Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome is a rare DNMT3A-related neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by microcephaly, growth failure, developmental impairment, dysmorphic facial features, and in some patients craniosynostosis. It represents an opposing growth phenotype to Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome despite involvement of the same gene.
Ask a research question about Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome. OpenScientist will conduct autonomous deep research using the Disorder Mechanisms Knowledge Base and PubMed literature (typically 10-30 minutes).
Do not include personal health information in your question. Questions and results are cached in your browser's local storage.
Conditions with similar clinical presentations that must be differentiated from Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome:
name: Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome
creation_date: "2026-04-13T22:47:36Z"
updated_date: "2026-04-14T14:35:00Z"
description: >-
Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome is a rare DNMT3A-related neurodevelopmental
disorder characterized by microcephaly, growth failure, developmental
impairment, dysmorphic facial features, and in some patients craniosynostosis.
It represents an opposing growth phenotype to Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome
despite involvement of the same gene.
category: Mendelian
parents:
- hereditary disease
- neurodevelopmental disorder
synonyms:
- HESJAS
disease_term:
preferred_term: Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome
term:
id: MONDO:0032882
label: Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome
inheritance:
- name: Autosomal dominant inheritance
description: >-
Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome is caused by heterozygous DNMT3A variants and
is typically identified as a de novo autosomal dominant disorder.
inheritance_term:
preferred_term: Autosomal dominant inheritance
term:
id: HP:0000006
label: Autosomal dominant inheritance
evidence:
- reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Next generation sequencing revealed a novel heterozygous variant in DNMT3A (NM_175629.2: c.1012_1014 + 3del). The patient's parents did not carry the variant."
explanation: >-
This case report supports heterozygous, apparently de novo DNMT3A
causality, consistent with autosomal dominant inheritance.
pathophysiology:
- name: DNMT3A dysfunction
description: >-
Pathogenic heterozygous DNMT3A variation disrupts epigenetic regulation
during development and establishes the primary molecular lesion in
Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome.
gene:
preferred_term: DNMT3A
description: DNA methyltransferase 3 alpha developmental epigenetic regulator.
term:
id: hgnc:2978
label: DNMT3A
genes:
- preferred_term: DNMT3A
term:
id: hgnc:2978
label: DNMT3A
evidence:
- reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Here, we present a case of HESJAS caused by a novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A."
explanation: This directly supports DNMT3A as the disease-causing gene in HESJAS.
downstream:
- target: Impaired neurodevelopment
description: DNMT3A dysfunction perturbs developmental programs required for normal neurodevelopment.
- target: Impaired cranial growth and morphogenesis
description: Abnormal developmental regulation contributes to microcephaly and craniosynostosis.
- name: Impaired neurodevelopment
description: >-
Disrupted developmental regulation downstream of DNMT3A dysfunction drives
the severe developmental phenotype of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome.
evidence:
- reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "A five-year-old girl presented with severe developmental delay."
explanation: This directly supports severe neurodevelopmental impairment in HESJAS.
downstream:
- target: Global developmental delay
description: Neurodevelopmental disruption produces profound global developmental delay.
- name: Impaired cranial growth and morphogenesis
description: >-
Altered developmental regulation contributes to reduced head growth and, in
some patients, premature cranial suture fusion.
evidence:
- reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Physical exam showed microcephaly and facial dysmorphic features, and neurodevelopmental assessments revealed profound global developmental delay. Brain magnetic resonance imaging findings were normal; however, brain 3D computed tomography revealed craniosynostosis."
explanation: >-
This case report directly links the disorder to abnormal cranial growth,
microcephaly, and craniosynostosis.
downstream:
- target: Microcephaly
description: Impaired cranial growth leads to microcephaly.
- target: Craniosynostosis
description: Abnormal cranial morphogenesis can lead to premature cranial suture fusion.
phenotypes:
- name: Microcephaly
category: Neurological
diagnostic: true
description: Reduced head growth is a core clinical feature of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Microcephaly
term:
id: HP:0000252
label: Microcephaly
evidence:
- reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Physical exam showed microcephaly and facial dysmorphic features"
explanation: This directly supports microcephaly as a disease phenotype.
