Hyperimmunoglobulin E Syndrome
BASICS
DESCRIPTION
Hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome (HIES) consists of a group of primary immunodeficiency diseases that are characterized—in part—by a triad of elevated serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), eczematous dermatitis, and infections. The best described of these disorders is autosomal dominant-HIES (AD-HIES), previously known as Job-Buckley syndrome, but several other inborn errors of immunity present with the aforementioned triad.
EPIDEMIOLOGY
- AD-HIES may have a prevalence of 1 in 1,000,000.
- True incidence and prevalence are currently unknown.
- Most HIES conditions appear to equally affect males and females.
RISK FACTORS
Genetics
- AD-HIES is caused by dominant negative mutations in STAT3, encoding for signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3).
- Autosomal recessive-HIES (AR-HIES) conditions also exist and include:
- Dedicator of cytokinesis 8 (DOCK8) deficiency
- Interleukin-6 signal transducer (IL6ST) deficiency
- Phosphoglucomutase 3 (PGM3) deficiency
- ZNF341 deficiency
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
- STAT3 is involved in multiple cytokine signaling pathways including interleukin (IL)-6, IL-11, IL-23, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α
- STAT3 is a key transcription factor in differentiation of the Th17 helper T cell subset, which is important in bacterial and fungal immunity. Defects in Th17 cells result in increased susceptibility to these types of organisms.
- Impaired IL-11 signaling has been associated with craniosynostosis and delayed tooth eruption.
- Other mutations that affect Th17 differentiation, such as IL6ST deficiency and ZNF341 deficiency will present similarly to AD-HIES.
- DOCK8 is involved in actin cytoskeleton regulation of leukocyte migration and immune synapse interactions, resulting in impaired lymphocyte activation, survival, and memory responses.
- PGM3 is involved in glycosylation pathways required for multiple immune functions.
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Citation
Cabana, Michael D., editor. "Hyperimmunoglobulin E Syndrome." 5-Minute Pediatric Consult, 9th ed., Wolters Kluwer, 2025. Pediatrics Central, peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/617107/all/Hyperimmunoglobulin_E_Syndrome.
Hyperimmunoglobulin E Syndrome. In: Cabana MDM, ed. 5-Minute Pediatric Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2025. https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/617107/all/Hyperimmunoglobulin_E_Syndrome. Accessed June 10, 2026.
Hyperimmunoglobulin E Syndrome. (2025). In Cabana, M. D. (Ed.), 5-Minute Pediatric Consult (9th ed.). Wolters Kluwer. https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/617107/all/Hyperimmunoglobulin_E_Syndrome
Hyperimmunoglobulin E Syndrome [Internet]. In: Cabana MDM, editors. 5-Minute Pediatric Consult. Wolters Kluwer; 2025. [cited 2026 June 10]. Available from: https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/617107/all/Hyperimmunoglobulin_E_Syndrome.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - ELEC
T1 - Hyperimmunoglobulin E Syndrome
ID - 617107
ED - Cabana,Michael D,
BT - 5-Minute Pediatric Consult
UR - https://peds.unboundmedicine.com/pedscentral/view/5-Minute-Pediatric-Consult/617107/all/Hyperimmunoglobulin_E_Syndrome
PB - Wolters Kluwer
ET - 9
DB - Pediatrics Central
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -

5-Minute Pediatric Consult

