Clinical feature: 

Definition: Rabson-Mendenhall syndrome is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by a loss-of-function mutation of the insulin receptor. An insulin resistent diabetes mellitus ensues further characterized by hyperinsulinemia and various somatic abnormalities. There are striking similarities between Rabson-Mendenhall and Donohue syndromes. The latter being published shortly before.

History: The disorder was first described by Rabson and Mendenhall in 1956. The found a family of 3 affected children who later died of ketoacidosis.

Literature: 

Accili D et al. (1989) A mutation in the insulin receptor gene that impairs transport of the receptor to the plasma membrane and causes insulin-resistant diabetes.
Barnes ND et al. (1974) Insulin resistance, skin changes, and virilization: a recessively inherited syndrome possibly due to pineal gland dysfunction.
Cochran E et al. (2004) Efficacy of recombinant methionyl human leptin therapy for the extreme insulin resistance of the Rabson-Mendenhall syndrome.
de Leiva A et al. (1990) Episodic nyctohemeral secretion of melatonin in adult humans: lack of relation with LH pulsatile pattern.
Kadowaki T et al. (1990) Substitution of lysine for asparagine at position 15 in the alpha-subunit of the human insulin receptor. A mutation that impairs transport of receptors to the cell surface and decreases the affinity of insulin binding.
Lewy AJ et al. (1980) Light suppresses melatonin secretion in humans.
Moncada VY et al. (1986) Insulin-receptor biosynthesis in cultured lymphocytes from an insulin-resistant patient (Rabson-Mendenhall syndrome). Evidence for defect before insertion of receptor into plasma membrane.
Puig-Domingo M et al. (1992) Brief report: melatonin-related hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.
RABSON SM et al. (1956) Familial hypertrophy of pineal body, hyperplasia of adrenal cortex and diabetes mellitus; report of 3 cases.
Rittey CD et al. (1988) Melatonin state in Mendenhall's syndrome.
Takata Y et al. (1986) A primary defect in insulin receptor in a young male patient with insulin resistance.
Taylor SI et al. (1983) Decreased insulin binding to cultured cells from a patient with the Rabson-Mendenhall syndrome: dichotomy between studies with cultured lymphocytes and cultured fibroblasts.
West RJ et al. (1980) Familial insulin resistance with pineal hyperplasia: metabolic studies and effect of hypophysectomy.
West RJ et al. (1975) Familial insulin-resistant diabetes, multiple somatic anomalies, and pineal hyperplasia.