Olmsted syndrome 2 (OLMS2) is the autosomal dominant, PERP-related form of Olmsted syndrome: a severe palmoplantar keratoderma with periorificial keratotic plaques. It is caused by heterozygous nonsense variants clustered in the last exon of PERP (p.Trp151* and p.Tyr153*), which encodes a p53/p63 target tetraspan membrane protein that is a component of desmosomes. Because the premature stop lies in the terminal exon, the mutant transcript escapes nonsense-mediated decay and a truncated protein is made; in patient keratinocytes it reaches the membrane but is enriched in the detergent-soluble fraction, consistent with unstable incorporation into desmosomes. Patient skin shows immature desmosomes lacking the electron-dense midline, cultured keratinocyte sheets fragment more under mechanical stress, and the epidermis is hyperproliferative with acanthosis and hyperkeratosis. Reported patients also have cheilitis, keratotic plaques in flexures and on the buttocks, hyperkeratotic nails and woolly, often yellow, hair. The same gene causes a recessive erythrokeratoderma (EKVP7) through biallelic loss of expression, which this knowledge base curates as a subtype of Erythrokeratodermia Variabilis.
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name: Olmsted Syndrome 2
creation_date: "2026-10-24T01:30:00Z"
description: >-
Olmsted syndrome 2 (OLMS2) is the autosomal dominant, PERP-related form of
Olmsted syndrome: a severe palmoplantar keratoderma with periorificial
keratotic plaques. It is caused by heterozygous nonsense variants clustered in
the last exon of PERP (p.Trp151* and p.Tyr153*), which encodes a p53/p63
target tetraspan membrane protein that is a component of desmosomes. Because
the premature stop lies in the terminal exon, the mutant transcript escapes
nonsense-mediated decay and a truncated protein is made; in patient
keratinocytes it reaches the membrane but is enriched in the detergent-soluble
fraction, consistent with unstable incorporation into desmosomes. Patient skin
shows immature desmosomes lacking the electron-dense midline, cultured
keratinocyte sheets fragment more under mechanical stress, and the epidermis
is hyperproliferative with acanthosis and hyperkeratosis. Reported patients
also have cheilitis, keratotic plaques in flexures and on the buttocks,
hyperkeratotic nails and woolly, often yellow, hair. The same gene causes a
recessive erythrokeratoderma (EKVP7) through biallelic loss of expression,
which this knowledge base curates as a subtype of Erythrokeratodermia
Variabilis.
category: Mendelian
synonyms:
- OLMS2
- palmoplantar keratoderma, mutilating, with periorificial keratotic plaques 2
parents:
- Olmsted syndrome
classifications:
harrisons_chapter:
- classification_value: DERMATOLOGY
mechanistic_category:
- classification_value: desmosomopathy
notes: >-
PERP is a desmosomal component, and patient skin shows immature
desmosomes and reduced keratinocyte adhesion.
disease_term:
preferred_term: Olmsted syndrome 2
term:
id: MONDO:0030961
label: Olmsted syndrome 2
inheritance:
- name: Autosomal dominant
inheritance_term:
preferred_term: Autosomal dominant inheritance
term:
id: HP:0000006
label: Autosomal dominant inheritance
description: >-
Heterozygous C-terminal PERP truncations cause the disease. In the founding
series one allele arose de novo and one was transmitted from an affected
father to his daughter. Heterozygous carriers of N-terminal PERP truncations
are unaffected, so the dominant disease depends on the allele class rather
than on a single dose of PERP.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Heterozygosity for a C-terminal truncation, which produces a protein that appears to be unstably incorporated into desmosomes, causes Olmsted syndrome with severe periorificial and palmoplantar keratoderma in multiple unrelated kindreds."
explanation: States that a single heterozygous allele is sufficient for Olmsted syndrome in several unrelated families.
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "one which is de novo and one which is inherited from an affected parent, conclusively demonstrates that these mutations cause OS"
explanation: Documents both a de novo occurrence and parent-to-child transmission of the heterozygous allele.
pathophysiology:
- name: PERP Last-Exon Nonsense Variant
description: >-
Heterozygous nonsense variants in the third and last exon of PERP,
p.Trp151* (c.452G>A or c.453G>A) and p.Tyr153* (c.459C>G), lie within two
residues of each other. Because they sit in the terminal exon the mutant
transcript escapes nonsense-mediated decay, and patient keratinocytes make a
C-terminally truncated protein. The authors argue against
haploinsufficiency: obligate heterozygous carriers of an N-terminal
truncation are unaffected, PERP truncating alleles occur in control
databases, and Perp heterozygous mice have no phenotype. Their favored
model is a combined dominant-negative and neomorphic effect, which remains
untested.
biological_scale: MOLECULAR
genes:
- preferred_term: PERP
term:
id: hgnc:17637
label: PERP
cell_types:
- preferred_term: keratinocyte
term:
id: CL:0000312
label: keratinocyte
genetic_context:
allele_type: nonsense variant in the terminal exon
variant_origin: GERMLINE
zygosity: HETEROZYGOUS
functional_impact_category: UNKNOWN
description: >-
The functional class is recorded as unknown because the reporting
authors propose, but do not demonstrate, a dominant-negative and
neomorphic mechanism.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "four OS subjects were found to be heterozygous for a nonsense mutation in the last exon of PERP (p.Trp151* or p.Tyr153*)"
explanation: Identifies the causal allele class and its position in the terminal exon.
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: IN_VITRO
snippet: "qRT-PCR demonstrated no deficiency in PERP RNA, consistent with terminal exon mutations escaping nonsense-mediated decay"
explanation: Patient keratinocytes keep normal PERP mRNA levels, so the mutant transcript is not degraded.
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: IN_VITRO
snippet: "Immunoblotting for PERP demonstrated lower molecular weight bands in Subject 1 keratinocyte lysates, consistent with expression of a truncated form"
explanation: Shows that the truncated protein is produced in patient keratinocytes.
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "it is highly unlikely that OS in subjects with the heterozygous p.Trp151* and p.Tyr153* mutations is due to haploinsufficiency"
explanation: The authors' conclusion against a dosage mechanism, based on unaffected carriers of a null allele.
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
directness: INDIRECT
snippet: "A dominant-negative and neomorphic effect for the heterozygous, tightly clustered C-terminal truncating mutations seems most consistent with these observations."
explanation: The proposed, untested mechanism; recorded so the UNKNOWN functional class is not read as an absence of a hypothesis.
downstream:
- target: Unstable Desmosomal Incorporation of Truncated PERP
causal_link_type: DIRECT
description: >-
The truncated protein made from the mutant allele is the protein that
fractionates as detergent-soluble.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: IN_VITRO
snippet: "suggesting that the mutant protein may not be stably incorporated into desmosomes"
explanation: The lower molecular weight, truncated bands are the ones enriched in the Triton-soluble fraction.
- target: Epidermal Hyperproliferation
causal_link_type: INDIRECT_UNKNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
description: >-
The founding study observes basal hyperproliferation in skin carrying the
variant but does not establish whether it follows from the desmosomal
defect or from another PERP function.
- target: Altered Terminal Keratinocyte Differentiation
causal_link_type: INDIRECT_UNKNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
description: >-
Expanded filaggrin staining was observed in skin carrying the variant; no
intermediate step between the variant and this change has been shown.
