What are the genetic changes related to Carney complex ?
Mutations in the PRKAR1A gene cause most cases of Carney complex. This gene provides instructions for making one part (subunit) of an enzyme called protein kinase A, which promotes cell growth and division (proliferation). The subunit produced from the PRKAR1A gene, called type 1 alpha, helps control whether protein kinase A is turned on or off.  Most mutations in the PRKAR1A gene that cause Carney complex result in an abnormal type 1 alpha subunit that is quickly broken down (degraded) by the cell. The lack of this subunit causes protein kinase A to be turned on more often than normal, which leads to uncontrolled cell proliferation. The signs and symptoms of Carney complex are related to the unregulated growth of cells in many parts of the body.  Some individuals with Carney complex do not have identified mutations in the PRKAR1A gene. In many of these cases, the disorder is associated with a specific region on the short (p) arm of chromosome 2, designated as 2p16. Researchers have not discovered the gene within this region that is responsible for Carney complex.