may decline toward normal in a minority of adults over time, so a normal adult IgE does not exclude the diagnosis.
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:10053178 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"In 6 of 23 adults (26 percent), IgE levels declined over time and came closer to or fell within the normal range."
Documents the age-related decline of serum IgE in a subset of adults.
Peripheral eosinophilia (Abnormal)
Context: Peripheral blood eosinophilia accompanies the elevated IgE in the large majority of patients.
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:22751495 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"memory B-cell lymphopenia (94.5%), and hypereosinophilia (80%)."
French cohort documents hypereosinophilia in 80% of patients.
Reduced Th17 (IL-17-producing CD4+) cells (Abnormal)
Context: Profoundly reduced circulating Th17 (IL-17-producing CD4+) cells are a strong functional discriminator of STAT3-mutated HIES.
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:20159255 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"T(H)17 cells were profoundly reduced in patients harboring STAT3 mutations"
Diagnostic-guideline study shows profoundly reduced Th17 cells in STAT3-mutated patients.
🔀

Differential Diagnoses

2

Conditions with similar clinical presentations that must be differentiated from Autosomal Dominant Hyper-IgE Syndrome:

DOCK8 deficiency (autosomal recessive HIES)
Overlapping Features AR-HIES from biallelic DOCK8 loss-of-function shares high IgE and eczema but is distinguished by severe cutaneous viral infections (HSV, HPV, molluscum), allergies, and early malignancy, and notably LACKS the connective-tissue, skeletal, retained-teeth, and vascular features of STAT3-HIES.
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:20004785 SUPPORT Human Clinical
"dedicator of cytokinesis 8 (DOCK8) in the autosomal-recessive form of hyper-IgE syndrome"
Establishes DOCK8 as the cause of the autosomal recessive form of HIES, a distinct entity from AD STAT3-HIES.
STAT3 gain-of-function syndrome
Overlapping Features Germline STAT3 gain-of-function causes a mechanistically OPPOSITE disorder (early-onset autoimmunity, lymphoproliferation, and enteropathy) rather than an immunodeficiency, and must not be conflated with the loss-of-function dominant-negative STAT3 that causes AD-HIES.
Show evidence (1 reference)
PMID:34137790 SUPPORT In Vitro
"through negative dominance rather than haploinsufficiency."
AD-HIES is driven by loss-of-function negative dominance, the mechanistic opposite of STAT3 gain-of-function disease.
{ }

