Coexistence of gene mutations causing Fabry disease and Duchenne muscular dystrophy in a Japanese boy

Both Fabry disease and Duchenne muscular dystrophy were confirmed by gene analysis in a Japanese boy. He developed muscle weakness at 4 years of age. A muscle biopsy revealed lamellar inclusion bodies in vascular endothelial cells in addition to myopathic changes with negative dystrophin staining. The myopathic symptoms progressed, and he died of pneumonia at 24 years of age. No clinical manifestations of Fabry disease were observed except for hypohidrosis and angiokeratoma. However, glycolipid accumulation was found in biopsied renal tissue. Molecular analysis demonstrated two gene mutations; a novel single-base deletion in exon 3 of the α-galactosidase gene, and a dystrophin gene deletion extending from exon 46 to exon 50. His mother was confirmed to be heterozygous for both gene deletions.     

女性假肥大型肌营养不良症家系的临床病理和基因分析

目的研究女性假肥大型肌营养不良症(Duchenne muscular dystrophy，DMD)患者的临床特征，探讨其发病机理。方法对一个女性DMD家系患者的临床表现进行跟踪随访，并作肌肉组织的免疫组化检测及基因分析。结果该家系的DMD患儿临床表现及辅助检查均符合典型的DMD特征。先证者母亲的临床特点类似良性假性肥大型肌营养不良(Becker muscular dystrophy，BMD)，肌肉免疫荧光分析提示dystrophin蛋白染色阳性的纤维与阴性纤维并存。该家系的dystrophin基因分析为非缺失型。先证者母亲核型分析正常。结论本家系中的39岁女性具有类似BMD的临床表现，病理检查及图像分析提示dystrophin蛋白为正常的1／3。此例女性患者的核型分析正常，故倾斜的X染色体模式为其可能的机理。     

一个先天性肌营养不良1A型家系的临床、分子病理及遗传学研究

目的 分析并确立1个先天性肌营养不良1A型(congenital muscular dystrophy type 1A,MDC1A)家系的临床、分子病理及遗传学特征.方法 收集该家系患儿及父母的临床资料,对患儿进行腓肠肌活检,采用特异抗体行免疫组织化学染色,包括merosin抗体、抗α抗肌萎缩相关糖蛋白(α-dystroglycan,α-DG)糖链抗体ⅡH6、抗β抗肌萎缩相关糖蛋白(β-dystroglycan,β-DG)抗体及抗肌萎缩蛋白(dystrophin)C末端(Dys-C)抗体;提取患儿及其父母外周血基因组DNA,PCR扩增LAMA2基因的65个外显子,以琼脂糖凝胶电泳鉴定PCR产物,PCR产物纯化后DNA直接测序,确定基因突变的类型,分析基因型和表型的关系.结果 患儿自幼运动发育落后,肌病面容,肌酶中度升高,头颅MRI提示脑白质异常信号,临床诊断为先天性肌营养不良1A型.通过活检肌肉组织免疫学染色提示merosin完全缺失,dystrophin和DG表达正常.基因检测显示先证者LAMA2基因第5外显子c.817A>T纯合突变,其父母分别为此位点杂合突变.结论 本次研究进一步明确了MDC1A患儿的临床特点,通过分子遗传学分析发现该患儿为LAMA2基因c.817A>T(p.R273X)纯合无义突变,其突变基因分别来自父母,符合先天性肌营养不良1A型常染色体隐性遗传的规律,可确诊为先天性肌营养不良1A型.     

Duchenne muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular atrophy type I segregating in the same family

We report on a family with two severe neuromuscular diseases: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and acute infantile spinal muscular atrophy (SMA I). One boy has DMD, and his brother died of SMA I at 11 months of age. Both boys had received the same DMD allele from their mother. Analysis of dystrophin by immunohistochemistry and Western blot showed complete lack of dystrophin in both brothers. The mother had a partial deficiency of dystrophin. The boy with SMA I had increased levels of creatine kinase in serum, compatible with DMD, but the muscle biopsy and post-mortem examination of the spinal cord showed the typical changes of SMA I. There were no cytogenetic abnormalities explaining the occurrence of both DMD and SMA I in this family. Molecular genetic prenatal diagnosis of DMD and SMA I, using analysis of RFLPs and dinucleotide repeats, has been performed in one foetus in the family. The results showed that the foetus had a high risk of developing SMA I. An abortion was planned but the pregnancy was terminated by miscarriage.     

