Biomaterial Database

Myotonic dystrophy: RNA-mediated muscle disease. 2007

Thurman M Wheeler, and Charles A Thornton

Department of Neurology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this review is to highlight recent progress in elucidating the disease mechanism in myotonic dystrophy type 1 and type 2. RESULTS Research on myotonic dystrophy has led to the recognition of a novel RNA-mediated disease process. In myotonic dystrophy it is the RNA rather than protein product of a disease gene that has deleterious effects on muscle cells. These unusual RNAs, which contain a long expanse of CUG or CCUG repeats, have far reaching effects on cell function by influencing the biogenesis of other cellular RNAs. One aspect of RNA metabolism that is particularly affected is the regulation of alternative splicing. By this mechanism, effects of myotonic dystrophy repeat expansions impact many different pathways, triggering a complex set of signs and symptoms. CONCLUSIONS The genetic lesion in myotonic dystrophy does not eliminate an essential muscle protein. Instead, it induces a defect of RNA processing that is potentially reversible. The nature of this disease process raises the possibility that myotonic dystrophy, among genetic disorders, may be unusually susceptible to treatment using non-gene-therapy approaches.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009154	Mutation	Any detectable and heritable change in the genetic material that causes a change in the GENOTYPE and which is transmitted to daughter cells and to succeeding generations.	Mutations
D009223	Myotonic Dystrophy	Neuromuscular disorder characterized by PROGRESSIVE MUSCULAR ATROPHY; MYOTONIA, and various multisystem atrophies. Mild INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY may also occur. Abnormal TRINUCLEOTIDE REPEAT EXPANSION in the 3' UNTRANSLATED REGIONS of DMPK PROTEIN gene is associated with Myotonic Dystrophy 1. DNA REPEAT EXPANSION of zinc finger protein-9 gene intron is associated with Myotonic Dystrophy 2.	Dystrophia Myotonica,Myotonic Dystrophy, Congenital,Myotonic Myopathy, Proximal,Steinert Disease,Congenital Myotonic Dystrophy,Dystrophia Myotonica 1,Dystrophia Myotonica 2,Myotonia Atrophica,Myotonia Dystrophica,Myotonic Dystrophy 1,Myotonic Dystrophy 2,PROMM (Proximal Myotonic Myopathy),Proximal Myotonic Myopathy,Ricker Syndrome,Steinert Myotonic Dystrophy,Steinert's Disease,Atrophica, Myotonia,Atrophicas, Myotonia,Congenital Myotonic Dystrophies,Disease, Steinert,Disease, Steinert's,Dystrophia Myotonica 2s,Dystrophia Myotonicas,Dystrophica, Myotonia,Dystrophicas, Myotonia,Dystrophies, Congenital Myotonic,Dystrophies, Myotonic,Dystrophy, Congenital Myotonic,Dystrophy, Myotonic,Dystrophy, Steinert Myotonic,Myopathies, Proximal Myotonic,Myopathy, Proximal Myotonic,Myotonia Atrophicas,Myotonia Dystrophicas,Myotonic Dystrophies,Myotonic Dystrophies, Congenital,Myotonic Dystrophy, Steinert,Myotonic Myopathies, Proximal,Myotonica, Dystrophia,Myotonicas, Dystrophia,PROMMs (Proximal Myotonic Myopathy),Proximal Myotonic Myopathies,Steinerts Disease,Syndrome, Ricker
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000067879	CELF1 Protein	A member of the CELF PROTEINS family which binds GU rich elements (GREs) and CUG-triplet repeats in the 3'UTR of mammalian mRNA transcripts that undergo rapid turnover. It also binds AU-rich elements (AREs or EDEN-like) in the 3'UTR of JUN and FOS mRNAs. Mutations in the human CELF1 gene are associated with MYOTONIC DYSTROPHY type 1.	BRUNOL2 Protein,Bruno-Like 2 Protein,CUG Triplet Repeat, RNA-Binding Protein 1,CUGBP, Elav-Like Family Member 1 Protein,CUGBP1 Protein,2 Protein, Bruno-Like,Bruno Like 2 Protein,CUG Triplet Repeat, RNA Binding Protein 1,CUGBP, Elav Like Family Member 1 Protein,Protein, BRUNOL2,Protein, Bruno-Like 2,Protein, CELF1,Protein, CUGBP1
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D012313	RNA	A polynucleotide consisting essentially of chains with a repeating backbone of phosphate and ribose units to which nitrogenous bases are attached. RNA is unique among biological macromolecules in that it can encode genetic information, serve as an abundant structural component of cells, and also possesses catalytic activity. (Rieger et al., Glossary of Genetics: Classical and Molecular, 5th ed)	RNA, Non-Polyadenylated,Ribonucleic Acid,Gene Products, RNA,Non-Polyadenylated RNA,Acid, Ribonucleic,Non Polyadenylated RNA,RNA Gene Products,RNA, Non Polyadenylated
D016601	RNA-Binding Proteins	Proteins that bind to RNA molecules. Included here are RIBONUCLEOPROTEINS and other proteins whose function is to bind specifically to RNA.	Double-Stranded RNA-Binding Protein,Double-Stranded RNA-Binding Proteins,ds RNA-Binding Protein,RNA-Binding Protein,ds RNA-Binding Proteins,Double Stranded RNA Binding Protein,Double Stranded RNA Binding Proteins,Protein, Double-Stranded RNA-Binding,Protein, ds RNA-Binding,RNA Binding Protein,RNA Binding Proteins,RNA-Binding Protein, Double-Stranded,RNA-Binding Protein, ds,RNA-Binding Proteins, Double-Stranded,ds RNA Binding Protein
D017398	Alternative Splicing	A process whereby multiple RNA transcripts are generated from a single gene. Alternative splicing involves the splicing together of other possible sets of EXONS during the processing of some, but not all, transcripts of the gene. Thus a particular exon may be connected to any one of several alternative exons to form a mature RNA. The alternative forms of mature MESSENGER RNA produce PROTEIN ISOFORMS in which one part of the isoforms is common while the other parts are different.	RNA Splicing, Alternative,Splicing, Alternative,Alternate Splicing,Nested Transcripts,Alternate Splicings,Alternative RNA Splicing,Alternative RNA Splicings,Alternative Splicings,Nested Transcript,RNA Splicings, Alternative,Splicing, Alternate,Splicing, Alternative RNA,Splicings, Alternate,Splicings, Alternative,Splicings, Alternative RNA,Transcript, Nested,Transcripts, Nested
D018482	Muscle, Skeletal	A subtype of striated muscle, attached by TENDONS to the SKELETON. Skeletal muscles are innervated and their movement can be consciously controlled. They are also called voluntary muscles.	Anterior Tibial Muscle,Gastrocnemius Muscle,Muscle, Voluntary,Plantaris Muscle,Skeletal Muscle,Soleus Muscle,Muscle, Anterior Tibial,Muscle, Gastrocnemius,Muscle, Plantaris,Muscle, Soleus,Muscles, Skeletal,Muscles, Voluntary,Skeletal Muscles,Tibial Muscle, Anterior,Voluntary Muscle,Voluntary Muscles
D020022	Genetic Predisposition to Disease	A latent susceptibility to disease at the genetic level, which may be activated under certain conditions.	Genetic Predisposition,Genetic Susceptibility,Predisposition, Genetic,Susceptibility, Genetic,Genetic Predispositions,Genetic Susceptibilities,Predispositions, Genetic,Susceptibilities, Genetic