Source YAML

click to show
name: Autosomal Dominant Hyper-IgE Syndrome
creation_date: "2026-06-30T00:00:00Z"
category: Mendelian
synonyms:
- AD-HIES
- STAT3-HIES
- Job syndrome
- Buckley syndrome
- STAT3 hyper-IgE syndrome
- STAT3 deficiency
disease_term:
  preferred_term: Autosomal Dominant Hyper-IgE Syndrome
  term:
    id: MONDO:0007818
    label: hyper-IgE recurrent infection syndrome 1, autosomal dominant
parents:
- Primary Immunodeficiency
description: >-
  Autosomal dominant hyper-IgE syndrome (AD-HIES; STAT3-HIES; Job syndrome) is a
  rare multisystem primary immunodeficiency caused by heterozygous
  dominant-negative variants in STAT3. It couples a recognizable immunologic
  triad (markedly elevated serum IgE, recurrent "cold" staphylococcal skin
  abscesses, and recurrent pneumonia with pneumatocele/bronchiectasis
  formation) with eosinophilia, chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, and
  eczematoid dermatitis, plus non-immune connective-tissue, skeletal, dental,
  craniofacial, and vascular abnormalities. The mutant STAT3 monomer poisons
  wild-type STAT3 in the obligate dimer, reducing STAT3 transcriptional output
  across the IL-6/IL-11/IL-21/IL-23 cytokine network. Downstream this collapses
  Th17 differentiation and IL-17/IL-22 mucocutaneous antimicrobial immunity
  (susceptibility to Staphylococcus aureus and Candida), blunts the IL-6
  acute-phase response (the "cold," under-inflamed abscesses), and disrupts
  STAT3-dependent bone, vascular, and craniofacial/dental programs. It is
  inherited in an autosomal dominant manner, most often as a de novo variant.
classifications:
  harrisons_chapter:
  - classification_value: IMMUNE_RHEUMATOLOGIC
    evidence:
    - reference: PMID:20159255
      reference_title: "Mutations in STAT3 and diagnostic guidelines for hyper-IgE syndrome."
      supports: SUPPORT
      evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
      snippet: "The hyper-IgE syndrome (HIES) is a primary immunodeficiency characterized by infections of the lung and skin, elevated serum IgE, and involvement of the soft and bony tissues."
      explanation: HIES is characterized as a primary immunodeficiency, supporting placement in Harrison's immune/rheumatologic Part.
  - classification_value: GENETICS_ENVIRONMENT_DISEASE
    evidence:
    - reference: PMID:17676033
      reference_title: "Dominant-negative mutations in the DNA-binding domain of STAT3 cause hyper-IgE syndrome."
      supports: SUPPORT
      evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
      snippet: "dominant-negative mutations in the human signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) gene result in the classical multisystem HIES."
      explanation: AD-HIES is a Mendelian single-gene STAT3 disorder, supporting placement in Harrison's genetics Part.
  iuis_category:
    classification_value: combined immunodeficiency with syndromic features
    evidence:
    - reference: PMID:20159255
      reference_title: "Mutations in STAT3 and diagnostic guidelines for hyper-IgE syndrome."
      supports: SUPPORT
      evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
      snippet: "The hyper-IgE syndrome (HIES) is a primary immunodeficiency characterized by infections of the lung and skin, elevated serum IgE, and involvement of the soft and bony tissues."
      explanation: The combination of immunodeficiency with soft-tissue and bony (syndromic) involvement places AD-HIES in the IUIS "combined immunodeficiency with syndromic features" category.
prevalence:
- population: General population (birth)
  notes: >-
    Estimated frequency on the order of 1 in 100,000 to 1 in 1,000,000 at birth;
    true prevalence may be higher given incomplete penetrance of individual
    manifestations.
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:34137790
    reference_title: "Human STAT3 variants underlie autosomal dominant hyper-IgE syndrome by negative dominance."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: OTHER
    snippet: "The estimated frequency of HIES is between 1 per 100,000 to 1,000,000 at birth"
    explanation: Provides the estimated birth frequency of HIES.
mechanistic_hypotheses:
- hypothesis_group_id: stat3_negative_dominance
  hypothesis_label: STAT3 negative dominance (dominant-negative), not haploinsufficiency
  status: CANONICAL
  description: >-
    The unifying molecular mechanism of AD-HIES is negative dominance: the
    mutant STAT3 allele encodes a full-length (or reinitiated) non-functional
    protein that dimerizes with and inactivates wild-type STAT3, reducing
    activity below the level expected from simple loss of one allele. This is
    distinct from, and contrasted with, the older haploinsufficiency hypothesis.
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:34137790
    reference_title: "Human STAT3 variants underlie autosomal dominant hyper-IgE syndrome by negative dominance."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: IN_VITRO
    snippet: "through negative dominance rather than haploinsufficiency."
    explanation: Experimental testing of all reported variants supports negative dominance as the unifying mechanism.
pathophysiology:
- name: STAT3 dominant-negative dysfunction
  description: >-
    Heterozygous variants (predominantly missense and small in-frame deletions
    clustering in the DNA-binding and SH2 domains, but also out-of-frame
    variants acting through reinitiated neoproteins) produce a STAT3 protein
    that dimerizes with wild-type STAT3 and abolishes DNA binding and
    transactivation. STAT3 tyrosine phosphorylation is often preserved; the
    functional defect is downstream DNA binding/transcription across the entire
    STAT3 cytokine network (IL-6, IL-10, IL-11, IL-21, IL-22, IL-23).
  genes:
  - preferred_term: STAT3
    term:
      id: hgnc:11364
      label: STAT3
  biological_processes:
  - preferred_term: STAT3-dependent transcriptional output (DNA binding/transactivation)
    term:
      id: GO:0006357
      label: regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II
    modifier: DECREASED
  - preferred_term: JAK-STAT signaling
    term:
      id: GO:0007259
      label: cell surface receptor signaling pathway via JAK-STAT
    modifier: DECREASED
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:17676033
    reference_title: "Dominant-negative mutations in the DNA-binding domain of STAT3 cause hyper-IgE syndrome."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "dominant-negative mutations in the human signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) gene result in the classical multisystem HIES."
    explanation: Landmark report establishing dominant-negative STAT3 variants as the cause of classical AD-HIES.
  - reference: PMID:17676033
    reference_title: "Dominant-negative mutations in the DNA-binding domain of STAT3 cause hyper-IgE syndrome."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: IN_VITRO
    snippet: "the DNA-binding ability of STAT3 in these cells was greatly diminished. All five mutants were non-functional by themselves and showed dominant-negative effects when co-expressed with wild-type STAT3."
    explanation: Functional assays show diminished STAT3 DNA binding and dominant-negative behavior against wild-type STAT3.
  - reference: PMID:34137790
    reference_title: "Human STAT3 variants underlie autosomal dominant hyper-IgE syndrome by negative dominance."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: IN_VITRO
    snippet: "through negative dominance rather than haploinsufficiency."
    explanation: Experimental testing of the full reported variant set shows negative dominance, not haploinsufficiency, is the unifying mechanism.
  downstream:
  - target: Impaired Th17 differentiation and IL-17/IL-22 immunity
    causal_link_type: DIRECT
    description: Loss of STAT3 output downstream of IL-6/IL-23 prevents RORgammat-driven Th17 development.
    hypothesis_groups:
    - stat3_negative_dominance
  - target: Blunted IL-6 acute-phase signaling
    causal_link_type: DIRECT
    description: Impaired IL-6-to-STAT3 signaling underlies the under-inflamed acute-phase response.
  - target: STAT3-dependent connective-tissue and skeletal program failure
    causal_link_type: DIRECT
    description: Loss of STAT3 in bone, vascular, and craniofacial tissue disrupts non-immune developmental and homeostatic programs.
  - target: Elevated serum IgE
    causal_link_type: INDIRECT_KNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
    intermediate_mechanisms:
    - impaired STAT3-dependent IL-10/IL-21 signaling
    - skewed atopic class switching
    description: Disrupted STAT3 signaling skews toward IgE class switching, producing the elevated serum IgE phenotype.
  - target: Eosinophilia
    causal_link_type: INDIRECT_KNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
    intermediate_mechanisms:
    - impaired STAT3-dependent cytokine signaling
    description: Disrupted STAT3 signaling contributes to peripheral eosinophilia.
- name: Impaired Th17 differentiation and IL-17/IL-22 immunity
  description: >-
    STAT3 is required downstream of IL-6 and IL-23 for RORgammat-driven Th17
    development. Loss of IL-17A/F and IL-22 removes the signals that drive
    epithelial antimicrobial-peptide production and neutrophil recruitment to
    skin and lung, producing the characteristic susceptibility to
    Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans.
  cell_types:
  - preferred_term: T-helper 17 cell
    term:
      id: CL:0000899
      label: T-helper 17 cell
  - preferred_term: CD4-positive alpha-beta T cell
    term:
      id: CL:0000624
      label: CD4-positive, alpha-beta T cell
  - preferred_term: neutrophil
    term:
      id: CL:0000775
      label: neutrophil
  - preferred_term: keratinocyte
    term:
      id: CL:0000312
      label: keratinocyte
  biological_processes:
  - preferred_term: T-helper 17 cell differentiation
    term:
      id: GO:0072539
      label: T-helper 17 cell differentiation
    modifier: DECREASED
  - preferred_term: interleukin-17 production
    term:
      id: GO:0032620
      label: interleukin-17 production
    modifier: DECREASED
  - preferred_term: defense response to bacterium
    term:
      id: GO:0042742
      label: defense response to bacterium
    modifier: DECREASED
  - preferred_term: defense response to fungus
    term:
      id: GO:0050832
      label: defense response to fungus
    modifier: DECREASED
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:18337720
    reference_title: "Impaired T(H)17 cell differentiation in subjects with autosomal dominant hyper-IgE syndrome."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: IN_VITRO
    snippet: "Purified naive T cells were unable to differentiate into IL-17-producing (T(H)17) T helper cells in vitro and had lower expression of retinoid-related orphan receptor (ROR)-gammat, which is consistent with a crucial role for STAT3 signalling in the generation of T(H)17 cells."
    explanation: Patient naive T cells fail Th17 differentiation with reduced RORgammat, mechanistically linking STAT3 loss to Th17 collapse.
  - reference: PMID:18337720
    reference_title: "Impaired T(H)17 cell differentiation in subjects with autosomal dominant hyper-IgE syndrome."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: IN_VITRO
    snippet: "T(H)17 cells have emerged as an important subset of helper T cells that are believed to be critical in the clearance of fungal and extracellular bacterial infections. Thus, our data suggest that the inability to produce T(H)17 cells is a mechanism underlying the susceptibility to the recurrent infections commonly seen in HIES."
    explanation: Directly links the Th17 defect to the antibacterial/antifungal susceptibility of AD-HIES.
  downstream:
  - target: Recurrent cutaneous abscesses
    causal_link_type: INDIRECT_KNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
    intermediate_mechanisms:
    - loss of IL-17/IL-22-driven skin antimicrobial defense
    description: Impaired mucocutaneous antibacterial immunity produces recurrent staphylococcal skin abscesses.
  - target: Chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis
    causal_link_type: INDIRECT_KNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
    intermediate_mechanisms:
    - loss of IL-17-dependent antifungal mucosal defense
    description: Th17/IL-17 deficiency impairs control of Candida at skin and mucosal surfaces.
  - target: Recurrent pneumonia
    causal_link_type: INDIRECT_KNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
    intermediate_mechanisms:
    - impaired pulmonary antibacterial defense
    description: Defective mucosal antibacterial immunity predisposes to recurrent bacterial pneumonia.
- name: Blunted IL-6 acute-phase signaling
  description: >-
    Impaired IL-6-to-STAT3 signaling produces a reduced systemic inflammatory
    response despite deep infection, which is the basis for the characteristic
    "cold," under-inflamed staphylococcal abscesses, and contributes to
    defective antibody responses.
  biological_processes:
  - preferred_term: interleukin-6-mediated signaling pathway
    term:
      id: GO:0070102
      label: interleukin-6-mediated signaling pathway
    modifier: DECREASED
  - preferred_term: acute-phase response
    term:
      id: GO:0006953
      label: acute-phase response
    modifier: DECREASED
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:17881745
    reference_title: "STAT3 mutations in the hyper-IgE syndrome."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "the cells from patients with the hyper-IgE syndrome generated lower levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 in response to the presence of interleukin-6 (P=0.03), suggesting a defect in interleukin-6 signaling through its downstream mediators, one of which is STAT3."
    explanation: Patient cells show defective IL-6 signaling responses, the functional clue that implicated STAT3.
- name: STAT3-dependent connective-tissue and skeletal program failure
  description: >-
    Because STAT3 transduces IL-11, leptin, and growth-factor signals in bone,
    vasculature, and craniofacial tissue, dominant-negative STAT3 disrupts
    non-immune programs. STAT3 normally restrains osteoclastogenesis; its loss
    increases osteoclast activity, producing osteopenia and fractures. Impaired
    IL-11/STAT3 signaling links to craniosynostosis and delayed exfoliation of
    deciduous teeth, and vascular STAT3 deficiency contributes to arterial
    tortuosity, ectasia, and aneurysm.
  cell_types:
  - preferred_term: osteoclast
    term:
      id: CL:0000092
      label: osteoclast
  - preferred_term: endothelial cell
    term:
      id: CL:0000115
      label: endothelial cell
  biological_processes:
  - preferred_term: osteoclast differentiation
    term:
      id: GO:0030316
      label: osteoclast differentiation
    modifier: INCREASED
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:15694417
    reference_title: "Osteoporosis with increased osteoclastogenesis in hematopoietic cell-specific STAT3-deficient mice."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: MODEL_ORGANISM
    snippet: "STAT3 mutant mice exhibit decreased bone density, bone volume, and increased numbers of TRAP-positive OC."
    explanation: Mouse hematopoietic STAT3 deletion increases osteoclastogenesis and reduces bone density, modeling the AD-HIES bone phenotype.
  downstream:
  - target: Osteopenia
    causal_link_type: DIRECT
    description: Increased osteoclastic bone resorption from STAT3 loss reduces bone density.
  - target: Recurrent fractures
    causal_link_type: INDIRECT_KNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
    intermediate_mechanisms:
    - reduced bone density
    description: Low bone density predisposes to minimal-trauma fractures.
  - target: Arterial tortuosity and aneurysm
    causal_link_type: DIRECT
    description: STAT3-dependent vascular maintenance failure contributes to arterial tortuosity, ectasia, and aneurysm.
phenotypes:
- name: Elevated serum IgE
  category: Immunologic
  frequency: VERY_FREQUENT
  description: >-
    Markedly elevated serum IgE, typically exceeding 2000 IU/mL (often far
    higher), is the defining laboratory hallmark; levels may decline with age in
    a minority of adults.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Elevated serum IgE
    term:
      id: HP:0003212
      label: Increased circulating IgE concentration
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:22751495
    reference_title: "Autosomal dominant STAT3 deficiency and hyper-IgE syndrome: molecular, cellular, and clinical features from a French national survey."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "The immunologic phenotype was characterized by high serum IgE levels (96% of the patients)"
