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BackgroundThymine kinase 2 (TK2) is a mitochondrial matrix protein encoded in nuclear DNA and phosphorylates the pyrimidine nucleosides: thymidine and deoxycytidine. Autosomal recessive TK2 mutations cause a spectrum of disease from infantile onset to adult onset manifesting primarily as myopathy.ObjectiveTo perform a retrospective natural history study of a large cohort of patients with TK2 deficiency.MethodsThe study was conducted by 42 investigators across 31 academic medical centres.ResultsWe identified 92 patients with genetically confirmed diagnoses of TK2 deficiency: 67 from literature review and 25 unreported cases. Based on clinical and molecular genetics findings, we recognised three phenotypes with divergent survival: (1) infantile-onset myopathy (42.4%) with severe mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion, frequent neurological involvement and rapid progression to early mortality (median post-onset survival (POS) 1.00, CI 0.58 to 2.33 years); (2) childhood-onset myopathy (40.2%) with mtDNA depletion, moderate-to-severe progression of generalised weakness and median POS at least 13 years; and (3) late-onset myopathy (17.4%) with mild limb weakness at onset and slow progression to respiratory insufficiency with median POS of 23 years. Ophthalmoparesis and facial weakness are frequent in adults. Muscle biopsies show multiple mtDNA deletions often with mtDNA depletion.ConclusionsIn TK2 deficiency, age at onset, rate of weakness progression and POS are important variables that define three clinical subtypes. Nervous system involvement often complicates the clinical course of the infantile-onset form while extraocular muscle and facial involvement are characteristic of the late-onset form. Our observations provide essential information for planning future clinical trials in this disorder.

Background Despite the availability of several clinical guidelines, not all health professionals use their recommendations to manage patients with Pompe disease, a rare genetic disorder involving high-impact therapy. Through several discussion meetings and a survey, the present study aimed to learn about the management of Pompe disease in routine clinical practice in Spain, to improve clinical care in a real-life situation. Results The survey was sent to 42 healthcare professionals who manage patients with Pompe disease in their clinical practice. Although most respondents followed the clinical guidelines, clinical practice differed from the expert recommendations in many cases. Approximately 7% did not request a genetic study to confirm the diagnosis before starting treatment, and 21% considered that only two dried blood spot determinations suffice to establish the diagnosis. About 76% requested anti-GAA antibodies when there is a suspicion of lack of treatment efficacy, though a significant percentage of respondents have never requested such antibodies. According to 31% of the respondents, significant impairment of motor function and/or respiratory insufficiency is a requirement for authorizing medication at their hospital. Up to 26% waited for improvements over the clinical follow-up to maintain treatment and withdrew it in the absence of improvement since they did not consider disease stabilization to be a satisfactory outcome. Conclusions The results highlight the lack of experience and/or knowledge of some professionals caring for patients with Pompe disease. It is necessary to develop and disseminate simple guidelines that help to apply the expert recommendations better or centralize patient follow-up in highly specialized centers.

Background Mitochondrial diseases are difficult to diagnose and treat. Recent advances in genetic diagnostics and more effective treatment options can improve patient diagnosis and prognosis, but patients with mitochondrial disease typically experience delays in diagnosis and treatment. Here, we describe a unique collaborative practice model among physicians and scientists in Spain focused on identifying TK2 deficiency (TK2d), an ultra-rare mitochondrial DNA depletion and deletions syndrome. Main Body This collaboration spans research and clinical care, including laboratory scientists, adult and pediatric neuromuscular clinicians, geneticists, and pathologists, and has resulted in diagnosis and consolidation of care for patients with TK2d. The incidence of TK2d is not known; however, the first clinical cases of TK2d were reported in 2001, and only ~ 107 unique cases had been reported as of 2018. This unique collaboration in Spain has led to the diagnosis of more than 30 patients with genetically confirmed TK2d across different regions of the country. Research affiliate centers have led investigative treatment with nucleosides based on understanding of TK2d clinical manifestations and disease mechanisms, which resulted in successful treatment of a TK2d mouse model with nucleotide therapy in 2010. Only 1 year later, this collaboration enabled rapid adoption of treatment with pyrimidine nucleotides (and later, nucleosides) under compassionate use. Success in TK2d diagnosis and treatment in Spain is attributable to two important factors: Spain’s fully public national healthcare system, and the designation in 2015 of major National Reference Centers for Neuromuscular Disorders (CSURs). CSUR networking and dissemination facilitated development of a collaborative care network for TK2d disease, wherein participants share information and protocols to request approval from the Ministry of Health to initiate nucleoside therapy. Data have recently been collected in a retrospective study conducted under a Good Clinical Practice–compliant protocol to support development of a new therapeutic approach for TK2d, a progressive disease with no approved therapies. Conclusions The Spanish experience in diagnosis and treatment of TK2d is a model for the diagnosis and development of new treatments for very rare diseases within an existing healthcare system.