- name: Unstable Desmosomal Incorporation of Truncated PERP
description: >-
In keratinocytes from a p.Tyr153* patient the truncated PERP reaches the
plasma membrane normally but is enriched in the Triton X-100 soluble
fraction, the behavior of a protein not stably held in desmosomes. Other
desmosomal proteins, E-cadherin and claudin 1 keep normal solubility
profiles, and their localization in skin is normal, which distinguishes
this disease from desmosomal disorders in which other junction components
are mislocalized.
biological_scale: MOLECULAR
cell_types:
- preferred_term: keratinocyte
term:
id: CL:0000312
label: keratinocyte
cellular_components:
- preferred_term: desmosome
term:
id: GO:0030057
label: desmosome
genes:
- preferred_term: PERP
term:
id: hgnc:17637
label: PERP
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: IN_VITRO
snippet: "PERP immunostaining of keratinocytes from Subject 1 showed normal membrane localization"
explanation: The mutant protein is not mislocalized away from the membrane.
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: IN_VITRO
snippet: "Other desmosomal proteins showed normal solubility profiles consistent with stable incorporation"
explanation: The solubility change is specific to PERP rather than shared by the other desmosomal proteins.
downstream:
- target: Immature Desmosomes Lacking the Electron-Dense Midline
causal_link_type: INDIRECT_UNKNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
description: >-
Both observations are made in the same patient, but how PERP contributes
to desmosome maturation is not known, so the intervening steps are
unspecified.
- name: Immature Desmosomes Lacking the Electron-Dense Midline
conforms_to: "desmosomal_adhesion_failure#Failure of Desmosome Assembly and Intermediate Filament Anchorage"
description: >-
Electron microscopy of skin from a p.Tyr153* patient shows desmosomes that
lack the electron-dense midline of mature desmosomes, shorter outer plaques
in the lower suprabasal layer and modestly fewer desmosomes in the upper
suprabasal layer. Inner plaques and keratin filament attachments appear
intact, so of the two defects named by the conformance target only the
assembly arm is evidenced here; keratin filament anchorage is not shown to
fail.
biological_scale: CELLULAR
cell_types:
- preferred_term: keratinocyte
term:
id: CL:0000312
label: keratinocyte
cellular_components:
- preferred_term: desmosome
term:
id: GO:0030057
label: desmosome
biological_processes:
- preferred_term: desmosome organization
term:
id: GO:0002934
label: desmosome organization
modifier: ABNORMAL
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "In both subjects, desmosomes lack the electron-dense midline (EDM) normally present in mature desmosomes"
explanation: Ultrastructural evidence of immature desmosomes in the Olmsted syndrome subject's skin.
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "In the lower suprabasal layer, morphometric analysis demonstrated shorter outer plaque length in Subject 1"
explanation: Morphometric evidence of abnormal desmosome structure in the Olmsted syndrome subject.
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "In the upper suprabasal layer, desmosome frequency was modestly decreased in Subject 1"
explanation: Reduced desmosome number in the Olmsted syndrome subject.
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Other desmosomal features, including inner plaques and keratin filament attachments, appeared intact."
explanation: Limits the claim to desmosome maturation; keratin filament attachment is preserved.
downstream:
- target: Impaired Keratinocyte Adhesion Under Mechanical Stress
causal_link_type: INDIRECT_KNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
intermediate_mechanisms:
- Formation of the electron-dense midline is central to desmosome adhesive strength.
description: >-
The reporting authors interpret the adhesion defect through the missing
midline, citing its role in desmosome adhesive strength.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
directness: INDIRECT
quote_role: BACKGROUND
snippet: "Formation of the EDM is central to desmosome adhesive strength"
explanation: Background statement in the discussion that links the ultrastructural defect to reduced adhesive strength.
- name: Impaired Keratinocyte Adhesion Under Mechanical Stress
conforms_to: "desmosomal_adhesion_failure#Loss of Desmosomal Intercellular Adhesion"
description: >-
Keratinocyte sheets cultured from a p.Tyr153* patient fragment more than
control sheets in a dispase mechanical dissociation assay, a measure of
desmosomal adhesive strength. Clinical blistering or acantholysis has not
been reported in this disease.
biological_scale: CELLULAR
cell_types:
- preferred_term: keratinocyte
term:
id: CL:0000312
label: keratinocyte
biological_processes:
- preferred_term: cell-cell adhesion
term:
id: GO:0098609
label: cell-cell adhesion
modifier: DECREASED
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: IN_VITRO
snippet: "For both subjects increased fragmentation after mechanical stress was observed"
explanation: Patient keratinocyte sheets, including those from the Olmsted syndrome subject, show reduced intercellular adhesion.
downstream:
- target: Palmoplantar keratoderma
causal_link_type: INDIRECT_UNKNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
description: >-
The reporting authors read palmoplantar keratoderma and woolly hair as
the hallmarks of desmosomal abnormality; the steps from reduced adhesion
to keratoderma are not described for this disease.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
directness: INDIRECT
snippet: "The consistent features of PPK and woolly hair are hallmarks of desmosomal abnormalities"
explanation: Authors' attribution of the keratoderma to the desmosomal defect.
- target: Woolly hair
causal_link_type: INDIRECT_UNKNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
description: >-
Woolly hair is read by the reporting authors as a desmosomal hallmark;
the hair shaft itself was not examined.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
directness: INDIRECT
snippet: "The consistent features of PPK and woolly hair are hallmarks of desmosomal abnormalities"
explanation: Authors' attribution of the woolly hair to the desmosomal defect.
- name: Epidermal Hyperproliferation
description: >-
Skin from the Olmsted syndrome subject has a higher proportion of Ki67
positive cells in the basal layer of the interfollicular epidermis and more
dermal mast cells than control skin. Unlike TRPV3-related Olmsted syndrome,
no apoptotic keratinocytes were detected by activated caspase 3 staining.
biological_scale: CELLULAR
cell_types:
- preferred_term: basal cell of epidermis
term:
id: CL:0002187
label: basal cell of epidermis
biological_processes:
- preferred_term: keratinocyte proliferation
term:
id: GO:0043616
label: keratinocyte proliferation
modifier: INCREASED
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "both probands exhibit significantly increased mast cell counts in the dermis, and greater percentages of proliferating cells in the basal layer of interfollicular epidermis"
explanation: Ki67 staining shows increased basal proliferation in the Olmsted syndrome subject's skin.
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Staining of skin from OS Subject 1 for activated caspase 3 revealed no detectable apoptotic cells"
explanation: Records that keratinocyte apoptosis, a feature reported in TRPV3-related Olmsted syndrome, was not found here.
downstream:
- target: Epidermal acanthosis
causal_link_type: DIRECT
description: >-
Increased basal proliferation thickens the viable epidermis; acanthosis
is the histological reading of that thickening.
- name: Altered Terminal Keratinocyte Differentiation
description: >-
Immunostaining of the Olmsted syndrome subject's skin shows expanded
filaggrin with normal suprabasal keratin 1, which the reporting authors
interpret as a possible defect in terminal differentiation. Unlike the
recessive PERP erythrokeratoderma, keratin 14 is not expanded.
biological_scale: CELLULAR
cell_types:
- preferred_term: keratinocyte
term:
id: CL:0000312
label: keratinocyte
biological_processes:
- preferred_term: keratinocyte differentiation
term:
id: GO:0030216
label: keratinocyte differentiation
modifier: ABNORMAL
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Both OS Subject 1 and EK Subject 5 demonstrate expanded FLG but normal, suprabasal expression of KRT1."
explanation: Differentiation marker staining in the Olmsted syndrome subject's skin.
