Molecular and Genetic Studies of Congenital Myopathies - Full Text View

Purpose

In the Congenital Myopathy Research Program at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, the researchers are studying the congenital myopathies (neuromuscular diseases present from birth), including central core disease, centronuclear/myotubular myopathy, congenital fiber type disproportion, multiminicore disease, nemaline myopathy, rigid spine muscular dystrophy, SEPN1 and RYR1 myopathy and undefined congenital myopathies. The primary goal of the research is to better understand the genes and proteins (gene products) involved in muscle functioning and disease. The researchers hope that our studies will allow for improved diagnosis and treatment of individuals with congenital myopathies in the future. For more information, visit the Laboratory Website at www.childrenshospital.org/research/beggs

Condition
Central Core Disease Centronuclear Myopathy Congenital Fiber Type Disproportion Multiminicore Disease Myotubular Myopathy Nemaline Myopathy Rigid Spine Muscular Dystrophy Undefined Congenital Myopathy

Study Type:	Observational
Study Design:	Observational Model: Case-Only
Official Title:	Molecular Analysis of Neuromuscular Disease

Resource links provided by NLM:

Genetics Home Reference related topics: actin-accumulation myopathy cap myopathy central core disease centronuclear myopathy congenital fiber-type disproportion intranuclear rod myopathy multiminicore disease nemaline myopathy

MedlinePlus related topics: Dietary Fiber Muscle Disorders Muscular Dystrophy Neuromuscular Disorders

U.S. FDA Resources

Further study details as provided by Children's Hospital Boston:

Biospecimen Retention: Samples With DNA

The primary biospecimens retained are blood, saliva and muscle tissue samples. Other specimens are retained on a case-by-case basis.

Estimated Enrollment:	2000
Study Start Date:	August 2003
Estimated Study Completion Date:	January 2050

Detailed Description:

The Congenital Myopathy Research Program consists of a group of scientists and healthcare providers all working to better understand the congenital myopathies. We are taking two approaches to reach our research goals. The first involves identifying and describing new genes and proteins involved in the skeletal muscles that allow our bodies to move. Simultaneously, studies are underway to identify genetic changes (mutations) that cause human neuromuscular disease. Thus, our second approach is to identify mutations, learn how they are inherited in families, and understand how they lead to weakness in individuals with neuromuscular disease. These approaches allow correlation of our basic muscle biology findings with our studies on muscle tissue of affected individuals.

Our research would not be possible without the generous participation of individuals and families with congenital myopathies. Participation in our studies is free of charge. Travel to Boston is not required, and we welcome the participation of individuals from around the world.

We appreciate the participation of all individuals with a congenital myopathy, as well as their first-degree relatives. Participants with a congenital myopathy are asked to donate medical records, a blood or saliva sample, and a muscle tissue sample (if available). Participating relatives are asked to donate a blood sample. The blood/saliva sample is used to acquire DNA (genetic material) which can be used to identify genetic changes and to study how a disease is inherited in a family. The medical records are employed to understand a participant's symptoms. The muscle tissue is used to better understand the disease at the muscular level by studying the gene expression and protein levels in individuals with congenital myopathies.

For more information, visit the Laboratory Website at www.childrenshospital.org/research/beggs.

Eligibility

Genders Eligible for Study:	Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:	No
Sampling Method:	Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Individuals with a clinical or suspected diagnosis of a congenital myopathy and their family members.

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

Individuals with a clinical or suspected diagnosis of a congenital myopathy and their family members

Exclusion Criteria:

No specific exclusion criteria. Our studies do not include myotonia congenita or related conditions.

Contacts and Locations

Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00272883

Contacts

Contact: Lindsay Swanson, M.S. C.G.C.

(617) 919-2169

lswanson@enders.tch.harvard.edu

Locations

United States, Massachusetts
Genetics Division, Boston Children's Hospital	Recruiting
Boston, Massachusetts, United States, 02115
Contact: Lindsay Swanson, M.S. C.G.C. 617-919-2169 lswanson@enders.tch.harvard.edu
Principal Investigator: Alan H. Beggs, Ph.D.

