title: The childhood muscular dystrophies: diseases sharing a common pathogenesis of membrane instability.
abstract: New observations demonstrate that several childhood forms of muscular dystrophy share a common pathogenesis. In muscle, dystrophin occurs as part of a membrane complex (dystrophin-glycoprotein) linking the cytoskeleton to the basal lamina. In Duchenne muscular dystrophy, dystrophin deficiency disrupts the linkage of the integral glycoproteins of the sarcolemma and leads to muscle fiber necrosis. In severe childhood autosomal recessive muscular dystrophy, a selective deficiency of adhalin (50-kd glycoprotein) also causes dysfunction of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex. Most recently, a form of congenital muscular dystrophy demonstrates deficiency of laminin M (merosin) further demonstrating that sarcolemmal instability results from defects in structural proteins of the basal lamina. Animal models have been identified also demonstrating defects in specific proteins linking the subsarcolemmal cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix. The mdx mouse has a defect in the gene encoding dystrophin. The cardiomyopathic hamster shows a specific deficiency of adhalin in skeletal muscle. The dy/dy mouse has been found deficient in merosin. These animal models will help researchers to understand their human counterparts and provide a system for testing therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, USA.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Mendell
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sahenk
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Prior
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D016189:Dystrophin / Q000235:genetics*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007797:Laminin / Q000235:genetics; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008818:Mice, Neurologic Mutants; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology; D009136:Muscular Dystrophies / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D009137:Muscular Dystrophy, Animal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D049031:Sarcoglycans
chemical_list: D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D016189:Dystrophin; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; D007797:Laminin; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D049031:Sarcoglycans