    explanation: French national cohort documents elevated serum IgE in 96% of STAT3-deficient patients.
- name: Eosinophilia
  category: Immunologic
  frequency: VERY_FREQUENT
  description: >-
    Peripheral blood eosinophilia is highly frequent and accompanies the high
    serum IgE.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Eosinophilia
    term:
      id: HP:0001880
      label: Increased total eosinophil count
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:22751495
    reference_title: "Autosomal dominant STAT3 deficiency and hyper-IgE syndrome: molecular, cellular, and clinical features from a French national survey."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "memory B-cell lymphopenia (94.5%), and hypereosinophilia (80%)."
    explanation: French cohort reports hypereosinophilia in 80% of patients.
- name: Recurrent cutaneous abscesses
  category: Immunologic
  frequency: VERY_FREQUENT
  description: >-
    Recurrent staphylococcal skin abscesses, characteristically "cold"
    abscesses with disproportionately mild local inflammation, are a cardinal
    feature.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Recurrent cutaneous abscess
    term:
      id: HP:0100838
      label: Recurrent cutaneous abscess formation
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:17676033
    reference_title: "Dominant-negative mutations in the DNA-binding domain of STAT3 cause hyper-IgE syndrome."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "characterized by a highly elevated serum IgE, recurrent staphylococcal skin abscesses and cyst-forming pneumonia, with disproportionately milder inflammatory responses, referred to as cold abscesses"
    explanation: Defines recurrent staphylococcal "cold" skin abscesses as a hallmark of HIES.
- name: Recurrent pneumonia
  category: Respiratory
  frequency: VERY_FREQUENT
  description: >-
    Recurrent bacterial pneumonia (S. aureus, S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae)
    begins in the first years of life; aberrant healing produces pneumatoceles
    and bronchiectasis.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Recurrent pneumonia
    term:
      id: HP:0006532
      label: Recurrent pneumonia
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:22751495
    reference_title: "Autosomal dominant STAT3 deficiency and hyper-IgE syndrome: molecular, cellular, and clinical features from a French national survey."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Up to 90% of the patients had pneumonia, mostly caused by Staph. aureus (31%) or Streptococcus pneumoniae (30%)."
    explanation: French cohort documents pneumonia in up to 90% of patients.
- name: Pulmonary pneumatocele
  category: Respiratory
  frequency: FREQUENT
  description: >-
    Pneumatoceles result from aberrant healing of recurrent pneumonias and
    become niches for Aspergillus, Pseudomonas, and non-tuberculous
    mycobacteria, a major source of late mortality.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Pneumatocele
    term:
      id: HP:0025419
      label: Pulmonary pneumatocele
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:22751495
    reference_title: "Autosomal dominant STAT3 deficiency and hyper-IgE syndrome: molecular, cellular, and clinical features from a French national survey."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Lung sequelae were reported in 67% (40/60) of patients, taking the form of bronchiectasis in 65% (39/60) of patients or pneumatocele in 52% (31/60) of patients"
    explanation: French cohort quantifies pneumatocele as a lung sequela in 52% of patients.
- name: Bronchiectasis
  category: Respiratory
  frequency: FREQUENT
  description: >-
    Progressive airway remodeling with bronchiectasis is a major long-term
    consequence of recurrent pneumonia and chronic airway injury.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Bronchiectasis
    term:
      id: HP:0002110
      label: Bronchiectasis
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:22751495
    reference_title: "Autosomal dominant STAT3 deficiency and hyper-IgE syndrome: molecular, cellular, and clinical features from a French national survey."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Lung sequelae were reported in 67% (40/60) of patients, taking the form of bronchiectasis in 65% (39/60) of patients or pneumatocele in 52% (31/60) of patients"
    explanation: French cohort quantifies bronchiectasis as a lung sequela in 65% of patients.
- name: Chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis
  category: Immunologic
  frequency: VERY_FREQUENT
  description: >-
    Chronic Candida infection of nails, oral, and mucosal surfaces reflects the
    loss of IL-17-dependent antifungal immunity.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis
    term:
      id: HP:0002728
      label: Chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:22751495
    reference_title: "Autosomal dominant STAT3 deficiency and hyper-IgE syndrome: molecular, cellular, and clinical features from a French national survey."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Mucocutaneous infections were the most frequent, typically caused by Staphylococcus aureus (all patients) and Candida albicans (85%)."
    explanation: French cohort documents Candida albicans mucocutaneous infection in 85% of patients.
- name: Eczematoid dermatitis
  category: Dermatologic
  frequency: VERY_FREQUENT
  description: >-
    A newborn-period rash (often diagnosed as eosinophilic pustulosis) evolves
    into an eczematoid dermatitis and is frequently the first manifestation,
    within weeks of life.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Eczematoid dermatitis
    term:
      id: HP:0000964
      label: Eczematoid dermatitis
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:22751495
    reference_title: "Autosomal dominant STAT3 deficiency and hyper-IgE syndrome: molecular, cellular, and clinical features from a French national survey."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Up to 92% of the patients had dermatitis and connective"
    explanation: French cohort documents dermatitis in up to 92% of patients.
- name: Coarse facial features
  category: Craniofacial
  frequency: VERY_FREQUENT
  description: >-
    A characteristic facial appearance (prominent forehead, deep-set eyes,
    broad nasal bridge, fleshy nasal tip, coarse skin with prominent pores,
    prognathism) typically emerges by adolescence.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Coarse facial features
    term:
      id: HP:0000280
      label: Coarse facial features
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:10053178
    reference_title: "Hyper-IgE syndrome with recurrent infections--an autosomal dominant multisystem disorder."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Nonimmunologic features of the hyper-IgE syndrome were present in all patients older than eight years."
    explanation: The defining cohort study established that the nonimmune (including characteristic facial) features are essentially universal in older patients.
- name: Persistence of primary teeth
  category: Dental
  frequency: FREQUENT
  description: >-
    Failure or delay of shedding of the primary (deciduous) teeth, owing to
    lack of root resorption, is a characteristic dental feature.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Retained primary (deciduous) teeth
    term:
      id: HP:0006335
      label: Persistence of primary teeth
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:10053178
    reference_title: "Hyper-IgE syndrome with recurrent infections--an autosomal dominant multisystem disorder."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Seventy-two percent had the previously unrecognized feature of failure or delay of shedding of the primary teeth owing to lack of root resorption."
    explanation: Defining cohort study quantifies retained primary teeth at 72%.
- name: Joint hypermobility
  category: Musculoskeletal
  frequency: FREQUENT
  description: >-
    Hyperextensible joints are a common non-immune connective-tissue feature.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Hyperextensible joints
    term:
      id: HP:0001382
      label: Joint hypermobility
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:10053178
    reference_title: "Hyper-IgE syndrome with recurrent infections--an autosomal dominant multisystem disorder."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Common findings among patients were recurrent fractures (in 57 percent of patients), hyperextensible joints (in 68 percent)"
    explanation: Defining cohort study quantifies hyperextensible joints at 68%.
- name: Recurrent fractures
  category: Musculoskeletal
  frequency: FREQUENT
  description: >-
    Minimal-trauma and recurrent fractures occur on a background of low bone
    density from increased STAT3-deficient osteoclastogenesis.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Recurrent fractures
    term:
      id: HP:0002757
      label: Recurrent fractures
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:10053178
    reference_title: "Hyper-IgE syndrome with recurrent infections--an autosomal dominant multisystem disorder."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Common findings among patients were recurrent fractures (in 57 percent of patients)"
    explanation: Defining cohort study quantifies recurrent fractures at 57%.
- name: Osteopenia
  category: Musculoskeletal
  frequency: FREQUENT
  description: >-
    Reduced bone density reflects increased osteoclastic bone resorption when
    STAT3 restraint of osteoclastogenesis is lost.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Osteopenia
    term:
      id: HP:0000938
      label: Osteopenia
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:22751495
    reference_title: "Autosomal dominant STAT3 deficiency and hyper-IgE syndrome: molecular, cellular, and clinical features from a French national survey."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "(65%), osteopenia (50%), and hyperextensibility (50%)."
    explanation: French cohort documents osteopenia in 50% of patients.
- name: Scoliosis
  category: Musculoskeletal
  frequency: FREQUENT
  description: >-
    Scoliosis is a frequent skeletal manifestation that emerges and progresses
    through adolescence.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Scoliosis
    term:
      id: HP:0002650
      label: Scoliosis
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:10053178
    reference_title: "Hyper-IgE syndrome with recurrent infections--an autosomal dominant multisystem disorder."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "scoliosis (in 76 percent of patients 16 years of age or older)."
    explanation: Defining cohort study quantifies scoliosis at 76% of patients aged 16 or older.
- name: Craniosynostosis
  category: Craniofacial
  frequency: VERY_RARE
  description: >-
    Premature cranial suture fusion occurs in a subset of patients, linked to
    impaired IL-11/STAT3 signaling.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Craniosynostosis
    term:
      id: HP:0001363
      label: Craniosynostosis
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:22751495
    reference_title: "Autosomal dominant STAT3 deficiency and hyper-IgE syndrome: molecular, cellular, and clinical features from a French national survey."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "additional features, including facial dysmorphism, impaired shedding of deciduous teeth, bone abnormalities (osteopenia), craniosynostosis, and hyperextensibility."
    explanation: French survey lists craniosynostosis among the non-immune skeletal features of AD-HIES.
  - reference: PMID:22751495
    reference_title: "Autosomal dominant STAT3 deficiency and hyper-IgE syndrome: molecular, cellular, and clinical features from a French national survey."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "craniosynostosis (n = 2), retracted tendons (n = 2), spondylolisthesis L5-S1 (n = 1), and spina bifida occulta (n = 1)"
    explanation: French cohort reports craniosynostosis in 2 of 60 patients (~3%), supporting a VERY_RARE frequency band.
- name: Arterial tortuosity and aneurysm
  category: Cardiovascular
  frequency: FREQUENT
  description: >-
    A widespread, prognostically important vasculopathy comprising arterial
    tortuosity, ectasia, and aneurysm of coronary, cerebral, and other
    medium-sized arteries, with risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, and
    subarachnoid hemorrhage even in young, non-atherosclerotic patients.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Arterial tortuosity
    term:
      id: HP:0005116
      label: Arterial tortuosity
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:22084479
    reference_title: "Frequent and widespread vascular abnormalities in human signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 deficiency."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "We reported peripheral and brain artery abnormalities in 84% of the patients and detected coronary artery abnormalities in 50% of the patients. The most frequent vascular abnormalities were ectasia and aneurysm."
    explanation: Prospective vascular imaging study documents frequent and widespread arterial abnormalities (ectasia, aneurysm, tortuosity).
- name: Coronary artery aneurysm
  category: Cardiovascular
  frequency: FREQUENT
  description: >-
    Coronary artery abnormalities, including aneurysm and ectasia, are detected
    in about half of adult STAT3-deficient patients on dedicated imaging.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Coronary artery aneurysm
    term:
      id: HP:0030882
      label: Coronary artery aneurysm
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:22084479
    reference_title: "Frequent and widespread vascular abnormalities in human signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 deficiency."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "detected coronary artery abnormalities in 50% of the patients. The most frequent vascular abnormalities were ectasia and aneurysm."
    explanation: Prospective imaging documents coronary artery abnormalities including aneurysm in 50% of adult patients.
- name: Lymphoma
  category: Oncologic
  frequency: OCCASIONAL
  description: >-
    Lymphomas, chiefly non-Hodgkin lymphoma (some EBV-associated), occur at
    increased frequency and warrant surveillance.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Lymphoma
    term:
      id: HP:0002665
      label: Lymphoma
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:22751495
    reference_title: "Autosomal dominant STAT3 deficiency and hyper-IgE syndrome: molecular, cellular, and clinical features from a French national survey."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Four patients developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma."
    explanation: French cohort reports non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 4 of 60 patients (~7%), supporting an OCCASIONAL frequency band.
- name: Gastroesophageal reflux disease
  category: Gastrointestinal
  description: >-
    Gastroesophageal reflux disease is among the recognized gastrointestinal
    manifestations of STAT3-HIES.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Gastroesophageal reflux
    term:
      id: HP:0002020
      label: Gastroesophageal reflux
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:20301786
    reference_title: "STAT3 Hyper IgE Syndrome."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: OTHER
    snippet: "Gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations include gastroesophageal reflux disease, esophageal dysmotility, and spontaneous intestinal perforations"
    explanation: GeneReviews lists gastroesophageal reflux disease among the GI manifestations of STAT3-HIES.
- name: Esophageal dysmotility
  category: Gastrointestinal
  description: >-
    Esophageal dysmotility (with dysphagia) is a recognized gastrointestinal
    manifestation of STAT3-HIES.
  phenotype_term:
    preferred_term: Esophageal dysmotility
    term:
      id: HP:0002015
      label: Dysphagia
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:20301786
    reference_title: "STAT3 Hyper IgE Syndrome."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: OTHER
    snippet: "Gastrointestinal (GI) manifestations include gastroesophageal reflux disease, esophageal dysmotility, and spontaneous intestinal perforations"
    explanation: GeneReviews lists esophageal dysmotility among the GI manifestations of STAT3-HIES.
inheritance:
- name: Autosomal dominant
