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Shelton GD, Mickelson JR, Friedenberg SG, Cullen JN, Graham K, Carpentier MC, Guo LT, Minor KM. Variants in CLCN1 and PDE4C Associated with Muscle Hypertrophy, Dysphagia, and Gait Abnormalities in Young French Bulldogs. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:722. [PMID: 38473107 PMCID: PMC10931052 DOI: 10.3390/ani14050722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Muscle hypertrophy, swallowing disorders, and gait abnormalities are clinical signs common to many muscle diseases, including muscular dystrophies, non-dystrophic myotonias, genetic myopathies associated with deficiency of myostatin, and acquired inflammatory myopathies. Here, we investigated underlying causes of this triad of clinical signs in four young French bulldogs via muscle histopathology coupled with whole genome and Sanger sequencing. (2) Methods: Dogs were evaluated by veterinary clinical internists and neurologists, and biopsies were obtained for histopathological diagnosis. DNA was submitted for whole genome sequencing, followed by bioinformatics evaluation and confirmation of variants via Sanger sequencing in two cases. (3) Results: Two novel variants were identified. The first, found in two related French bulldogs, was a homozygous variant in the chloride channel gene CLCN1 known to cause non-dystrophic congenital myotonia, and the second, found in an unrelated French bulldog, was a heterozygous variant in the cAMP phosphodiesterase gene PDE4C, which is the major phosphodiesterase expressed in skeletal muscle and may play a role in decreasing muscle atrophy. An underlying molecular basis in one other case has not yet been identified. (4) Conclusions: Here, we identified two novel variants, one in the CLCN1 and one in the PDE4C gene, associated with clinical signs of muscle hypertrophy, dysphagia, and gait abnormalities, and we suggested other bases of these phenotypes in French bulldogs that are yet to be discovered. Identification of genes and deleterious variants associated with these clinical signs may assist breeders in improving the overall health of this very popular breed and may lead to the identification of new therapies to reverse muscle atrophy in people and animals with neuromuscular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- G. Diane Shelton
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA;
| | - James R. Mickelson
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA;
| | - Steven G. Friedenberg
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA; (S.G.F.); (J.N.C.); (K.M.M.)
| | - Jonah N. Cullen
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA; (S.G.F.); (J.N.C.); (K.M.M.)
| | - Karina Graham
- Veterinary Specialists of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2228, Australia;
| | | | - Ling T. Guo
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA;
| | - Katie M. Minor
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA; (S.G.F.); (J.N.C.); (K.M.M.)
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2
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Stevens R, Kanazono S, Petesch S, Guo LT, Shelton GD. Dystrophin-Deficient Muscular Dystrophy in Two Male Juvenile Brittanys. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 2022; 58:292-296. [PMID: 36315862 DOI: 10.5326/jaaha-ms-7255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
A 6 mo old and a 7 mo old male intact Brittany were presented for progressive exercise intolerance, failure to grow, and dysphagia. Creatine kinase activity was markedly and persistently elevated in both dogs. Based on the neurological examination, clinical signs localized to the neuromuscular system. Electromyography revealed complex repetitive discharges in multiple muscle groups. Immunofluorescence of biopsies confirmed dystrophin-deficient muscular dystrophy. This is the first report describing dystrophin-deficient muscular dystrophy in the Brittany breed. Currently, no specific therapies are available for this form of myopathy. The presence of dystrophin deficiency in the two dogs suggests an inherited myopathy rather than a spontaneous mutation. The location of the dogs in the United States and Japan suggests a wide distribution of this dystrophy and should alert clinicians to the existence of this myopathy in the Brittany breed. A mutation in the DMD gene has not yet been identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Stevens
- From Burlington Emergency and Veterinary Specialists, Williston, Vermont (R.S.)
| | | | - Scott Petesch
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Advanced Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (S.P.)
| | - Ling T Guo
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (L.T.G., G.D.S.)
| | - G Diane Shelton
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (L.T.G., G.D.S.)
