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.     

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。     

Variable dystrophin expression in different muscles of a Duchenne muscular dystrophy carrier

The majority of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) female carriers show dystrophin immunostaining abnormalities, although a significant proportion of clinically non-manifesting carriers are normal following this analysis. We had the opportunity to study dystrophin immunostaining in two different muscles, the vastus lateralis and the rectus abdominis of a possible DMD carrier. While the vastus showed normal dystrophin immunostaining, pathological staining was detected in her rectus abdominis. These findings seem to indicate that dystrophin expression can vary in different muscle groups of a DMD carrier. The implications of these findings in DMD carrier detection and possible dystrophin function are discussed.     

Germinal mosaicism in a Duchenne muscular dystrophy family: implications for genetic counselling

Melis MA, Cau M. Congiu R, Puddu R, Muntoni F, Cao A. Germinal mosaicism in a Duchenne muscular dystrophy family: implications for genetic counselling.
Clin Genet 1993: 43: 247–249. © Munksgaard, 1993
In this study we describe a three-generation family in which two siblings were affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Immunohisto-chemical analysis of muscle dystrophin and haplotype analysis of the DMD locus revealed that the X chromosome carrying the DMD gene was transmitted from the healthy maternal grandfather to his three daughters. including the proband's mother. These findings indicate that the grandfather was a germinal mosaic for the DMD gene. The definition of the carrier status in two possible carriers led us to give accurate genetic counselling and to prevent the birth of an affected boy. The results of this study demonstrate the usefulness of haplotype analysis and immuno-histochemical muscle dystrophin studies to detect hidden germinal mosaicism and to improve genetic counselling.     

Relatively low proportion of dystrophin gene deletions in Israeli Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy patients

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) are allelic disorders caused by mutations in the X-linked dystrophin gene. The most common mutations in western populations are deletions that are spread non-randomly throughout the gene. Molecular analysis of the dystrophin gene structure by hybridization of the full length cDNA to Southern blots and by PCR in 62 unrelated Israeli male DMD/BMD patients showed deletions in 23 (37%). This proportion is significantly lower than that found in European and North American populations (55–65%). Seventy-eight percent of the deletions were confined to exons 44–52, half of these to exons 44–45, and the remaining 22% to exons 1 and 19. There was no correlation between the size of the deletion and the severity of the disease. All the deletions causing frameshift resulted in the DMD phenotypes. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Increase in fetal breech presentation in female carriers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Female carriers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) may demonstrate elevated serum creatine kinase (CK) and reduction of muscle dystrophin in all muscle types. We hypothesized that decreased dystrophin in uterine or pelvic girdle musculature might affect the obstetrical performance of females heterozygous for a dystrophin mutation. We reviewed the outcome of 34 deliveries resulting in 35 children from 13 women who were mothers of males attending a muscular dystrophy clinic. Obstetrical performance was examined retrospectively by chart review and patient contact. Of 35 children, 6 (17%) were delivered in the breech position, which is a fivefold increase above the national standards for term pregnancies. Of the six infants with breech presentation, two were males affected with DMD, one was a female heterozygote, one was a male who died perinatally, and the carrier status of the other two females is unknown. Most DMD affected males (12/14) were delivered in the vertex position. Thus, it is likely that maternal, rather than fetal, muscle weakness was the significant factor in determination of fetal position at term. We speculate that subtle changes in uterine or pelvic girdle muscle tone may contribute to a higher rate of fetal breech position in carriers of the DMD gene. Am. J. Med. Genet. 73:276–278, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Mutation analysis in Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy patients from Bulgaria shows a peculiar distribution of breakpoints by intron

For the first time in Bulgaria, a deletion/duplication screening was performed on a group of 84 unrelated Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy patients, and the breakpoint distribution in the dystrophin gene was analyzed. Intragenic deletions were detected in 67.8% of patients, and intragenic duplications in 2.4%. A peculiar distribution of deletion breakpoints was found. Only 13.2% of the deletion breakpoints fell in the “classical” hot spot in intron 44, whereas the majority (>54%) were located within the segment encompassing introns 45–51, which includes intron 50, the richest in breakpoints (16%) in the Bulgarian sample. Comparison with data from Greece and Turkey points at the probable existence of a deletion hot spot within intron 50, which might be a characteristic of populations of the Balkan region. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

A study of possible heterogeneity in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

One possible explanation for the apparently high birth incidence of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a lethal X-linked disorder, is genetic heterogeneity. As a first step in possibly demonstrating genetic heterogeneity, affected boys were sub-divided into those with and without severe mental handicap. In those with severe mental handicap, ages at onset and of becoming confined to a wheelchair were later, the fall in SCK level with age was less marked, and the urinary excretion of certain aminoacids was greater than in affected boys with normal intelligence. Though the number of subjects investigated was relatively small (15 in each group) and further studies are therefore needed, the results suggest that DMD may not be a single disease entity.     