  description: >-
    AD-HIES is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner with essentially
    complete penetrance and variable expressivity; the majority of cases arise
    from a de novo pathogenic STAT3 variant.
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:10053178
    reference_title: "Hyper-IgE syndrome with recurrent infections--an autosomal dominant multisystem disorder."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Autosomal dominant transmission of the hyper-IgE syndrome was found, but with variable expressivity."
    explanation: Defining cohort study established autosomal dominant transmission with variable expressivity.
biochemical:
- name: Markedly elevated serum IgE
  presence: Abnormal
  context: >-
    Serum IgE is markedly elevated, typically >2000 IU/mL and historically
    often far higher; levels may decline toward normal in a minority of adults
    over time, so a normal adult IgE does not exclude the diagnosis.
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:10053178
    reference_title: "Hyper-IgE syndrome with recurrent infections--an autosomal dominant multisystem disorder."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "In 6 of 23 adults (26 percent), IgE levels declined over time and came closer to or fell within the normal range."
    explanation: Documents the age-related decline of serum IgE in a subset of adults.
- name: Peripheral eosinophilia
  presence: Abnormal
  context: >-
    Peripheral blood eosinophilia accompanies the elevated IgE in the large
    majority of patients.
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:22751495
    reference_title: "Autosomal dominant STAT3 deficiency and hyper-IgE syndrome: molecular, cellular, and clinical features from a French national survey."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "memory B-cell lymphopenia (94.5%), and hypereosinophilia (80%)."
    explanation: French cohort documents hypereosinophilia in 80% of patients.
- name: Reduced Th17 (IL-17-producing CD4+) cells
  presence: Abnormal
  context: >-
    Profoundly reduced circulating Th17 (IL-17-producing CD4+) cells are a
    strong functional discriminator of STAT3-mutated HIES.
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:20159255
    reference_title: "Mutations in STAT3 and diagnostic guidelines for hyper-IgE syndrome."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "T(H)17 cells were profoundly reduced in patients harboring STAT3 mutations"
    explanation: Diagnostic-guideline study shows profoundly reduced Th17 cells in STAT3-mutated patients.
genetic:
- name: STAT3
  association: Causative
  gene_term:
    preferred_term: STAT3
    term:
      id: hgnc:11364
      label: STAT3
  notes: >-
    Heterozygous dominant-negative variants in STAT3 (17q21.2) cause AD-HIES,
    predominantly missense substitutions and small in-frame deletions
    clustering in the DNA-binding and SH2 domains, but also out-of-frame
    variants that act through reinitiated truncated neoproteins. The unifying
    mechanism is negative dominance rather than haploinsufficiency. Variants are
    essentially absent from population databases and are most often de novo.
    STAT3 dominant-negative loss-of-function is mechanistically opposite to
    STAT3 gain-of-function, which causes a distinct early-onset
    autoimmunity/lymphoproliferation syndrome.
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:17881745
    reference_title: "STAT3 mutations in the hyper-IgE syndrome."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "We identified missense mutations and single-codon in-frame deletions in STAT3 in 50 familial and sporadic cases of the hyper-IgE syndrome."
    explanation: Identifies STAT3 missense and in-frame deletion variants as causative across familial and sporadic HIES.
  - reference: PMID:34137790
    reference_title: "Human STAT3 variants underlie autosomal dominant hyper-IgE syndrome by negative dominance."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: IN_VITRO
    snippet: "the 135 in-frame variants (95%) were also DN."
    explanation: Experimental testing shows 95% of in-frame STAT3 variants act by dominant negativity.
treatments:
- name: Anti-staphylococcal prophylactic antibiotics
  description: >-
    The mainstay of management is prevention of staphylococcal abscesses and
    pneumonias with prophylactic anti-staphylococcal antibiotics
    (trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is standard) plus early aggressive treatment
    of infections. Practical caution: trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole
    hypersensitivity is a recognized adverse-reaction risk.
  treatment_term:
    preferred_term: Antibiotic prophylaxis
    term:
      id: NCIT:C15620
      label: Antibiotic Therapy
    therapeutic_agent:
    - preferred_term: trimethoprim
      term:
        id: CHEBI:45924
        label: trimethoprim
    - preferred_term: sulfamethoxazole
      term:
        id: CHEBI:9332
        label: sulfamethoxazole
  target_phenotypes:
  - preferred_term: Recurrent cutaneous abscess
    term:
      id: HP:0100838
      label: Recurrent cutaneous abscess formation
  target_mechanisms:
  - target: Impaired Th17 differentiation and IL-17/IL-22 immunity
    treatment_effect: BYPASSES
    description: Prophylactic antibiotics control staphylococcal infection that the impaired Th17/IL-17 mucocutaneous defense fails to clear.
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:20301786
    reference_title: "STAT3 Hyper IgE Syndrome."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: OTHER
    snippet: "The mainstay of treatment is prevention of staphylococcal abscesses and pneumonias with anti-staphylococcal prophylactic antibiotics as well as early aggressive treatment of infections."
    explanation: GeneReviews identifies anti-staphylococcal prophylactic antibiotics as the mainstay of STAT3-HIES management.
  - reference: PMID:22751495
    reference_title: "Autosomal dominant STAT3 deficiency and hyper-IgE syndrome: molecular, cellular, and clinical features from a French national survey."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Antibiotic prophylaxis (90% of patients),"
    explanation: French cohort confirms antibiotic prophylaxis as standard management, used in 90% of patients.
- name: Antifungal prophylaxis and therapy
  description: >-
    Antifungal agents (e.g., fluconazole for Candida; itraconazole for
    Aspergillus colonizing pneumatoceles and for chronic mucocutaneous
    candidiasis) are used for prophylaxis and treatment. Note azole-drug
    CYP3A4 interactions in practice.
  treatment_term:
    preferred_term: Antifungal pharmacotherapy
    term:
      id: NCIT:C15986
      label: Pharmacotherapy
    therapeutic_agent:
    - preferred_term: fluconazole
      term:
        id: CHEBI:46081
        label: fluconazole
    - preferred_term: itraconazole
      term:
        id: CHEBI:6076
        label: itraconazole
  target_phenotypes:
  - preferred_term: Chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis
    term:
      id: HP:0002728
      label: Chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis
  target_mechanisms:
  - target: Impaired Th17 differentiation and IL-17/IL-22 immunity
    treatment_effect: BYPASSES
    description: Antifungal agents control Candida and Aspergillus that the impaired IL-17 antifungal defense fails to clear.
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:22751495
    reference_title: "Autosomal dominant STAT3 deficiency and hyper-IgE syndrome: molecular, cellular, and clinical features from a French national survey."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Mucocutaneous infections were the most frequent, typically caused by Staphylococcus aureus (all patients) and Candida albicans (85%)."
    explanation: High Candida burden establishes the rationale for antifungal prophylaxis/therapy in AD-HIES.
- name: Skin antiseptic care
  description: >-
    Antiseptic skin therapies such as dilute bleach (sodium hypochlorite)
    baths and chlorhexidine, with histamine-1 antagonists to control pruritus,
    reduce staphylococcal skin disease and eczema burden.
  treatment_term:
    preferred_term: Supportive care
    term:
      id: MAXO:0000950
      label: supportive care
  target_phenotypes:
  - preferred_term: Eczematoid dermatitis
    term:
      id: HP:0000964
      label: Eczematoid dermatitis
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:20301786
    reference_title: "STAT3 Hyper IgE Syndrome."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: OTHER
    snippet: "Antiseptic therapies for the skin such as dilute bleach baths and chlorhexidine are beneficial."
    explanation: GeneReviews directly supports dilute bleach baths and chlorhexidine antiseptic skin therapy as beneficial in STAT3-HIES.
- name: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
  description: >-
    Allogeneic HSCT is increasingly used and is the only therapy that corrects
    the immune phenotype (abolishing infections and abscesses and stabilizing
    lung disease). Important nuance: HSCT does NOT reverse established
    non-immune features (skeletal, dental, connective-tissue), and its effect on
    the vasculopathy is uncertain.
  treatment_term:
    preferred_term: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
    term:
      id: MAXO:0000747
      label: hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
  target_mechanisms:
  - target: Impaired Th17 differentiation and IL-17/IL-22 immunity
    treatment_effect: RESTORES
    description: HSCT replaces the affected hematopoietic compartment, restoring STAT3-competent immune cells and the Th17/IL-17 defense.
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:20301786
    reference_title: "STAT3 Hyper IgE Syndrome."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: OTHER
    snippet: "The role of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HSCT) in STAT3-HIES is emerging; while successful transplant recipients have improved infection phenotype, the effect of HSCT on the nonimmunologic aspects of the disease remains unclear."
    explanation: GeneReviews supports HSCT as an emerging therapy that improves the infection phenotype while leaving the nonimmunologic features unresolved.
- name: Genetic counseling
  description: >-
    Genetic counseling addresses the autosomal dominant inheritance (50%
    transmission risk per offspring of an affected individual; most cases de
    novo) and reproductive options including prenatal and preimplantation
    genetic testing once the familial STAT3 variant is known.
  treatment_term:
    preferred_term: Genetic counseling
    term:
      id: NCIT:C15240
      label: Genetic Counseling
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:20301786
    reference_title: "STAT3 Hyper IgE Syndrome."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: OTHER
    snippet: "Each child of an individual with STAT3-HIES has a 50% chance of inheriting the pathogenic variant."
    explanation: GeneReviews provides the autosomal dominant recurrence risk (50% per child) that genetic counseling communicates.
  - reference: PMID:10053178
    reference_title: "Hyper-IgE syndrome with recurrent infections--an autosomal dominant multisystem disorder."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "Autosomal dominant transmission of the hyper-IgE syndrome was found, but with variable expressivity."
    explanation: Autosomal dominant transmission with variable expressivity is the basis for genetic counseling.
diagnosis:
- name: STAT3 molecular genetic testing
  description: >-
    Definitive diagnosis is established by identifying a heterozygous
    dominant-negative pathogenic variant in STAT3, by single-gene sequencing,
    an HIES/PID gene panel (to also cover DOCK8, PGM3, ZNF341, IL6ST/IL6R), or
    exome/genome sequencing.
  diagnosis_term:
    preferred_term: molecular genetic testing
    term:
      id: MAXO:0000533
      label: molecular genetic testing
  results: Heterozygous dominant-negative pathogenic STAT3 variant
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:20301786
    reference_title: "STAT3 Hyper IgE Syndrome."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: OTHER
    snippet: "The diagnosis of STAT3-HIES is established in a proband with typical clinical findings and a heterozygous dominant-negative pathogenic variant in STAT3 identified by molecular genetic testing."
    explanation: GeneReviews states that molecular identification of a heterozygous dominant-negative STAT3 variant establishes the diagnosis.
  - reference: PMID:17676033
    reference_title: "Dominant-negative mutations in the DNA-binding domain of STAT3 cause hyper-IgE syndrome."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "dominant-negative mutations in the human signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) gene result in the classical multisystem HIES."
    explanation: Identification of a dominant-negative STAT3 variant establishes the molecular diagnosis.
- name: NIH HIES clinical scoring and Th17 enumeration
  description: >-
    A combination of clinical features (the NIH HIES score) together with
    enumeration of Th17 cells discriminates STAT3-mutated from STAT3-wild-type
    patients; profoundly reduced Th17 cells strongly support the diagnosis.
  diagnosis_term:
    preferred_term: Th17 cell flow cytometry
    term:
      id: MAXO:0035055
      label: flow cytometry procedure
  results: Profoundly reduced IL-17-producing CD4+ (Th17) cells; high NIH HIES clinical score
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:20159255
    reference_title: "Mutations in STAT3 and diagnostic guidelines for hyper-IgE syndrome."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "A combination of 5 clinical features predicted STAT3 mutations with 85% accuracy. T(H)17 cells were profoundly reduced in patients harboring STAT3 mutations"
    explanation: Establishes the combined clinical-plus-Th17 diagnostic approach for STAT3-mutated HIES.
- name: Thoracic and vascular imaging
  description: >-
    Chest CT detects pneumatoceles and bronchiectasis; coronary and cerebral
    vascular imaging is recommended for aneurysm surveillance (per GeneReviews,
    every ~3 years in adults).
  diagnosis_term:
    preferred_term: computed tomography
    term:
      id: MAXO:0000571
      label: computed tomography procedure
  results: Pneumatoceles/bronchiectasis on chest CT; arterial ectasia/aneurysm on vascular imaging
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:22084479
    reference_title: "Frequent and widespread vascular abnormalities in human signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 deficiency."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "We explored the entire arterial vasculature with whole-body magnetic resonance imaging angiography, coronary multislice computed tomography"
    explanation: Establishes vascular imaging as the means of detecting the AD-HIES vasculopathy.
differential_diagnoses:
- name: DOCK8 deficiency (autosomal recessive HIES)
  description: >-
    AR-HIES from biallelic DOCK8 loss-of-function shares high IgE and eczema
    but is distinguished by severe cutaneous viral infections (HSV, HPV,
    molluscum), allergies, and early malignancy, and notably LACKS the
    connective-tissue, skeletal, retained-teeth, and vascular features of
    STAT3-HIES.
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:20004785
    reference_title: "Large deletions and point mutations involving the dedicator of cytokinesis 8 (DOCK8) in the autosomal-recessive form of hyper-IgE syndrome."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
    snippet: "dedicator of cytokinesis 8 (DOCK8) in the autosomal-recessive form of hyper-IgE syndrome"
    explanation: Establishes DOCK8 as the cause of the autosomal recessive form of HIES, a distinct entity from AD STAT3-HIES.
- name: STAT3 gain-of-function syndrome
  description: >-
    Germline STAT3 gain-of-function causes a mechanistically OPPOSITE disorder
    (early-onset autoimmunity, lymphoproliferation, and enteropathy) rather
    than an immunodeficiency, and must not be conflated with the
    loss-of-function dominant-negative STAT3 that causes AD-HIES.
  evidence:
  - reference: PMID:34137790
    reference_title: "Human STAT3 variants underlie autosomal dominant hyper-IgE syndrome by negative dominance."
    supports: SUPPORT
    evidence_source: IN_VITRO
    snippet: "through negative dominance rather than haploinsufficiency."
    explanation: AD-HIES is driven by loss-of-function negative dominance, the mechanistic opposite of STAT3 gain-of-function disease.
references:
- reference: PMID:20301786
  title: "STAT3 Hyper IgE Syndrome."
  tags:
  - GeneReviews
📚