Limb–girdle muscular dystrophy R1 (LGMDR1) is characterized by progressive proximal muscle weakness due to mutations in the CAPN3 gene. Little is known about CAPN3’s function in muscle, but its loss results in aberrant sarcomere formation. Human muscle structure was analyzed in this study, with observations including integrin β1D isoform (ITGβ1D) mislocalization, a lack of Talin-1 (TLN1) in the sarcolemma and the irregular expression of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in LGMDR1 muscles, suggesting a lack of integrin activation with an altered sarcolemma, extracellular matrix (ECM) assembly and signaling pathway deregulation, which may cause frailty in LGMDR1 muscle fibers. Additionally, altered nuclear morphology, centrosome distribution and microtubule organization have been found in muscle cells derived from LGMDR1 patients.

Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) defects are the primary cause of inborn errors of energy metabolism. Despite considerable progress on their genetic basis, their global pathophysiological consequences remain undefined. Previous studies reported that OXPHOS dysfunction associated with complex III deficiency exacerbated the expression and mitochondrial location of cytoskeletal gelsolin (GSN) to promote cell survival responses. In humans, besides the cytosolic isoform, GSN presents a plasma isoform secreted to extracellular environments. We analyzed the interplay between both GSN isoforms in human cellular and clinical models of OXPHOS dysfunction. Regardless of its pathogenic origin, OXPHOS dysfunction induced the physiological upregulation of cytosolic GSN in the mitochondria (mGSN), in parallel with a significant downregulation of plasma GSN (pGSN) levels. Consequently, significantly high mGSN-to-pGSN ratios were associated with OXPHOS deficiency both in human cells and blood. In contrast, control cells subjected to hydrogen peroxide or staurosporine treatments showed no correlation between oxidative stress or cell death induction and the altered levels and subcellular location of GSN isoforms, suggesting their specificity for OXPHOS dysfunction. In conclusion, a high mitochondrial-to-plasma GSN ratio represents a useful cellular indicator of OXPHOS defects, with potential use for future research of a wide range of clinical conditions with mitochondrial involvement.

ObjectiveTo study baseline serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) levels as a prognostic biomarker in Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS).MethodsWe measured NfL in serum (98 samples) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (24 samples) of patients with GBS prospectively included in the International GBS Outcome Study (IGOS) in Spain using single-molecule array (SiMoA) and compared them with 53 healthy controls (HCs). We performed multivariable regression to analyse the association between sNfL levels and functional outcome at 1 year.ResultsPatients with GBS had higher NfL levels than HC in serum (55.49 pg/mL vs 9.83 pg/mL, p<0.0001) and CSF (1308.5 pg/mL vs 440.24 pg/mL, p=0.034). Patients with preceding diarrhoea had higher sNfL than patients with respiratory symptoms or no preceding infection (134.90 pg/mL vs 47.86 pg/mL vs 38.02 pg/mL, p=0.016). sNfL levels correlated with Guillain-Barré Syndrome Disability Score and Inflammatory Rasch-built Overall Disability Scale (I-RODS) at every timepoint. Patients with pure motor variant and Miller Fisher syndrome showed higher sNfL levels than patients with sensorimotor GBS (162.18 pg/mL vs 95.50 pg/mL vs 38.02 pg/mL, p=0.025). Patients with acute motor axonal neuropathy cute motor axonal neuropathy had higher sNfL levels than other variants (190.55 pg/mL vs 46.79 pg/mL, p=0.013). sNfL returned to normal levels at 1 year. High baseline sNfL levels were associated with inability to run (OR=1.65, 95% CI 1.14 to 2.40, p=0.009) and lower I-RODS (β −2.60, 95% CI −4.66 to −0.54, p=0.014) at 1 year. Cut-off points predicting clinically relevant outcomes at 1 year with high specificity were calculated: inability to walk independently (>319 pg/mL), inability to run (>248 pg/mL) and ability to run (<34 pg/mL).ConclusionBaseline sNfL levels are increased in patients with GBS, are associated with disease severity and axonal variants and have an independent prognostic value in patients with GBS.

Purpose Several hundred genetic muscle diseases have been described, all of which are rare. Their clinical and genetic heterogeneity means that a genetic diagnosis is challenging. We established an international consortium, MYO-SEQ, to aid the work-ups of muscle disease patients and to better understand disease etiology. Methods Exome sequencing was applied to 1001 undiagnosed patients recruited from more than 40 neuromuscular disease referral centers; standardized phenotypic information was collected for each patient. Exomes were examined for variants in 429 genes associated with muscle conditions. Results We identified suspected pathogenic variants in 52% of patients across 87 genes. We detected 401 novel variants, 116 of which were recurrent. Variants in CAPN3 , DYSF , ANO5 , DMD , RYR1 , TTN , COL6A2 , and SGCA collectively accounted for over half of the solved cases; while variants in newer disease genes, such as BVES and POGLUT1 , were also found. The remaining well-characterized unsolved patients (48%) need further investigation. Conclusion Using our unique infrastructure, we developed a pathway to expedite muscle disease diagnoses. Our data suggest that exome sequencing should be used for pathogenic variant detection in patients with suspected genetic muscle diseases, focusing first on the most common disease genes described here, and subsequently in rarer and newly characterized disease genes.

