Advance in research on congenital hemidysplasia with ichthyosiform nevus and limb defects syndrome

Congenital hemidysplasia with ichthyosiform nevus and limb defects (CHILD) syndrome is a rare X-linked dominant and male-lethal multi-system disorder characterized by congenital hemidysplasia, strictly lateralized ichthyosiform nevus and ipsilateral limb defects. CHILD syndrome is caused by mutations of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate steroid dehydrogenase-like protein (NSDHL) gene mapped to chromosome Xq28. The gene encodes 3β-hydroxylsterol dehydrogenase, which catalyses a step in the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway. This paper has provided a review for recent progress in research on CHILD syndrome including its clinical aspects, pathology, etiology, pathogenesis, differential diagnosis, and treatment, with a particular emphasis on its treatment..