The Dyggve-Melchior-Clausen (DMC) Syndrome. A 15 Year Follow-Up and a Survey of the Present Clinical and Chemical Findings

Abstract

The Dyggve-Melchior-Clausen (DMC) syndrome includes short stature, dwarfism, mental retardation, and skeletal abnormalities especially in the spine and the extremities resembling the findings in the mucopolysaccharidoses. A particular abnormality is the “lace border” found on radiological examination of the iliac crest. The three original cases have been followed for 15—20 years and the course is characterized by increasing mental retardation and motor disability whereas the “lace border” is less pronounced than before. A survey of 17 other cases is given and similarities and differencies to the mucopolysaccharidoses are pointed out.

Patients with the DMC syndrome have been suggested to be deficient in an enzyme cleaving glycoprotein-acid mucopolysaccharide (AMP) linkage. We have previously found in DMC patients, an abnormal excretion of urinary AMP's of which some were undersulfated and some were oversulfated. Lysosomal acid proteinase, i. e., cathepsin D and neutral proteinases: elastase and cathepsin G were found to be normal in DMC patients. However, alfa₂-macroglobulin in serum was raised. This increase may cause an inhibition of the neutral proteinases.

An increased level of chondroitin sulfate N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfate-sulfatase and decreased enzymic levels of aryl sulphatase A and B (assayed with p-nitrocatecholsulfate as a substrate) were found in leucocytes of DMC patients. Metabolic studies have revealed an unbalanced incorporation of glycoprotein AMP-precursors in DMC lymphocytes. All in all the data suggests the DMC syndrome to be an inborn error of glycoprotein-AMP-metabolism.