title: Strategy for mutation analysis in the autosomal recessive limb-girdle muscular dystrophies.
abstract: We describe a strategy for molecular diagnosis in the autosomal recessive limb-girdle muscular dystrophies, a highly heterogeneous group of inherited muscle-wasting diseases. Genetic mutation analysis is directed by immunoanalysis of muscle biopsies using antibodies against a panel of muscular dystrophy-associated proteins. Performing the molecular analysis in this way greatly increases the chance that mutations will be found in the first gene examined. The use of this strategy can significantly decrease the time involved in determining the genetic fault in a patient with a clinical diagnosis of recessive limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, as well as having a feedback effect, which is useful in helping clinicians to identify subtle clinical differences between the subtypes of the disease. The use of this approach has so far helped us to identify mutations in ten sarcoglycanopathy (limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2C-2F) patients, and seven calpainopathy (limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2A) patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurobiology, University Medical School, Framlington Place, NE2 4HH, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK. medrpo@leeds.ac.uk
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pogue
authors.forename: L V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pyle
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sewry
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pollitt
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Davison
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Moss
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mercuri
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Muntoni
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Bushby
mesh_terms: D002154:Calpain / Q000378:metabolism; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D000073939:Dysferlin; D016189:Dystrophin / Q000378:metabolism; D005808:Genes, Recessive / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009136:Muscular Dystrophies / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C114839:DYSF protein, human; D000073939:Dysferlin; D016189:Dystrophin; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D002154:Calpain