IGHD3 is characterized by agammaglobulinemia and markedly reduced numbers of B cells, short stature, delayed bone age, and good response to treatment with growth hormone (summary by Conley et al., 1991). For general phenotypic information and a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of IGHD, see 262400.

Severe combined immunodeficiency refers to a genetically and clinically heterogeneous group of disorders with defective cellular and humoral immune function. Patients with SCID present in infancy with recurrent, persistent infections by opportunistic organisms, including Candida albicans, Pneumocystis carinii, and cytomegalovirus, among many others. Laboratory analysis shows profound lymphopenia with diminished or absent immunoglobulins. The common characteristic of all types of SCID is absence of T cell-mediated cellular immunity due to a defect in T-cell development. Without treatment, patients usually die within the first year of life. The overall prevalence of all types of SCID is approximately 1 in 75,000 births (Fischer et al., 1997; Buckley, 2004). Genetic Heterogeneity of SCID SCID can be divided into 2 main classes: those with B lymphocytes (B+ SCID) and those without (B- SCID). Presence or absence of NK cells is variable within these groups. The most common form of SCID is X-linked T-, B+, NK- SCID (SCIDX1; 300400) caused by mutation in the IL2RG gene (308380) on chromosome Xq13.1. Autosomal recessive SCID includes T-, B-, NK+ SCID, caused by mutation in the RAG1 and RAG2 genes on 11p13; T-, B+, NK- SCID (600802), caused by mutation in the JAK3 gene (600173) on 19p13; T-, B+, NK+ SCID (IMD104; 608971), caused by mutation in the IL7R gene (146661) on 5p13; T-, B+, NK+ SCID (IMD105; 619924), caused by mutation in the CD45 gene (PTPRC; 151460) on 1q31-q32; T-, B+, NK+ SCID (IMD19; 615617), caused by mutation in the CD3D gene (186790) on 11q23; T-, B-, NK- SCID (102700) caused by mutation in the ADA (608958) gene on 20q13; and T-, B-, NK+ SCID with sensitivity to ionizing radiation (602450), caused by mutation in the Artemis gene (DCLRE1C; 605988) on 10p13 (Kalman et al., 2004); and T-, B-, NK+ SCID with microcephaly, growth retardation, and sensitivity to ionizing radiation (611291), caused by mutation in the NHEJ1 gene (611290) on 2q35. Approximately 20 to 30% of all SCID patients are T-, B-, NK+, and approximately half of these patients have mutations in the RAG1 or RAG2 genes (Schwarz et al., 1996; Fischer et al., 1997).

JAK3-deficient severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is an inherited disorder of the immune system. Individuals with JAK3-deficient SCID lack the necessary immune cells to fight off certain bacteria, viruses, and fungi. They are prone to repeated and persistent infections that can be very serious or life-threatening. Often the organisms that cause infection in people with JAK3-deficient SCID are described as opportunistic because they ordinarily do not cause illness in healthy people. Affected infants typically develop chronic diarrhea, a fungal infection in the mouth called oral thrush, pneumonia, and skin rashes. Persistent illness also causes affected individuals to grow more slowly than other children. Without treatment, people with JAK3-deficient SCID usually live only into early childhood.

Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) due to DCLRE1C deficiency is a type of SCID (see this term) characterized by severe and recurrent infections, diarrhea, failure to thrive, and cell sensitivity to ionizing radiation.

A rare autosomal recessive primary immunodeficiency characterized by absence of HLA class II molecules on the surface of immune cells, leading to severely impaired cellular and humoral immune response to foreign antigens, severe CD4+ T-cell lymphopenia, and hypogammaglobulinemia. The disease clinically manifests with early onset of severe and recurrent infections mainly of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract, protracted diarrhea with failure to thrive, and autoimmune disease, and is frequently fatal in childhood.

Agammaglobulinemia is a primary immunodeficiency characterized by profoundly low or absent serum antibodies and low or absent circulating B cells due to an early block of B-cell development. Affected individuals develop severe infections in the first years of life. The most common form of agammaglobulinemia is X-linked agammaglobulinemia (AGMX1, XLA; 300755), also known as Bruton disease, which is caused by mutation in the BTK gene (300300). AGMX1 accounts for anywhere from 85 to 95% of males who have the characteristic findings (Lopez Granados et al., 2002; Ferrari et al., 2007). Autosomal recessive inheritance of agammaglobulinemia, which has a similar phenotype to that of the X-linked form, has been observed in a small number of families, and accounts for up to 15% of patients with agammaglobulinemia (Ferrari et al., 2007). Conley (1999) gave a comprehensive review of autosomal recessive agammaglobulinemia. Genetic Heterogeneity of Autosomal Agammaglobulinemia Autosomal agammaglobulinemia is a genetically heterogeneous disorder: see also AGM2 (613500), caused by mutation in the IGLL1 gene (146770); AGM3 (613501), caused by mutation in the CD79A gene (112205); AGM4 (613502), caused by mutation in the BLNK gene (604515); AGM5 (613506), caused by disruption of the LRRC8 gene (608360); AGM6 (612692), caused by mutation in the CD79B gene (147245); AGM7 (615214), caused by mutation in the PIK3R1 gene (171833); AGM8 (616941), caused by mutation in the TCF3 gene (147141); AGM9 (619693), caused by mutation in the SLC39A7 gene (601416); and AGM10 (619707), caused by mutation in the SPI1 gene (165170).

Immunodeficiency-56 is an autosomal recessive primary immunodeficiency characterized by B- and T-cell defects and variable dysfunction of NK cells. Patients tend to have normal numbers of lymphocytes, but show defective class-switched B cells, low IgG, defective antibody response, and defective T-cell responses to certain antigens (summary by Kotlarz et al., 2013).

Any autosomal agammaglobulinemia in which the cause of the disease is a mutation in the PIK3R1 gene.

ZAP70-related combined immunodeficiency (ZAP70-related CID) is a cell-mediated immunodeficiency caused by abnormal T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling. Affected children usually present in the first year of life with recurrent bacterial, viral, and opportunistic infections, diarrhea, and failure to thrive. Severe lower-respiratory infections and oral candidiasis are common. Affected children usually do not survive past their second year without hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).