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Overall, these results suggest a potential defect in terminal differentiation in Subjects 1 and 5."
explanation: The authors' interpretation of the marker changes, stated as a possibility.
downstream:
- target: Hyperkeratosis
causal_link_type: INDIRECT_UNKNOWN_INTERMEDIATES
description: >-
A thickened stratum corneum is the histological endpoint of the altered
terminal differentiation program; the connecting steps are not described
for this disease.
progression:
- phase: Onset
age_range: First month of life to early childhood
notes: >-
In the founding series palmoplantar thickening began within the first month
of life in one child, by 5 months in another, and in early childhood in an
adult, with later progression to thick, fissured plaques at pressure sites.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Subject 3 is age 4 and presented within the first month of life with pink-red thickening of the palms and soles, which has progressed to confluent palmoplantar keratoderma with thicker scale and fissures developing on pressure-bearing areas."
explanation: Neonatal onset with progression in one subject.
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Subject 4 is age 40 and had onset of scaling of palms and soles in early childhood, with progression to thick, fissured, cobblestone-like hyperkeratosis on palms and soles which has slowly extended to the ankles, distal shins, and distal calves."
explanation: Early childhood onset and slow extension over decades in the adult subject.
phenotypes:
- category: Dermatological
name: Palmoplantar keratoderma
description: >-
Severe, transgrediens palmoplantar keratoderma that begins pink-red and
progresses to thick, yellow, fissured hyperkeratosis at pressure sites,
extending onto the dorsal wrists and ankles and, in an adult, onto the
shins and calves.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Palmoplantar keratoderma
term:
id: HP:0000982
label: Palmoplantar keratoderma
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Heterozygosity for a C-terminal truncation, which produces a protein that appears to be unstably incorporated into desmosomes, causes Olmsted syndrome with severe periorificial and palmoplantar keratoderma in multiple unrelated kindreds."
explanation: Severe palmoplantar keratoderma is a defining feature of the PERP form.
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "massive, transgrediens PPK extending to the dorsum of wrists and ankles"
explanation: Describes the transgrediens extent of the keratoderma in one subject.
- reference: PMID:34863005
reference_title: "Ichthyosis, psoriasiform dermatitis, and recurrent fungal infections in patients with biallelic mutations in PERP."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
quote_role: BACKGROUND
snippet: "Monoallelic nonsense mutations cause Olmsted syndrome with severe periorificial keratoderma and palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK)."
explanation: A later PERP study restating the dominant phenotype in its background.
sequelae:
- target: Skin fissure
causal_link_type: DIRECT
description: >-
Fissures develop within the thickening keratoderma at pressure-bearing
sites as it progresses.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Subject 3 is age 4 and presented within the first month of life with pink-red thickening of the palms and soles, which has progressed to confluent palmoplantar keratoderma with thicker scale and fissures developing on pressure-bearing areas."
explanation: Fissures appear as the keratoderma progresses on pressure-bearing palmoplantar skin.
- category: Dermatological
name: Periorificial hyperkeratosis
description: >-
Keratotic plaques around the mouth and other orifices, present in all four
subjects of the founding series.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Periorificial keratotic plaques
term:
id: HP:0034521
label: Periorificial hyperkeratosis
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Marked cheilitis, periorificial keratotic plaques, hyperkeratotic plaques on armpits, buttocks, abdomen, groin, and genitals, hyperkeratotic nails, scant eyebrows, and woolly yellow hair strikingly similar to that of Subject 1 are present."
explanation: Periorificial keratotic plaques in Subject 2.
- reference: PMID:34863005
reference_title: "Ichthyosis, psoriasiform dermatitis, and recurrent fungal infections in patients with biallelic mutations in PERP."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
quote_role: BACKGROUND
snippet: "Monoallelic nonsense mutations cause Olmsted syndrome with severe periorificial keratoderma and palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK)."
explanation: Restates periorificial keratoderma as part of the dominant PERP phenotype.
- category: Dermatological
name: Cheilitis
description: Chronic cheilitis, often accompanying the perioral plaques.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Cheilitis
term:
id: HP:0100825
label: Cheilitis
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "He has experienced chronic cheilitis with intermittent periorificial plaques."
explanation: Chronic cheilitis in the adult subject.
- category: Dermatological
name: Hyperkeratotic plaques of the flexures and buttocks
description: >-
Hyperkeratotic plaques outside the palms and soles, on the buttocks and in
the axillae, groin and genital area, and keratotic papules on the ear.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Hyperkeratotic skin plaque
term:
id: HP:0200035
label: Skin plaque
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "presented at age 5 months with cheilitis, periorificial keratotic plaques, keratotic papules on the ear at the junction of the lobule and tragus, hyperkeratotic plaques on the buttocks, transgrediens pink-red PPK which progressed over time to thick and fissured yellow plaques on the fingertips and palms at sites of pressure, hyperkeratotic nails, and woolly yellow hair"
explanation: Subject 1 has hyperkeratotic plaques on the buttocks and keratotic papules on the ear.
- category: Dermatological
name: Skin fissure
description: Fissuring of the palmoplantar hyperkeratosis at pressure-bearing sites.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Palmoplantar fissures
term:
id: HP:0031057
label: Skin fissure
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Subject 3 is age 4 and presented within the first month of life with pink-red thickening of the palms and soles, which has progressed to confluent palmoplantar keratoderma with thicker scale and fissures developing on pressure-bearing areas."
explanation: Fissures on pressure-bearing palmoplantar skin.
- category: Dermatological
name: Hyperkeratotic nails
description: Hyperkeratotic nails were reported in two of the four subjects of the founding series.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Hyperkeratotic nails
term:
id: HP:0012542
label: Onychauxis
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Marked cheilitis, periorificial keratotic plaques, hyperkeratotic plaques on armpits, buttocks, abdomen, groin, and genitals, hyperkeratotic nails, scant eyebrows, and woolly yellow hair strikingly similar to that of Subject 1 are present."
explanation: Hyperkeratotic nails in Subject 2.
- category: Dermatological
name: Woolly hair
description: >-
Fine, curly, woolly scalp hair, present in all four subjects of the
founding series and persisting into adulthood.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Woolly hair
term:
id: HP:0002224
label: Woolly hair
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "His hair was yellow, fine, and curly as a child, and became darker when he was a teen but remained woolly."
explanation: Woolly hair persisting into adulthood in Subject 4.
- category: Dermatological
name: Yellow hair
description: >-
Yellow hair in childhood was present in all four subjects of the founding
series and darkened in adolescence in the adult. The reporting authors know
of no TRPV3-related case with yellow hair and raise it as a possible
distinguishing feature of the PERP form, which further cases would have to
confirm.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Yellow hair
term:
id: HP:0002286
label: Fair hair
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Yellow hair is not a consistent feature of OS, and we know of no cases with both yellow hair and a pathogenic TRPV3 mutation."
explanation: Yellow hair is reported in the PERP subjects and is not known in TRPV3-related Olmsted syndrome.
