Myology research highlights

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the presence of autoantibodies, mainly against the acetylcholine receptor (AChR). The mechanisms triggering and maintaining this chronic disease are unknown. MiRNAs are regulatory molecules that play a key role in the immune system and are altered in many autoimmune diseases. The aim of this study was … [Read more]

Ultrasound and MR imaging are non-invasive methods that can be performed repeatedly and without discomfort. In the assessment of neuromuscular disorders it is unknown if they hold complementary information. In this study, the authors tested this for patients with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). Quantitative muscle ultrasound (QMUS) and quantitative MRI (QMRI) of the legs were … [Read more]

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a severe muscle-wasting disease caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene that ablate functional protein expression. Although exonic deletions are the most common Duchenne muscular dystrophy lesion, duplications account for 10-15% of reported disease-causing mutations, and exon 2 is the most commonly duplicated exon. Here, the authors describe the in vitro … [Read more]

Questions about care practices and the role of palliative care in pediatric neurodegenerative diseases have led the Neuromuscular Committee of the French Society of Neurology to conduct a retrospective study in spinal muscular atrophy type 1, a genetic disease most often leading to death before the age of 1 year. This was a multicenter study … [Read more]

Limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMD) are a heterogeneous group of genetically determined muscle disorders with a primary or predominant involvement of the pelvic or shoulder girdle musculature. More than 20 genes with autosomal recessive (LGMD2A to LGMD2Q) and autosomal dominant inheritance (LGMD1A to LGMD1H) have been mapped/identified to date. Mutations are known for six among the … [Read more]

A study to track the natural history and functional capabilities of patients with myotubular myopathy (MTM), a form of centronuclear myopathy (CNM), is recruiting approximately 60 patients of any age (including newborns). There are three North American study sites, Boston, Bethesda, Md., Toronto, and a site in Paris.The investigators will follow study participants for three … [Read more]

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease with few therapeutic options. Mild obesity is associated with greater survival in patients with the disease, and calorie-dense diets increased survival in a mouse model. The authors aimed to assess the safety and tolerability of two hypercaloric diets in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis receiving enteral … [Read more]

Sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM), the most frequent myositis in elderly patients, is characterised by the presence muscle inflammation and degeneration. Here, the authors aimed at characterising immune responses and regulatory T cells, considered key players in the maintenance of peripheral immune tolerance, in sIBM. Serum and muscle tissue levels of 25 cytokines and phenotype … [Read more]

Using stem cells to replace degenerating muscle cells and restore lost skeletal muscle function is an attractive therapeutic strategy for treating neuromuscular diseases. Myogenic progenitors are a valuable cell type for cell-based therapy and also provide a platform for studying normal muscle development and disease mechanisms in vitro. Human pluripotent stem cells represent a valuable … [Read more]

In this study, the authors investigate the genetic and physiologic basis of the neuromuscular symptoms of hypotonia-cystinuria syndrome (HCS) and isolated PREPL deficiency, and their response to therapy. Molecular genetic, histochemical, immunoblot, and ultrastructural studies were performed, neuromuscular transmission in vitro in a patient with isolated PREPL deficiency was investigated, and the effect of pyridostigmine … [Read more]