Sponsors and Collaborators

Children's Hospital Boston

Muscular Dystrophy Association

Investigators

Principal Investigator:

Alan H. Beggs, Ph.D.

Children's Hospital Boston/Harvard Medical School

More Information

Additional Information:

The Beggs lab website This link exits the ClinicalTrials.gov site

Publications:

Pierson CR, Tomczak K, Agrawal P, Moghadaszadeh B, Beggs AH. X-linked myotubular and centronuclear myopathies. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol. 2005 Jul;64(7):555-64. Review.

Agrawal PB, Strickland CD, Midgett C, Morales A, Newburger DE, Poulos MA, Tomczak KK, Ryan MM, Iannaccone ST, Crawford TO, Laing NG, Beggs AH. Heterogeneity of nemaline myopathy cases with skeletal muscle alpha-actin gene mutations. Ann Neurol. 2004 Jul;56(1):86-96.

Ryan MM, Ilkovski B, Strickland CD, Schnell C, Sanoudou D, Midgett C, Houston R, Muirhead D, Dennett X, Shield LK, De Girolami U, Iannaccone ST, Laing NG, North KN, Beggs AH. Clinical course correlates poorly with muscle pathology in nemaline myopathy. Neurology. 2003 Feb 25;60(4):665-73.

Ryan MM, Schnell C, Strickland CD, Shield LK, Morgan G, Iannaccone ST, Laing NG, Beggs AH, North KN. Nemaline myopathy: a clinical study of 143 cases. Ann Neurol. 2001 Sep;50(3):312-20. Review.

Sanoudou D, Frieden LA, Haslett JN, Kho AT, Greenberg SA, Kohane IS, Kunkel LM, Beggs AH. Molecular classification of nemaline myopathies: "nontyping" specimens exhibit unique patterns of gene expression. Neurobiol Dis. 2004 Apr;15(3):590-600.

Sanoudou D, Haslett JN, Kho AT, Guo S, Gazda HT, Greenberg SA, Lidov HG, Kohane IS, Kunkel LM, Beggs AH. Expression profiling reveals altered satellite cell numbers and glycolytic enzyme transcription in nemaline myopathy muscle. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2003 Apr 15;100(8):4666-71. Epub 2003 Apr 3.

Wattanasirichaigoon D, Swoboda KJ, Takada F, Tong HQ, Lip V, Iannaccone ST, Wallgren-Pettersson C, Laing NG, Beggs AH. Mutations of the slow muscle alpha-tropomyosin gene, TPM3, are a rare cause of nemaline myopathy. Neurology. 2002 Aug 27;59(4):613-7.

Nowak KJ, Wattanasirichaigoon D, Goebel HH, Wilce M, Pelin K, Donner K, Jacob RL, Hubner C, Oexle K, Anderson JR, Verity CM, North KN, Iannaccone ST, Muller CR, Nurnberg P, Muntoni F, Sewry C, Hughes I, Sutphen R, Lacson AG, Swoboda KJ, Vigneron J, Wallgren-Pettersson C, Beggs AH, Laing NG. Mutations in the skeletal muscle alpha-actin gene in patients with actin myopathy and nemaline myopathy. Nat Genet. 1999 Oct;23(2):208-12.

North KN, Yang N, Wattanasirichaigoon D, Mills M, Easteal S, Beggs AH. A common nonsense mutation results in alpha-actinin-3 deficiency in the general population. Nat Genet. 1999 Apr;21(4):353-4. No abstract available.

Pelin K, Hilpela P, Donner K, Sewry C, Akkari PA, Wilton SD, Wattanasirichaigoon D, Bang ML, Centner T, Hanefeld F, Odent S, Fardeau M, Urtizberea JA, Muntoni F, Dubowitz V, Beggs AH, Laing NG, Labeit S, de la Chapelle A, Wallgren-Pettersson C. Mutations in the nebulin gene associated with autosomal recessive nemaline myopathy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1999 Mar 2;96(5):2305-10.

