The Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome consists of albinism, platelet function defect, pigment laden macrophases and, on occasions, pulmonary fibrosis. The clinical course and postmortem findings of a patient with pulmonary fibrosis which mimicked cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis are reported. Histological examination revealed a chronic inflammatory infiltrate of pigment laden microphages.

Prominent subtypes of the genetic disorder Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome result from defects in a mysterious protein complex, BLOC-3. New work identifies BLOC-3 as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for two RAB GTPases previously implicated in lysosome-related organelle biogenesis.

A 45-year-old woman from Puerto Rico presented to the emergency department with progressively worsening dyspnea over a 3to 4-day period. She had been diagnosed with type 1 Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome complicated by pulmonary fi brosis 4 years earlier. Previous renal biopsy demonstrated nephrosclerosis secondary to HermanskyPudlak syndrome. A brother also had Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome complicated ...