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3
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Barthélémy I, Calmels N, Weiss RB, Tiret L, Vulin A, Wein N, Peccate C, Drougard C, Beroud C, Deburgrave N, Thibaud JL, Escriou C, Punzón I, Garcia L, Kaplan JC, Flanigan KM, Leturcq F, Blot S. X-linked muscular dystrophy in a Labrador Retriever strain: phenotypic and molecular characterisation. Skelet Muscle 2020; 10:23. [PMID: 32767978 PMCID: PMC7412789 DOI: 10.1186/s13395-020-00239-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Canine models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) are a valuable tool to evaluate potential therapies because they faithfully reproduce the human disease. Several cases of dystrophinopathies have been described in canines, but the Golden Retriever muscular dystrophy (GRMD) model remains the most used in preclinical studies. Here, we report a new spontaneous dystrophinopathy in a Labrador Retriever strain, named Labrador Retriever muscular dystrophy (LRMD). Methods A colony of LRMD dogs was established from spontaneous cases. Fourteen LRMD dogs were followed-up and compared to the GRMD standard using several functional tests. The disease causing mutation was studied by several molecular techniques and identified using RNA-sequencing. Results The main clinical features of the GRMD disease were found in LRMD dogs; the functional tests provided data roughly overlapping with those measured in GRMD dogs, with similar inter-individual heterogeneity. The LRMD causal mutation was shown to be a 2.2-Mb inversion disrupting the DMD gene within intron 20 and involving the TMEM47 gene. In skeletal muscle, the Dp71 isoform was ectopically expressed, probably as a consequence of the mutation. We found no evidence of polymorphism in either of the two described modifier genes LTBP4 and Jagged1. No differences were found in Pitpna mRNA expression levels that would explain the inter-individual variability. Conclusions This study provides a full comparative description of a new spontaneous canine model of dystrophinopathy, found to be phenotypically equivalent to the GRMD model. We report a novel large DNA mutation within the DMD gene and provide evidence that LRMD is a relevant model to pinpoint additional DMD modifier genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inès Barthélémy
- U955 - IMRB, Team 10 - Biology of the neuromuscular system, Inserm, UPEC, EFS, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Nadège Calmels
- Laboratoire de biochimie et génétique moléculaire, hôpital Cochin, AP-HP, université Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Laboratoire de Diagnostic Génétique-Institut de Génétique Médicale d'Alsace, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg, 1 Place de L'Hôpital, 67091, Strasbourg, France
| | - Robert B Weiss
- Department of Human Genetics, The University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
| | - Laurent Tiret
- U955 - IMRB, Team 10 - Biology of the neuromuscular system, Inserm, UPEC, EFS, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Adeline Vulin
- SQY Therapeutics, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Montigny le Bretonneux, France
| | - Nicolas Wein
- The Center for Gene Therapy, Nationwide Children's Hospital, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Cécile Peccate
- SQY Therapeutics, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Montigny le Bretonneux, France.,Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, INSERM UMRS974, Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Institut de Myologie, G.H. Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Carole Drougard
- U955 - IMRB, Team 10 - Biology of the neuromuscular system, Inserm, UPEC, EFS, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Christophe Beroud
- Aix Marseille Université, INSERM, MMG, Bioinformatics & Genetics, Marseille, France.,APHM, Hôpital Timone Enfants, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, Marseille, France
| | - Nathalie Deburgrave
- Laboratoire de biochimie et génétique moléculaire, hôpital Cochin, AP-HP, université Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Laurent Thibaud
- U955 - IMRB, Team 10 - Biology of the neuromuscular system, Inserm, UPEC, EFS, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Catherine Escriou
- U955 - IMRB, Team 10 - Biology of the neuromuscular system, Inserm, UPEC, EFS, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Isabel Punzón
- U955 - IMRB, Team 10 - Biology of the neuromuscular system, Inserm, UPEC, EFS, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Luis Garcia
- Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, U1179 INSERM, UFR des Sciences de la Santé, Montigny le Bretonneux, France
| | - Jean-Claude Kaplan
- Laboratoire de biochimie et génétique moléculaire, hôpital Cochin, AP-HP, université Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Kevin M Flanigan
- The Center for Gene Therapy, Nationwide Children's Hospital, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - France Leturcq
- Laboratoire de biochimie et génétique moléculaire, hôpital Cochin, AP-HP, université Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, INSERM UMRS974, Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Institut de Myologie, G.H. Pitié Salpêtrière, Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Blot
- U955 - IMRB, Team 10 - Biology of the neuromuscular system, Inserm, UPEC, EFS, Ecole nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France.