Ottenheijm CA, Lawlor MW, Stienen GJ, Granzier H, Beggs AH. Changes in cross-bridge cycling underlie muscle weakness in patients with tropomyosin 3-based myopathy. Hum Mol Genet. 2011 May 15;20(10):2015-25. Epub 2011 Feb 28.

Lawlor MW, Dechene ET, Roumm E, Geggel AS, Moghadaszadeh B, Beggs AH. Mutations of tropomyosin 3 (TPM3) are common and associated with type 1 myofiber hypotrophy in congenital fiber type disproportion. Hum Mutat. 2010 Feb;31(2):176-83.

Ottenheijm CA, Hooijman P, DeChene ET, Stienen GJ, Beggs AH, Granzier H. Altered myofilament function depresses force generation in patients with nebulin-based nemaline myopathy (NEM2). J Struct Biol. 2010 May;170(2):334-43. Epub 2009 Nov 26.

Laing NG, Dye DE, Wallgren-Pettersson C, Richard G, Monnier N, Lillis S, Winder TL, Lochmüller H, Graziano C, Mitrani-Rosenbaum S, Twomey D, Sparrow JC, Beggs AH, Nowak KJ. Mutations and polymorphisms of the skeletal muscle alpha-actin gene (ACTA1). Hum Mutat. 2009 Sep;30(9):1267-77.

Ottenheijm CA, Witt CC, Stienen GJ, Labeit S, Beggs AH, Granzier H. Thin filament length dysregulation contributes to muscle weakness in nemaline myopathy patients with nebulin deficiency. Hum Mol Genet. 2009 Jul 1;18(13):2359-69. Epub 2009 Apr 4.

Lehtokari VL, Greenleaf RS, DeChene ET, Kellinsalmi M, Pelin K, Laing NG, Beggs AH, Wallgren-Pettersson C. The exon 55 deletion in the nebulin gene--one single founder mutation with world-wide occurrence. Neuromuscul Disord. 2009 Mar;19(3):179-81. Epub 2009 Feb 15.

Pierson CR, Agrawal PB, Blasko J, Beggs AH. Myofiber size correlates with MTM1 mutation type and outcome in X-linked myotubular myopathy. Neuromuscul Disord. 2007 Jul;17(7):562-8. Epub 2007 May 29. Erratum in: Neuromuscul Disord. 2008 Jun;18(6):519.

Agrawal PB, Greenleaf RS, Tomczak KK, Lehtokari VL, Wallgren-Pettersson C, Wallefeld W, Laing NG, Darras BT, Maciver SK, Dormitzer PR, Beggs AH. Nemaline myopathy with minicores caused by mutation of the CFL2 gene encoding the skeletal muscle actin-binding protein, cofilin-2. Am J Hum Genet. 2007 Jan;80(1):162-7. Epub 2006 Nov 14.

Responsible Party:	Children's Hospital Boston
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:	NCT00272883 History of Changes
Other Study ID Numbers:	03-08-128R, AR44345, NS40828
Study First Received:	January 5, 2006
Last Updated:	April 8, 2013
Health Authority:	United States: Institutional Review Board

Keywords provided by Children's Hospital Boston:

congenital myopathy
central core
centronuclear
multiminicore
multicore
minicore

congenital fiber type disproportion
myotubular
nemaline
neuromuscular
rigid spine

Additional relevant MeSH terms:

Muscular Diseases
Myopathies, Structural, Congenital
Myopathies, Nemaline
Myopathy, Central Core
Muscular Disorders, Atrophic
Muscular Dystrophies
Neuromuscular Diseases

Cephalopelvic Disproportion
Musculoskeletal Diseases
Nervous System Diseases
Genetic Diseases, Inborn
Obstetric Labor Complications
Pregnancy Complications

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on June 18, 2013