Intragenic deletions in 164 boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) studied with dystrophin cDNA

DNA from 164 unrelated Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients was screened with cDNA probes from the dystrophin gene. Molecular deletions were demonstrated in 82 (50%) subjects. Sixty-two deletions (76%) were detected using cDNA probes Cf56a (cDNA 8) and Cf56b (cDNA 6-7) which map to the centre of the gene, while 22 deletions (27%) mapped to the 5' end of the gene. In three subjects, the deletion extended from the 5' end to the centre of the gene. One deletion was identified by probe 47-4 (cDNA 5b-7) alone. In six of the deletions, junction fragments of altered size were observed. Using the three cDNA probes, RW2kb, Cf56a (cDNA 8) and Cf56b (cDNA 6-7), 99% of the deletions were detected. This will have implications for prenatal diagnosis in deletion families. Unlike Becker muscular dystrophy, where the deletions are more homogeneous, the deletions in the present study were heterogeneous both in size and position. No correlation between intelligence and either site or extent of deletion was found.     

利用病残儿医学鉴定平台对假肥大型肌营养不良症和脊肌萎缩症高危家庭进行优生服务的实践

目的利用病残鉴定平台加强对DMD和SMA高风险家庭再生育的优生指导,中断该家庭的遗传链。方法通过病残鉴定平台明确14例DMD患儿、6例SMA患儿及父母的致病基因类型,再生育时从孕前开始进行优生相关宣传教育、指导产前检查及产前诊断,明确胎儿基因型及选择性终止妊娠,随访新生儿情况评价干预成效。结果 14个DMD高风险家庭申请再生育,11例怀孕并产前诊断,2例胎儿被确诊患胎引产;5个SMA高风险家庭申请再生育,4例怀孕并产前诊断,其中1例胎儿确被诊为患胎引产。结论通过病残鉴定平台可有效指导并监控遗传病高风险家庭再生育情况,降低遗传病患儿出生。     

五个脊肌萎缩症高风险胎儿的产前诊断

目的对5名生育过脊肌萎缩症(spinal muscular atrophy,SMA)患儿的妇女当前所怀胎儿进行产前诊断。方法超声监视下行羊膜腔穿刺术抽取羊水。离心后直接从沉渣中提取胎儿基因组DNA。采用短串联重复序列位点检测法排除母体基因组DNA污染。常规PCR扩增胎儿SMN基因第7外显子。PCR产物经DraⅠ酶切后,行琼脂糖凝胶电泳。通过位点特异性PCR扩增SMN1和SMN2的第7外显子。结果比较各胎儿与父母的16个短串联重复序列位点,未见羊水DNA受母体DNA污染迹象。常规PCR中,胎儿A、C、D的PCR产物(189bp)仅有部分可被DraⅠ切割,而胎儿B、E的PCR产物全部被DraⅠ切割。在位点特异性PCR中,胎儿A、C、D既有SMN1、也有SMN2的第7外显子扩增产物,而胎儿B、E只有SMN2的第7外显子扩增。结论胎儿A、C、D未见SMN1纯合性缺失,出生后患SMA的风险极小;胎儿B、E为SMN1纯合性缺失,出生后患SMA的风险极大。     

DGGE-based whole-gene mutation scanning of the dystrophin gene in Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy patients

Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD and BMD) are caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene. Large rearrangements in the gene are found in about two-thirds of DMD patients, with approximately 60% carrying deletions and 5-10% carrying duplications. Most of the remaining 30-35% of patients are expected to have small nucleotide substitutions, insertions, or deletions. To detect these subtle changes within the coding and splice site determining sequences of the dystrophin gene, we established a semiautomated denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) mutation scanning system. The DGGE scan covers the dystrophin gene with 95 amplicons, PCRed either individually or in a multiplex setup. PCR and pooling were performed semiautomatically, using a pipetting robot and 384-well plates, enabling concurrent amplification of DNA of four patients in one run. Amplification of individual fragments was performed using one PCR program. The products were pooled just before gel loading; DGGE requires only a single gel condition. Validation was performed using DNA samples harboring 39 known DMD variants, all of which could be readily detected. DGGE mutation scanning was applied to analyze 135 DMD/BMD patients and potential DMD carriers without large deletions or duplications. In DNA from 25 out of 44 DMD patients (57%) and from 5 out of 39 BMD patients (13%), we identified clear pathogenic changes. All mutations were different, with the exception of one DMD mutation, which occurred twice. In DNA from 10 out of 44 potential DMD carriers, including four obligate carriers, we detected causative changes, including one pathogenic change in every obligate carrier. In addition to these pathogenic changes, we detected 15 unique unclassified variants, i.e., changes for which a pathogenic nature is uncertain.     

Molecular deletions in the Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy gene

To gain further information relating to the frequency, position and size of DNA deletions in the Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy (D/BMD) gene region, and to detect any correlation of these deletions with phenotype, a large clinic-based population of DMD and BMD patients has been investigated using 13 cloned intragenic sequences. Our of 263 separate patients studied, 75 showed a deletion of at least one locus (28.5%). These represented 25.6% (55/215) of DMD patients and 41.7% (20/48) of BMD patients, suggesting that the milder phenotype is more often likely to be due to a deletion. The deletions range from 6 kilobases (kb) to greater than 1000 kb in size. The distribution of deletions across the gene region shows at least one region (detected by P20) prone to deletion mutations in both DMD and BMD patients. There is no simple correlation of position or extent of deletions with DMD or BMD, although deletion of a specific region towards the 5' end of the gene may be more often associated with a milder phenotype. Apparently similar deletions can give rise to phenotypes differing significantly in severity, presumably indicating further complexities in the molecular or cellular pathology.     

脐血干细胞移植治疗假肥大型肌营养不良症

目的比较假肥大型肌营养不良症(Duchennemusculardystrophy,DMD)患者经脐血干细胞移植治疗前后其肌肉再生、抗肌萎缩蛋白表达和运动功能的改变;以及评价治疗的安全性。方法对1例经基因分析和肌肉活检及抗肌萎缩蛋白检测确诊的、已丧失行走能力的DMD患儿,经HLA配型,在脐血库中寻找到一个全相合的脐血供体。采用白消安+环磷酰胺+兔抗胸腺淋巴细胞球蛋白预处理后进行异基因脐血干细胞移植;术后采用环孢素A和骁悉方案预防移植物抗宿主反应(graftversushostreaction,GVHD)。同时定期检测原发病的生化指标如血清肌酸激酶(creatinekinase,CK)、造血重建的植入证据(血型转变、肌肉和血液系统的聚合酶链反应短串联重复序列分析)、缺陷基因是否纠正、新生肌肉是否出现、肌肉中抗肌萎缩蛋白是否表达和运动功能是否改善。结果(1)中性粒细胞在脐血干细胞移植后第15天(+15天)达到0.5×109/L,白细胞在+25天达正常水平;血小板于+22天达到20×109/L;血红蛋白维持于85～100g/L。术后140天骨髓穿刺提示三系生长旺盛;(2)移植后140天血型转为供体AB型。至今没有出现移植物抗宿主反应。(3)术后18天、30天、43天、55天、74天、233天患者外周血DNA和术后140天、183天、235天骨髓细胞DNA经PCRSTR检测为供者独立植入;(4)患儿术后60天取外周血做基因分析,显示19号缺失的外显子得到完全纠正,患儿转变为正常基因型;(5)患儿在移植后75天的肌肉活检可见新生肌管形成,抗肌萎缩蛋白免疫组化呈弱阳性,少数为强阳性反应,DNA分析:供者基因DNA占1%～13%;移植后126天抗肌萎缩蛋白免疫组化检测显示阳性的肌纤维明显增多,供者基因DNA上升至2.5%～25%;(6)患儿血清CK从移植治疗前的5735U/L降至274U/L;(7)术后100天体检发现患儿肌力略有改善,肢端温暖。结论异基因脐血干细胞移植治疗DMD,可在移植后短期内重建造血功能、血清CK显著下降、肌肉抗肌萎缩蛋白表达,患儿运动有所改善,提示造血干细胞移植将有益于DMD的治疗。     