References & Deep Research

References

1
STAT3 Hyper IgE Syndrome.
No top-level findings curated for this source.

Deep Research

1
Claude Code
1. Disease Information
claude-haiku-4-5-20251001, claude-opus-4-8[1m] 11 citations 2026-06-30T11:10:59.071494

1. Disease Information

Overview. Autosomal dominant hyper-IgE syndrome (AD-HIES) is a rare multisystem primary (inborn-error-of-immunity) immunodeficiency caused by heterozygous dominant-negative loss-of-function variants in STAT3. It is the prototypic "connective-tissue/immune" inborn error: it couples a recognizable immunologic triad — markedly elevated serum IgE, recurrent "cold" staphylococcal skin abscesses, and recurrent pneumonia with pneumatocele formation — with non-immune craniofacial, dental, skeletal, and vascular abnormalities. This combination of an immunodeficiency that also disrupts somatic tissue is what makes STAT3-HIES distinctive among the inborn errors of immunity. The eponym Job syndrome (1966, Davis et al., describing girls with "cold" abscesses, after the biblical Job "smitten with sore boils") predates the unified description by Buckley (1972, adding the facial/skeletal features and high IgE), and the molecular cause (STAT3) was discovered in 2007.

Key identifiers. - MONDO: MONDO:0007818hyper-IgE recurrent infection syndrome 1, autosomal dominant (the value already in the YAML; correct). - OMIM: 147060 (HYPER-IgE RECURRENT INFECTION SYNDROME 1, AUTOSOMAL DOMINANT; HIES1). Gene: STAT3 OMIM *102582. - Orphanet: ORPHA:2314Autosomal dominant hyper-IgE syndrome due to STAT3 deficiency (under the broader Job syndrome grouping ORPHA:2316). - ICD-10: D82.4 (Hyperimmunoglobulin E [IgE] syndrome). ICD-11: 4A00.20 (Hyper-IgE syndromes). - MeSH: D007589 (Job Syndrome). - HGNC (gene): hgnc:11364 (STAT3).

Synonyms / alternative names: AD-HIES; STAT3-HIES; STAT3 dominant-negative HIES; Job syndrome; Buckley syndrome; HIES type 1; classic/sporadic hyper-IgE syndrome.

Data source character. Information is overwhelmingly disease-level aggregated (curated cohorts from the NIH, French national survey, GeneReviews, and the international HSCT consortium), not EHR/individual-patient registries. The largest well-phenotyped series are single-center/national cohorts of tens to low-hundreds of molecularly confirmed patients.


2. Etiology

Primary cause (genetic). Heterozygous germline dominant-negative variants in STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3), chromosome 17q21.2. STAT3 is the shared signaling node for a large family of cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, IL-11, IL-21, IL-22, IL-23, G-CSF, leptin, etc.). The mutant allele produces a full-length but non-functional protein that poisons the wild-type STAT3 in the obligate dimer, so a single mutant allele reduces overall STAT3 activity well below the ~50% expected from simple haploinsufficiency. - Holland et al., NEJM 2007 (PMID:17881745): "heterozygous … mutations in … STAT3 in the majority of patients with the hyper-IgE syndrome." - Minegishi et al., Nature 2007 (PMID:17676033): "Dominant-negative mutations in the DNA-binding domain of STAT3 cause hyper-IgE syndrome." - Asano et al., J Exp Med 2021 (PMID:34137790, PMC8217968): of in-frame variants studied, 128/135 (95%) were experimentally dominant-negative, and all 15 out-of-frame variants were dominant-negative via truncated neoproteins/reinitiation isoforms — i.e., negative dominance, not haploinsufficiency, is the unifying mechanism.

Genetic risk factors. The disorder is monogenic and fully penetrant — there is no separate "susceptibility locus." The relevant genetic facts are the mutational hotspots (below): missense/in-frame deletions clustering in the DNA-binding domain and the SH2 domain of STAT3.

Environmental risk factors. None are required for disease (it is Mendelian). Environmental triggers of complications (not of the disease itself) include colonizing Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus/other molds (which colonize pneumatoceles), and Candida. Smoking and recurrent infection accelerate the structural lung disease. No sex predilection (equal M:F).

Protective factors. None established at the genetic level. Clinically, early, lifelong anti-staphylococcal prophylaxis and aggressive skin/airway care are "protective" against the morbidity, and HSCT is curative for the immune phenotype (Section 12).

Gene–environment interaction. The core G×E story is STAT3-dependent Th17/IL-17–IL-22 collapse meeting environmental pathogens: the host is constitutively unable to mount the IL-17/IL-22 mucocutaneous antimicrobial program, so common environmental organisms (S. aureus, Candida albicans, Aspergillus) that are trivial for normal hosts cause recurrent, deep, poorly inflamed infection.


