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ELife Aug 2022Dystonin (), which encodes cytoskeletal linker proteins, expresses three tissue-selective isoforms: neural DST-a, muscular DST-b, and epithelial DST-e. mutations cause...
Dystonin (), which encodes cytoskeletal linker proteins, expresses three tissue-selective isoforms: neural DST-a, muscular DST-b, and epithelial DST-e. mutations cause different disorders, including hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy 6 (HSAN-VI) and epidermolysis bullosa simplex; however, etiology of the muscle phenotype in -related diseases has been unclear. Because contains all of the -encoding exons, known HSAN-VI mutations could affect both DST-a and DST-b isoforms. To investigate the specific function of DST-b in striated muscles, we generated a -specific mutant mouse model harboring a nonsense mutation. mutant mice exhibited late-onset protein aggregate myopathy and cardiomyopathy without neuropathy. We observed desmin aggregation, focal myofibrillar dissolution, and mitochondrial accumulation in striated muscles, which are common characteristics of myofibrillar myopathy. We also found nuclear inclusions containing p62, ubiquitin, and SUMO proteins with nuclear envelope invaginations as a unique pathological hallmark in mutation-induced cardiomyopathy. RNA-sequencing analysis revealed changes in expression of genes responsible for cardiovascular functions. In silico analysis identified alleles with nonsense mutations in populations worldwide, suggesting that some unidentified hereditary myopathy and cardiomyopathy are caused by mutations. Here, we demonstrate that the Dst-b isoform is essential for long-term maintenance of striated muscles.
Topics: Animals; Cardiomyopathies; Dystonin; Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathies; Mice; Muscular Diseases; Mutation; Protein Aggregates; Protein Isoforms
PubMed: 35942699
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.78419 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Feb 2021Myofibrillar myopathies (MFM) are heterogeneous hereditary muscle diseases with characteristic myopathological features of Z-disk dissolution and aggregates of its...
Myofibrillar myopathies (MFM) are heterogeneous hereditary muscle diseases with characteristic myopathological features of Z-disk dissolution and aggregates of its degradation products. The onset and progression of the disease are variable, with an elusive genetic background, and around half of the cases lacking molecular diagnosis. Here, we attempted to establish possible genetic foundations of MFM by performing whole exome sequencing (WES) in eleven unrelated families of 13 patients clinically diagnosed as MFM spectrum. A filtering strategy aimed at identification of variants related to the disease was used and included integrative analysis of WES data and human phenotype ontology (HPO) terms, analysis of muscle-expressed genes, and analysis of the disease-associated interactome. Genetic diagnosis was possible in eight out of eleven cases. Putative causative mutations were found in the (two cases), , , and (four cases) genes, the latter typically presenting with a rigid spine syndrome. Moreover, a variety of additional, possibly phenotype-affecting variants were found. These findings indicate a markedly heterogeneous genetic background of MFM and show the usefulness of next generation sequencing in the identification of disease-associated mutations. Finally, we discuss the emerging concept of variant load as the basis of phenotypic heterogeneity.
PubMed: 33652732
DOI: 10.3390/jcm10050914 -
Frontiers in Neurology 2020Myofibrillar myopathy is a group of hereditary neuromuscular disorders characterized by dissolution of myofibrils and abnormal intracellular accumulation of Z...
Myofibrillar myopathy is a group of hereditary neuromuscular disorders characterized by dissolution of myofibrils and abnormal intracellular accumulation of Z disc-related proteins. We aimed to characterize the clinical, physiological, pathohistological, and genetic features of Chinese myofibrillar myopathy patients from a single neuromuscular center. A total of 18 patients were enrolled. Demographic and clinical data were collected. Laboratory investigations, electromyography, and cardiac evaluation was performed. Routine and immunohistochemistry stainings against desmin, αB-crystallin, and BAG3 of muscle specimen were carried out. Finally, next-generation sequencing panel array for genes associated with hereditary neuromuscular disorders were performed. Twelve pathogenic variants in , and were identified, of which seven were novel mutations. The novel c.1256C>T substitution is a high frequency mutation. The combined recessively/dominantly transmitted c.19993G>T and c.107545delG mutations in gene cause a limb girdle muscular dystrophy phenotype with the classical myofibrillar myopathy histological changes. We report for the first time that hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure patient can have peripheral nerve and severe spine involvement. The mutation in Ig-like domain 16 of is associated with the limb girdle type of filaminopathy, and the mutation in Ig-like domain 18 with distal myopathy type. These findings expand the phenotypic and genotypic correlation spectrum of myofibrillar myopathy.