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4
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Clinical and genetic characterisation of dystrophin-deficient muscular dystrophy in a family of Miniature Poodle dogs. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0193372. [PMID: 29474464 PMCID: PMC5825102 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Accepted: 02/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Four full-sibling intact male Miniature Poodles were evaluated at 4–19 months of age. One was clinically normal and three were affected. All affected dogs were reluctant to exercise and had generalised muscle atrophy, a stiff gait and a markedly elevated serum creatine kinase activity. Two affected dogs also showed poor development, learning difficulties and episodes of abnormal behaviour. In these two dogs, investigations into forebrain structural and metabolic diseases were unremarkable; electromyography demonstrated fibrillation potentials and complex repetitive discharges in the infraspinatus, supraspinatus and epaxial muscles. Histopathological, immunohistochemical and immunoblotting analyses of muscle biopsies were consistent with dystrophin-deficient muscular dystrophy. DNA samples were obtained from all four full-sibling male Poodles, a healthy female littermate and the dam, which was clinically normal. Whole genome sequencing of one affected dog revealed a >5 Mb deletion on the X chromosome, encompassing the entire DMD gene. The exact deletion breakpoints could not be experimentally ascertained, but we confirmed that this region was deleted in all affected males, but not in the unaffected dogs. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction confirmed all three affected males were hemizygous for the mutant X chromosome, while the wildtype chromosome was observed in the unaffected male littermate. The female littermate and the dam were both heterozygous for the mutant chromosome. Forty-four Miniature Poodles from the general population were screened for the mutation and were homozygous for the wildtype chromosome. The finding represents a naturally-occurring mutation causing dystrophin-deficient muscular dystrophy in the dog.
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5
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Nghiem PP, Bello L, Balog-Alvarez C, López SM, Bettis A, Barnett H, Hernandez B, Schatzberg SJ, Piercy RJ, Kornegay JN. Whole genome sequencing reveals a 7 base-pair deletion in DMD exon 42 in a dog with muscular dystrophy. Mamm Genome 2016; 28:106-113. [PMID: 28028563 PMCID: PMC5371640 DOI: 10.1007/s00335-016-9675-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Dystrophin is a key cytoskeletal protein coded by the Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) gene located on the X-chromosome. Truncating mutations in the DMD gene cause loss of dystrophin and the classical DMD clinical syndrome. Spontaneous DMD gene mutations and associated phenotypes occur in several other species. The mdx mouse model and the golden retriever muscular dystrophy (GRMD) canine model have been used extensively to study DMD disease pathogenesis and show efficacy and side effects of putative treatments. Certain DMD gene mutations in high-risk, the so-called hot spot areas can be particularly helpful in modeling molecular therapies. Identification of specific mutations has been greatly enhanced by new genomic methods. Whole genome, next generation sequencing (WGS) has been recently used to define DMD patient mutations, but has not been used in dystrophic dogs. A dystrophin-deficient Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (CKCS) dog was evaluated at the functional, histopathological, biochemical, and molecular level. The affected dog's phenotype was compared to the previously reported canine dystrophinopathies. WGS was then used to detect a 7 base pair deletion in DMD exon 42 (c.6051-6057delTCTCAAT mRNA), predicting a frameshift in gene transcription and truncation of dystrophin protein translation. The deletion was confirmed with conventional PCR and Sanger sequencing. This mutation is in a secondary DMD gene hotspot area distinct from the one identified earlier at the 5' donor splice site of intron 50 in the CKCS breed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter P Nghiem
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (Mail Stop 4458), College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-4458, USA.