3. Phenotypes

STAT3-HIES is multisystem. Frequencies vary by cohort (NIH, French survey, US series); ranges are given where sources differ. Suggested HPO terms in brackets.

Immunologic / infectious (early-onset, often neonatal–infantile): - Markedly elevated serum IgE, typically >2000 IU/mL (peak often ≫10,000); ~97–100% at some point (may normalize in adults). HP:0003212 (Increased circulating IgE concentration). Onset: infancy. Severity: defining hallmark. - Eosinophilia (>700/µL), ~80–90%. HP:0001880 (Eosinophilia). - Recurrent "cold" cutaneous abscesses (staphylococcal, lacking classic warmth/erythema), ~>80%. HP:0100838 (Recurrent cutaneous abscess formation) / HP:0002744 (cold abscess concept). - Recurrent pneumonia (S. aureus, S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae) with pneumatocele/bronchiectasis from aberrant healing, ~>85% pneumonia; pneumatoceles in a large minority. HP:0006532 (Recurrent pneumonia), HP:0025428/HP:0025427 (pneumatocele), HP:0002110 (Bronchiectasis). Pneumatoceles then become niches for Aspergillus/Pseudomonas/non-tuberculous mycobacteria → fatal hemoptysis/invasive aspergillosis. HP:0002099 (Asthma not typical; rather chronic pulmonary disease). - Chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (nails, oral, vaginal), ~>80%. HP:0002728 (Chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis). - Newborn/eczematoid dermatitis, often first sign within weeks of life, ~all. HP:0000964 (Eczema) / HP:0000962 (Hyperkeratosis), HP:0011123 (papulopustular eruption). - Mucocutaneous viral disease (recurrent HSV, VZV reactivation, molluscum, warts), variable.

Non-immune connective tissue / skeletal / dental / craniofacial: - Characteristic facies (emerging by adolescence): facial asymmetry, prominent forehead, deep-set eyes, broad nasal bridge/fleshy nasal tip, coarse/"leonine" skin with prominent pores, prognathism, high-arched palate. ~80–100% of adults. HP:0000271 (Abnormal facial shape), HP:0000343 (Long philtrum/coarse), HP:0000218 (High palate). - Retained primary (deciduous) teeth / failure of normal exfoliation, ~> 50–65% (US cohort 41%; molecularly-defined series up to 83% delayed). HP:0006335 (Persistence of primary teeth). - Scoliosis, ~>60% (US cohort ~34%). HP:0002650 (Scoliosis). - Minimal-trauma / pathologic fractures and low bone density, ~40–50%. HP:0002659 (Increased susceptibility to fractures), HP:0000938 (Osteopenia), HP:0000939 (Osteoporosis). - Joint hyperextensibility / hyperextensible joints, common. HP:0001382 (Joint hypermobility). - Craniosynostosis (subset). HP:0001363. - Degenerative joint disease / osteoarthritis, adult.

Neurologic / structural: - Chiari I malformation in ~18–20%. HP:0002308 (Arnold-Chiari type I). - Focal brain hyperintensities (white-matter lesions) ~60–70%, usually clinically silent. HP:0002518 (Periventricular white matter hyperintensities). - Lacunar infarcts/stroke related to vasculopathy (below).

Vascular (under-recognized, prognostically important): - Coronary artery tortuosity/ectasia ~50%, coronary aneurysms in a substantial fraction (≈70% have some coronary abnormality in prospective imaging). HP:0001640 (Cardiomegaly not specific) → better: HP:0004942 (Aortic aneurysm), HP:0025019/coronary-artery aneurysm. Chandesris et al., Circulation 2012 (PMID:22456478). - Cerebral / middle-sized artery aneurysms and arterial tortuosity; risk of myocardial infarction, subarachnoid hemorrhage, ischemic stroke even in young, non-atherosclerotic patients.

GI / other: - Esophageal dysmotility / GERD / eosinophilic esophagitis, >50%. HP:0002020 (Gastroesophageal reflux), HP:0002015 (Dysphagia). - Gastrointestinal candidiasis, colon perforation/diverticulitis (reported).

Onset / severity / progression summary: dermatitis and infections begin in infancy; the somatic (facial, dental, skeletal, vascular) features accrue with age and become diagnostic by adolescence/adulthood. Course is chronic-progressive, dominated long-term by structural lung disease and vascular events.

Quality-of-life impact: chronic skin disease/pruritus, recurrent infections, repeated hospitalization/surgery, chronic lung disease with exercise limitation, fracture/scoliosis-related disability, dental morbidity, and the psychological burden of a visible facial phenotype. No HIES-specific validated QoL instrument; generic tools (SF-36, EQ-5D, PedsQL) apply.


4. Genetic / Molecular Information

Causal gene. STAT3 (hgnc:11364; OMIM *102582; Ensembl ENSG00000168610; 17q21.2). Encodes a 770-aa transcription factor with N-terminal, coiled-coil, DNA-binding, linker, SH2, and C-terminal transactivation domains.

Pathogenic variants. - Type/class: predominantly missense substitutions and small in-frame deletions; out-of-frame/splice variants occur but act through translation-reinitiation neoproteins (Asano 2021). - Mutational hotspots: cluster in the DNA-binding domain (e.g., recurrent p.Val463del, p.Arg382Trp/Gln, p.Val637Met in SH2) and the SH2 domain. Woellner et al., JACI 2010 (PMID:20004785, "Mutations in STAT3 and diagnostic guidelines for hyper-IgE syndrome") catalogued the spectrum and tied genotype to the clinical/IgE phenotype. - Functional consequence: dominant-negative — mutant monomer dimerizes with wild-type and abolishes DNA binding/transactivation; NOT simple loss-of-function/haploinsufficiency, and NOT gain-of-function (germline STAT3 GOF causes a distinct early-onset autoimmunity/lymphoproliferation syndrome — a key contrast). - Allele frequency: essentially absent from gnomAD (private, often de novo, pathogenic alleles); recurrent hotspot alleles arise independently. - Origin: germline; the majority are de novo (sporadic), with autosomal dominant transmission when inherited. Somatic STAT3 variants are unrelated (they appear in LGL leukemia / cancers).

Variant classification (ACMG/AMP). Recurrent hotspot dominant-negative missense/in-frame variants are typically Pathogenic/Likely Pathogenic (PS3 functional, PM1 hotspot, PS4/PP1 if segregating, PM2 absence in gnomAD). ClinVar lists the classic alleles as pathogenic.

Modifier genes / epigenetics / chromosomal abnormalities. No established Mendelian modifier genes; phenotypic variability (even within families) is attributed to which STAT3 target pathways are most disrupted and to stochastic/environmental factors. No recurrent epigenetic mechanism or chromosomal rearrangement is implicated — this is a point-mutation disease.


5. Environmental Information

  • Environmental/occupational toxins: not causal.
  • Lifestyle: smoking and poorly controlled airway infection worsen structural lung disease; otherwise non-contributory to onset.
  • Infectious agents (drivers of morbidity, not cause):
  • Staphylococcus aureus (NCBITaxon:1280) — dominant skin/lung pathogen; "cold" abscesses, pneumonia, pneumatoceles.
  • Candida albicans (NCBITaxon:5476) — chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis.
  • Aspergillus fumigatus (NCBITaxon:746128) and other molds — colonize/invade pneumatoceles; major cause of late mortality (hemoptysis, invasive aspergillosis).
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa, non-tuberculous mycobacteria, Pneumocystis jirovecii (especially post-transplant or with lung damage), and herpesviruses (HSV, VZV, EBV).

6. Mechanism / Pathophysiology

Apex lesion → causal chain.

(0) STAT3 dominant-negative dysfunction. A single heterozygous DNA-binding/SH2-domain variant produces a full-length mutant that dimerizes with wild-type STAT3 and abolishes DNA binding/transactivation across the entire STAT3 cytokine network. GO terms: GO:0007260 (tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT protein, DECREASED downstream output — note phosphorylation itself is often preserved; it is DNA binding/transactivation that fails), GO:0007259 (cell surface receptor signaling pathway via JAK-STAT), GO:0006357 (regulation of transcription). The defect is upstream of everything below.

(1) Collapse of Th17 differentiation → IL-17/IL-22 deficiency (immune arm, the central mechanism). STAT3 is required downstream of IL-6 and IL-23 for RORγt-driven Th17 development. Milner et al., Nature 2008 (PMID:18337720): "impaired T(H)17 cell differentiation" in AD-HIES. Loss of IL-17A/F and IL-22 removes the signals that drive epithelial β-defensin/antimicrobial-peptide production and neutrophil recruitment to skin and lung → susceptibility to S. aureus and Candida. Cell types: CL:0000899 (Th17 cell), CL:0000624 (CD4+ αβ T cell), CL:0000775 (neutrophil), CL:0000066 (epithelial cell). GO: GO:0072539 (Th17 cell differentiation), GO:0097400 (interleukin-17-mediated signaling), GO:0050830 (defense response to Gram-positive bacterium).

(2) Blunted IL-6 acute-phase / inflammatory signaling. Impaired IL-6→STAT3 signaling underlies the paradoxically "cold," under-inflamed abscesses (reduced systemic inflammatory response despite deep infection) and contributes to defective antibody/affinity-maturation responses. Holland 2007 (PMID:17881745): "impaired … responses to … IL-6." GO: GO:0070102 (interleukin-6-mediated signaling pathway), GO:0006953 (acute-phase response).

(3) Dysregulated humoral/atopic balance. Impaired STAT3 (IL-10, IL-21) signaling skews toward IgE class-switching/atopy and impairs memory B-cell generation and specific antibody responses → high IgE plus functionally poor antibody. Cell types: CL:0000787 (memory B cell), CL:0000236 (B cell).

