Loss of a single amino acid from dystrophin resulting in Duchenne muscular dystrophy with retention of dystrophin protein

2003 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 651-651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin Becker ◽  
Stephanie A. Robb ◽  
Zandra Hatton ◽  
Shu Ching Yau ◽  
Stephen Abbs ◽  
...  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic Scaglioni ◽  
Francesco Catapano ◽  
Matthew Ellis ◽  
Silvia Torelli ◽  
Darren Chambers ◽  
...  

AbstractDuring the last decade, multiple clinical trials for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) have focused on the induction of dystrophin expression using different strategies. Many of these trials have reported a clear increase in dystrophin protein following treatment. However, the low levels of the induced dystrophin protein have raised questions on its functionality. In our present study, using an unbiased, high-throughput digital image analysis platform, we assessed markers of regeneration and levels of dystrophin associated protein via immunofluorescent analysis of whole muscle sections in 25 DMD boys who received 48-weeks treatment with exon 53 skipping morpholino antisense oligonucleotide (PMO) golodirsen. We demonstrate that the de novo dystrophin induced by exon skipping with PMO golodirsen is capable of conferring a histological benefit in treated patients with an increase in dystrophin associated proteins at the dystrophin positive regions of the sarcolemma in post-treatment biopsies. Although 48 weeks treatment with golodirsen did not result in a significant change in the levels of fetal/developmental myosins for the entire cohort, there was a significant negative correlation between the amount of dystrophin and levels of regeneration observed in different biopsy samples. Our results provide, for the first time, evidence of functionality of induced dystrophin following successful therapeutic intervention in the human.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 204800401987958
Author(s):  
HR Spaulding ◽  
C Ballmann ◽  
JC Quindry ◽  
MB Hudson ◽  
JT Selsby

Background Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a muscle wasting disease caused by dystrophin gene mutations resulting in dysfunctional dystrophin protein. Autophagy, a proteolytic process, is impaired in dystrophic skeletal muscle though little is known about the effect of dystrophin deficiency on autophagy in cardiac muscle. We hypothesized that with disease progression autophagy would become increasingly dysfunctional based upon indirect autophagic markers. Methods Markers of autophagy were measured by western blot in 7-week-old and 17-month-old control (C57) and dystrophic (mdx) hearts. Results Counter to our hypothesis, markers of autophagy were similar between groups. Given these surprising results, two independent experiments were conducted using 14-month-old mdx mice or 10-month-old mdx/Utrn± mice, a more severe model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Data from these animals suggest increased autophagosome degradation. Conclusion Together these data suggest that autophagy is not impaired in the dystrophic myocardium as it is in dystrophic skeletal muscle and that disease progression and related injury is independent of autophagic dysfunction.


Life ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 648
Author(s):  
Andrea L. Reid ◽  
Matthew S. Alexander

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked neuromuscular disease caused by a pathogenic disruption of the DYSTROPHIN gene that results in non-functional dystrophin protein. DMD patients experience loss of ambulation, cardiac arrhythmia, metabolic syndrome, and respiratory failure. At the molecular level, the lack of dystrophin in the muscle results in myofiber death, fibrotic infiltration, and mitochondrial dysfunction. There is no cure for DMD, although dystrophin-replacement gene therapies and exon-skipping approaches are being pursued in clinical trials. Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the first cellular changes seen in DMD myofibers, occurring prior to muscle disease onset and progresses with disease severity. This is seen by reduced mitochondrial function, abnormal mitochondrial morphology and impaired mitophagy (degradation of damaged mitochondria). Dysfunctional mitochondria release high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can activate pro-inflammatory pathways such as IL-1β and IL-6. Impaired mitophagy in DMD results in increased inflammation and further aggravates disease pathology, evidenced by increased muscle damage and increased fibrosis. This review will focus on the critical interplay between mitophagy and inflammation in Duchenne muscular dystrophy as a pathological mechanism, as well as describe both candidate and established therapeutic targets that regulate these pathways.


1970 ◽  
pp. 36-39
Author(s):  
M Robed Amin ◽  
Chowdhury Chironjib Borua ◽  
Kaji Shafiqul Alam ◽  
Fazle Rabbi Chowdhury ◽  
Rabiul Jahan Sarkar ◽  
...  