| | - Luca Bello
- Department of Neurosciences, University of Padova, Via Giustiniani 5, 35128, Padova, Italy
| | - Cindy Balog-Alvarez
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (Mail Stop 4458), College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-4458, USA
| | - Sara Mata López
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (Mail Stop 4458), College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-4458, USA
| | - Amanda Bettis
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (Mail Stop 4458), College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-4458, USA
| | - Heather Barnett
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (Mail Stop 4458), College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-4458, USA
| | - Briana Hernandez
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (Mail Stop 4458), College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-4458, USA
| | - Scott J Schatzberg
- Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Center of Santa Fe, 2001 Vivigen Way, Santa Fe, NM, 87505, USA
| | - Richard J Piercy
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Services, Royal Veterinary College, London, UK
| | - Joe N Kornegay
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences (Mail Stop 4458), College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843-4458, USA
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6
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Duan D. Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene therapy in the canine model. HUM GENE THER CL DEV 2015; 26:57-69. [PMID: 25710459 PMCID: PMC4442571 DOI: 10.1089/humc.2015.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Accepted: 01/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked lethal muscle disease caused by dystrophin deficiency. Gene therapy has significantly improved the outcome of dystrophin-deficient mice. Yet, clinical translation has not resulted in the expected benefits in human patients. This translational gap is largely because of the insufficient modeling of DMD in mice. Specifically, mice lacking dystrophin show minimum dystrophic symptoms, and they do not respond to the gene therapy vector in the same way as human patients do. Further, the size of a mouse is hundredfolds smaller than a boy, making it impossible to scale-up gene therapy in a mouse model. None of these limitations exist in the canine DMD (cDMD) model. For this reason, cDMD dogs have been considered a highly valuable platform to test experimental DMD gene therapy. Over the last three decades, a variety of gene therapy approaches have been evaluated in cDMD dogs using a number of nonviral and viral vectors. These studies have provided critical insight for the development of an effective gene therapy protocol in human patients. This review discusses the history, current status, and future directions of the DMD gene therapy in the canine model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongsheng Duan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Department of Neurology School of Medicine, University of Missouri , Columbia, MO 65212
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7
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Giannasi C, Tappin SW, Guo LT, Shelton GD, Palus V. Dystrophin-deficient muscular dystrophy in two lurcher siblings. J Small Anim Pract 2015; 56:577-80. [PMID: 25622540 DOI: 10.1111/jsap.12331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2014] [Revised: 11/12/2014] [Accepted: 11/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Two cases of dystrophin-deficient muscular dystrophy in 16-week-old male lurcher siblings are reported. The myopathies were characterised by regurgitation, progressive weakness and muscle wastage. The dogs had generalised weakness in all four limbs, with more pronounced weakness in the pelvic limbs. Reduced withdrawal in all limbs, muscle contracture and lingual hypertrophy were noted. Serum creatine kinase activities were markedly elevated. Electromyographic abnormalities included fibrillation potentials. Histopathological and immunohistochemical staining were consistent with dystrophin-deficient muscular dystrophy. Clinical improvement was noted in one of the cases with L-carnitine supplementation and supportive therapy. Genetic transmission of the disease was postulated as the dogs were siblings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - S W Tappin
- Dick White Referrals, Station Farm, London Road, Six Mile Bottom, Cambridgeshire, CB8 0UH
| | - L T Guo
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - G D Shelton
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - V Palus
- Dick White Referrals, Station Farm, London Road, Six Mile Bottom, Cambridgeshire, CB8 0UH
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8
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Baroncelli AB, Abellonio F, Pagano TB, Esposito I, Peirone B, Papparella S, Paciello O. Muscular dystrophy in a dog resembling human becker muscular dystrophy. J Comp Pathol 2013; 150:429-33. [PMID: 24529507 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcpa.2013.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2013] [Revised: 10/14/2013] [Accepted: 12/12/2013] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
A 3-year-old, male Labrador retriever dog was presented with clinical signs of progressive exercise intolerance, bilateral elbow extension, rigidity of the forelimbs, hindlimb flexion and kyphosis. Microscopical examination of muscle tissue showed marked variability in myofibre size, replacement of muscle with mature adipose tissue and degeneration/regeneration of muscle fibres, consistent with muscular dystrophy. Immunohistochemical examination for dystrophin showed markedly reduced labelling with monoclonal antibodies specific for the rod domain and the carboxy-terminal of dystrophin, while expression of β-sarcoglycan, γ-sarcoglycan and β-dystroglycan was normal. Immunoblotting revealed a truncated dystrophin protein of approximately 135 kDa. These findings supported a diagnosis of congenital canine muscular dystrophy resembling Becker muscular dystrophy in man.
