• Genomics & Informatics
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• 제7권4호
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• pp.181-186
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• 2009

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), which is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disorder, results from a CTG trinucleotide repeat expansion in the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of the myotonic dystrophy protein kinase (DMPK) gene. Retention of mutant DMPK (mDMPK) transcripts in the nuclei of affected cells has been known to be the main cause of pathogenesis of the disease. Thus, reducing the RNA toxicity through elimination of the mutant RNA has been suggested as one therapeutic strategy against DM1. In this study, we suggested RNA replacement with a trans -splicing ribozyme as an alternate genetic therapeutic approach for amelioration of DM1. To this end, we identified the regions of mDMPK 3'-UTR RNA that were accessible to ribozymes by using an RNA mapping strategy based on a trans-splicing ribozyme library. We found that particularly accessible sites were present not only upstream but also downstream of the expanded repeat sequence. Repair or replacement of the mDMPK transcript with the specific ribozyme will be useful for DM1 treatment through reduction of toxic mutant transcripts and simultaneously restore wild-type DMPK or release nucleus-entrapped mDMPK transcripts to the cytoplasm.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.48-50
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• 2011

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is an autosomal dominant multisystem disorder caused by the expansion of cytosine-thymine-guanine (CTG) repeats in the myotonic dystrophy protein kinase (DMPK) gene. Some literatures indicated that DM1 had incidental CNS lesions such as white matter lesions and diffuse gray matter atrophy. We report a patient with DM1 whose brain magnetic resonance image (MRI) showed multifocal hyperintense lesions and cystic lesion on both frontotemporoparietal lobes.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• 제1권1호
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• pp.23-26
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• 1997

Myotonic dystrophy (DM) is caused by the expansion of CTG trinucleotide repeat near the 3' end of the gene encoding for a member of protein kinase gene family (DMPK). The normal range of the CTG repeat was determined in 178 normal individuals (141 unrelated individuals and 37 of 9 families) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and silver staining method. And the expansion of the CTG repeats in a DM family was analyzed with Southern analysis. In normal population, the range of CTG repeat is between 5 and 34 and 19 different alleles were observed in that range, and $(CTG)_{11-14}$ alleles were predominant. 4 members of an affected family showed the 0.5-2.0 kb size expansion of CTG repeats. In this study we could predict the incidence of DM in Korea as 1 in 20,000 and we could establish the diagnostic procedure for myotonic dystrophy.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제62권2호
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• pp.55-61
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• 2019

Purpose: Myotonic dystrophy, also known as dystrophia myotonica (DM), is an autosomal dominant disorder with 2 genetically distinct forms. DM type 1 (DM1) is the more common form and is caused by abnormal expansion of cytosine/thymine/guanine (CTG) repeats in the DM protein kinase (DMPK ) gene. Our study aimed to determine whether the age of onset is correlated with CTG repeat length in a population of pediatric patients with DM1. Methods: We retrospectively identified 30 pediatric patients with DM1 that underwent DMPK testing, of which the clinical data of 17 was sufficient. The cohort was divided into 2 subgroups based on the clinical phenotype (congenital-onset vs. late-onset) and number of CTG repeats (<1,000 vs. ${\geq}1,000$). Results: We found no significant difference between the age of onset and CTG repeat length in our pediatric patient population. Based on clinical subgrouping, we found that the congenital-onset subgroup was statistically different with respect to several variables, including prematurity, rate of admission to neonatal intensive care unit, need for respiratory support at birth, hypotonia, dysphagia, ventilator dependence, and functional status on last visit, compared to the late-onset subgroup. Based on genetic subgrouping, we found a single variable (poor feeding in neonate) that was significantly different in the large CTG subgroup than that in the small CTG subgroup. Conclusion: Clinical variables exhibiting statistically significant differences between the subgroups should be focused on prognosis and designing tailored management approaches for the patients; our findings will contribute to achieve this important goal for treating patients with DM1.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제50권9호
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• pp.868-874
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• 2007

