Merosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy. Partial genetic correction in two mouse models.

W Kuang; H Xu; P H Vachon; L Liu; F Loechel; U M Wewer; E Engvall

doi:10.1172/JCI3705

The Burnham Institute, La Jolla Cancer Research Center, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.

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The Burnham Institute, La Jolla Cancer Research Center, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.

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The Burnham Institute, La Jolla Cancer Research Center, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.

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The Burnham Institute, La Jolla Cancer Research Center, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.

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The Burnham Institute, La Jolla Cancer Research Center, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.

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The Burnham Institute, La Jolla Cancer Research Center, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.

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The Burnham Institute, La Jolla Cancer Research Center, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.

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Published in Volume 102, Issue 4 on August 15, 1998
J Clin Invest. 1998;102(4):844–852. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI3705.
© 1998 The American Society for Clinical Investigation

Published August 15, 1998 - Version history

Humans and mice with deficiency of the alpha2 subunit of the basement membrane protein laminin-2/merosin suffer from merosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy (MCMD). We have expressed a human laminin alpha2 chain transgene under the regulation of a muscle-specific creatine kinase promoter in mice with complete or partial deficiency of merosin. The transgene restores the synthesis and localization of merosin in skeletal muscle, and greatly improves muscle morphology and integrity and the health and longevity of the mice. However, the transgenic mice share with the nontransgenic dystrophic mice a progressive lameness of hind legs, suggestive of a nerve defect. These results indicate that the absence of merosin in tissues other than the muscle, such as nervous tissue, is a critical component of MCMD. Future gene therapies of human MCMD, and perhaps of other forms of muscular dystrophy, may require restoration of the defective gene product in multiple tissues.

Version 1 (August 15, 1998): No description

Merosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy. Partial genetic correction in two mouse models.

W Kuang, H Xu, P H Vachon, L Liu, F Loechel, U M Wewer, and E Engvall

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Merosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy. Partial genetic correction in two mouse models.

W Kuang, H Xu, P H Vachon, L Liu, F Loechel, U M Wewer, and E Engvall

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