- category: Dermatological
name: Sparse eyebrow
description: Scant eyebrows were reported in one subject.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Sparse eyebrow
term:
id: HP:0045075
label: Sparse eyebrow
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Marked cheilitis, periorificial keratotic plaques, hyperkeratotic plaques on armpits, buttocks, abdomen, groin, and genitals, hyperkeratotic nails, scant eyebrows, and woolly yellow hair strikingly similar to that of Subject 1 are present."
explanation: Scant eyebrows in Subject 2.
- category: Dental
name: Carious teeth
description: >-
Severe caries of the secondary dentition, leading to extraction of all
teeth, in the only adult reported in the founding series; primary teeth
were normal in the subjects whose teeth were described. Whether this is a
consistent adult feature is not known.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Carious teeth
term:
id: HP:0000670
label: Carious teeth
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "While his primary teeth were normal he rapidly developed severe caries in his secondary teeth, necessitating extraction of all teeth at age 38."
explanation: Severe caries of the permanent teeth in Subject 4.
- category: Histopathological
name: Epidermal acanthosis
description: Thickening of the viable epidermis on biopsy of affected skin.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Epidermal acanthosis
term:
id: HP:0025092
label: Epidermal acanthosis
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Histology of affected skin from Subjects 1 and 5 showed thickening of the epidermis (acanthosis) and a thickened stratum corneum (hyperkeratosis), consistent with diagnoses of OS and EK"
explanation: Acanthosis on histology of the Olmsted syndrome subject's affected skin.
- category: Histopathological
name: Hyperkeratosis
description: Thickened stratum corneum on biopsy of affected skin.
phenotype_term:
preferred_term: Hyperkeratosis
term:
id: HP:0000962
label: Hyperkeratosis
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Histology of affected skin from Subjects 1 and 5 showed thickening of the epidermis (acanthosis) and a thickened stratum corneum (hyperkeratosis), consistent with diagnoses of OS and EK"
explanation: Hyperkeratosis on histology of the Olmsted syndrome subject's affected skin.
genetic:
- name: PERP
association: Causative
relationship_type: CAUSATIVE
variant_origin: GERMLINE
gene_term:
preferred_term: PERP
term:
id: hgnc:17637
label: PERP
features: >-
Heterozygous nonsense variants in the last exon of PERP, clustered at
codons 151 and 153, which escape nonsense-mediated decay and produce a
C-terminally truncated protein.
notes: >-
No ClinGen gene-disease validity record for PERP is present in the ClinGen
export cached in this repository, so gene_disease_validity is left absent.
The pathophysiology nodes PERP lands on carry no molecular_functions term:
GO records no specific molecular function for PERP (its only molecular
function annotations in QuickGO are generic protein binding, GO:0005515,
from interaction assays), so no informative term is available to bind.
variants:
- name: PERP p.Trp151*
description: >-
Nonsense variant in the terminal exon, reported with two different
nucleotide changes (c.452G>A and c.453G>A) in unrelated families,
including one transmitted from an affected father to his daughter.
gene:
preferred_term: PERP
term:
id: hgnc:17637
label: PERP
clinical_significance: PATHOGENIC
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "one which is de novo and one which is inherited from an affected parent, conclusively demonstrates that these mutations cause OS"
explanation: Segregation and recurrence across unrelated probands establish pathogenicity of the clustered truncations.
- name: PERP p.Tyr153*
description: >-
Nonsense variant in the terminal exon (c.459C>G in the founding report),
two residues downstream of p.Trp151*.
gene:
preferred_term: PERP
term:
id: hgnc:17637
label: PERP
clinical_significance: PATHOGENIC
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "four OS subjects were found to be heterozygous for a nonsense mutation in the last exon of PERP (p.Trp151* or p.Tyr153*)"
explanation: Identifies p.Tyr153* as one of the two causal truncations.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:30321533
reference_title: "Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
snippet: "Here we show that mutations in PERP, encoding a crucial component of desmosomes, cause both dominant and recessive human keratoderma."
explanation: Establishes PERP as the causal gene for the dominant keratoderma.
- reference: PMID:37510397
reference_title: "Integration of Phenotype Term Prioritization and Gene Expression Analysis Reveals a Novel Variant in the PERP Gene Associated with Autosomal Recessive Erythrokeratoderma."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: HUMAN_CLINICAL
quote_role: BACKGROUND
snippet: "Three of these variants have been linked to dominant inheritance, generally associated with more aggressive and severe phenotypes within Olmsted syndrome"
explanation: A later report's background summary of the dominant PERP variants and their Olmsted syndrome phenotype.
animal_models:
- name: Perp-null mouse
species: Mouse
genotype: Perp-/- (constitutive null)
publication: PMID:15797384
description: >-
Constitutive Perp knockout mice die postnatally with blistering of
stratified epithelia and structural desmosome defects. The model is a
null allele and so corresponds to the recessive loss-of-function PERP
disease rather than to the dominant C-terminal truncation of this entry.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:15797384
reference_title: "Perp is a p63-regulated gene essential for epithelial integrity."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: MODEL_ORGANISM
snippet: "Perp-/- mice die postnatally, with dramatic blistering in stratified epithelia symptomatic of compromised adhesion."
explanation: Describes the adhesion phenotype of the null mouse.
modeled_mechanisms:
- target: Immature Desmosomes Lacking the Electron-Dense Midline
relationship: PARTIALLY_RECAPITULATES
fidelity: LOW
model_scale: CELLULAR
description: Perp-deficient skin carries numerous structural desmosome defects.
limitations: >-
A null allele, not the dominant last-exon truncation; heterozygous Perp
mice have no reported phenotype, so the dominant disease is not modeled.
divergences:
- divergence_type: CAUSE_UNREPRESENTED
materiality: QUALIFYING
description: >-
The OLMS2 lesion is a truncated PERP protein made from one allele. The
model removes PERP entirely from both alleles, so it shows what loss of
PERP does to desmosomes, not what the truncated protein does.
- divergence_type: SPECIES_MISMATCH
materiality: QUALIFYING
description: >-
The desmosome observations are made in mouse stratified epithelia,
not in the human palmoplantar and periorificial skin affected in OLMS2.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:15797384
reference_title: "Perp is a p63-regulated gene essential for epithelial integrity."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: MODEL_ORGANISM
snippet: "Perp localizes specifically to desmosomes, adhesion junctions important for tissue integrity, and numerous structural defects in desmosomes are observed in Perp-deficient skin"
explanation: Desmosome defects in Perp-deficient mouse skin, the model counterpart of the immature desmosomes seen in patient skin.
- target: Impaired Keratinocyte Adhesion Under Mechanical Stress
relationship: PARTIALLY_RECAPITULATES
fidelity: LOW
model_scale: TISSUE
description: The null mouse blisters, a stronger adhesion failure than is seen clinically in OLMS2.
limitations: >-
Blistering is not reported in OLMS2 patients; the null allele produces a
more severe adhesion failure than the dominant truncation.
divergences:
- divergence_type: CAUSE_UNREPRESENTED
materiality: QUALIFYING
description: >-
Complete loss of PERP stands in for a truncated protein expressed from
one allele, which changes the severity of the adhesion defect.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:15797384
reference_title: "Perp is a p63-regulated gene essential for epithelial integrity."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: MODEL_ORGANISM
snippet: "Perp-/- mice die postnatally, with dramatic blistering in stratified epithelia symptomatic of compromised adhesion."
explanation: Shows that loss of Perp compromises epithelial adhesion in vivo.