BackgroundUp to 7% of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) or Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) remain genetically undiagnosed after routine genetic testing. These patients are thought to carry deep intronic variants, structural variants or splicing alterations not detected through multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification or exome sequencing.MethodsRNA was extracted from seven muscle biopsy samples of patients with genetically undiagnosed DMD/BMD after routine genetic diagnosis. RT-PCR of the DMD gene was performed to detect the presence of alternative transcripts. Droplet digital PCR and whole-genome sequencing were also performed in some patients.ResultsWe identified an alteration in the mRNA level in all the patients. We detected three pseudoexons in DMD caused by deep intronic variants, two of them not previously reported. We also identified a chromosomal rearrangement between Xp21.2 and 8p22. Furthermore, we detected three exon skipping events with unclear pathogenicity.ConclusionThese findings indicate that mRNA analysis of the DMD gene is a valuable tool to reach a precise genetic diagnosis in patients with a clinical and anatomopathological suspicion of dystrophinopathy that remain genetically undiagnosed after routine genetic testing.

DNAJ/HSP40 co-chaperones are integral to the chaperone network, bind client proteins and recruit them to HSP70 for folding. We performed exome sequencing on patients with a presumed hereditary muscle disease and no genetic diagnosis. This identified four individuals from three unrelated families carrying an unreported homozygous stop gain (c.856A > T; p.Lys286Ter), or homozygous missense variants (c.74G > A; p.Arg25Gln and c.785 T > C; p.Leu262Ser) in DNAJB4 . Affected patients presented with axial rigidity and early respiratory failure requiring ventilator support between the 1st and 4th decade of life. Selective involvement of the semitendinosus and biceps femoris muscles was seen on MRI scans of the thigh. On biopsy, muscle was myopathic with angular fibers, protein inclusions and occasional rimmed vacuoles. DNAJB4 normally localizes to the Z-disc and was absent from muscle and fibroblasts of affected patients supporting a loss of function. Functional studies confirmed that the p.Lys286Ter and p.Leu262Ser mutant proteins are rapidly degraded in cells. In contrast, the p.Arg25Gln mutant protein is stable but failed to complement for DNAJB function in yeast, disaggregate client proteins or protect from heat shock-induced cell death consistent with its loss of function. DNAJB4 knockout mice had muscle weakness and fiber atrophy with prominent diaphragm involvement and kyphosis. DNAJB4 knockout muscle and myotubes had myofibrillar disorganization and accumulated Z-disc proteins and protein chaperones. These data demonstrate a novel chaperonopathy associated with DNAJB4 causing a myopathy with early respiratory failure. DNAJB4 loss of function variants may lead to the accumulation of DNAJB4 client proteins resulting in muscle dysfunction and degeneration.

BackgroundValosin-containing protein (VCP) disease, caused by mutations in the VCP gene, results in myopathy, Paget’s disease of bone (PBD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Natural history and genotype–phenotype correlation data are limited. This study characterises patients with mutations in VCP gene and investigates genotype–phenotype correlations.MethodsDescriptive retrospective international study collecting clinical and genetic data of patients with mutations in the VCP gene.ResultsTwo hundred and fifty-five patients (70.0% males) were included in the study. Mean age was 56.8±9.6 years and mean age of onset 45.6±9.3 years. Mean diagnostic delay was 7.7±6 years. Symmetric lower limb weakness was reported in 50% at onset progressing to generalised muscle weakness. Other common symptoms were ventilatory insufficiency 40.3%, PDB 28.2%, dysautonomia 21.4% and FTD 14.3%. Fifty-seven genetic variants were identified, 18 of these no previously reported. c.464G>A (p.Arg155His) was the most frequent variant, identified in the 28%. Full time wheelchair users accounted for 19.1% with a median time from disease onset to been wheelchair user of 8.5 years. Variant c.463C>T (p.Arg155Cys) showed an earlier onset (37.8±7.6 year) and a higher frequency of axial and upper limb weakness, scapular winging and cognitive impairment. Forced vital capacity (FVC) below 50% was as risk factor for being full-time wheelchair user, while FVC <70% and being a full-time wheelchair user were associated with death.ConclusionThis study expands the knowledge on the phenotypic presentation, natural history, genotype–phenotype correlations and risk factors for disease progression of VCP disease and is useful to improve the care provided to patient with this complex disease.