The new term, "isotopic response," describes the occurrence of a new skin disorder at the site of another, unrelated, and already healed skin disease. It is suggested that the term "isotopic response" be included in the lexicon (glossary) of dermatology. Introducing the new term and classifying all the cases under a single key word, will make it possible to locate and collect them easily and to search for the mechanism underlying this phenomenon.

Erythrokeratodermia variabilis (EKV) is an autosomal dominant keratinization disorder characterized by migratory erythematous lesions and fixed keratotic plaques. All families with EKV show mapping to chromosome 1p34-p35, and mutations in the gene for connexin 31 (Cx31) have been reported in some but not all families. We studied eight affected and three healthy subjects in an Israeli family, of Kurdish origin, with EKV. After having mapped the disorder to chromosome 1p34-p35, we found no mutations in the genes for Cx31, Cx31.1, and Cx37. Further investigation revealed a heterozygous TrC transition leading to the missense mutation (F137L) in the human gene for Cx30.3 that colocalizes on chromosome 1p34-p35. This nucleotide change cosegregated with the disease and was not found in 200 alleles from normal individuals. This mutation concerns a highly conserved phenylalanine, in the third transmembrane region of the Cx30.3 molecule, known to be implicated in the wall formation of the gap-junction pore. Our results show that mutations in the gene for Cx30.3 can be causally involved in EKV and point to genetic heterogeneity of this disorder. Furthermore, we suggest that our family presents a new type of EKV because of the hitherto unreported association with erythema gyratum repens.Connexins (denoted by the prefix "Cx") are a family of polypeptides that form the subunits of the gap-junction channels. Members of the connexin family are characterized by four hydrophobic transmembrane domains (M1-M4) that are linked by one cytoplasmic and two extracellular (E1 and E2) loops. The N and C termini are located on the cytoplasmic membrane face. Extracellular-loop and transmembrane domains display the highest homology between the connexin family members, whereas the cytoplasmic loop and the C-terminal region are highly variable. Six connexin polypeptides assemble into a connexon, a hemichannel that interacts with its counterpart on adjacent cells to form a complete intercellular channel, thereby connecting the cytoplasm of neighboring cells (Yeager and Nicholson 1996). Gap junctions are composed of numerous aggregated con-

Erythrokeratodermia variabilis (EKV) is an autosomal dominant keratinization disorder characterized by migratory erythematous lesions and fixed keratotic plaques. All families with EKV show mapping to chromosome 1p34-p35, and mutations in the gene for connexin 31 (Cx31) have been reported in some but not all families. We studied eight affected and three healthy subjects in an Israeli family, of Kurdish origin, with EKV. After having mapped the disorder to chromosome 1p34-p35, we found no mutations in the genes for Cx31, Cx31.1, and Cx37. Further investigation revealed a heterozygous T-->C transition leading to the missense mutation (F137L) in the human gene for Cx30.3 that colocalizes on chromosome 1p34-p35. This nucleotide change cosegregated with the disease and was not found in 200 alleles from normal individuals. This mutation concerns a highly conserved phenylalanine, in the third transmembrane region of the Cx30.3 molecule, known to be implicated in the wall formation of the gap-junction pore. Our results show that mutations in the gene for Cx30.3 can be causally involved in EKV and point to genetic heterogeneity of this disorder. Furthermore, we suggest that our family presents a new type of EKV because of the hitherto unreported association with erythema gyratum repens.

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