Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “DMD”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

Detection of carriers of deletions in the dystrophin gene in Bulgarian DMD-BMD families.

Analysis of Bulgarian Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD/BMD) patients has demonstrated that deletions spanning exon 4 or exon 48 of the dystrophin gene account for about half of all patients, and that female relatives from these families constitute nearly 40% of all patients who require diagnosis of carrier status. We propose a relatively simple and inexpensive assay for the detection of deletion carriers based on a duplex PCR with radioactive 5' end labeling of one of the PCR primers for each exon. The PCR amplification is performed under conditions of exponential relationship between template DNA and the amount of PCR product obtained, thus facilitating gene dosage. The quantification of the products, and especially the use of a coefficient estimating of the relative proportion of each exon in the total densitometric area, provide a reliable differentiation between carriers and non-carriers.

Bulgaria↗

Segregation analysis of 1885 DMD families: significant departure from the expected proportion of sporadic cases.

The proportion of sporadic cases of Duchenne muscular dystrophy has been estimated by classical segregation analysis in a pooled sample of 1885 sibships from 7 different countries. A significant departure from the theoretical expectations based on mutation-selection equilibrium is observed (segregation frequency = 0.439 +/- 0.017; frequency of sporadic cases = 0.229 +/- 0.026, at the maximum likelihood). The occurrence of germinal mosaicism in some of the mothers of Duchenne cases may account for this peculiar finding, although a possible role of inequality of mutation rates in the two sexes cannot be ruled out.

Chromosomes, Human↗

Identification of a novel T-insertion polymorphism at the DMD locus.

We have identified a novel T-insertion polymorphism located in the second intron of the dystrophin gene. This polymorphism should prove useful in linkage studies in Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy families in addition to the previously described markers.

DNA Transposable Elements↗

Estimation of the male and female mutation rates in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

We present the results of an international collaborative study aimed at estimating the ratio of male to female mutation rates in Duchenne muscular dystrophy based on the method of C. Müller and T. Grimm. With a sample size of 295, this ratio is found to be very close to 1, thus giving evidence for equal mutation rates in males and females in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Blotting, Southern↗

Lack of mRNA and dystrophin expression in DMD patients three months after myoblast transfer.

We report our experience on myoblast transplantation in three Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients. Pure myoblasts (55 x 10(6) per patient) from HLA-matched donors, were injected into a tibialis anterior and the controlateral muscle was sham injected. Three months after transplantation, biopsies from the injected muscles were negative for dystrophin expression by immunocytochemistry. Reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) failed to amplify any fragments of the deleted regions. This result confirms that myoblast transplantation is feasible, although the efficacy of this therapeutic approach is poor.

Adult↗

Carrier detection in DMD families with point mutations, using PCR-SSCP and direct sequencing.

Non-isotopic single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and direct sequencing was used for carrier diagnosis in four families of DMD/BMD patients with previously characterized point mutations, leading to the identification of eight carriers and four non-carriers. When the mutation caused a distinctly altered migration pattern of the single strands, in principle, the SSCP-technique allowed determination of carrier status in the extended family of the probands without direct sequencing. However, because SSCP measures a function of not only the mutation, but of the entire sequence of the PCR product, it can lead to false negative and/or false positive diagnoses due to intronic and exonic sequence heterogeneity in the family. As we discovered this pitfall in one of the reported families, we concluded that for carrier testing the SSCP approach must be performed in essential conjunction with an independent assessment of the mutation site by direct sequencing.

Adult↗

YAC/STS map of 15Mb of Xp21.3-p11.3, at 100kb resolution, with refined comparisons of genetic distances and DMD structure.

The 15 Mb region between DXS997 and DXS8054 in Xp21.3-p11.3 has been mapped at seven-fold average coverage in yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs) and 100 kb inter-sequence tagged site (STS) distance. YACs from six different collections show self-consistent maps. The STSs include 18 (CA) repeat and one tetranucleotide repeat marker that detect polymorphism, as well as eight well-studied genes, a second site for MXS1 sequences, and three expressed sequence tags (ESTs). One of the ESTs maps to intron 7 of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and seems to be a processed intronic sequence with a poly(A) tail.

Base Sequence↗

Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchange in human myotubes: intracellular calcium rises in response to external sodium depletion are enhanced in DMD.

This study aims to investigate the sodium/calcium exchanger expression in human co-cultured skeletal muscle cells and to compare the effects of Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchange activity in normal and dystrophic (Duchenne's muscular dystrophy) human co-cultured myotubes. For this purpose, variations of intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](int)) were monitored, as the variations of the fluorescence ratio of indo-1 probe, in response to external sodium depletion. External sodium withdrawal induced [Ca(2+)](int) rises within several seconds in both normal and Duchenne's muscular dystrophy myotubes. These Na(+)-free-induced [Ca(2+)](int) elevations were attributed to the reverse mode of the Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchange mechanism since the phenomenon was dependent on extracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](ext)), and since it was sensitive to external Ni(2+) ions. Amplitudes of Na(+)-free-induced [Ca(2+)](int) rises were significantly greater in Duchenne's muscular dystrophy cells than in normal ones. Such a difference disappeared when the sarcoplasmic reticulum was pharmacologically blocked, suggesting that the reverse mode of the Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchange mechanism was able to generate enhanced calcium-induced calcium-release in Duchenne's muscular dystrophy myotubes. Immunostaining images of Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger (NCX) isoforms, obtained by confocal microscopy, revealed the presence of NCX1 and NCX3 at the sarcolemmal level of both normal and Duchenne's muscular dystrophy myotubes. No differences were observed in the location of NCX isoforms expression between normal and Duchenne's muscular dystrophy co-cultured myotubes.

