Pharmacological Treatments and Therapeutic Targets in Muscle Dystrophies Generated by Alterations in Dystrophin-Associated Proteins.

Muscular dystrophies (MDs) are a heterogeneous group of diseases of genetic origin characterized by progressive skeletal muscle degeneration and weakness. There are several types of MDs, varying in terms of age of onset, severity, and pattern of the affected muscles. However, all of them worsen over time, and many patients will eventually lose their ability to walk. In addition to skeletal muscle effects, patients with MDs may present cardiac and respiratory disorders, generating complications that could lead to death. Interdisciplinary management is required to improve the surveillance and quality of life of patients with an MD. At present, pharmacological therapy is only available for Duchene muscular dystrophy (DMD)-the most common type of MD-and is mainly based on the use of corticosteroids. Other MDs caused by alterations in dystrophin-associated proteins (DAPs) are less frequent but represent an important group within these diseases. Pharmacological alternatives with clinical potential in patients with MDs and other proteins associated with dystrophin have been scarcely explored. This review focuses on drugs and molecules that have shown beneficial effects, mainly in experimental models involving alterations in DAPs. The mechanisms associated with the effects leading to promising results regarding the recovery or maintenance of muscle strength and reduction in fibrosis in the less-common MDs (i.e., with respect to DMD) are explored, and other therapeutic targets that could contribute to maintaining the homeostasis of muscle fibers, involving different pathways, such as calcium regulation, hypertrophy, and maintenance of satellite cell function, are also examined. It is possible that some of the drugs explored here could be used to affordably improve the muscular function of patients until a definitive treatment for MDs is developed.

Significant Association Between Variant in SGCD and Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

CFH and HTRA1 genes are traditional markers of increased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) across populations. Recent findings suggest that additional genes-for instance, in the dystrophin-associated protein complex-might be promising markers for AMD. Here, we performed a case-control study to assess the effect of SGCD single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), a member of this protein family, on AMD diagnosis and phenotype. We performed a case-control study of an under-studied population from Hispanics in Mexico City, with 134 cases with 134 unpaired controls. Cases were 60 years or older (Clinical Age-Related Maculopathy Staging (CARMS) grade 4⁻5, as assessed by experienced ophthalmologists following the American Association of Ophthalmology (AAO) guidelines), without other retinal disease or history of vitreous-retinal surgery. Controls were outpatients aged 60 years or older, with no drusen or retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) changes on a fundus exam and a negative family history of AMD. We examined SNPs in the SGCD gene (rs931798, rs140617, rs140616, and rs970476) by sequencing and real-time PCR. Genotyping quality checks and univariate analyses were performed with PLINK v1.90b3.42. Furthermore, logistic regression models were done in SAS v.9.4 and haplotype configurations in R v.3.3.1. After adjusting for clinical covariates, the G/A genotype of the SGCD gene (rs931798) significantly increases the odds of being diagnosed with AMD in 81% of cases (1.81; 95% CI 1.06⁻3.14; p = 0.031), especially the geographic atrophy phenotype (1.82; 95% CI 1.03⁻3.21; p = 0.038) compared to the G/G homozygous genotype. Moreover, the GATT haplotype in this gene (rs931798, rs140617, rs140616, and rs970476) is associated with lower odds of AMD (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.13; 95% CI 0.02⁻0.91; p = 0.041). SGCD is a promising gene for AMD research. Further corroboration in other populations is warranted, especially among other Hispanic ethnicities.

Comparison of mutation profiles in the Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene among populations: implications for potential molecular therapies.

Novel therapeutic approaches are emerging to restore dystrophin function in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a severe neuromuscular disease characterized by progressive muscle wasting and weakness. Some of the molecular therapies, such as exon skipping, stop codon read-through and internal ribosome entry site-mediated translation rely on the type and location of mutations. Hence, their potential applicability worldwide depends on mutation frequencies within populations. In view of this, we compared the mutation profiles of the populations represented in the DMD Leiden Open-source Variation Database with original data from Mexican patients (n = 162) with clinical diagnosis of the disease. Our data confirm that applicability of exon 51 is high in most populations, but also show that differences in theoretical applicability of exon skipping may exist among populations; Mexico has the highest frequency of potential candidates for the skipping of exons 44 and 46, which is different from other populations (p < 0.001). To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive comparison of theoretical applicability of exon skipping targets among specific populations.

FMR1 CGG repeat distribution and linked microsatellite-SNP haplotypes in normal Mexican Mestizo and indigenous populations.

The (CGG)n repeat size distribution in the FMR1 gene was studied in healthy individuals: 80 X chromosomes of Mexican Mestizos from Mexico City and 33 X chromosomes of Mexican Amerindians from three indigenous communities (Purepechas, Nahuas, and Tzeltales), along with alleles and haplotypes defined by two microsatellite polymorphic markers (DXS548 and FRAXAC1) and two single nucleotide polymorphisms (FMRA and FMRB). Genetic frequencies of Mestizo and Amerindian subpopulations were statistically similar in almost all cases and thus were considered one population for comparisons with other populations. Sixteen (CGG)n alleles in the 17-38 size range were observed, and the most common were the 25 (38.0%), 26 (28.3%), and 24 (12.3%) repeat alleles. This pattern differs from most other populations reported, but a closer relation to Amerindian, European, and African populations was found, as expected from the historical admixture that gave rise to Mexican Mestizos. The results of the CA repeats analysis at DXS548-FRAXAC1 were restricted to nine haplotypes, of which haplotypes 7-4 (52.2%), 8-4 (23.8%), and 7-3 (11.5%) were predominant. The modal haplotype 7-4, instead of the nearly universal haplotype 7-3, had been reported exclusively in Eastern Asian populations. Likewise, only seven different FRAXAC1-FMRA-FMRB haplotypes were observed, including five novel haplotypes (3TA, 4TA, 3 - A, 4 - A, and 5 - A), compared with Caucasians. Of these, haplotypes - A (78.7%) and 3 - A (13.2%) were the most common in the Mexican population. These data suggest a singular but relatively low genetic diversity at FMR1 in the studied Mexican populations that may be related to the recent origin of Mestizos and the low admixture rate of Amerindians.