Health Topics

Skip navigation

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( Lock Locked padlock icon ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

You Are Here:
Home →
Genetics →
Genes →
CDH23 gene
URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/cdh23/

CDH23 gene

cadherin related 23

Normal Function

The CDH23 gene provides instructions for making cadherin 23, a type of protein that helps cells stick together. Different versions of this protein are made in different cell types, including a short version in the retina, which is the light-sensitive layer in the back of the eye, and a longer version in the inner ear. Cadherin 23 interacts with other proteins in the cell membrane as part of a protein complex that is involved in cell attachment.

Research suggests that the cadherin 23 protein complex helps to shape structures in the inner ear called hair bundles. These structures are made of stereocilia, which are hairlike projections that bend in response to sound waves. This bending motion is critical for converting sound waves to nerve impulses, which are then transmitted to the brain. Stereocilia are also elements of the vestibular system, the part of the inner ear that helps maintain the body's balance and orientation in space. Bending of these stereocilia is needed to transmit signals from the vestibular system to the brain.

In the retina, the role of the cadherin 23 protein complex is less well understood. Studies suggest that it plays a critical role in the function of photoreceptor cells, which are specialized cells that detect light and color.

Health Conditions Related to Genetic Changes

Nonsyndromic hearing loss

Several dozen mutations in the CDH23 gene have been identified in people with nonsyndromic hearing loss, which is loss of hearing that is not associated with other signs and symptoms. Mutations in this gene cause a form of hearing loss designated as DFNB12. This type of hearing loss begins before a child learns to speak (prelingual) and is severe to profound.

Most of the mutations that cause DFNB12 change single protein building blocks (amino acids) in cadherin 23. These mutations reduce but do not eliminate the function of this protein. The altered protein disrupts development of stereocilia in the inner ear, which leads to hearing loss.

Researchers speculate that some children with apparently nonsyndromic hearing loss caused by a CDH23 mutation may actually have Usher syndrome (described below). A few children thought to have DFNB12 have developed the vision disorder retinitis pigmentosa later in life, which is characteristic of Usher syndrome.

More About This Health Condition

Usher syndrome

More than 60 mutations in the CDH23 gene can cause Usher syndrome type I, which is characterized by a combination of hearing loss, vision loss, and problems with balance and coordination. Specifically, CDH23 gene mutations cause a form of the disorder known as Usher syndrome type ID (USH1D).

Most of these mutations disrupt protein production, resulting in an abnormally small, nonfunctional version of cadherin 23 or preventing the production of any of this protein. Less frequently, mutations change single amino acids in cadherin 23. All of the CDH23 gene mutations that cause Usher syndrome appear to eliminate the function of cadherin 23. A lack of this protein in the inner ear disrupts the normal development and function of stereocilia, which leads to hearing loss and difficulty with balance and coordination. A lack of this protein in the retina causes retinitis pigmentosa, a condition in which light-sensing cells of the retina gradually deteriorate, resulting in progressive vision loss.

More About This Health Condition

Age-related hearing loss

MedlinePlus Genetics provides information about Age-related hearing loss

More About This Health Condition

Other Names for This Gene

  • CAD23_HUMAN
  • cadherin-23
  • cadherin-like 23
  • cadherin-related 23
  • CDHR23
  • DFNB12
  • KIAA1774
  • KIAA1812
  • otocadherin
  • USH1D

Additional Information & Resources

Tests Listed in the Genetic Testing Registry

Scientific Articles on PubMed

Catalog of Genes and Diseases from OMIM

Gene and Variant Databases

References

  • Astuto LM, Bork JM, Weston MD, Askew JW, Fields RR, Orten DJ, Ohliger SJ, Riazuddin S, Morell RJ, Khan S, Riazuddin S, Kremer H, van Hauwe P, Moller CG, Cremers CW, Ayuso C, Heckenlively JR, Rohrschneider K, Spandau U, Greenberg J, Ramesar R, Reardon W, Bitoun P, Millan J, Legge R, Friedman TB, Kimberling WJ. CDH23 mutation and phenotype heterogeneity: a profile of 107 diverse families with Usher syndrome and nonsyndromic deafness. Am J Hum Genet. 2002 Aug;71(2):262-75. doi: 10.1086/341558. Epub 2002 Jun 19. Citation on PubMed or Free article on PubMed Central
  • Bolz H, von Brederlow B, Ramirez A, Bryda EC, Kutsche K, Nothwang HG, Seeliger M, del C-Salcedo Cabrera M, Vila MC, Molina OP, Gal A, Kubisch C. Mutation of CDH23, encoding a new member of the cadherin gene family, causes Usher syndrome type 1D. Nat Genet. 2001 Jan;27(1):108-12. doi: 10.1038/83667. Citation on PubMed
  • Bork JM, Peters LM, Riazuddin S, Bernstein SL, Ahmed ZM, Ness SL, Polomeno R, Ramesh A, Schloss M, Srisailpathy CR, Wayne S, Bellman S, Desmukh D, Ahmed Z, Khan SN, Kaloustian VM, Li XC, Lalwani A, Riazuddin S, Bitner-Glindzicz M, Nance WE, Liu XZ, Wistow G, Smith RJ, Griffith AJ, Wilcox ER, Friedman TB, Morell RJ. Usher syndrome 1D and nonsyndromic autosomal recessive deafness DFNB12 are caused by allelic mutations of the novel cadherin-like gene CDH23. Am J Hum Genet. 2001 Jan;68(1):26-37. doi: 10.1086/316954. Epub 2000 Nov 21. Citation on PubMed or Free article on PubMed Central
  • Miyagawa M, Nishio SY, Usami S. Prevalence and clinical features of hearing loss patients with CDH23 mutations: a large cohort study. PLoS One. 2012;7(8):e40366. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0040366. Epub 2012 Aug 10. Citation on PubMed or Free article on PubMed Central
  • Oshima A, Jaijo T, Aller E, Millan JM, Carney C, Usami S, Moller C, Kimberling WJ. Mutation profile of the CDH23 gene in 56 probands with Usher syndrome type I. Hum Mutat. 2008 Jun;29(6):E37-46. doi: 10.1002/humu.20761. Citation on PubMed or Free article on PubMed Central
  • Schultz JM, Bhatti R, Madeo AC, Turriff A, Muskett JA, Zalewski CK, King KA, Ahmed ZM, Riazuddin S, Ahmad N, Hussain Z, Qasim M, Kahn SN, Meltzer MR, Liu XZ, Munisamy M, Ghosh M, Rehm HL, Tsilou ET, Griffith AJ, Zein WM, Brewer CC, Riazuddin S, Friedman TB. Allelic hierarchy of CDH23 mutations causing non-syndromic deafness DFNB12 or Usher syndrome USH1D in compound heterozygotes. J Med Genet. 2011 Nov;48(11):767-75. doi: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2011-100262. Epub 2011 Sep 22. Citation on PubMed
  • Siemens J, Lillo C, Dumont RA, Reynolds A, Williams DS, Gillespie PG, Muller U. Cadherin 23 is a component of the tip link in hair-cell stereocilia. Nature. 2004 Apr 29;428(6986):950-5. doi: 10.1038/nature02483. Epub 2004 Mar 31. Citation on PubMed

The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.