Muscular dystrophies detected by immunophenotyping and genotype analysis (mRNA and DNA)

Complex diagnosis of muscular dystrophies including clinical, bioptical and molecular genetic approaches has been provided in a limited extent in this country. Our group of neurologists, pathologists and geneticists has examined approximately 240 patients suspected of having muscular dystrophies, mostly coming from Southern and Northern Moravia. The patients were sent to the examination most often from departments of neurology and clinical genetics, and less frequently from departments of internal medicine. According to the final diagnosis, the patients were divided into groups: with dystrophinopathies and carriers of dystrophinopathies (DMD/BMD), merosin deficient form of congenital muscular dystrophy, and Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy including the carriers of this disease. Some relatives of patients with dystrophinopathies were also examined using the methods of segregation analysis. High proportion of the DMD/BMD patients can be detected by the methods of molecular genetics. Analysis of mRNA using RT PCR and PTT enables the detection of deletions, duplications, and point mutations in dystrophin gene and encompasses a larger diagnostic scope in comparison with examinations of DNA level by the multiplex PCR method from the peripheral blood which enables only deletion detections. Immunophenotyping of the dystrophin protein plays an important role especially using antibodies against carboxyterminal (DYS2) and rod domain (DYS1) of dystrophin. Deficient sarcolemmal expression of DYS2 and DYS1 reveals unambiguously a pathological dystrophin. On the other hand, less pronounced deficiencies in dystrophin expression in BMD patients and DMD/BMD carriers may not always be detected in muscle biopsies. In this case, it is necessary to supplement the examination by Western blotting and genotype analysis. The examination of patients with clinically diagnosed muscular dystrophy should start with a muscle biopsy which enables the estimation of presence and degree of structural changes. Application of antibodies against the components of DGC and emerin may reveal a deficiency in expression of these proteins. Immunohistochemical examination completed by Western blotting leads to the subsequent molecular genetic analysis of DNA or mRNA. Secondary deficiencies in expression of other DGC proteins are often revealed in muscle biopsies of dystrophinopathies and this fact must be taken into account in the evaluation of immunohistochemical findings. There is a possibility of replacement of invasive muscle biopsy by skin biopsy or buccal mucosal smears in cases of merosin and emerin deficiencies. Commercially available antibodies against merosin, emerin, calpain and sarcoglycans enable extensive identification and detailed classification of muscular dystrophies. Screening of the patients based on the application of methods described and discussed in this report is the task of the forthcoming period.     

Detection of a nonsense mutation in the dystrophin gene by multiple SSCP.

A combination of multiplex PCR with the single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) technique was employed to screen for point mutations in the human dystrophin gene. Co-amplification of 11 exons from genomic DNA of Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD/BMD) patients with no deletion or duplication was performed and the samples subjected to multiple SSCP analysis. We report the case of a nonsense mutation in a Duchenne patient identified by this approach. The mutation introduces a termination codon within exon 8 of the dystrophin gene. It is predicted to cause a very premature translational termination accounting for the severe phenotype observed. The patient inherited this mutation from his mother. In addition the analysis revealed 5 polymorphisms useful for internal control.     

Phenotype-genotype analysis of dystrophinopathy caused by duplication mutation in Dystrophin gene in an African patient

Background

The dystrophinopathies, duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and Becker muscular dystrophy are common X-linked genetic myopathies resulting from mutations in the dystrophin gene. Duplication is an uncommon mechanism of mutation occurring in about 5% of DMD cases. The global prevalence of DMD is reported as 1/18,000 males. There is little clinical or epidemiological data on African patients.