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Affiliation(s)
- A B Baroncelli
- Department of Animal Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Turin, Napoli, Italy; Clinica Albese per Animali da Compagnia, Alba, Napoli, Italy
| | - F Abellonio
- Clinica Albese per Animali da Compagnia, Alba, Napoli, Italy
| | - T B Pagano
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, Laboratory of Comparative Neuromuscular Diseases, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy.
| | - I Esposito
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, Laboratory of Comparative Neuromuscular Diseases, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - B Peirone
- Department of Animal Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Turin, Napoli, Italy
| | - S Papparella
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, Laboratory of Comparative Neuromuscular Diseases, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy
| | - O Paciello
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, Laboratory of Comparative Neuromuscular Diseases, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, Italy
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9
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Olby NJ, Sharp NJH, Nghiem PE, Keene BW, DeFrancesco TC, Sidley JA, Kornegay JN, Schatzberg SJ. Clinical progression of X-linked muscular dystrophy in two German Shorthaired Pointers. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2011; 238:207-12. [PMID: 21235374 DOI: 10.2460/javma.238.2.207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
CASE DESCRIPTION 2 full-sibling male German Shorthaired Pointer (GSHP) puppies (dogs 1 and 2) with X-linked muscular dystrophy and deletion of the dystrophin gene (gene symbol, DMD) each had poor growth, skeletal muscle atrophy, pelvic limb weakness, episodic collapse, and episodes of coughing. CLINICAL FINDINGS Initial examination revealed stunted growth, brachygnathism, trismus, and diffuse neuromuscular signs in each puppy; clinical signs were more severe in dog 2 than in dog 1. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed a lack of dystrophin protein in both dogs. During the next 3 years, each dog developed hyperinflation of the lungs, hypertrophy of the cervical musculature, and hypertrophy of the lateral head of the triceps brachii muscle. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME Monitoring and supportive care were provided at follow-up visits during an approximately 7-year period. No other specific treatment was provided. Neuromuscular signs in both dogs remained stable after 3 years of age, with dog 2 consistently more severely affected than dog 1. The dogs had multiple episodes of aspiration pneumonia; dogs 1 and 2 were euthanatized at 84 and 93 months of age, respectively. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The clinical course of disease in these dogs was monitored for a longer period than has been monitored in previous reports of dystrophin-deficient dogs. The clinical progression of muscular dystrophy in the 2 GSHPs was compared with that for other breeds and species with dystrophin-deficient conditions, and the potential basis for the phenotypic variation observed between these littermates, along with potential therapeutic ramifications for dogs and humans, was evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natasha J Olby
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA
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10
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Abstract
A milestone of molecular medicine is the identification of dystrophin gene mutation as the cause of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Over the last 2 decades, major advances in dystrophin biology and gene delivery technology have created an opportunity to treat DMD with gene therapy. Remarkable success has been achieved in treating dystrophic mice. Several gene therapy strategies, including plasmid transfer, exon skipping, and adeno-associated virus-mediated microdystrophin therapy, have entered clinical trials. However, therapeutic benefit has not been realized in DMD patients. Bridging the gap between mice and humans is no doubt the most pressing issue facing DMD gene therapy now. In contrast to mice, dystrophin-deficient dogs are genetically and phenotypically similar to human patients. Preliminary gene therapy studies in the canine model may offer critical insights that cannot be obtained from murine studies. It is clear that the canine DMD model may represent an important link between mice and humans. Unfortunately, our current knowledge of dystrophic dogs is limited, and the full picture of disease progression remains to be clearly defined. We also lack rigorous outcome measures (such as in situ force measurement) to monitor therapeutic efficacy in dystrophic dogs. Undoubtedly, maintaining a dystrophic dog colony is technically demanding, and the cost of dog studies cannot be underestimated. A carefully coordinated effort from the entire DMD community is needed to make the best use of the precious dog resource. Successful DMD gene therapy may depend on valid translational studies in dystrophin-deficient dogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongsheng Duan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