목 적 : 선천성 근육긴장성 이영양증(congenital myotonic dystrophy, CDM) 환자의 주산기 병력, 영아기 및 소아기의 증상, 그리고 환자 어머니의 임상양상을 확인하여, 임상진단에 도움이 될 수 있는 특징적인 소견과, DMPK유전자의 CTG 서열반복 수와 운동발달 관계를 확인하고자 하였다. 방 법 : 2001년 1월부터 2006년 9월까지 삼성서울병원에서 DMPK 유전자 검사를 통해 CDM으로 확진된 환자 8명(남자 2명, 여자 8명)을 대상으로 의무기록과 DMPK 유전자 검사를 후향적으로 분석하였다. 결 과 : 진단 시 환자들의 연령은 7일에서 45개월(중앙값: 20.5 개월)이었으며, 환자들은 발달지연, 수유곤란, 그리고 근육긴장저하를 주소로 내원하였다. 3명의 환자에서 산전 초음파 상 원인 불명의 양수과다증이 확인되었다. 모든 환자에서 운동발달지연이 있었으며, 연령이 증가할수록 호전되었다. 모든 환자들의 어머니에서 전형적인 근병증의 모습과 근육긴장증을 확인하였고, 4명의 환자에서는 어머니 형제의 가족력을 확인하였다. DMPK유전자의 CTG 서열반복 수는 1,000-2,083(중앙값: 1,533.5)의 분포를 보였으며, 운동발달 중 혼자 걷기의 지연 정도와 유의한 상관관계는 없었다. 1명의 환자에서 세대간 예견효과를 확인하였다. 결 론 : CDM 환자는 산전초음파에서 양수과다증, 내반첨족, 태동의 저하 등의 소견을 보이고, 출생 후 근육긴장저하와 연관된 호흡곤란, 수유곤란, 그리고 발달지연 등의 증상을 나타낸다. 모든 환자들의 어머니는 특징적인 근병증의 외양과 근육긴장증을 가지고 있어, 산모에 대해 이러한 소견을 확인하는 것이 산전진단에 중요한 단서가 된다. CDM에서 근육긴장저하와 연관된 증상은 연령이 증가할수록 호전되며, DMPK 유전자의 CTG 서열반복 수와 운동발달 중 혼자 걷기 시기 간의 유의한 연관은 없었다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.1-8
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• 2005

Myotonic Dystrophies type 1 and 2 (DM1/2) are neuromuscular disorders which belong to a group of genetic diseases caused by unstable CTG triplet repeat (DM1) and CCTG tetranucleotide repeat (DM2) expansions. In DM1, CTG repeats are located within the 3' untranslated region of myotonin protein kinase (DMPK) gene on chromosome 19q. DM2 is caused by expansion of CCTG repeats located in the first intron of a gene coding for zinc finger factor 9 on chromosome 3q. The CTG and CCTG expansions are located in untranslated regions and are expressed as pre-mRNAs in nuclei (DM1 and DM2) and as mRNA in cytoplasm (DM1). Investigations of molecular alterations in DM1 discovered a new molecular mechanism responsible for this disease. Expansion of un-translated CUG repeats in the mutant DMPK mRNA disrupts biological functions of two CUG-binding proteins, CUGBP and MNBL. These proteins regulate translation and splicing of mRNAs coding for proteins which play a key role in skeletal muscle function. Expansion of CUG repeats alters these two stages of RNA metabolism in DM1 by titrating CUGBP1 and MNBL into mutant DMPK mRNA-protein complexes. Mouse models, in which levels of CUGBP1 and MNBL were modulated to mimic DM1, showed several symptoms of DM1 disease including muscular dystrophy, cataracts and myotonia. Mis-regulated levels of CUGBP1 in newborn mice cause a delay of muscle development mimicking muscle symptoms of congenital form of DM1 disease. Since expansion of CCTG repeats in DM2 is also located in untranslated region, it is predicted that DM2 mechanisms might be similar to those observed in DM1. However, differences in clinical phenotypes of DM1 and DM2 suggest some specific features in molecular pathways in both diseases. Recent publications suggest that number of pathways affected by RNA CUG and CCUG repeats could be larger than initially thought. Detailed studies of these pathways will help in developing therapy for patients affected with DM1 and DM2.