The cause of HDLS in most families is mutation in the colony stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R), a growth factor for microglia and monocyte/macrophages, suggesting that microglial dysfunction may be primary in HDLS. The mutations are concentrated in tyrosine kinase domain (TKD) of the protein. Mutations were mainly found in exons 12-22 of the intracellular TKD, including 10 missense mutations that have a single nucleotide deletion and a single codon deletion that consists of a triplet of nucleotides that have been removed causing a whole amino acid to not be coded. Additionally, three splice site mutations were identified that caused an in-frame deletion of an exon, an expressed nucleotide sequence, leading to the removal of more than 40 amino acids in the TKD. This determination has based upon genetic studies of 14 HDLS families confirming mutations in this gene. The CSF1 receptor protein primarily functions in regulation, survival, proliferation, and differentiation of microglial cells. The mechanism of microglial dysfunction due to mutations in CSF1R to the myelin loss and axonal<unk> formation remains unknown. Further research is needed to better understand disease pathogenesis.
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