et al, 1994) in our manuscript (Trempus et al , 2003) published in a recent issue of JID.We inadvertently omitted that article in our paper and we certainly acknowledge that their ¢ndings clearly demonstrated CD34 expression in human follicular keratinocytes and cutaneous tumors. We do not believe that this omission alters the novelty or accuracy of our data and conclusions. Carol S. Trempus, MS Ã , Rebecca J. Morris, PhDw , George Cotsarelis, MD Raymond W. Tennant, PhD Ã Ã National Center for Toxicogenomics, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC; University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Philadelphia, PA and wColumbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Department of Dermatology, NewYork, NY REFERENCES Poblet E, Jiminez-Acosta F, Rocamora A: QBEND/10 (anti-CD34 antibody) in external root sheath cells and follicular tumors. J Cutan Pathol 21:224^228, 1994 Trempus CS, Morris RJ, Bortner CD, Cotsarelis G, Faircloth RS, Reece JM,Tennant RW: Enrichment for living murine keratinocytes from the hair follicle bulge with the cell surface marker CD34. J Invest Dermatol 120:501^511, 2003 A Novel GJB2 (Connexin 26) Mutation, F142L, in a Patient with Unusual Mucocutaneous Findings and Deafness To the Editor: Mutations in GJB2 , encoding the gap junction b-2 protein con- nexin (Cx) 26, cause hearing loss with or without skin disorders. Mutations in other connexin genes cause hearing loss, skin disor- ders, peripheral neuropathies, and craniofacial and limb dys- morphisms (Table I; Kelsell et al , 2001; Rabionet et al , 2002; Paznekas et al , 2003). A 2 y old Caucasian female with psoriasiform mucocutaneous involvement, in£ammation of mucous membranes, and severe to profound, bilateral, sensorineural hearing loss was ascertained. Hearing loss was diagnosed by auditory brainstem response test (ABR) at13 mo of age after failure to develop speech. Cutaneous ¢ndings include: (1) periori¢cial and truncal erythematous patches and scaly erythematous plaques that also involve the face, upper extremities, and diaper area (Fig 1 A); (2) exuberant granu- lation tissue around a gastrostomy and on the perianal skin; (3) scaling and obstruction of the external auditory canals; (4) scaly crusted plaques on the scalp; (5) sparse hair that has ¢lled in with age; and, (6) calcinosis cutis of both heels.There is no palmoplan- tar hyperkeratosis, nail or hair dysplasia. Skin biopsy reveals mostly orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis with focal parakeratosis, acanthosis, and slight papillomatosis of the epidermis, and foci of acute and chronic in£ammation in the subepidermal layer and epidermis. Oral ¢ndings include multiple large dental lamina cysts (Fig 1 B) that resolved spontaneously, and primary teeth with focal enamel hypoplasia. The oropharyngeal mucosa shows di¡use erythema with focal ulceration, corrugation, and adherent white plaques (Fig 1 C). Intermittent angular cheilitis is observed. Histopatholo- gic features of the oral mucosa show hyperparakeratosis, acan- thosis, and scattered neutrophils in the super¢cial epithelium adjacent to an ulcer. Endoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal tract reveals a denuded and friable esophagus with marked mucosal in£ammation incon- sistent with Crohn’s disease, and esophageal stricture.The muco- sal involvement impairs swallowing, resulting in the placement of a gastrostomy. Other problems include recurrent urinary tract infections, perirectal abscesses, otitis externa, otitis media, iron de¢ciency anemia, and reactive thrombocytosis. At 17 mo of age, a brain magnetic resonance imaging showed a mild delay in myelination. TableI. Connexins in deafness, skin disease, and other disorders Protein Gene symbol Phenotypes Cx26 GJB2 Nonsyndromic hearing loss Keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness syndrome Hystrix-like ichthyosis-deafness syndrome Vohwinkel syndrome (mutilating keratoderma and hearing impairment) Di¡use palmoplantar keratoderma and deafness Cx30 GJB6 Nonsyndromic hearing loss Clouston syndrome (hidrotic ectodermal dysplasia) Cx30.3 GJB4 Erythrokeratodermia variabilis Cx31 GJB3 Nonsyndromic hearing loss Erythrokeratodermia variabilis Peripheral neuropathy and hearing loss Cx32 GJB1 Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease with or without hearing loss Cx43 GJA1 Nonsyndromic hearing loss Oculodentodigital dysplasia Manuscript received April 23, 2003; accepted for publication May 16, 2003 Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Raye Lynn Alford, PhD, FACMG,The Bobby R. Alford Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Communicative Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, NA102, Houston,Texas 77030 USA. Email: ralford@bcm.tmc.edu Manuscript received March 11, 2003; revised May 29, 2003; accepted for publication May 30, 2003 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 1221 VOL. 121, NO. 5 NOVEMBER 2003