SIL1 mutations and clinical spectrum in patients with Marinesco-Sjogren syndrome.

Marinesco-Sjogren syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive multisystem disorder featuring cerebellar ataxia, early-onset cataracts, chronic myopathy, variable intellectual disability and delayed motor development. More recently, mutations in the SIL1 gene, which encodes an endoplasmic reticulum resident co-chaperone, were identified as the main cause of Marinesco-Sjogren syndrome. Here we describe the results of SIL1 mutation analysis in 62 patients presenting with early-onset ataxia, cataracts and myopathy or combinations of at least two of these. We obtained a mutation detection rate of 60% (15/25) among patients with the characteristic Marinesco-Sjogren syndrome triad (ataxia, cataracts, m…

Proteomic identification of FHL1 as the protein mutated in human reducing body myopathy

Reducing body myopathy (RBM) is a rare disorder causing progressive muscular weakness characterized by aggresome-like inclusions in the myofibrils. Identification of genes responsible for RBM by traditional genetic approaches has been impossible due to the frequently sporadic occurrence in affected patients and small family sizes. As an alternative approach to gene identification, we used laser microdissection of intracytoplasmic inclusions identified in patient muscle biopsies, followed by nanoflow liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and proteomic analysis. The most prominent component of the inclusions was the Xq26.3-encoded four and a half LIM domain 1 (FHL1) protein, expresse…

Clinical and Genetic Aspects of Juvenile Onset Pompe Disease

AbstractLittle is known about clinical symptomatology and genetics of juvenile onset Pompe disease (JOPD). The aims of this study were to analyze how these children are diagnosed, what clinical problems they have, and how phenotype is related to genotype. To accomplish this, we analyzed retrospectively data of 34 patients diagnosed after their first and before completion of their 18th birthday. Median age at diagnosis was 3.9 (range 1.1–17) years. Eight patients (23.5%) developed initial symptoms in the first year, 12 (35%) between 1 and 7 years, and 6 (18%) thereafter. Eight (23.5%) had no clinical symptoms at the time of diagnosis. Indications for diagnostics were a positive family histor…

G.O.2 Proteomic identification of the LIM domain protein FHL1 as the gene-product mutated in reducing body myopathy

Treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy with ciclosporin A: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicentre trial.

Summary Background Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a rare X-linked progressive disease characterised by loss of ambulation at about age 10 years, with death in early adulthood due to respiratory and cardiac insufficiency. Steroids are effective at slowing the progression of muscle weakness; however, their use is limited by side-effects, prompting the search for alternatives. We assessed the effect of ciclosporin A as monotherapy and in combination with intermittent prednisone for the treatment of ambulant patients with this disorder. Methods Our study was a parallel-group, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicentre trial at trial sites of the German muscular dystrophy network, MD-NET, ove…