Normal levels of DM RNA and myotonin protein kinase in skeletal muscle from adult myotonic dystrophy (DM) patients

Biochim Biophys Acta. 1996 Dec 16;1317(3):155-7. doi: 10.1016/s0925-4439(96)00057-9.

Abstract

A major question about the pathogenesis of myotonic dystrophy (DM) is how the (CTG)n repeat mutation alters expression of the DM gene and how that is related to disease causation. Most previous studies have found a decrease in DM RNA and protein in patient tissue. In contrast to these reports we find, unexpectedly, that independent of the size of the CTG repeat: (1) there are equal levels of RNA products of mutant and normal alleles, and (2) levels of Mt-PK in skeletal muscle from DM patients is unaltered from normal. These findings are consistent with the recent hypothesis that mutant DM DNA or RNA may cause disease by disrupting the function of other, yet unidentified, genes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic
  • Humans
  • Microsatellite Repeats
  • Muscles / enzymology*
  • Myotonic Dystrophy / enzymology
  • Myotonic Dystrophy / genetics*
  • Myotonin-Protein Kinase
  • Protein Kinases / genetics
  • Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases*
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics

Substances

  • DMPK protein, human
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Protein Kinases
  • Myotonin-Protein Kinase
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases