This gene belongs to the TMEM43 family. Defects in this gene are the cause of familial arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia type 5 (ARVD5), also known as arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy type 5 (ARVC5). Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia is an inherited disorder, often involving both ventricles, and is characterized by ventricular tachycardia, heart failure, sudden cardiac death, and fibrofatty replacement of cardiomyocytes. This gene contains a response element for PPAR gamma (an adipogenic transcription factor), which may explain the fibrofatty replacement of the myocardium, a characteristic pathological finding in ARVC. [provided by RefSeq, Oct 2008]
Forensic Context
A study in mice and human heart samples demonstrated that arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy involves molecular remodeling of intercalated discs, leading to pathogenic activation of the Hippo pathway, suppression of canonical Wnt signaling, and enhanced adipogenesis [Chen et al. DOI:10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.114.302810].