Overview

• DIAL syndrome stems from inherited DIAPH1 mutations that disrupt γ-actin scaffold formation and impair double-strand DNA break repair.
• Affected children exhibit early-life signs of chromosomal breakage disorders and face a heightened risk of B-cell lymphoma due to defective B cell development.
• The DNA repair defect makes patients extremely sensitive to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, increasing the likelihood of severe treatment-related toxicities.
• Nearly two decades of collaborative research, including a patient monitored since 2006, culminated in the syndrome’s identification in Nature Communications.
• Investigators are now working to add DIAPH1 testing to neonatal sequencing panels so that DIAL syndrome can be diagnosed before cancer treatment begins.