Objective

To present the genotype-phenotype analysis of dystrophinopathy with an exon 8 through 9 duplication mutation in a patient of African/Ghanaian descent and his asymptomatic mother.

Methods

Investigations including a biopsy of the vastus lateralis muscle and genetic testing of the patient and his mother.

Results

Genetic testing demonstrated a duplication of exons 8 through 9 of the dystrophin gene in both the patient and his mother. The muscle biopsy of the patient showed partial expression of the dystrophin protein. In the absence of a family history of dystrophinopathy, we hypothesize that this is a sporadic mutation occurring in the grand maternal lineage.

Conclusion

This case extends the world wide epidemiology of this disease to include the African/Ghanaian population and confirms the vulnerability of the dystrophin gene to recurrent spontaneous mutations at the exon 8 and 9 site.     

免疫荧光检测抗肌萎缩蛋白诊断肌营养不良症的临床应用

目的 采用免疫荧光技术对Duchenne型肌营养不良症（Duchenne muscular dystrophy,DMD),Becker型肌营养不良症（Becker muscular dystrophy,BMD)，面肩肱型肌营养不良症（facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy,FSHD)以及神经性肌萎缩患者骨骼肌细胞膜的dystrophin蛋白进行检测，为临床诊断、分类肌营养不良症提供简便的实验方法。方法 对47例患者选择3种dystrophin 的鼠抗单克隆抗体、羊抗和兔抗多克隆抗体，分别进行免疫荧光技术检测。结果 16例DMD患者均为阴性染色；11例BMD患者为弱阳性染色；10例FSHD和10例神经性肌萎缩患者均为阳性染色。结论 检测肌营养不良症患者骨骼肌膜dystrophin蛋白，有助于肌营养不良症的临床诊断和分型。     

Duchenne type muscular dystrophy and consanguinity: difficulties in pedigree analysis.

We report the case of a 2-year-old girl who had signs of Duchenne type muscular dystrophy on clinical, electromyographic, laboratory, and pathological examination. The parents of the child are first cousins. A brother and nephew of the mother also had Duchenne type muscular dystrophy. Karyotype analysis in the proband showed both X chromosomes to be morphologically normal. The mother had very high plasma CK levels, equivalent to those observed in carriers of the disease. We discuss different hypothetical mechanisms designed to account for the family pedigree.     

Detection of dystrophin with anti-peptide antibodies]

The analysis of dystrophin in skeletal muscles was performed to identify Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD and BMD) by means of immunohistochemical stain and Western blotting with antisera against synthetic dystrophin peptides. The control muscle specimens derived from normal healthy persons, and patients without DMD and BMD revealed clearly continuous stains of dystrophin at surface membrane. A band with 400 kDa of molecular size by Western blotting was positively stained by anti-dystrophin antibodies. The muscle specimens from eleven DMD patients showed no observation both in the band on Western blotting and in the immunohistochemical staining of dystrophin on frozen-thin sections. BMD muscle specimens showed patchy and faint stains, but no detection of any band on Western blotting except a 380 kDa minor band with anti-peptide IX antibody in one patient muscle. The immunohistochemical procedure was found to be more sensitive than Western blotting for the detection of dystrophin. These results indicate that the dystrophin analysis by both methods is an useful tool for the differential diagnosis of patients with DMD and BMD.     