PubMed: 33041974
DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.01014 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Feb 2021Over the past decades, there has been tremendous progress in understanding genetic alterations that can result in different phenotypes of human cardiomyopathies. More... (Review)
Review
Over the past decades, there has been tremendous progress in understanding genetic alterations that can result in different phenotypes of human cardiomyopathies. More than a thousand mutations in various genes have been identified, indicating that distinct genetic alterations, or combinations of genetic alterations, can cause either hypertrophic (HCM), dilated (DCM), restrictive (RCM), or arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathies (ARVC). Translation of these results from "bench to bedside" can potentially group affected patients according to their molecular etiology and identify subclinical individuals at high risk for developing cardiomyopathy or patients with overt phenotypes at high risk for cardiac deterioration or sudden cardiac death. These advances provide not only mechanistic insights into the earliest manifestations of cardiomyopathy, but such efforts also hold the promise that mutation-specific pathophysiology might result in novel "personalized" therapeutic possibilities. Recently, the FLNC gene encoding the sarcomeric protein filamin C has gained special interest since FLNC mutations were found in several distinct and possibly overlapping cardiomyopathy phenotypes. Specifically, mutations in FLNC were initially only linked to myofibrillar myopathy (MFM), but are now increasingly found in various forms of human cardiomyopathy. FLNC thereby represents another example for the complex genetic and phenotypic continuum of these diseases.
PubMed: 33557094
DOI: 10.3390/jcm10040577 -
Acta Neuropathologica Communications Sep 2020Filamin C (FLNc) is mainly expressed in striated muscle cells where it localizes to Z-discs, myotendinous junctions and intercalated discs. Recent studies have revealed...
Filamin C (FLNc) is mainly expressed in striated muscle cells where it localizes to Z-discs, myotendinous junctions and intercalated discs. Recent studies have revealed numerous mutations in the FLNC gene causing familial and sporadic myopathies and cardiomyopathies with marked clinical variability. The most frequent myopathic mutation, p.W2710X, which is associated with myofibrillar myopathy, deletes the carboxy-terminal 16 amino acids from FLNc and abolishes the dimerization property of Ig-like domain 24. We previously characterized "knock-in" mice heterozygous for this mutation (p.W2711X), and have now investigated homozygous mice using protein and mRNA expression analyses, mass spectrometry, and extensive immunolocalization and ultrastructural studies. Although the latter mice display a relatively mild myopathy under normal conditions, our analyses identified major mechanisms causing the pathophysiology of this disease: in comparison to wildtype animals (i) the expression level of FLNc protein is drastically reduced; (ii) mutant FLNc is relocalized from Z-discs to particularly mechanically strained parts of muscle cells, i.e. myotendinous junctions and myofibrillar lesions; (iii) the number of lesions is greatly increased and these lesions lack Bcl2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3) protein; (iv) the expression of heat shock protein beta-7 (HSPB7) is almost completely abolished. These findings indicate grave disturbances of BAG3-dependent and -independent autophagy pathways that are required for efficient lesion repair. In addition, our studies reveal general mechanisms of lesion formation and demonstrate that defective FLNc dimerization via its carboxy-terminal domain does not disturb assembly and basic function of myofibrils. An alternative, more amino-terminally located dimerization site might compensate for that loss. Since filamins function as stress sensors, our data further substantiate that FLNc is important for mechanosensing in the context of Z-disc stabilization and maintenance.
Topics: Animals; Filamins; Gene Knock-In Techniques; Homozygote; Mice; Mutation; Myopathies, Structural, Congenital; Sarcomeres
PubMed: 32887649
DOI: 10.1186/s40478-020-01001-9 -
MedRxiv : the Preprint Server For... Feb 2024Myofibrillar myopathy 6 (MFM6) is a rare childhood-onset myopathy characterized by myofibrillar disintegration, muscle weakness, and cardiomyopathy. The genetic cause of...