- name: Global developmental delay
category: Neurodevelopmental
diagnostic: true
description: Severe developmental delay is a major manifestation of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Global developmental delay
term:
id: HP:0001263
label: Global developmental delay
evidence:
- reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "A five-year-old girl presented with severe developmental delay."
explanation: This directly supports global developmental delay in HESJAS.
- name: Craniosynostosis
category: Craniofacial
description: Craniosynostosis has been reported as an additional cranial manifestation of HESJAS.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Craniosynostosis
term:
id: HP:0001363
label: Craniosynostosis
evidence:
- reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "brain 3D computed tomography revealed craniosynostosis."
explanation: This directly supports craniosynostosis in at least a subset of affected patients.
- name: Growth delay
category: Growth
description: Poor postnatal growth is part of the opposing growth phenotype associated with HESJAS.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Growth delay
term:
id: HP:0001510
label: Growth delay
evidence:
- reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "there are recent reports of variants in the same gene giving rise to an opposing clinical phenotype presenting with microcephaly, growth failure, and impaired development—named Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome (HESJAS)."
explanation: This directly supports growth failure and delayed growth as core HESJAS features.
- name: Abnormal facial shape
category: Craniofacial
description: Dysmorphic facial features are part of the recognizable syndrome gestalt.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: facial dysmorphic features
term:
id: HP:0001999
label: Abnormal facial shape
evidence:
- reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Physical exam showed microcephaly and facial dysmorphic features"
explanation: This supports craniofacial dysmorphism as part of the syndrome phenotype.
genetic:
- name: DNMT3A
association: Causal heterozygous variant
notes: >-
Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome is caused by heterozygous pathogenic DNMT3A
variants and shows an opposite growth phenotype relative to
Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome.
evidence:
- reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Here, we present a case of HESJAS caused by a novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A."
explanation: This directly supports DNMT3A causality in HESJAS.
- reference: CGGV:assertion_6c4959e0-72fe-49e2-8e7e-639539dc9095-2023-06-07T220000.000Z
reference_title: "DNMT3A / Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome (Limited)"
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: OTHER
snippet: "DNMT3A | HGNC:2978 | Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome | MONDO:0032882 | AD | Limited"
explanation: ClinGen classifies the DNMT3A-Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome gene-disease relationship as limited with autosomal dominant inheritance.
treatments: []
diagnosis:
- name: DNMT3A molecular genetic testing
presence: Identification of a heterozygous pathogenic DNMT3A variant confirms the diagnosis.
description: Molecular testing of DNMT3A is the core confirmatory diagnostic procedure for HESJAS.
diagnosis_term:
preferred_term: molecular genetic testing
term:
id: MAXO:0000533
label: molecular genetic testing
qualifiers:
- predicate:
preferred_term: has participant
term:
id: RO:0000057
label: has participant
value:
preferred_term: DNMT3A
term:
id: hgnc:2978
label: DNMT3A
evidence:
- reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Next generation sequencing revealed a novel heterozygous variant in DNMT3A (NM_175629.2: c.1012_1014 + 3del)."
explanation: This directly supports molecular confirmation through DNMT3A sequencing.
differential_diagnoses:
- name: Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome
description: >-
Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome is the major differential diagnosis because it
is also caused by DNMT3A variants but presents with an opposite overgrowth
phenotype rather than microcephaly and growth failure.
distinguishing_features:
- Microcephaly and growth failure favor Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome.
- Overgrowth and macrocephaly favor Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome.
disease_term:
preferred_term: Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome
term:
id: MONDO:0014382
label: Tatton-Brown-Rahman overgrowth syndrome
evidence:
- reference: DOI:10.3389/fped.2023.1165638
reference_title: "A novel pathogenic variant of DNMT3A associated with craniosynostosis: a case report of Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome"
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Pathogenic variants of DNMT3A have been implicated in Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome, an overgrowth disorder with macrocephaly and intellectual disability. However, there are recent reports of variants in the same gene giving rise to an opposing clinical phenotype presenting with microcephaly, growth failure, and impaired development—named Heyn-Sproul-Jackson syndrome (HESJAS)."
explanation: This directly supports Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome as the key contrasting differential diagnosis.
clinical_trials: []
datasets: []
notes: >-
Asta deep research was completed for this disorder. Final curation relied on
directly reviewed disease-specific evidence from the published case report.
This report is retrieval-only and is generated directly from Asta results.
search_papers_by_relevance with snippet_search.