抗肌萎缩蛋白基因非缺失/重复突变引起的Becker型肌营养不良症的研究

目的 探讨Becker型肌营养不良症(Becker muscular dystrophy,BMD)的基因突变类型,增加对抗肌萎缩蛋白基因非缺失/重复突变引起BMD的认识.方法 收集2例BMD患者的临床资料,应用多重连接依赖式探针扩增(multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification assay,MLPA)方法对抗肌萎缩蛋白基因进行分析,并对其肌肉进行苏木素-伊红(hematoxylin-eosin,HE)染色、抗肌萎缩蛋白(dystrophin)染色及电镜检测.结果 2例患者经MLPA方法检测抗肌萎缩蛋白基因均呈非缺失/重复突变类型,肌肉活检光镜和电镜均呈肌营养不良改变.例1患者染色示肌膜dystrophin大部分呈不连续弱阳性,部分为阴性.例2患者染色示肌膜dystrophin-C为阴性,dystrophin-N为阳性.结论 对于抗肌萎缩蛋白基因非缺失/重复突变的临床症状较轻的患者,进行肌肉活检和抗肌萎缩蛋白免疫组化将有助于明确诊断BMD及判断其预后.

Abstract：

Objective To identify potential mutations in patients featuring Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) and to enhance the understanding of non-deletion/duplication mutations of the dystrophin gene causing BMD. Methods linical data of two patients affected with BMD were collected. Potential mutations in the dystrophin gene were screened with multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification assay (MLPA). Biopsied muscle samples were examined with HE staining, immnostaining with anti-dystrophin antibody, and electronic microscopy. Results MLPA assay suggested that both cases were probably due to non-deletion/duplication mutations of the dystrophin gene. Light and electronic microcopy of skeletal muscle biopsies confirmed dystrophic changes in both patients. For patient A, immunostaining showed non-contiguous weak staining for most parts of sarcolemma. For patient B, immunostaining showed positive result with N-terminal anti-dystrophin antibody and negative result with C-terminal anti-dystrophin antibody. Conclusion For patients with mild phenotypes but without dystrophin gene deletion/duplication, muscle biopsy and immunochemistry are helpful for diagnosis and prognosis.     

Duchenne muscular dystrophy and myotonic dystrophy in the same patient

We report on the first patient identified with myotonic dystrophy and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The family of the propositus had a strong history of myotonic dystrophy, and there was an intrafamilial pathological expansion of the responsible CTG repeat between the mildly affected mother (160 repeats; normal 27 repeats) and her more severely affected son (650 repeats), and his sister (650 repeats). The propositus was an isolated case of Duchenne muscular dystrophy with marked dystrophin deficiency in muscle biopsy. The patient was still ambulatory post age 16. Myotonic dystrophy could interfere to some extent with the progression of Duchenne dystrophy. However, other interpretations are possible. Twelve percent of dystrophin revertant fibers as observed by immunohistochemistry could be sufficient to ameliorate typical DMD clinical severity, or the patient may present a somatic mosaic. The pathophysiological interactions of these two unlinked disorders are discussed at the clinical and histopathological levels. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

X inactivation and dystrophin studies in a t(X;12) female: evidence for biochemical normalization in Duchenne muscular dystrophy carriers.

A 4-year-old girl was identified with high creatine kinase (CK) values, and mild muscle weakness in a limb-girdle distribution. Results of dystrophin analysis of the muscle biopsy were consistent with a manifesting heterozygote for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In peripheral lymphocytes she had a t(X;12) (p21.2;q24.33). Late DNA replication studies demonstrated inactivation of the normal X chromosome in 99.4% of cells. Dystrophin immunofluorescence showed 64% dystrophin-negative muscle fibers. Dystrophin content of muscle by immunoblot was approximately 5% of normal. The discordance between the percent of normal X inactivation and percent of dystrophin-negative cells may be explained by compensatory protection of dystrophin by rare nuclei with the normal X active in multi-nucleated muscle fibers with shared cytoplasm.     