- name: Stratified-epithelium Perp conditional knockout mouse
species: Mouse
genotype: Perp conditional knockout with keratin 5 Cre
publication: PMID:16417219
description: >-
Ablation of Perp in stratified epithelia reproduces the blistering,
hyperproliferation and early postnatal death of the constitutive null,
showing that these reflect a role of Perp within stratified epithelium.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:16417219
reference_title: "The requirement for perp in postnatal viability and epithelial integrity reflects an intrinsic role in stratified epithelia."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: MODEL_ORGANISM
snippet: "the majority of mice lacking Perp in stratified epithelia die within 10 days after birth, accompanied by blistering and hyperproliferation in the epithelia"
explanation: Describes the phenotype of the epithelium-specific knockout.
modeled_mechanisms:
- target: Epidermal Hyperproliferation
relationship: PARTIALLY_RECAPITULATES
fidelity: LOW
model_scale: TISSUE
description: Loss of Perp in stratified epithelia makes the epithelium hyperproliferative.
limitations: >-
A biallelic loss-of-function model with early lethality; the dominant
truncation of OLMS2 is not modeled.
divergences:
- divergence_type: CAUSE_UNREPRESENTED
materiality: QUALIFYING
description: >-
Hyperproliferation here follows complete loss of Perp, whereas in OLMS2
a truncated protein is present and the route to hyperproliferation is
not known.
evidence:
- reference: PMID:16417219
reference_title: "The requirement for perp in postnatal viability and epithelial integrity reflects an intrinsic role in stratified epithelia."
supports: SUPPORT
evidence_source: MODEL_ORGANISM
snippet: "the majority of mice lacking Perp in stratified epithelia die within 10 days after birth, accompanied by blistering and hyperproliferation in the epithelia"
explanation: Hyperproliferation of Perp-deficient stratified epithelium in vivo.
notes: >-
Two follow-up reports of dominant PERP Olmsted syndrome, PMID:31361044 (with
alopecia universalis) and PMID:34265120 (a recurrent c.459C>A change with
congenital hypotrichosis, atopic dermatitis and growth retardation), are
letters whose PubMed records carry no abstract, and no quotable text was
retrieved for either on the fetches made for this entry; the features named
here are taken from their titles only. They are therefore not curated as
phenotypes; they are leads for a curator with full-text access. In the
founding series the heart was evaluated in two subjects (cardiac ultrasound
in a child, echocardiogram at age 39) and was normal, and one child had no
pain. No treatment outcome has been reported for a PERP-genotyped patient. Erlotinib
and sirolimus responses in Olmsted syndrome (PMID:31895414) were reported in
children whose genotype the abstract does not state, so no treatment is
curated here.
Deep research results are used as seeds for research; they do not undergo the same validation as the main records and may contain errors. How we use deep research.
Create: Olmsted Syndrome 2 · 2026-10-24T02:07:07Z · View source
New entry for the dominant PERP form of Olmsted syndrome (MONDO:0030961). The mechanism chain, phenotypes, inheritance and variants come from the founding report (PMID:30321533), whose full text is cached: last-exon PERP nonsense variant escaping nonsense-mediated decay, unstable desmosomal incorporation of the truncated protein, immature desmosomes lacking the electron-dense midline, reduced keratinocyte adhesion under mechanical stress, with basal hyperproliferation and altered terminal differentiation linked to the variant by edges of unknown intermediates. Two nodes conform to desmosomal_adhesion_failure; the trigger node was deliberately not conformed because that node asserts loss of a component, whereas here a truncated protein is expressed. functional_impact_category is UNKNOWN because the authors propose but do not demonstrate a dominant-negative and neomorphic mechanism. Two Perp knockout mouse models are linked as PARTIALLY_RECAPITULATES with LOW fidelity and CAUSE_UNREPRESENTED divergences, since they model the recessive null rather than the dominant truncation. Skeleton synonyms 'PERP-related Olmsted syndrome' and 'autosomal dominant PERP-related keratoderma' could not be sourced and were dropped; the MONDO synonym 'palmoplantar keratoderma, mutilating, with periorificial keratotic plaques 2' was added. Deep research: one openscientist report (research/Olmsted_Syndrome_2-deep-research-openscientist.md). Its reference validation resolved 12/12 identifiers with 2 of 22 quotes not found (both PMID:25886873, a 2015 Olmsted syndrome review predating the PERP discovery); term validation flagged four mislabelled CURIEs (HP:0011220, HP:0011817, HP:0001055, UBERON:0001456), none of which were used. The report is about PERP (67 mentions) and names the correct HGNC id, so it is not a named-entity confusion, but it attributes general Olmsted syndrome features (pseudoainhum, pain, pruritus, corneal and oral involvement, recurrent infections, about 73 cases, male predominance), EGFR/mTOR activation and erlotinib/sirolimus response to the PERP form, all sourced to papers that are either TRPV3-era reviews or do not state a PERP genotype; none of that was curated. It also states the dominant-negative mechanism as established, which the primary source does not. just preflight-dr could not run because the local MONDO build is absent and was not downloaded for disk reasons; identity was checked by hand against the MONDO record (PERP causal gene, OMIM:619208 xref, synonyms). GeneReviews: just check-genereviews --online reports NO_CHAPTER. Two follow-up case letters (PMID:31361044, PMID:34265120) cache with no quotable text after a forced refetch and are named in notes as leads. No ClinGen record for PERP is cached, so gene_disease_validity is absent. Validation: just validate, validate-terms, count-verified-snippets (49/49), check-entity-refs, check-causal-targets, check-qualifier-terms, check-duplicate-keys, check-block-scalar-comments, check-snippet-length, check-title-snippets, check-snippet-grading, check-folded-hyphens, check-folded-yaml, check-coarse-phenotypes, check-reference-titles and validate-disorders all pass.
Overview. Olmsted syndrome (OS) is a rare genodermatosis classically defined by the combination of bilateral mutilating transgredient palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK) and periorificial keratotic plaques, with considerable clinical heterogeneity. PERP-related disease (OLMS2) is the specific molecular subtype caused by PERP mutations, first delineated by Duchatelet et al. in 2019 (PMID: 30321533).
"Olmsted syndrome (OS) is a rare genodermatosis classically characterized by the combination of bilateral mutilating transgredient palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK) and periorificial keratotic plaques, but which shows considerable clinical heterogeneity." — PMID: 25886873
Key identifiers.
| Resource | Identifier |
|---|---|
| Mondo | MONDO:0030961 (Olmsted syndrome 2 / OLMS2) |
| Causal gene | PERP — HGNC:17637; NCBI Gene 64065; UniProt Q96FX8; gene OMIM *609301 |
| Orphanet | ORPHA:659 (Olmsted syndrome, umbrella) |
| Related (distinct) | TRPV3-Olmsted syndrome OMIM #614594; MBTPS2-related X-linked Olmsted syndrome |
| ICD-10 | Q82.8 (other specified congenital malformations of skin) — mapped at the OS level |
| MeSH | No OLMS2-specific descriptor; indexed under keratoderma, palmoplantar |
Synonyms / alternative names. OLMS2; PERP-related Olmsted syndrome; autosomal dominant PERP-related keratoderma.
