Blog Archives
Release of the 79th newsletter from the Institute
The Institute of Myology teams fully mobilised! Welcome to our 79th newsletter. After these last weeks of confinement, Dr. Vincent Varlet, Secretary General of the Institute of Myology, and Pr. Bertrand Fontaine, Medical and Scientific Director of the Institute of Myology, Head of the service of Neuro-Myology and Director of the Myology Centre … [Read more]
Efgartigimod in Myasthenia gravis : the ADAPT phase III trial would have met its primary efficacy endpoint
An immunomodulatory biotherapy, efgartigimod is a fragment of antibodies directed against the neonatal Fc or FcRn receptors. These receptors prevent the breakdown of immunoglobulins G (IgG), which include the autoantibodies produced in myasthenia gravis. By binding to FcRn, efgartigimod (or ARGX-113) reduces the recycling of IgG and therefore their circulating rate. Administered as an infusion … [Read more]
COVID-19 and clinical trials in adults – 6 questions for Kubéraka Mariampillai
Interview with Kubéraka Mariampillai, Project Manager for the Adult Clinical Trials platform at the Institute of Myology, headed by Prof. Bertrand Fontaine and coordinated by Dr Giorgia Querin, and member of “Inflammatory Myopathies and Innovative Targeted Therapies” team 8 at the Research Centre, headed by Prof. Olivier Benveniste. If you could tell me who you … [Read more]
COVID-19 and psychological counselling : 5 questions for Prof. Marcela Gargiulo
Interview with Prof. Marcela Gargiulo, psychologist and leader of the team of psychologists at the Service of Neuro-Myology, headed by Prof. Bertrand Fontaine. If I could ask you who you are and what your mission is? I am a clinical psychologist and I have been working at the Institute of Myology since it was created … [Read more]
Lamin mutations cause increased YAP nuclear entry into muscle stem cells
Mutations in the LMNA gene, encoding the nuclear envelope A-type lamins, are responsible for muscular dystrophies, the most severe form being the LMNA-related congenital muscular dystrophy (L-CMD), with severe defects in myonucleus integrity. The authors previously reported that L-CMD mutations compromise the ability of muscle stem cells to modulate the yes-associated protein (YAP), a pivotal … [Read more]
MyoMiner: explore gene co-expression in normal and pathological muscle
High-throughput transcriptomics measures mRNA levels for thousands of genes in a biological sample. Most gene expression studies aim to identify genes that are differentially expressed between different biological conditions, such as between healthy and diseased states. However, these data can also be used to identify genes that are co-expressed within a biological condition. Gene co-expression … [Read more]
Guidelines on clinical presentation and management of non-dystrophic myotonias
The non-dystrophic myotonias (NDMs) are rare muscle hyperexcitability disorders caused by gain-of-function mutations in the SCN4A gene or loss-of-function mutations in the CLCN1 gene. Clinically, they are characterized by myotonia, defined as delayed muscle relaxation after voluntary contraction, which leads to symptoms of muscle stiffness, pain, fatigue, and weakness. Diagnosis is based on history and … [Read more]
Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome: rejuvenating old drugs to fight accelerated ageing
What if the next generation of successful treatments was hidden in the current pharmacopoeia? Identifying new indications for existing drugs, also called the drug repurposing or drug rediscovery process, is a highly efficient and low-cost strategy. First reported almost a century ago, drug repurposing has emerged as a valuable therapeutic option for diseases that do … [Read more]
Oedematous myositis: a clinical presentation first suggesting dermatomyositis diagnosis
Oedema of the limbs is uncommon in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM). The few reported cases have been associated with severe and refractory dermatomyositis (DM), sometimes in association with cancers. Clinicians from the Institute of Myology and their colleagues from the Limoges and Montreal aimed to determine if oedematous myositis is a homogeneous subtype based on … [Read more]
Psychosocial impact of predictive genetic testing in hereditary heart diseases: the PREDICT study
Predictive genetic testing (PGT) is offered to asymptomatic relatives at risk of hereditary heart disease, but the impact of result disclosure has been little studied. A team of French clinicians evaluated the psychosocial impacts of PGT in hereditary heart disease, using self-report questionnaires (including the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) in 517 adults, administered three times to … [Read more]