Progressive muscular weakness with deformity leading to crippled states develop due to musculoskeletal and neurological disorders. Sometimes it is difficult to differentiate between primary muscle disease and neurological disease. But there is some classical presentation of muscle diseases which have its own entity and thus can be clinically differentiated from neurological disorder especially spinal cord and motor neuron diseases. Muscular dystrophy is one of those disorder with distinct clinical features. Muscular dystrophy refers to a group of genetic, hereditary muscle diseases that cause progressive muscle weakness. Most types of MD are multi-system disorders with manifestations in body systems including skeletal system, the heart, gastrointestinal and nervous systems, endocrine glands, skin, eyes and other organs. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), is inherited in an X-linked recessive pattern, meaning that the mutated gene that causes the disorder is located on the X chromosome, one of the two sex chromosomes, and is thus considered sex-linked. Males are therefore affected by X-linked recessive disorders much more often than females. A characteristic of X-linked inheritance is that fathers cannot pass X-linked traits to their sons. Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Backers muscular dystrophy are caused by mutations of the gene for the dystrophin protein and lead to an overabundance of the enzyme creatine kinase. The dystrophin gene is the largest gene in humans. In this case series a family with three brothers suffering from Duchenne muscular dystrophy is described and review with literature was done.   doi:10.3329/jom.v10i3.2015 J Medicine 2009; 10 (Supplement 1): 36-39


Neurology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 94 (21) ◽  
pp. e2270-e2282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane E. Frank ◽  
Frederick J. Schnell ◽  
Cody Akana ◽  
Saleh H. El-Husayni ◽  
Cody A. Desjardins ◽  
...  

ObjectiveTo report safety, pharmacokinetics, exon 53 skipping, and dystrophin expression in golodirsen-treated patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) amenable to exon 53 skipping.MethodsPart 1 was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 12-week dose titration of once-weekly golodirsen; part 2 is an ongoing, open-label evaluation. Safety and pharmacokinetics were primary and secondary objectives of part 1. Primary biological outcome measures of part 2 were blinded exon skipping and dystrophin protein production on muscle biopsies (baseline, week 48) evaluated, respectively, using reverse transcription PCR and Western blot and immunohistochemistry.ResultsTwelve patients were randomized to receive golodirsen (n = 8) or placebo (n = 4) in part 1. All from part 1 plus 13 additional patients received 30 mg/kg golodirsen in part 2. Safety findings were consistent with those previously observed in pediatric patients with DMD. Most of the study drug was excreted within 4 hours following administration. A significant increase in exon 53 skipping was associated with ∼16-fold increase over baseline in dystrophin protein expression at week 48, with a mean percent normal dystrophin protein standard of 1.019% (range, 0.09%–4.30%). Sarcolemmal localization of dystrophin was demonstrated by significantly increased dystrophin-positive fibers (week 48, p < 0.001) and a positive correlation (Spearman r = 0.663; p < 0.001) with dystrophin protein change from baseline, measured by Western blot and immunohistochemistry.ConclusionGolodirsen was well-tolerated; muscle biopsies from golodirsen-treated patients showed increased exon 53 skipping, dystrophin production, and correct dystrophin sarcolemmal localization.Clinicaltrials.gov identifierNCT02310906.Classification of evidenceThis study provides Class I evidence that golodirsen is safe and Class IV evidence that it induces exon skipping and novel dystrophin as confirmed by 3 different assays.


2016 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roser Pons ◽  
Kyriaki Kekou ◽  
Artemis Gkika ◽  
George Papadimas ◽  
Nikolaos Vogiatzakis ◽  
...  

Genes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 837 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chengmei Sun ◽  
Luoan Shen ◽  
Zheng Zhang ◽  
Xin Xie

Neuromuscular disorders encompass a heterogeneous group of conditions that impair the function of muscles, motor neurons, peripheral nerves, and neuromuscular junctions. Being the most common and most severe type of muscular dystrophy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), is caused by mutations in the X-linked dystrophin gene. Loss of dystrophin protein leads to recurrent myofiber damage, chronic inflammation, progressive fibrosis, and dysfunction of muscle stem cells. Over the last few years, there has been considerable development of diagnosis and therapeutics for DMD, but current treatments do not cure the disease. Here, we review the current status of DMD pathogenesis and therapy, focusing on mutational spectrum, diagnosis tools, clinical trials, and therapeutic approaches including dystrophin restoration, gene therapy, and myogenic cell transplantation. Furthermore, we present the clinical potential of advanced strategies combining gene editing, cell-based therapy with tissue engineering for the treatment of muscular dystrophy.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leanne Jones ◽  
Michael Naidoo ◽  
Lee R. Machado ◽  
Karen Anthony

