Brittle cornea syndrome

Brittle cornea syndrome (BCS) is a rare autosomal recessive generalized connective tissue disorder. It is characterized by extreme thinning and fragility of the cornea that may rupture in the absence of significant trauma leading to blindness. Keratoconus or keratoglobus, high myopia, blue sclerae, hyperelasticity of the skin, and hypermobility of the small joints are additional features of BCS. Mutations in transcription factors ZNF469 and PRDM5 cause BCS. Both transcription factors are suggested to act on a common pathway regulating extracellular matrix genes, particularly fibrillar collagens.