Myofibrillar myopathy 6 (MFM6) is a rare childhood-onset myopathy characterized by myofibrillar disintegration, muscle weakness, and cardiomyopathy. The genetic cause of MFM6 is p.Pro209Leu mutation (rs121918312-T) in the gene, which generates the disease outcomes in a dominant fashion. Since the consequences of the mutation are strong and rapidly progressing, most MFM6 patients are due to mutation. There are no effective treatments for MFM6 despite its well-known genetic cause. Given p.Pro209Leu mutation is dominant, regenerative medicine approaches employing orthologous stem cells in which mutant is inactivated offer a promising avenue. Here, we developed personalized allele-specific CRISPR-Cas9 strategies capitalizing on PAM-altering SNP and PAM-proximal SNP. In order to identify the disease chromosome carrying the mutation in our two affected individuals, haplotype phasing through cloning-sequencing was performed. Based on the sequence differences between mutant and normal , we developed personalized allele-specific CRISPR-Cas9 strategies to selectively inactivate the mutant allele 1) by preventing the transcription of the mutant and 2) by inducing nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) of mutant mRNA. Subsequent experimental validation in patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines showed complete allele specificities of our CRISPR-Cas9 strategies and molecular consequences attributable to inactivated mutant . In addition, mutant allele-specific CRISPR-Cas9 targeting did not alter the characteristics of iPSC or the capacity to differentiate into cardiomyocytes. Together, our data demonstrate the feasibility and potential of personalized allele-specific CRISPR-Cas9 approaches to selectively inactivate the mutant to generate cell resources for regenerative medicine approaches for MFM6.
PubMed: 38352343
DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.03.24302252 -
Neuromuscular Disorders : NMD Aug 2022The diagnosis of adult-onset genetic muscle diseases is challenging because of the diversity of clinical phenotypes, findings on muscle biopsy that may be nonspecific,...
The diagnosis of adult-onset genetic muscle diseases is challenging because of the diversity of clinical phenotypes, findings on muscle biopsy that may be nonspecific, and the large number of genetic causes. Even with thorough investigation, the diagnostic yield for genetic testing in these populations is very low, and the distinction from acquired conditions such as sporadic inclusion body myositis [sIBM] can also prove difficult. In this study, we analysed whole transcriptome data generated from RNA isolated from muscle biopsy tissues, from a cohort of 16 participants with sIBM and other histologic diagnoses. Our objective was to identify candidate RNA biomarkers that could be an adjunctive tool in differentiating these conditions. Principal component analysis was able to delineate the groups based on their histologic diagnoses. Gene ontology and pathway analyses demonstrated dysregulation of immune pathways in sIBM. In mitochondrial myopathy we observed upregulation of FGF21, GDF15, ASNS and TRIB3, which are known candidate biomarkers for mitochondrial myopathy. Novel findings included the identification of transcripts of unknown function that were dysregulated in myofibrillar myopathy [JPX], dystrophic changes [MEG3], and mitochondrial myopathy [GAS5]. We suggest future investigations with larger cohorts of participants to confirm the findings of this study, with further directed experiments to determine the role of novel transcripts in disease pathogenesis.
Topics: Biomarkers; Biopsy; Gene Expression Profiling; Humans; Muscle, Skeletal; Myositis, Inclusion Body; RNA
PubMed: 35850946
DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2022.04.009 -
Proceedings of the National Academy of... Aug 2019Desmin-associated myofibrillar myopathy (MFM) has pathologic similarities to neurodegeneration-associated protein aggregate diseases. Desmin is an abundant...
Desmin-associated myofibrillar myopathy (MFM) has pathologic similarities to neurodegeneration-associated protein aggregate diseases. Desmin is an abundant muscle-specific intermediate filament, and disease mutations lead to its aggregation in cells, animals, and patients. We reasoned that similar to neurodegeneration-associated proteins, desmin itself may form amyloid. Desmin peptides corresponding to putative amyloidogenic regions formed seeding-competent amyloid fibrils. Amyloid formation was increased when disease-associated mutations were made within the peptide, and this conversion was inhibited by the anti-amyloid compound epigallocatechin-gallate. Moreover, a purified desmin fragment (aa 117 to 348) containing both amyloidogenic regions formed amyloid fibrils under physiologic conditions. Desmin fragment-derived amyloid coaggregated with full-length desmin and was able to template its conversion into fibrils in vitro. Desmin amyloids were cytotoxic to myotubes and disrupted their myofibril organization compared with desmin monomer or other nondesmin amyloids. Finally, desmin fragment amyloid persisted when introduced into mouse skeletal muscle. These data suggest that desmin forms seeding-competent amyloid that is toxic to myofibers. Moreover, small molecules known to interfere with amyloid formation and propagation may have therapeutic potential in MFM.