Abstract Background Mutation of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) gene causes Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy, degenerative neuromuscular disorders that primarily affect voluntary muscles. However, increasing evidence implicates DMD in the development of all major cancer types. DMD is a large gene with 79 exons that codes for the essential muscle protein dystrophin. Alternative promotor usage drives the production of several additional dystrophin protein products with roles that extend beyond skeletal muscle. The importance and function(s) of these gene products outside of muscle are not well understood. Conclusions We highlight a clear role for DMD in the pathogenesis of several cancers, including sarcomas, leukaemia’s, lymphomas, nervous system tumours, melanomas and various carcinomas. We note that the normal balance of DMD gene products is often disrupted in cancer. The short dystrophin protein Dp71 is, for example, typically maintained in cancer whilst the full-length Dp427 gene product, a likely tumour suppressor, is frequently inactivated in cancer due to a recurrent loss of 5’ exons. Therefore, the ratio of short and long gene products may be important in tumorigenesis. In this review, we summarise the tumours in which DMD is implicated and provide a hypothesis for possible mechanisms of tumorigenesis, although the question of cause or effect may remain. We hope to stimulate further study into the potential role of DMD gene products in cancer and the development of novel therapeutics that target DMD.


2018 ◽  
Vol 94 (1111) ◽  
pp. 296-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vassili Crispi ◽  
Antonios Matsakas

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive wasting disease of skeletal and cardiac muscles, representing one of the most common recessive fatal inherited genetic diseases with 1:3500–1:5000 in yearly incidence. It is caused by mutations in the DMD gene that encodes the membrane-associated dystrophin protein. Over the years, many have been the approaches to management of DMD, but despite all efforts, no effective treatment has yet been discovered. Hope for the development of potential therapeutics has followed the recent advances in genome editing and gene therapy. This review gives an overview to DMD and summarises current lines of evidence with regard to treatment and disease management alongside the appropriate considerations.


2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 231 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Klymiuk ◽  
C. Thirion ◽  
K. Burkhardt ◽  
A. Wuensch ◽  
S. Krause ◽  
...  

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is one of the most common genetic diseases in humans, affecting 1 in 3500 boys. It is characterised by progressive muscle weakness and wasting due to mutations in the dystrophin (DMD) gene resulting in absence of dystrophin protein in skeletal muscle. Although curative treatments are currently not available, genetic and pharmacological approaches are under investigation including early-phase clinical trials. Existing animal models in different species (e.g. mdx mouse, GRMD dog) have been instrumental to understand the pathophysiology of DMD, but have several limitations. Importantly, the causative point mutations (mdx mouse: nonsense mutation; GRMD dog: splice mutation) are different from the most common human mutations (out-of-frame deletion of one or several exons of the DMD gene). We used gene targeting in somatic cells and nuclear transfer to generate a genetically tailored pig model of DMD. A bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) from the porcine DMD gene was modified by recombineering to replace exon 52, resulting in a frame shift in the transcript. Modified BAC were transfected into male neonatal kidney cells, which were screened by quantitative polymerase chain reaction for replacement of exon 52 in the X-linked DMD gene. Eight of 436 cell clones were successfully targeted and 2 of them were used for nuclear transfer. For each of the cell clones, a pregnancy was established by transfer of cloned embryos into recipient gilts. Four piglets of the first litter were live born and killed within 48 h and tissue samples were processed for histological characterisation. Two piglets of the second litter died during birth due to obstetric complications, whereas the other 2 piglets were delivered by Caesarean section and raised in an artificial feeding system. Their serum creatine kinase (CK) levels were grossly elevated. Although both piglets showed reduced mobility compared with age-matched controls, they were able to move and feed on their own. Immunofluorescence staining of dystrophin was negative in muscle fibres of DMD mutant piglets and the complete absence of dystrophin protein was confirmed by immunoblot analysis. Histological examination of biceps femoris muscle from DMD mutant pigs showed a degenerative myopathy with fibre size variation, rounded fibres, central nuclei, fibrosis and fatty replacement of muscle tissue mimicking the hallmarks of the human disease. In conclusion, we generated the first pig model for a genetic muscle disease. The DMD mutant pig appears to be a bona fide model of the human dystrophy as ascertained by absence of the dystrophin protein, elevated serum CK levels and early degenerative changes on muscle histology. Because deletion of exon 52 is one of the most frequent mutations found in human DMD, the exon 52 mutated DMD pig represents an excellent model for testing targeted genetic treatments. This study was supported by the Bayerische Forschungsstiftung.


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