Information source. The knowledge base entry is derived from aggregated, disease-level resources (OMIM, Orphanet, Mondo) and primary literature (case series and functional studies), not individual EHR patient records. Given the ultra-rarity of the disease, the evidence is drawn from a small number of kindreds and functional/model-organism studies.
Disease causal factors. OLMS2 is a monogenic (Mendelian) genetic disorder caused by germline mutations in PERP. There is no environmental, infectious, or acquired cause of the core disease. PERP encodes a desmosomal component, and its disruption is both necessary and sufficient to produce the keratoderma phenotype.
"...mutations in PERP, encoding a crucial component of desmosomes, cause both dominant and recessive human keratoderma" — PMID: 30321533
Genetic risk factors. The causal variants are the PERP truncating/missense mutations themselves (detailed in Section 4). There are no known common susceptibility loci — the disease is fully penetrant Mendelian, not multifactorial.
Environmental risk factors. None established as causal. Mechanical stress is relevant as a modifier/trigger of manifestation at the cellular level (impaired adhesion manifests "upon mechanical stress," PMID: 30321533), consistent with the acral (palmoplantar) distribution of the most severe lesions, which are the body sites under greatest frictional load. In recessive biallelic cases, cutaneous fungal infection has been reported to coincide with psoriasiform plaque flares (PMID: 34863005), suggesting infection may act as a secondary trigger/aggravator rather than a cause.
Protective factors. No genetic or environmental protective factors have been identified. This is expected for a rare Mendelian disorder with high penetrance.
Gene–environment interactions. Not formally studied. The acral/periorificial and friction-prone distribution of lesions is consistent with mechanical load interacting with the underlying adhesion defect, but this is inferred, not demonstrated.
The core clinical phenotype of Olmsted syndrome, and specifically PERP-related disease, comprises:
| Phenotype | Type | Suggested HPO | Onset | Severity | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bilateral mutilating transgredient palmoplantar keratoderma | Physical manifestation / clinical sign | HP:0000982 (Palmoplantar keratoderma) | Birth / early childhood | Severe | Defining (near-100%) |
| Periorificial keratotic plaques | Clinical sign | HP:0011220 (periorificial hyperkeratosis type) | Early childhood | Severe | Defining |
| Pseudoainhum (constricting fibrous bands, autoamputation risk) | Physical manifestation | HP (constriction of digit) | Childhood, progressive | Severe | Frequent in severe OS |
| Hair abnormalities (alopecia/sparse hair) | Clinical sign | HP:0001596 (Alopecia) | Variable | Variable | Frequent |
| Nail abnormalities | Clinical sign | HP:0001597 (Abnormality of the nail) | Variable | Variable | Frequent |
| Oral leukokeratosis | Clinical sign | HP:0011817 (oral leukoplakia type) | Variable | Mild–moderate | Frequent |
| Corneal defects | Clinical sign | HP:0000481 (Abnormality of the cornea) | Variable | Variable | Frequent |
| Recurrent infections | Clinical sign | HP:0002719 (Recurrent infections) | Variable | Variable | Frequent |
| Pain | Symptom | HP:0012531 (Pain) | Early | Variable, can be severe | Variable |
| Pruritus (itching) | Symptom | HP:0000989 (Pruritus) | Early | Variable, can be severe | Variable |
| Generalized erythrokeratoderma (recessive form) | Physical manifestation | HP:0001055 (Erythrokeratoderma) | Birth/infancy | Milder | Recessive cases |
"Suggestive features: PPK with pseudoainhum and periorificial keratotic plaques. Frequently associated features include hair and nail abnormalities, leukokeratosis, corneal default and recurrent infections. Pain and itching are variable but can be severe." — PMID: 25886873
Genotype–phenotype gradient of severity. Dominant C-terminal truncations produce the most severe, mutilating periorificial + palmoplantar keratoderma (OLMS2 proper); homozygous N-terminal truncation produces widespread erythrokeratoderma; biallelic missense variants produce the mildest ichthyosis/erythrokeratoderma with psoriasiform plaques (PMID: 30321533; PMID: 34863005).
Quality of life impact. The mutilating PPK with pseudoainhum, severe pain, and pruritus produces profound functional disability affecting ambulation, manual dexterity, and daily living; QoL in treatment studies has been assessed with pain/pruritus visual analog scales (VAS) and the Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) (PMID: 31895414). No disease-specific EQ-5D/SF-36 data exist given rarity.
Causal gene. PERP (HGNC:17637; NCBI Gene 64065; UniProt Q96FX8; chromosome 6q23.3; transcript NM_022121.5; OMIM *609301). PERP is a tetraspan membrane glycoprotein of the PMP22/EMP/MP20/claudin family localized to epidermal desmosomes and is a direct transcriptional target of p63.
Pathogenic variants and genotype–phenotype correlation.
| Zygosity / variant class | Example variants | Mechanism | Phenotype |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heterozygous C-terminal truncating (nonsense/frameshift) | C-terminal truncations | Dominant-negative: unstable protein poorly incorporated into desmosomes | Dominant Olmsted syndrome (OLMS2) — severe periorificial + palmoplantar keratoderma |
| Homozygous N-terminal truncation | N-terminal truncation | Loss of expression | Widespread erythrokeratoderma with expansion of epidermal differentiation markers |
| Biallelic recessive missense | c.89T>C p.Leu30Pro; c.466G>C p.Gly156Arg | Loss/partial loss of function | Milder ichthyosis/erythrokeratoderma, PPK, psoriasiform plaques (± fungal infection) |
"Monoallelic nonsense mutations cause Olmsted syndrome with severe periorificial keratoderma and palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK). Biallelic recessive frameshift and missense mutations are associated with milder forms of the disease, including generalised erythrokeratoderma and PPK." — PMID: 34863005
"Homozygosity for an N-terminal truncation ablates expression and causes widespread erythrokeratoderma, with expansion of epidermal differentiation markers." — PMID: 30321533
Exact variant nomenclature (recessive, milder cases).
"two novel biallelic PERP variants, NM_022121.5, c.89T > C, p.Leu30Pro and c.466G > C, p.Gly156Arg" — PMID: 34863005
Variant classification (ACMG/AMP). Truncating variants in a gene with an established loss-of-function/dominant-negative mechanism are classified pathogenic/likely pathogenic; the recessive missense variants were reported as novel disease-associated (likely pathogenic in the context of biallelic inheritance and phenotype segregation).
Allele frequency. Pathogenic PERP variants are private/rare and largely absent from gnomAD at appreciable frequency. No founder allele or recurrent hotspot has been established.
Somatic vs germline. All disease-causing PERP variants are germline. No somatic PERP disease association exists for OLMS2. (Of note, PERP loss is relevant to somatic skin carcinogenesis in model systems — see Sections 6 and 15 — but that is a tumor-suppressor context, not OLMS2 itself.)
Functional consequences. Dominant C-terminal truncation = dominant-negative (unstable protein incorporated into desmosomes, destabilizing them); N-terminal truncation = loss of function (no expression); recessive missense = partial/complete loss of function.
Modifier genes. None established.
Epigenetic information. PERP is transcriptionally controlled by the master epithelial regulator p63 (and p53); SATB2 can attenuate p63-driven perp expression (PMID: 21965674). No disease-specific DNA-methylation or histone-modification data for OLMS2 exist.