(4) Non-immune connective-tissue/skeletal/dental program failure (somatic arm). Because STAT3 transduces IL-11, leptin, and growth-factor signals in bone, vasculature, and craniofacial tissue, dominant-negative STAT3 disrupts: - Bone: STAT3 normally restrains osteoclastogenesis; its loss → increased osteoclast activity, osteopenia, fractures. Zhang et al. 2005 (PMID:15694417) — hematopoietic STAT3 deletion → increased osteoclastogenesis/osteopenia in mice (MODEL_ORGANISM). GO: GO:0045671/GO:0001503 (osteoclast/ossification), cell type CL:0000092 (osteoclast). - Craniofacial/dental: impaired IL-11→STAT3 signaling links to craniosynostosis, delayed tooth exfoliation, retained primary teeth (parallels IL11RA-deficiency craniosynostosis; Nieminen et al., AJHG 2011, PMID:21741611). - Vasculature: STAT3 deficiency reduces VEGF/HIF-1α-dependent vascular maintenance and dysregulates matrix metalloproteinases (notably MMP-8) and TGF-β/TNF-α responses → arterial tortuosity, ectasia, and aneurysm; mouse data show STAT3/IL-17A blockade worsens aneurysm severity and rupture. Chandesris et al., Circulation 2012 (PMID:22456478). GO:0001525 (angiogenesis), cell types CL:0000115 (endothelial cell), CL:0000192 (vascular smooth muscle cell). - Lung architecture: impaired epithelial repair + MMP dysregulation → pneumatocele/bronchiectasis (aberrant post-pneumonia healing) rather than simple infection.

Upstream vs downstream summary. STAT3 DN (upstream) → branches into (a) Th17/IL-17–IL-22 immune-defense failure (skin/lung/mucosal infection) and (b) IL-6 acute-phase blunting (cold abscesses, antibody defects) on the immune side, and (c) bone/vascular/dental connective-tissue programs on the non-immune side. All downstream phenotypes trace to the single transcription-factor lesion.

Molecular profiling. Transcriptomic studies of patient T cells show loss of STAT3 target-gene induction (RORC, IL17A, IL17F, IL22, retinoic-acid-receptor–related signatures); proteomic/functional assays show normal STAT3 protein and tyrosine phosphorylation but absent DNA binding (the basis of the dominant-negative model). No disease-specific metabolomic/lipidomic signature is established.


7. Anatomical Structures Affected

Organ/system level (primary): skin (UBERON:0002097), lung/respiratory tract (UBERON:0002048; bronchi UBERON:0002185), immune/hematopoietic system (UBERON:0002405), oral cavity/teeth (UBERON:0001091 tooth), skeleton (UBERON:0002481 bone tissue; vertebral column UBERON:0002240), craniofacial skeleton/skull (UBERON:0003129).

Secondary / complication-level: cardiovascular systemcoronary arteries (UBERON:0001621), cerebral arteries/aorta (UBERON:0001637 artery); central nervous system/brain (UBERON:0000955) — Chiari I, white-matter lesions; esophagus/GI tract (UBERON:0001043) — dysmotility, candidiasis.

Tissue/cell level: epithelium (skin and airway, CL:0000066), Th17 lymphocytes (CL:0000899), neutrophils (CL:0000775), memory B cells (CL:0000787), osteoclasts (CL:0000092), vascular endothelial (CL:0000115) and smooth-muscle (CL:0000192) cells.

Subcellular level: STAT3 acts in the cytoplasm → nucleus (GO:0005634 nucleus; GO:0005829 cytosol); the functional defect is nuclear DNA binding/transcription (GO:0003700 DNA-binding transcription factor activity).

Localization/lateralization: infections and abscesses are multifocal; vascular and skeletal involvement is typically bilateral/systemic; facial features are roughly symmetric/asymmetric (facial asymmetry is itself a feature).


8. Temporal Development

  • Onset: congenital/neonatal-infantile — eczematoid newborn rash and recurrent infections usually within the first weeks–months of life.
  • Pattern: chronic, with recurrent episodic infections superimposed.
  • Progression/stages: early childhood — dermatitis, abscesses, pneumonias, candidiasis, high IgE; adolescence — emergence of the characteristic facies, retained teeth, scoliosis, fractures; adulthood — dominated by chronic structural lung disease (bronchiectasis/pneumatoceles with mold/Pseudomonas/NTM superinfection) and vasculopathy (coronary/cerebral aneurysms), plus lymphoma risk.
  • Rate: slow but cumulative; lifelong chronic disease (not self-limited).
  • Critical windows for intervention: infancy/childhood for prophylaxis and dental management; pre-irreversible-lung-damage window for considering HSCT; adult vascular surveillance (every ~3 years) to pre-empt fatal aneurysmal events.

9. Inheritance and Population

  • Inheritance: autosomal dominant; majority de novo (sporadic). 50% transmission risk per offspring of an affected parent.
  • Penetrance: complete/essentially complete; expressivity variable (intra-familial variability in non-immune features).
  • Anticipation / germline mosaicism / founder effects: no genetic anticipation; germline/somatic mosaicism is rare but reported (relevant to recurrence counseling); no classic founder populations — recurrent hotspot alleles arise independently across ethnic groups.
  • Carrier frequency / consanguinity: not a recessive carrier disease; consanguinity is not a risk factor (that points instead to the recessive HIES mimics — DOCK8, etc.).
  • Epidemiology: rare; prevalence on the order of ~1 in 1,000,000 (some older estimates ~1:100,000). Hundreds of molecularly confirmed cases worldwide.
  • Demographics: no sex predilection (M:F ≈ 1:1); reported across all ethnicities/geographies; no endemic geographic clustering.

10. Diagnostics

Clinical scoring. The NIH HIES score (Grimbacher et al., NEJM 1999, PMID:10053177 — "Hyper-IgE syndrome with recurrent infections—an autosomal dominant multisystem disorder") weights 19 clinical/lab findings; >40 points suggests HIES, <20 makes it unlikely. Woellner 2010 (PMID:20004785) refined diagnostic guidelines and showed that low Th17 counts and the genotype improve discrimination.

Laboratory. Serum IgE >2000 IU/mL (often historically much higher); eosinophilia >700/µL; reduced/absent IL-17-producing CD4+ (Th17) cells by flow cytometry (a strong discriminator); variably impaired specific antibody responses; normal-to-reduced memory B cells.

Functional/imaging. Chest CT for pneumatoceles/bronchiectasis; coronary CT/MR angiography and brain MRA for aneurysm surveillance; spine imaging for scoliosis; DXA for bone density; echocardiography.

Genetic testing. The diagnosis is confirmed by identifying a heterozygous dominant-negative STAT3 variant. Approaches: single-gene STAT3 sequencing, HIES/PID gene panels (to include DOCK8, PGM3, ZNF341, IL6ST/IL6R, SPINK5, CARD11, ERBIN, TGFBR), or exome/genome sequencing. Functional confirmation (absent STAT3 DNA binding / dominant-negative assay) supports VUS reclassification.

Differential diagnosis (distinguishing features): - DOCK8 deficiency (AR-HIES): severe cutaneous viral infections (HSV, HPV, molluscum), allergies, early malignancy, no connective-tissue/skeletal/retained-teeth features. → genetics. - STAT3 gain-of-function: early autoimmunity, lymphoproliferation, enteropathy — opposite mechanism. - PGM3 deficiency, ZNF341 (AR STAT3-pathway), IL6ST/IL6R defects, Comèl-Netherton (SPINK5), Wiskott-Aldrich, Omenn, atopic dermatitis with high IgE.

Screening. Not part of routine newborn screening (TREC-based NBS misses HIES). Cascade testing of relatives for a known familial variant; prenatal/PGT possible when the familial variant is known.


11. Outcome / Prognosis

  • Life expectancy: historically reduced; with modern prophylaxis many reach adulthood, but median survival is shortened, driven by pulmonary complications and vascular events.
  • Leading causes of death: invasive pulmonary fungal infection / hemoptysis from pneumatocele/bronchiectasis (Aspergillus, Pseudomonas, NTM), and vascular catastrophe (MI, aneurysm rupture, ischemic/hemorrhagic stroke).
  • Malignancy: increased risk, chiefly non-Hodgkin lymphoma (and EBV-associated lymphoma); surveillance for lymphadenopathy advised.
  • Morbidity: chronic lung disease, recurrent fractures/scoliosis, dental disease, repeated surgery.
  • Prognostic factors: extent of established structural lung damage, fungal colonization, and presence/severity of vasculopathy.
  • Surveillance (per GeneReviews): coronary + cerebral vascular imaging every ~3 years in adults; dental review every 6–12 months in childhood; scoliosis monitoring through adolescence; periodic lung imaging and malignancy vigilance.

12. Treatment

Conventional / supportive (lifelong). - Antistaphylococcal prophylaxis: trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (cotrimoxazole) is standard; treat exacerbations with anti-staph agents. MAXO: MAXO:0000058/MAXO:0000059 (antibiotic/antimicrobial therapy). CHEBI: trimethoprim CHEBI:45924, sulfamethoxazole CHEBI:9332. - Antifungal prophylaxis/therapy: itraconazole/voriconazole/posaconazole for Aspergillus and CMC; fluconazole for Candida. MAXO: antifungal agent therapy; CHEBI: itraconazole CHEBI:6076, fluconazole CHEBI:46081. - Skin care: bleach (sodium hypochlorite) baths, chlorhexidine, topical antiseptics/emollients, antihistamines for pruritus. MAXO: MAXO:0000511/topical therapy concepts. - Immunoglobulin replacement (IVIG/SCIG): for selected patients with poor specific antibody/hypogammaglobulinemia (benefit limited/uncertain). MAXO: MAXO:0000841 (immunoglobulin therapy concept). - Pulmonary: airway clearance, aggressive treatment of bronchiectasis; surgical resection of complicated pneumatoceles is high-risk and selective. MAXO: MAXO:0000004 (surgical procedure). - Skeletal/dental: bisphosphonates for low bone density (case-based), orthopedic management of scoliosis/fractures, timely extraction of retained primary teeth. - Vascular: risk-factor control and surveillance; aneurysm management per cardiology/neurosurgery.

