Mutation of the gene encoding human TTF-2 associated with thyroid agenesis, cleft palate and choanal atresia

Abstract

Congenital hypothyroidism occurs in one of every three to four thousand newborns, owing to complete or partial failure of thyroid gland development. Although thyroid hypoplasia has recently been associated with mutations in the thyrotropin (TSH) receptor, the cause of thyroid agenesis is unknown. Proteins including thyroid transcription factors 1 (TTF-1; refs 4,5) and 2 (TTF-2; refs 6,7) and Pax8 (refs 8,9) are abundant in the developing mouse thyroid and are known to regulate genes expressed during its differentiation (for example, thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin genes). TTF-2 is a member of the forkhead/winged-helix domain transcription factor family, many of which are key regulators ..