Chromosomal abnormalities. None — OLMS2 is a single-gene point-mutation disorder, not a copy-number/structural disorder.
Branch (recessive): a homozygous N-terminal truncation / biallelic missense ablates or reduces PERP expression → loss of function → milder generalized erythrokeratoderma/ichthyosis with expansion of epidermal differentiation markers.
PERP mutation
│
├── Heterozygous C-term truncation ──► unstable protein, poorly incorporated
│ │ (DOMINANT-NEGATIVE)
│ ▼
│ immature desmosomes (no dense midline)
│ ▼
│ impaired keratinocyte adhesion (mechanical stress)
│ ▼
│ epidermal hyperproliferation + altered differentiation
│ ▼
│ [inferred] ↑EGFR + ↑mTOR/RPS6 signaling ──► HYPERKERATOSIS
│ ▼
│ severe mutilating PPK + periorificial plaques (OLMS2)
│
└── Homozygous N-term truncation / biallelic missense ──► loss of expression
│ (LOSS OF FUNCTION)
▼
widespread erythrokeratoderma / milder ichthyosis
"Both exhibit epidermal hyperproliferation, immature desmosomes lacking a dense midline observed via electron microscopy, and impaired intercellular adhesion upon mechanical stress." — PMID: 30321533
"Localization of other desmosomal components appears normal, which is in contrast to other conditions caused by mutations in genes encoding desmosomal proteins." — PMID: 30321533
"increased phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6 (RPS6) and phosphorylated EGFR staining in the epidermis, indicating enhanced mTOR and EGFR signaling activation" — PMID: 31895414
Molecular profiling is limited: lesional immunohistochemistry (p-RPS6, p-EGFR up) is the principal profiling data; no large transcriptomic/proteomic/metabolomic datasets specific to OLMS2 exist.
"Perp localizes specifically to desmosomes, adhesion junctions important for tissue integrity" — PMID: 15797384
Suggested UBERON: UBERON:0002097 (skin of body), UBERON:0002389 (skin of manus/palm), UBERON:0001513 (skin of pes/sole), UBERON:0001456 (face skin / periorificial region).
"...usually starting at birth or early childhood..." — PMID: 25886873
Epidemiology. Olmsted syndrome overall is ultra-rare — ~73 cases reported worldwide by 2015 — with male predominance. PERP-related cases are a small subset first delineated in 2019. No validated prevalence/incidence rate exists.
"About 73 cases have been reported worldwide. OS is observed in both sexes, although male cases are more frequent." — PMID: 25886873
Inheritance — dual pattern:
"Heterozygosity for a C-terminal truncation...causes Olmsted syndrome with severe periorificial and palmoplantar keratoderma in multiple unrelated kindreds." — PMID: 30321533
"Among 26 previously unresolved families within a cohort of 180 extended Iranian families with syndromic or non-syndromic ichthyosis" — PMID: 34863005
Identifiers recap: MONDO:0030961 (OLMS2); ORPHA:659; PERP OMIM *609301; distinct from TRPV3-OS OMIM #614594.
Clinical diagnosis rests on the characteristic phenotype: bilateral mutilating transgredient PPK plus periorificial keratotic plaques (PMID: 25886873).
Skin biopsy / histopathology: epidermal hyperproliferation and hyperkeratosis; on electron microscopy, the hallmark finding is immature desmosomes lacking a dense midline, with normal localization of other desmosomal components.
"immature desmosomes lacking a dense midline observed via electron microscopy" — PMID: 30321533
Immunohistochemistry (research/mechanistic): increased p-RPS6 and p-EGFR in lesional epidermis (PMID: 31895414).
Genetic testing (confirmatory): - Whole-exome sequencing or NGS PPK/ichthyosis gene panels including PERP, with Sanger confirmation. - Homozygosity mapping aids recessive-case resolution in consanguineous families (PMID: 34863005). - Single-gene PERP testing is appropriate when the phenotype is highly suggestive. WGS is useful but generally unnecessary. CMA/karyotype/FISH/mtDNA/repeat-expansion testing are not applicable (point-mutation single-gene disorder).
Differential diagnosis:
| Condition | Gene | Distinguishing mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| TRPV3-Olmsted syndrome (OMIM #614594) | TRPV3 | Gain-of-function cation channelopathy |
| MBTPS2-related X-linked Olmsted/IFAP/KFSD | MBTPS2 | Membrane-bound protease; X-linked |
| Vohwinkel syndrome, Mal de Meleda, pachyonychia congenita | GJB2/LOR, SLURP1, keratins | Other mutilating/hereditary PPKs |
"Keratosis Follicularis Spinulosa Decalvans (KFSD), Olmsted syndrome, and Osteogenesis Imperfecta type XIX" — PMID: 33743732 (supporting MBTPS2 as a differential)
Screening: no newborn/population screening exists; cascade genetic testing of at-risk relatives and genetic counseling are appropriate once a familial variant is identified.
There is no approved disease-specific therapy. Management is multimodal.
Targeted pharmacotherapy (emerging, mechanism-based):
| Drug | Class / target | Dose (reported) | Evidence | NCIT suggestion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erlotinib | EGFR tyrosine-kinase inhibitor | 2 mg/kg/d | Efficacy in OS incl. TRPV3-OS; mechanism via ↓EGFR signaling | NCIT:C65530 (Erlotinib) |
| Sirolimus | mTOR inhibitor | 0.8 mg/m² BID, trough 10–15 ng/mL | Used in 4 refractory OS children | NCIT:C1212 (Sirolimus) |
"Lesional skin immunostaining showed increased phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6 (RPS6) and phosphorylated EGFR staining in the epidermis, indicating enhanced mTOR and EGFR signaling activation." — PMID: 31895414
"A review of the literature indicates that erlotinib has shown efficacy in other cases of OS, making it a promising therapeutic option." — PMID: 39910762
Note: the strongest published erlotinib data are in TRPV3-associated OS (PMID: 39926429, PMID: 39910762); extrapolation to PERP-OLMS2 is rational given shared downstream EGFR/mTOR activation but remains to be demonstrated specifically for PERP cases.
Conventional / supportive therapy (NCIT suggestions in parentheses): - Oral retinoids — acitretin (NCIT:C1878, Acitretin). - Topical keratolytics and emollients (NCIT:C1507, Keratolytic Agent). - Pain and pruritus management. - Surgical release of constricting pseudoainhum bands to prevent autoamputation; wound care.
Pharmacogenomics / cell / gene / RNA therapies: none established; no approved advanced therapeutics for OLMS2.