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An intronic LINE-1 element insertion in the dystrophin gene aborts dystrophin expression and results in Duchenne-like muscular dystrophy in the corgi breed. J Transl Med 2011; 91:216-31. [PMID: 20714321 PMCID: PMC2999660 DOI: 10.1038/labinvest.2010.146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a dystrophin-deficient lethal muscle disease. To date, the catastrophic muscle wasting phenotype has only been seen in dystrophin-deficient humans and dogs. Although Duchenne-like symptoms have been observed in more than a dozen dog breeds, the mutation is often not known and research colonies are rarely established. Here, we report an independent canine DMD model originally derived from the Pembroke Welsh corgi breed. The affected dogs presented clinical signs of muscular dystrophy. Immunostaining revealed the absence of dystrophin and upregulation of utrophin. Histopathologic examination showed variable fiber size, central nucleation, calcification, fibrosis, neutrophil and macrophage infiltration and cardiac focal vacuolar degeneration. Carrier dogs also displayed mild myopathy. The mutation was identified as a long interspersed repetitive element-1 (LINE-1) insertion in intron 13, which introduced a new exon containing an in-frame stop codon. Similar mutations have been seen in human patients. A colony was generated by crossing carrier females with normal males. Affected puppies had a normal birth weight but they experienced a striking growth delay in the first 5 days. In summary, the new corgi DMD model offers an excellent opportunity to study DMD pathogenesis and to develop novel therapies.
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12
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Baltzer WI, Calise DV, Levine JM, Shelton GD, Edwards JF, Steiner JM. Dystrophin-deficient muscular dystrophy in a Weimaraner. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 2007; 43:227-32. [PMID: 17615404 DOI: 10.5326/0430227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
A 2-year-old, male Weimaraner with muscular dystrophy was presented with generalized muscle atrophy of the limbs; hypertrophy of the neck, infraspinatus, and lingual muscles; dysphagia; and regurgitation. Unilateral cryptorchidism, unilateral renal agenesis, and hiatal hernia were also detected. Spontaneous muscle activity was identified on myography. Serum creatine kinase was markedly elevated. Immunohistochemical staining for dystrophin was restricted to suspected revertant (characteristics of immaturity) fibers. Histologically, skeletal myofiber degeneration, endomysial fibrosis, and mineralization were present. Following euthanasia, necropsy revealed hypertrophy of the diaphragm and cardiac muscle fibrosis. This case of muscular dystrophy represents a slowly progressive form with organ agenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy Irene Baltzer
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA
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13
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Shelton GD, Engvall E. Canine and feline models of human inherited muscle diseases. Neuromuscul Disord 2005; 15:127-38. [PMID: 15694134 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2004.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2004] [Revised: 09/23/2004] [Accepted: 10/13/2004] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Animal models are of immense importance for studying mechanisms of disease and testing new therapies, and rodents have been used extensively in the field of neuromuscular disorders. Mice and rats can be genetically manipulated to over-express or not express genes that are important to muscle function, and these animals can be available in large numbers for analysis. Other species, such as cats and dogs, cannot be manipulated in the same ways or be used in large numbers, but they have spontaneously occurring muscle diseases with clinical presentations more closely resembling those of the human disorders. Therefore, cats and dogs may become valuable as intermediate disease models. This review focuses on canine and feline models of human inherited muscle diseases with comparisons to rodent models and an emphasis on the muscular dystrophies.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Diane Shelton
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0709, USA.
