ELOVL4

Mutations in elongation of very long-chain fatty acid-4 (ELOVL4) are associated with autosomal dominant Stargardt-like macular degeneration (STGD3), with a five base-pair (5 bp) deletion mutation resulting in the loss of 51 carboxy-terminal amino acids and truncation of the protein. Elovl4 is expressed in the retina and only a limited number of mammalian other tissues, including skin, with unknown function. In a mouse model with the 5-bp deletion in the Elovl4 gene, mice in the heterozygous state (Elovl4(+/del)) demonstrate progressive photoreceptor degeneration. Homozygous mice (Elovl4(del/del)) display scaly, wrinkled skin, have severely compromised epidermal permeability barrier function, and die within a few hours after birth. Lipid analyses of epidermis from Elovl4(del/del) mice show a decrease in very long-chain fatty acids (VLFAs) in both the ceramide/glucosylceramide and the free fatty-acid fractions. ELOVL4 is required for generating VLFA critical for epidermal barrier function.