Erythrocyte adenosine deaminase: diagnostic value for Diamond-Blackfan anaemia.

Diamond-Blackfan anaemia (DBA) is an inherited bone marrow failure syndrome (IBMFS) characterized by red cell aplasia. Mutations in ribosomal genes are found in more than 50% of cases. Elevated erythrocyte adenosine deaminase (eADA) was first noted in DBA in 1983.

Ribosomal protein S24 gene is mutated in Diamond-Blackfan anemia.

Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) is a rare congenital red-cell aplasia characterized by anemia, bone-marrow erythroblastopenia, and congenital anomalies and is associated with heterozygous mutations in the ribosomal protein (RP) S19 gene (RPS19) in approximately 25% of probands. We report identification of de novo nonsense and splice-site mutations in another RP, RPS24 (encoded by RPS24 [10q22-q23]) in approximately 2% of RPS19 mutation-negative probands. This finding strongly suggests that DBA is a disorder of ribosome synthesis and that mutations in other RP or associated genes that lead to disrupted ribosomal biogenesis and/or function may also cause DBA.