Topics: Amyloid; Animals; Catechin; Desmin; Humans; Mice; Muscle Fibers, Skeletal; Mutation; Protein Aggregates
PubMed: 31371504
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1908263116 -
Communications Biology Mar 2021Mechanical stress induced by contractions constantly threatens the integrity of muscle Z-disc, a crucial force-bearing structure in striated muscle. The PDZ-LIM proteins...
Mechanical stress induced by contractions constantly threatens the integrity of muscle Z-disc, a crucial force-bearing structure in striated muscle. The PDZ-LIM proteins have been proposed to function as adaptors in transducing mechanical signals to preserve the Z-disc structure, however the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we show that LDB3, a well-characterized striated muscle PDZ-LIM protein, modulates mechanical stress signaling through interactions with the mechanosensing domain in filamin C, its chaperone HSPA8, and PKCα in the Z-disc of skeletal muscle. Studies of Ldb3 mice indicate that the myopathy-associated LDB3 p.Ala165Val mutation triggers early aggregation of filamin C and its chaperones at muscle Z-disc before aggregation of the mutant protein. The mutation causes protein aggregation and eventually Z-disc myofibrillar disruption by impairing PKCα and TSC2-mTOR, two important signaling pathways regulating protein stability and disposal of damaged cytoskeletal components at a major mechanosensor hub in the Z-disc of skeletal muscle.
Topics: Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; Animals; Autophagy; Disease Models, Animal; Down-Regulation; Filamins; HSC70 Heat-Shock Proteins; LIM Domain Proteins; Mechanotransduction, Cellular; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Transgenic; Muscle Contraction; Muscle Strength; Muscle, Skeletal; Myopathies, Structural, Congenital; Point Mutation; Protein Aggregates; Protein Aggregation, Pathological; Protein Kinase C-alpha; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 Protein; Mice
PubMed: 33742095
DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01864-1 -
Acta Neuropathologica Jan 2023DNAJ/HSP40 co-chaperones are integral to the chaperone network, bind client proteins and recruit them to HSP70 for folding. We performed exome sequencing on patients...
DNAJ/HSP40 co-chaperones are integral to the chaperone network, bind client proteins and recruit them to HSP70 for folding. We performed exome sequencing on patients with a presumed hereditary muscle disease and no genetic diagnosis. This identified four individuals from three unrelated families carrying an unreported homozygous stop gain (c.856A > T; p.Lys286Ter), or homozygous missense variants (c.74G > A; p.Arg25Gln and c.785 T > C; p.Leu262Ser) in DNAJB4. Affected patients presented with axial rigidity and early respiratory failure requiring ventilator support between the 1st and 4th decade of life. Selective involvement of the semitendinosus and biceps femoris muscles was seen on MRI scans of the thigh. On biopsy, muscle was myopathic with angular fibers, protein inclusions and occasional rimmed vacuoles. DNAJB4 normally localizes to the Z-disc and was absent from muscle and fibroblasts of affected patients supporting a loss of function. Functional studies confirmed that the p.Lys286Ter and p.Leu262Ser mutant proteins are rapidly degraded in cells. In contrast, the p.Arg25Gln mutant protein is stable but failed to complement for DNAJB function in yeast, disaggregate client proteins or protect from heat shock-induced cell death consistent with its loss of function. DNAJB4 knockout mice had muscle weakness and fiber atrophy with prominent diaphragm involvement and kyphosis. DNAJB4 knockout muscle and myotubes had myofibrillar disorganization and accumulated Z-disc proteins and protein chaperones. These data demonstrate a novel chaperonopathy associated with DNAJB4 causing a myopathy with early respiratory failure. DNAJB4 loss of function variants may lead to the accumulation of DNAJB4 client proteins resulting in muscle dysfunction and degeneration.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Mutation; Muscular Diseases; Molecular Chaperones; Mutation, Missense; Respiratory Insufficiency; Muscle, Skeletal
PubMed: 36264506
DOI: 10.1007/s00401-022-02510-8