Adolescent↗

Gene transfer studies in animals: what do they really tell us about the prospects for gene therapy in DMD?

There is a pressing need to develop new therapeutic approaches to Duchenne muscular dystrophy, an X-linked fatal disease primarily affecting skeletal and cardiac muscle. Gene therapy is an approach that has attracted much interest since the description of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene and its mutations in 1987. Since 1990 numerous reporter and dystrophin gene transfer studies have been conducted on muscles of animals but mostly in mice. Experimental protocols have ranged from germ-line gene transfer (via the production of transgenics) to somatic gene transfer studies using viral or non-viral vectors. But what have we actually learned from such studies that can be applied to patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy? Various dystrophin, utrophin and integrin recombinant cDNAs have been shown to prevent the development of muscular dystrophy in transgenic dystrophic (mdx) mice. Somatic gene transfer prior to the onset of pathology have been shown to prevent the development of the muscular dystrophy in the mdx mouse but the data is less convincing for the beneficial effects of somatic gene transfer following the establishment of pathology. The time of onset and the course of the disease differ substantially between mouse and man and raise concerns about the applicability of gene therapy in man where the disease manifests in utero and the progression is more severe. The other major concern relates to uncertainty over the efficiency of the different vectors in man, particularly as many patients are likely to have encountered the infectious forms of the viruses that are proposed as vectors.

Animals↗

A web-accessible complete transcriptome of normal human and DMD muscle.

We present an assessment of the complete transcriptome of human skeletal muscle in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patient muscle and non-dystrophic controls (36 RNAs analyzed from ten Duchenne dystrophy and eight controls; approximately 65,000 gene/expressed sequence tag/probe sets queried on U95 five-GeneChip series and MuscleChip). The use of the multiple chip types allowed us to compare results from different probe sets for the same gene: we found excellent concordance between different probe sets on different microarrays. We found 30% of human genes expressed in muscle at detectable levels. Three percent of these showed differential regulation in dystrophin deficiency. Among 1,882 dysregulated probe sets, 1,324 corresponded to characterized genes/proteins (891 non-redundant transcript units), and 588 to expressed sequence tags or predicted genes. Data interpretation was limited to the insulin-like growth factor pathway members, an investigation of possible de-regulation towards a cardiac lineage, and identification of male- and female-specific transcripts. We found transcriptional upregulation of both IGF-I and IGF-II in dystrophic muscle, however the possible beneficial effects of the growth factors appear offset by transcriptional upregulation of inhibitory IGF-binding proteins and regulators (IGFBP-2, -4, -6 and -7; and PRSS11 [IGFBP-5 protease]). We hypothesize that the beneficial effects of IGF-I or IGF-II supplementation in dystrophic muscle may be the result of dose-dependent sequestration of inhibitory IGF-binding proteins. We also focused on six 'cardiac' genes expressed in muscle (alpha-cardiac actin, CARP, CASQ2, troponin T2 cardiac [TNNT2], CUGBP2, and connexin 43). Comparison to a 27 time point murine muscle regeneration series and mdx muscle profiles showed that CARP and Cx43 were macrophage-associated, and TNNT2 activated-myoblast-associated. Upregulation of cardiac actin and CUGBP2 was not associated with muscle regeneration profiles, suggesting a more specific dysregulation induced by dystrophin deficiency. We found two Y-linked genes expressed solely in male muscle (RPS4Y, DDX3Y), and two autosomal genes expressed much more highly in female muscle (GRO2, ZNF91) (all comparisons P<0.01). Finally, we present the first web-accessible expression profiling database for all data, including image files (.dat), processed image files (.cel), and complete comparison files which are publicly available through a novel queriable web site, that permits query-by-gene across all profiles (http://microarray.cnmcresearch.org/pga). These data enumerate the full range of molecular changes associated downstream of dystrophin deficiency, and provide a web-accessible platform to study the specificity of transcriptional pathway alterations in muscle disease.

Animals↗

Considerations to the policy of future clinical therapeutic trials in DMD.

In spite of rapidly increasing insight into the molecular basis of neuromuscular diseases, treatment still relies on convention and clinical studies. Experience with a multicentre double blind treatment study in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and with consecutive steroid treatment documentation for up to 8 years enables us to identify a series of crucial points on which to focus while planning such clinical trials. The most important seem to be: a carefully structured, detailed study, clear-cut aims and objectives, expertise of investigators, sufficient training of examiners, and careful monitoring. If patients with neuromuscular diseases are treated outside structured studies, their course should be monitored comparably. Examples of the impact of such documentation are available from the ongoing German multicentre trial on the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