Genetic Landscape of SH3TC2 variants in Russian patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.

Introduction: Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 4C (CMT4C) OMIM#601596 stands out as one of the most prevalent forms of recessive motor sensory neuropathy worldwide. This disorder results from biallelic pathogenic variants in the SH3TC2 gene. Methods: Within a cohort comprising 700 unrelated Russian patients diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, we conducted a gene panel analysis encompassing 21 genes associated with hereditary neuropathies. Among the cohort, 394 individuals exhibited demyelinating motor and sensory neuropathy. Results and discussion: Notably, 10 cases of CMT4C were identified within this cohort. The prevalence of CMT4C among Russian demyelinating CMT patients lacking the PMP22 duplication is estimated at 2.5%, significantly differing from observations in European populations. In total, 4 novel and 9 previously reported variants in the SH3TC2 gene were identified. No accumulation of a major variant was detected. Three previously reported variants, c.2860C>T p. (Arg954*), p. (Arg658Cys) and c.279G>A p. (Lys93Lys), recurrently detected in unrelated families. Nucleotide alteration p. (Arg954*) is present in most of our patients (30%).

Genetic spectrum of sarcoglycanopathies in a cohort of Russian patients.

Sarcoglycanopathies encompass four distinct forms of limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMD), denoted as LGMD R3-R6, arising from mutations within the SGCA, SGCB, SGCG, and SGCD genes. The global prevalence of sarcoglycanopathies is low, making it challenging to study these diseases. The principal objective of this study was to explore the spectrum of mutations in a cohort of Russian patients with sarcoglycanopathies and to ascertain the frequency of these conditions in the Russian Federation. We conducted a retrospective analysis of clinical and molecular genetic data from 49 Russian patients with sarcoglycan genes variants. The results indicated that variants in the SGCA gene were found in 71.4% of cases, with SGCB and SGCG genes each exhibiting variants in 12.2 % of patients. SGCD gene variants were detected in 4.1% of cases. Bi-allelic pathogenic and likely pathogenic variants were identified in 46 of the 49 cases of sarcoglycanopathies: LGMD R3 (n = 34), LGMD R4 (n = 4), LGMD R5 (n = 6), and LGMD R6 (n = 2). A total of 31 distinct variants were identified, comprising 25 previously reported and 6 novel variants. Two major variants, c.229C>T and c.271G>A, were detected within the SGCA, constituting 61.4% of all mutant alleles in Russian patients with LGMD R3. Both LGMD R6 cases were caused by the homozygous nonsense variant c.493C>T p.(Arg165Ter) in the SGCD gene. The incidence of sarcoglycanopathies in the Russian Federation was estimated to be at least 1 in 4,115,039, which is lower than the reported incidence in other populations.

Pathomechanisms of a CLCN1 Mutation Found in a Russian Family Suffering From Becker's Myotonia.

Objective: Myotonia congenita (MC) is a rare muscle disease characterized by sarcolemma over-excitability inducing skeletal muscle stiffness. It can be inherited either as an autosomal dominant (Thomsen's disease) or an autosomal recessive (Becker's disease) trait. Both types are caused by loss-of-function mutations in the CLCN1 gene, encoding for ClC-1 chloride channel. We found a ClC-1 mutation, p.G411C, identified in Russian patients who suffered from a severe form of Becker's disease. The purpose of this study was to provide a solid correlation between G411C dysfunction and clinical symptoms in the affected patient. Methods: We provide clinical and genetic information of the proband kindred. Functional studies include patch-clamp electrophysiology, biotinylation assay, western blot analysis, and confocal imaging of G411C and wild-type ClC-1 channels expressed in HEK293T cells. Results: The G411C mutation dramatically abolished chloride currents in transfected HEK cells. Biochemical experiments revealed that the majority of G411C mutant channels did not reach the plasma membrane but remained trapped in the cytoplasm. Treatment with the proteasome inhibitor MG132 reduced the degradation rate of G411C mutant channels, leading to their expression at the plasma membrane. However, despite an increase in cell surface expression, no significant chloride current was recorded in the G411C-transfected cell treated with MG132, suggesting that this mutation produces non-functional ClC-1 chloride channels. Conclusion: These results suggest that the molecular pathophysiology of G411C is linked to a reduced plasma membrane expression and biophysical dysfunction of mutant channels, likely due to a misfolding defect. Chloride current abolition confirms that the mutation is responsible for the clinical phenotype.

Carbon nucleophilicities of indoles in S(N)Ar substitutions of superelectrophilic 7-chloro-4,6-dinitrobenzofuroxan and -benzofurazan.

Superelectrophilic 7-chloro-4,6-dinitrobenzofuroxan (DNBF-Cl) and 7-chloro-4,6-dinitrobenzofurazan (DNBZ-Cl) are shown to undergo facile carbon-carbon couplings with a series of weak carbon nucleophiles consisting of a number of differently substituted indoles, 1,2,5-trimethylpyrrole and azulene, in acetonitrile. Despite the fact that steric effects preclude a coplanarity of the donor and acceptor moieties, the resulting substitution products are subject to an intense intramolecular charge transfer. A kinetic study of the various substitutions has been carried out. The absence of a significant dependence of the rates of coupling on the hydrogen or deuterium labeling at the reactive center of the nucleophiles indicates that the reactions take place through an SEAr-SNAr mechanism with the initial nucleophilic addition step being rate-limiting. A vicarious-type substitution is shown to be unreasonable. Referring to Mayr nucleophilicity parameters (N), which have become recently available for a large set of indoles, the electrophilicity of DNBF-Cl and DNBZ-Cl, could be ranked on the general electrophilicity scale E developed by this author (Acc. Chem. Res. 2003, 36, 66). With essentially similar E values of -6.1, these two compounds have an electrophilicity which approaches that of cationic stuctures such as 4-nitrobenzenediazonium cation or tropylium cations. Most important in the context of SNAr substitutions, DNBF-Cl and DNBZ-Cl are 7 orders of magnitude more electrophilic than picryl chloride, the conventional reference electrophile in this field. It is this so far unique behavior which allows the facile coupling of DNBF-Cl and DNBZ-Cl with such weak carbon nucleophiles as indoles. Based on a nice Brönsted-type correlation for 5-X-substituted indoles, the unknown pKaCH values measuring the Brönsted C-basicity of several N-benzylindoles could be readily estimated. The influence of some steric effects in 2-methylindole systems is pointed out.

Expanding the importance of HMERF titinopathy: new mutations and clinical aspects.

OBJECTIVE: Hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure (HMERF) is caused by titin A-band mutations in exon 344 and considered quite rare. Respiratory insufficiency is an early symptom. A collection of families and patients with muscle disease suggestive of HMERF was clinically and genetically studied. METHODS: Altogether 12 new families with 19 affected patients and diverse nationalities were studied. Most of the patients were investigated using targeted next-generation sequencing; Sanger sequencing was applied in some of the patients and available family members. Histological data and muscle MRI findings were evaluated. RESULTS: Three families had several family members studied while the rest were single patients. Most patients had distal and proximal muscle weakness together with respiratory insufficiency. Five heterozygous TTN A-band mutations were identified of which two were novel. Also with the novel mutations the muscle pathology and imaging findings were compatible with the previous reports of HMERF. CONCLUSIONS: Our collection of 12 new families expands mutational spectrum with two new mutations identified. HMERF is not that rare and can be found worldwide, but maybe underdiagnosed. Diagnostic process seems to be complex as this study shows with mostly single patients without clear dominant family history.