Search results for "SMN1"
showing 6 items of 6 documents
Drosophila SMN2minigene reporter model identifies moxifloxacin as a candidate therapy for SMA
2018
Spinal muscular atrophy is a rare and fatal neuromuscular disorder caused by the loss of alpha motor neurons. The affected individuals have mutated the ubiquitously expressed SMN1 gene resulting in the loss or reduction in the survival motor neuron (SMN) protein levels. However, an almost identical paralog exists in humans: SMN2. Pharmacological activation of SMN2 exon 7 inclusion by small molecules or modified antisense oligonucleotides is a valid approach to treat SMA. Here we describe an in vivo SMN2 minigene reporter system in Drosophila motor neurons that serves as a cost-effective, feasible, and stringent primary screening model for identifying chemicals capable of crossing the conser…
Homozygous SMN1 exons 1-6 deletion: pitfalls in genetic counseling and general recommendations for spinal muscular atrophy molecular diagnosis.
2012
We report on a rare homozygous intragenic deletion encompassing exons 1-6 of the SMN1 gene in a patient with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) born into a consanguineous family. This exceptional configuration induced misinterpretation of the molecular defect involved in this patient, who was first reported as having a classic SMN1 exon 7 deletion. This case points out the possible pitfalls in molecular diagnosis of SMA in affected patients and their relatives: exploration of the SMN1 exon 7 (c.840C/T alleles) may be disturbed by several non-pathological or pathological variants around the SMN1 exon 7. In order to accurately describe the molecular defect in an SMA-affected patient, we propose to…
Carrier screening for spinal muscular atrophy in Italian population
2014
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal-recessive neuromuscular disorder characterized by motor neuron degeneration in the anterior horn of the spinal cord and brain stem, resulting in progressive muscle weakness and atrophy. The responsible survival motor neuron gene (SMN1; HGNC: 11117) is localized in 5q11.2-13.3. Screening for carriers of SMA is necessary for effective clinical/prenatal diagnosis and genetic counselling. In this study, the copy number of SMN1 gene was determined from a southern Italian population to estimate carrier frequency. This is the first report addressing the estimation of SMA carrier frequency in an Italian population. Our results show that the SMA carrier …
A Paucisymptomatic Neuromuscular Disease Mimicking Type III 5q-SMA With Complex Rearrangements in the SMN Gene
2013
Spinal muscular atrophy is an autosomal-recessive neuromuscular disorder, causing progressive proximal weakness and atrophy of the voluntary muscles. More than 96% of the spinal muscular atrophy patients show a homozygous absence of exons 7 and 8, or exon 7 only, in SMN1, the telomeric copy of the SMN gene. We report a young male patient with neurogenic symptoms and sparse muscle fiber atrophy, suggestive of a mild form of type III spinal muscular atrophy. He was found to be a carrier of intragenic mutations in both copies of the SMN gene, exhibiting a homozygous duplication of exons 7 and 8 in SMN1 and a homozygous deletion of exon 8 as well as a heterozygous deletion of exon 7 in SMN2. H…
Prevalence of Spinal Muscular Atrophy in the Era of Disease-Modifying Therapies: An Italian Nationwide Survey.
2022
ObjectiveSpinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by mutations in the SMN1 gene. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of SMA and treatment prescription in Italy.MethodsAn online survey was distributed to 36 centers identified by the Italian government as referral centers for SMA. Data on the number of patients with SMA subdivided according to age, type,SMN2copy number, and treatment were collected.ResultsOne thousand two hundred fifty-five patients with SMA are currently followed in the Italian centers with an estimated prevalence of 2.12/100,000. Of the 1,255, 284 were type I, 470 type II, 467 type III, and 15 type IV with estimated prevalence of 0…
G.P.232
2014
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and Pompe disease (PD) are common neuromuscular disorders during childhood causing progressive weakness of proximal muscles with gait disturbances, loss of ambulation and breathing difficulties. Whereas SMA is the result of a neurogenic atrophy caused by mutations in the SMN1 gene, PD is a lysosomal glycogen storage disease (type II) due to mutations of the GAA gene responsible for the enzyme activity of acid alpha-1,4-glucosidase. PD is treatable by enzyme replacement therapy, but in SMA there is no established curable therapy. We report on a child with genetically proven SMA type III and PD caused by mutations in the SMN1 and GAA genes. A 3 years old girl pre…