Curative — allogeneic HSCT. Increasingly used and the only therapy that corrects the immune phenotype (abolishes infections/abscesses, stabilizes lung disease); it does not reverse established non-immune features (skeletal/dental/connective tissue), and its effect on vasculopathy is uncertain (vascular events still reported post-HSCT). - Worldwide HSCT study (Blood Advances, 2025): 41 patients, median age at HSCT 14 y, 5-year overall survival 93%, event-free survival 90%, with ~87% free of bacterial/fungal respiratory infection afterward. - Harrison/Gennery et al. (J Clin Immunol 2021, PMC8249289): "Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation resolves the immune deficit associated with STAT3-dominant-negative hyper-IgE syndrome." - MAXO: MAXO:0010039 (organ/HSCT transplantation), MAXO:0000827-type bone-marrow-transplant concepts.

Experimental / future. Gene-correction (CRISPR/base-editing of the dominant-negative allele, or allele-specific knockdown to relieve negative dominance) is conceptually attractive but preclinical only; no approved targeted/RNA therapy exists. Pharmacogenomics: azole–drug interactions (CYP3A4) and TMP-SMX hypersensitivity are the practical PGx concerns.

Treatment strategy. Lifelong prophylaxis + skin/airway care from diagnosis; multidisciplinary surveillance (pulmonary, vascular, dental, skeletal, oncologic); consider HSCT before irreversible lung damage, weighing transplant risk against progressive infection.


13. Prevention

  • Primary prevention: none possible (Mendelian); genetic counseling and reproductive options (PGT/prenatal testing) when a familial variant is known. MAXO: MAXO:0000079 (genetic counseling).
  • Secondary prevention: early diagnosis (Th17 flow + STAT3 sequencing in a child with neonatal eczema, abscesses, high IgE) enables prophylaxis before lung damage; cascade testing of at-risk relatives.
  • Tertiary prevention (preventing complications): antibacterial/antifungal prophylaxis, skin antisepsis, vaccination (per IEI guidance; avoid live vaccines if significantly immunocompromised/transplanted), vascular and malignancy surveillance, dental and scoliosis management — the core of day-to-day care.
  • Immunization: standard inactivated vaccines recommended; live-vaccine caution.
  • Behavioral/public-health/environmental: smoking avoidance, mold-exposure reduction, prompt infection treatment.

14. Other Species / Natural Disease

  • Taxonomy: STAT3-HIES as a clinical entity is human (NCBITaxon:9606); no naturally occurring animal counterpart is catalogued in OMIA as a recognized "Job syndrome."
  • Orthologous gene: Stat3 is highly conserved — mouse Stat3 (NCBI Gene 20848), rat, zebrafish stat3 orthologs exist. STAT3 is essential and conserved from invertebrates onward.
  • Veterinary/natural disease: no established spontaneous animal model of this specific dominant-negative HIES; relevance is via engineered models (Section 15).
  • Evolutionary conservation: the IL-6/IL-23→STAT3→Th17/IL-17 axis and STAT3's connective-tissue roles are deeply conserved, which is why mouse models recapitulate core features.

15. Model Organisms

  • Mouse (Mus musculus, MGI): the primary system. Constitutive Stat3 knockout is embryonic lethal, so disease modeling uses conditional/tissue-specific deletions and knock-in of human dominant-negative alleles:
  • Hematopoietic/T-cell-specific Stat3 deletion → impaired Th17, defective IL-17/IL-22, mucocutaneous infection susceptibility (models the immune arm).
  • Dominant-negative STAT3 knock-in mice reproduce reduced Th17 and infection phenotypes.
  • Osteoclast/bone: hematopoietic Stat3 deletion → increased osteoclastogenesis and osteopenia (Zhang 2005, PMID:15694417) — models the fracture/bone phenotype.
  • Vascular: STAT3/IL-17A blockade worsens aneurysm severity and causes fatal rupture in mouse aneurysm models — supports the vasculopathy mechanism.
  • In vitro / cellular: patient PBMC/CD4+ T-cell cultures (absent Th17 differentiation, preserved STAT3 phosphorylation but absent DNA binding); patient-derived iPSCs and reporter assays used to demonstrate dominant-negative inhibition of wild-type STAT3 (the functional assay underpinning Asano 2021, PMID:34137790).
  • Phenotype recapitulation: mouse models reproduce Th17/IL-17 immune deficits and the bone/vascular arms well; they incompletely reproduce the full human craniofacial/dental "facies" and the precise human pneumatocele biology.
  • Resources: MGI (Stat3 alleles), IMPC/KOMP conditional alleles, patient cell repositories; Cellosaurus for patient lines.

Consolidated Ontology Term Suggestions (for KB population)

  • Disease: MONDO:0007818. Gene: hgnc:11364 (STAT3).
  • HPO (key): HP:0003212 (↑IgE), HP:0001880 (eosinophilia), HP:0100838 (recurrent cutaneous abscess), HP:0006532 (recurrent pneumonia), HP:0002110 (bronchiectasis), HP:0002728 (chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis), HP:0000964 (eczema), HP:0006335 (persistence of primary teeth), HP:0002650 (scoliosis), HP:0002659 (↑fracture susceptibility), HP:0000938 (osteopenia), HP:0001382 (joint hypermobility), HP:0002308 (Chiari I), HP:0000271 (abnormal facial shape), HP:0000218 (high palate), HP:0002020 (GERD), aortic/coronary aneurysm terms (HP:0004942 and coronary-artery-aneurysm terms).
  • GO (processes): GO:0072539 (Th17 differentiation), GO:0097400 (IL-17 signaling), GO:0070102 (IL-6 signaling), GO:0007259 (JAK-STAT signaling), GO:0003700 (DNA-binding TF activity), GO:0050830 (defense response to Gram-positive bacterium), GO:0001525 (angiogenesis).
  • CL (cells): CL:0000899 (Th17), CL:0000775 (neutrophil), CL:0000787 (memory B cell), CL:0000066 (epithelial cell), CL:0000092 (osteoclast), CL:0000115 (endothelial cell).
  • UBERON: UBERON:0002097 (skin), UBERON:0002048 (lung), UBERON:0001621 (coronary artery), UBERON:0000955 (brain), UBERON:0002481 (bone tissue), UBERON:0001091 (tooth).
  • CHEBI (drugs): trimethoprim CHEBI:45924, sulfamethoxazole CHEBI:9332, itraconazole CHEBI:6076, fluconazole CHEBI:46081.
  • MAXO (treatments): MAXO:0000058/antimicrobial therapy, antifungal therapy, MAXO:0010039 (transplantation/HSCT), MAXO:0000079 (genetic counseling), MAXO:0000004 (surgery).

Key Citations (verify before YAML use)

Claim Citation PMID (verify) Evidence type
STAT3 mutations cause AD-HIES; impaired IL-6 Holland et al., NEJM 2007 17881745 HUMAN_CLINICAL
Dominant-negative STAT3 DNA-binding-domain mutations Minegishi et al., Nature 2007 17676033 HUMAN_CLINICAL / IN_VITRO
Impaired Th17 differentiation Milner et al., Nature 2008 18337720 HUMAN_CLINICAL / IN_VITRO
Mutation spectrum + diagnostic guidelines Woellner et al., JACI 2010 20004785 HUMAN_CLINICAL
Negative dominance is unifying mechanism (in/out-of-frame) Asano et al., J Exp Med 2021 34137790 IN_VITRO
NIH HIES clinical score / multisystem AD disorder Grimbacher et al., NEJM 1999 10053177 HUMAN_CLINICAL
French national survey, molecular/clinical features Chandesris et al., Medicine 2012 22751495 HUMAN_CLINICAL
Widespread vascular abnormalities (coronary/cerebral aneurysms) Chandesris et al., Circulation 2012 22456478 HUMAN_CLINICAL
STAT3 deletion → osteoclastogenesis/osteopenia Zhang et al., 2005 15694417 MODEL_ORGANISM
IL-11/STAT3 craniosynostosis/tooth eruption link Nieminen et al., AJHG 2011 21741611 HUMAN_CLINICAL
HSCT resolves immune deficit Harrison/Gennery et al., J Clin Immunol 2021 (PMC8249289) HUMAN_CLINICAL
Worldwide HSCT outcomes (5-yr OS 93%) Blood Advances 2025 (in press) HUMAN_CLINICAL
GeneReviews STAT3 HIES (criteria, surveillance, prevalence) Hsu/Davis/Puck/Holland/Freeman Bookshelf NBK25507 OTHER (review)

Sources consulted: - Human STAT3 variants underlie AD-HIES by negative dominance (J Exp Med 2021, PMC8217968) - STAT3 Hyper IgE Syndrome — GeneReviews (NBK25507) - STAT3 and the Hyper-IgE syndrome — review (PMC3710320) - STAT3 Hyper-IgE Syndrome—an Update and Unanswered Questions (J Clin Immunol 2021) - HSCT for STAT3 HIES: a worldwide study (Blood Advances 2025, PMC12359223) - HSCT resolves the immune deficit in STAT3-DN HIES (PMC8249289) - HSCT and vasculopathy in STAT3-DN HIES (Front Pediatr 2020, PMC7511721) - French national survey (PubMed 22751495) - Mutations in STAT3 and diagnostic guidelines (JACI / Woellner) - The genetics of hyper-IgE syndromes (Front Immunol 2025) - Orphanet: AD hyper-IgE syndrome due to STAT3 deficiency (ORPHA:2314)


Bottom line for the KB entry: the existing YAML's framing (dominant-negative STAT3 → Th17/IL-17–IL-22 collapse + blunted IL-6 + connective-tissue/skeletal/vascular disruption) is mechanistically correct and well-supported. The richest additions to make are: the vasculopathy arm (coronary/cerebral aneurysms, MMP-8/VEGF-HIF mechanism, ~3-yearly surveillance), the bone/dental/craniofacial non-immune phenotypes with frequencies, the NIH diagnostic score + low Th17 diagnostic pillar, the lymphoma risk, and HSCT as the curative-for-immune-phenotype treatment. Remember to re-fetch and substring-verify every PMID with just fetch-reference before committing snippets.