Genetic epidemiology of Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy in Slovenia

Most population studies on Duchenne (DMD) and Becker (BMD) muscular dystrophies predated the discovery of the gene and its product dystrophin. The diagnosis of these conditions and consequent epidemiological estimates were therefore limited to clinical criteria. In our study of the Slovene population the prevalence and cumulative incidence of DMD and BMD were calculated by including additional diagnostic tests: deletion screening in the dystrophin gene as well as dystrophin immunocytochemistry. The minimal prevalence rates, 2.9/100000 for DMD, 1.2/100000 for BMD, and the minimal cumulative DMD incidence rate of 13.8/100000 are in the range of lower estimates compared to studies world-wide. However, we found a high BMD cumulative incidence rate of 5.7/100000 and a high proportion of BMD versus DMD cumulative incidence rate (41.3%). Our results imply that the epidemiological figures for BMD might have been underestimated in the past.     

Duchenne型肌营养不良症的产前基因诊断研究

应用Ｄｕｃｈｅｎｎｅ型肌营养不良症（Ｄｕｃｈｅｎｎｅ　ｍｕｓｃｕｌａｒ　ｄｙｓｔｒｏｐｙ，ＤＭＤ）基因的ｃＤＮＡｓ作为探针，以限制性片段长度多态（ＲＦＬＰ）分析为策略，采用Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ分子杂交方法，成功地对１例可疑ＤＭＤ的男性胎儿及１例ＤＭＤ患儿进行基因诊断。结果显示该胎儿ＤＭＤ基因正常，而患儿存在ＤＭＤ基因缺失（缺失２．１５ｋｂ）。在基因分析前，应用聚合酶链式反应（ｐｏｌｙｍｅｒａｓｅ　ｃｈａｉｎ　ｒｅａｃｔｉｏｎ，ＰＣＲ）技术鉴定胎儿性别为男性。胎儿出生后检查结果与与产前基因诊断相吻合。为了获得高灵敏度探针，本文采用地高辛配基标记ＤＮＡ探针的方法，通过酶联免疫法，使分子杂交的ＤＮＡ检测带出现颜色反应。实验结果表明，此方法适用于基因组单拷贝ＤＮＡ顺序的检测，具有快速、安全等优越性，可以替代同位素进行推广、应用。     

A survey of manifesting carriers of Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy in Wales

Manifesting carriers of Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy are uncommon but well described. Such patients are of particular importance with regard to the differential diagnosis from autosomal recessive limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. All mothers of affected males known to the Genetic Register of Muscular Dystrophy Families in Wales were contacted, and 167 out of a possible 190 were examined. It was estimated from pedigree and creatine kinase analysis that 119 out of the 167 were carriers of the Duchenne/Becker gene. Three manifesting carriers were identified, giving the proportion affected as 3/119 = 2.5%. We estimate the prevalence of manifesting carriers to be 1 in 100,000 of the female population, a figure comparable to the prevalence of autosomal recessive limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. During the period of the survey, several other women with similar clinical findings but without an appropriate family history were seen. We strongly suspect that some of these are also manifesting carriers of the Duchenne/Becker gene.     

Amplification of ten deletion-rich exons of the dystrophin gene by polymerase chain reaction shows deletions in 36 of 90 Japanese families with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

We analyzed DNA samples taken from 95 Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients belonging to 90 different families in Japan using the polymerase chain reaction. Ten different regions at the 5′ end or in the central region of the dystrophin cDNA gene that were previously shown to be prone to deletion were selected for amplification and analysis. Patients in 36 of the 90 families (40%) had deletions in at least one of these segments of the gene. Identical deletions were detected in the dystrophin gene of patients from the same family. The deletions were heterogeneous in size and location. One patient had deletions in 7 of the 10 amplified regions, while 19 patients from 18 families had a deletion in only one of the regions studied. Deletions at the 5′ end were generally larger and more heterogeneous than those in the central region of the gene. One third of deletions had their proximal end breakpoints between exons 44 and 45. This region seems to be particularly vulnerable to gene breakage in DMD patients.