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14
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott J Schatzberg
- Cornell University Hospital for Animals, Cornell University, Box 35, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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15
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Jones BR, Brennan S, Mooney CT, Callanan JJ, McAllister H, Guo LT, Martin PT, Engvall E, Shelton GD. Muscular dystrophy with truncated dystrophin in a family of Japanese Spitz dogs. J Neurol Sci 2004; 217:143-9. [PMID: 14706216 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2003.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Muscular dystrophy was diagnosed in seven male Japanese Spitz dogs with clinical signs of slowly progressive exercise intolerance, generalized weakness, myalgia, difficulty chewing and dysphagia. Serum creatine kinase (CK) concentrations were markedly elevated. Histopathology showed degeneration and regeneration of muscle, consistent with a dystrophic phenotype. Immunohistochemical staining for dystrophin and related proteins showed no staining with a monoclonal antibody against the rod domain of dystrophin but near-normal staining with an antibody against the C terminus. Immunoblot analysis in two affected dogs showed a truncated dystrophin protein of approximately 70-80 kDa. The severity of disease showed that this fragment was not large enough to protect from the dystrophic process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boyd R Jones
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Studies, University College, Dublin, Ireland
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16
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Bergman RL, Inzana KD, Monroe WE, Shell LG, Liu LA, Engvall E, Shelton GD. Dystrophin-deficient muscular dystrophy in a Labrador retriever. J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 2002; 38:255-61. [PMID: 12022412 DOI: 10.5326/0380255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Sex-linked muscular dystrophy associated with dystrophin deficiency has been reported in several breeds of dogs and is best characterized in the golden retriever. In this case report, a young, male Labrador retriever with dystrophin-deficient muscular dystrophy is presented. Clinical signs included generalized weakness, lingual hypertrophy, and dysphagia. Electromyographic abnormalities including complex repetitive discharges were present. Serum creatine kinase concentration was dramatically elevated. Histopathological changes within a muscle biopsy specimen confirmed a dystrophic myopathy, and dystrophin deficiency was demonstrated by immunohistochemical staining. While X-linked muscular dystrophy has not previously been reported in the Labrador retriever, a hereditary myopathy with an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance has been characterized. A correct diagnosis and classification of these two disorders are critical for breeders and owners since both the mode of inheritance and the prognosis differ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert L Bergman
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
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17
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Abstract
It is certain that more inherited neuromuscular disorders of dogs and cats will be identified as the ability of practicing veterinarians to recognize disorders of muscle, nerve, and neuromuscular junction improves and newer diagnostic tests become available. Two specific points are critical. Before DNA-based genetic tests and specific therapies can be developed, an accurate description of the problem, clinically and histopathologically, must be performed. This is particularly important for the accuracy of a pedigree analysis, because inclusion of dogs with unrelated problems would alter the interpretation. Second, animals with inherited breed-associated disease should not be bred for generation of companion animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Diane Shelton
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0612, USA.
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Shelton GD, Liu LA, Guo LT, Smith GK, Christiansen JS, Thomas WB, Smith MO, Kline KL, March PA, Flegel T, Engvall E. Muscular Dystrophy in female Dogs. J Vet Intern Med 2001. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2001.tb02317.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
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