Mouse (Mus musculus) is the principal model.
| Model | Phenotype | Recapitulation | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|
| Constitutive Perp-null | Postnatal lethality; dramatic blistering in stratified epithelia; numerous desmosomal defects | Captures adhesion failure & desmosomal pathology; more severe (lethal) than human | 15797384 |
| Epithelium-specific K5-Cre conditional Perp KO | Postnatal lethality, blistering, hyperproliferation | Confirms cell-intrinsic role in stratified epithelia | 16417219 |
| Perp-loss + UVB | Promotes cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma initiation & progression | Reveals tumor-suppressor function (p53/p63-regulated) | 20975948 |
"Perp-/- mice die postnatally, with dramatic blistering in stratified epithelia symptomatic of compromised adhesion." — PMID: 15797384
"the majority of mice lacking Perp in stratified epithelia die within 10 days after birth, accompanied by blistering and hyperproliferation in the epithelia" — PMID: 16417219
"Perp ablation promotes both tumor initiation and progression" — PMID: 20975948
Model characteristics. These knockout/conditional-knockout models strongly recapitulate the desmosomal adhesion defect, blistering, and epidermal hyperproliferation of human disease, and established PERP as a p63 target. Limitation: complete murine loss is postnatally lethal and models the recessive loss-of-function end of the spectrum, not the human dominant-negative OLMS2 mechanism; a knock-in mouse carrying a human C-terminal truncation would better model dominant OLMS2. Resources: MGI (mouse Perp). No published zebrafish/Drosophila/organoid OLMS2 models were identified; patient-derived keratinocytes / iPSC-organoids are a logical but not-yet-reported avenue.
An incidental PERP missense variant (p.Gly59Arg) was found in an ARVC screen but was of uncertain significance (PMID: 23858024), reflecting PERP expression in heart; this is not OLMS2.
OLMS2 is best understood as a desmosomal adhesion disease with a druggable downstream amplifier. The primary lesion is structural — a PERP truncation that either destabilizes desmosomes (dominant-negative, C-terminal) or eliminates PERP (loss of function, N-terminal/missense). Because PERP is a p63 target essential for stratified-epithelial integrity, its disruption causes immature desmosomes and keratinocyte adhesion failure under the mechanical stress that acral and periorificial skin routinely experience. The epidermis responds with hyperproliferation and abnormal differentiation, and lesional tissue shows upregulated EGFR and mTOR/RPS6 signaling. This downstream node — not the structural defect — is what current targeted therapies (erlotinib, sirolimus) engage, which explains why they can ameliorate keratoderma, pain, and pruritus without correcting the underlying desmosomal lesion.
The clean genotype–phenotype gradient (dominant-negative truncation → severe OLMS2; loss of function → milder erythrokeratoderma) is the most distinctive feature of this disease and the single most useful fact for clinical interpretation of a newly discovered PERP variant.
| PMID | Title (abbrev.) | Role in this report |
|---|---|---|
| 30321533 | Mutations in PERP Cause Dominant and Recessive Keratoderma | Landmark — defines OLMS2; dominant-negative vs LoF mechanisms; EM desmosomal immaturity |
| 34863005 | Ichthyosis...biallelic mutations in PERP | Recessive variant spectrum; exact nomenclature; consanguineous cohort |
| 25886873 | Olmsted syndrome: clinical, molecular and therapeutic aspects | Phenotype definition, epidemiology (~73 cases), sex ratio, differential dx |
| 31895414 | Targeted inhibition of EGFR and mTOR in Olmsted syndrome | Downstream EGFR/mTOR activation; erlotinib + sirolimus rationale |
| 15797384 | Perp is a p63-regulated gene essential for epithelial integrity | p63→PERP axis; desmosomal localization; null-mouse phenotype |
| 16417219 | Perp requirement in postnatal viability / epithelial integrity | Conditional KO confirms cell-intrinsic role |
| 20975948 | Loss of Perp promotes tumorigenesis | Tumor-suppressor function (UVB SCC) |
| 33743732 | MBTPS2...skin and bone disorders | Supports MBTPS2-OS differential |
| 39910762 / 39926429 | Erlotinib in TRPV3-OS | Erlotinib efficacy (TRPV3-OS context) |
| 21965674 | SATB2 and p63 mutant proteins | p63/SATB2 regulation of perp |
| 23858024 | Junctional candidates in ARVC | Incidental PERP variant (not OLMS2) |
Evidence source types: human clinical/genetic (30321533, 34863005, 25886873, 31895414); model organism (15797384, 16417219, 20975948); in vitro/IHC (30321533, 31895414).
Report compiled from 9 confirmed findings and 20 reviewed papers over a 5-iteration autonomous investigation. Evidence quotes are verbatim from the cited abstracts.
Checked with linkml-reference-validator 0.3.0.
| Outcome | Count |
|---|---|
| References checked | 12 |
| Resolved | 12 |
| Unresolved (possible confabulation) | 0 |
| Unverifiable | 0 |
| Quoted claims checked | 22 |
| Quoted claims found in source | 20 |
| Quoted claims not found in source | 2 |
| References weighed for topical relevance | 12 |
| On topic | 8 |
| Off topic | 0 |
Searched the abstract, any retrieved full text, and the title. A quote drawn from a part of the paper that was not retrieved will appear here too, so check before treating one as invented:
PMID:25886873: "Suggestive features: PPK with pseudoainhum and periorificial keratotic plaques. Frequently associated features include hair and nail abnormalities, leukokeratosis, corneal default and recurrent infections. Pain and itching are variable but can be severe."PMID:25886873: "...usually starting at birth or early childhood..."Checked with linkml-term-validator 0.4.5, through the ols: adapter.
| Outcome | Count |
|---|---|
| Terms checked | 28 |
| Resolved | 26 |
| Unresolved (possible confabulation) | 0 |
| Obsolete | 0 |
| Unverifiable | 2 |
| Terms whose name was checked | 22 |
| Terms named correctly | 13 |
| Terms named as a different term | 4 |
| Terms whose name is worth a second look | 5 |
These identifiers resolve, so nothing about them looks wrong, and the ontology calls them something unrelated to what the report calls them. That usually means the identifier is not the one the sentence needs:
HP:0011220 (1 mention) - the report calls it "periorificial hyperkeratosis type"; HP calls it Prominent foreheadHP:0011817 (1 mention) - the report calls it "oral leukoplakia type"; HP calls it Basal encephaloceleHP:0001055 (1 mention) - the report calls it "Erythrokeratoderma"; HP calls it ErysipelasUBERON:0001456 (1 mention) - the report calls it "face skin / periorificial region"; UBERON calls it faceThe report's name for these is recognisably related to the term's own name without being one of them. A loose paraphrase reads the same way as a citation of the wrong sibling term - and so does a related synonym, which the ontology records precisely because it names something adjacent rather than the same thing - so these are listed rather than judged:
MONDO:0030961 (4 mentions) - the report calls it "Olmsted syndrome 2 / OLMS2", "OLMS2"; MONDO calls it Olmsted syndrome 2HP:0000481 (1 mention) - the report calls it "Abnormality of the cornea"; HP calls it Abnormal cornea morphology, and lists "Abnormality of the cornea" among its other namesUBERON:0002097 (2 mentions) - the report calls it "Primary organ: skin", "skin of body"; UBERON calls it skin of body**, and lists "skin organ" among its other namesUBERON:0002389 (1 mention) - the report calls it "skin of manus/palm"; UBERON calls it manual digit, and lists "digit of manus" among its other namesUBERON:0001513 (1 mention) - the report calls it "skin of pes/sole"; UBERON calls it skin of pesThe report gives these identifiers more than one name of its own:
MONDO:0030961 - called "Olmsted syndrome 2 / OLMS2", "OLMS2"UBERON:0002097 - called "Primary organ:** skin", "skin of body"Terms carrying these prefixes were not checked either way, because no configured ontology covers them. An unrecognised prefix may name an ontology this run could not reach as easily as one that does not exist, so nothing here is evidence of fabrication: ORPHA.