Heterozygotic gene expression in endomyocardial biopsies a new diagnostic tool confirms the Duchenne carrier status

Summary Identification of the defective gene and the absent gene product dystrophin can substantiate the clinical evidence for manifesting X-linked Duchenne type muscular dystrophy (DMD). It is not always possible, however, to rule out definitely a clinically asymptomatic carrier status in question, since even in the proven carrier DNA analysis is often inconclusive, and multinucleated skeletal muscle fibers express a basically normal membrane dystrophin. To substantiate the value of endomyocardial biopsy as a new tool for detection of the DMD carrier status we examined an endomyocardial biopsy of a volunteer who met the clinical criteria of a DMD carrier. Dystrophin immunohistochemistry and western blot of her skeletal muscle biopsy were inconclusive, and polymerase chain reaction and cDNA analysis failed to locate directly the X-chromosomal defect. We observed a clearcut mosaic of dystrophin-positive and -negative mononucleated cardiac muscle cells, reflecting a heterozygote carrier status in her endomyocardial biopsy, whereas 20 controls were uniformely positive. The incidence of DMD (1:3000 males) and especially the 30% spontaneous mutation rate, still the major pitfall in DNA analysis, show the need for an additional diagnostic tool.Abbreviations DMD Duchenne type muscular dystrophy - PCR polymerase chain reaction - mAb monoclonal antibody Dedicated to Prof. Dr. N. Zöllner on the occasion of his 70th birthday     

Human dystrophin expression corrects the myopathic phenotype in transgenic mdx mice.

Duchenne and the less severe Becker form of muscular dystrophy (DMD,BMD) result from genetic deficiency in the level and/or activity of the protein dystrophin. The recent availability of cDNA based minigenes encoding recombinant dystrophin polypeptides has raised the possibility of somatic gene transfer as a therapeutic approach to treat dystrophin deficiency. In this respect, the mdx mouse provides a useful model of DMD exhibiting features characteristic of both the early myopathic and later fibrotic phases of the human disease. Using a mutated human cDNA, compatible in size with virus-based somatic gene transfer vectors, the pathophysiological consequences of restoring dystrophin expression have been examined in transgenic mdx mice. Transgene expression was correlated with a marked reduction of the skeletal myofibre necrosis and regeneration which is a major feature of the dystrophin-deficient phenotype in young mdx mice. The cDNA construct which is based on a very mild BMD phenotype thus encodes a highly functional dystrophin molecule whose reduced size renders it an attractive candidate for development as a therapeutic gene transfer reagent.     

X inactivation and dystrophin studies in a t(X;12) female: Evidence for biochemical normalization in Duchenne muscular dystrophy carriers

A 4-year-old girl was identified with high creatine kinase (CK) values, and mild muscle weakness in a limb-girdle distribution. Results of dystrophin analysis of the muscle biopsy were consistent with a manifesting heterozygote for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In peripheral lymphocytes she had a t(X;12) (p21.2;q24.33). Late DNA replication studies demonstrated inactivation of the normal X chromosome in 99.4% of cells. Dystrophin immunofluorescence showed 64% dystrophin-negative muscle fibers. Dystrophin content of muscle by immunoblot was approximately 5% of normal. The discordance between the percent of normal X inactivation and percent of dystrophin-negative cells may be explained by compensatory protection of dystrophin by rare nuclei with the normal X active in multinucleated muscle fibers with shared cytoplasm. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Dystrophin nonsense mutation induces different levels of exon 29 skipping and leads to variable phenotypes within one BMD family

Within one X-linked muscular dystrophy family, different phenotypes for three males occurred: (1) a severely affected Becker patient with cardiomyopathy, (2) a mildly affected Becker patient, and (3) an apparently healthy male with elevated serum CK levels. In the muscle biopsy specimen of patient2 one out of four antibodies (NCL-DYS1) showed absence of dystrophin. The protein truncation test detected a truncated dystrophin for both muscle tissue and lymphocytes of this patient next to an additional near normal size fragment in muscle. Genomic sequence analysis revealed a nonsense mutation in exon 29 (4148C > T) of the dystrophin gene. Sequence analysis of the mRNA fragment of the larger peptide showed skipping of exon 29, restoring an open reading frame. Consequently, the epitope of the antibody NCL-DYS1 is mapped to exon 29. The variable clinical features of the three relatives from healthy to severely affected therefore seems to be related to the level of skipping of exon 29. This finding underscores the future potential of gene therapeutic strategies aimed at inducing exon skipping in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, to generate a much milder disease.