MRI-informed muscle biopsies correlate MRI with pathology and DUX4 target gene expression in FSHD.

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is a common, dominantly inherited disease caused by the epigenetic de-repression of the DUX4 gene, a transcription factor normally repressed in skeletal muscle. As targeted therapies are now possible in FSHD, a better understanding of the relationship between DUX4 activity, muscle pathology and muscle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) changes is crucial both to understand disease mechanisms and for the design of future clinical trials. Here, we performed MRIs of the lower extremities in 36 individuals with FSHD, followed by needle muscle biopsies in safely accessible muscles. We examined the correlation between MRI characteristics, muscle pathology and expression of DUX4 target genes. Results show that the presence of elevated MRI short tau inversion recovery signal has substantial predictive value in identifying muscles with active disease as determined by histopathology and DUX4 target gene expression. In addition, DUX4 target gene expression was detected only in FSHD-affected muscles and not in control muscles. These results support the use of MRI to identify FSHD muscles most likely to have active disease and higher levels of DUX4 target gene expression and might be useful in early phase therapeutic trials to demonstrate target engagement in therapies aiming to suppress DUX4 expression.

MRI change metrics of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy: Stir and T1.

INTRODUCTION: MRI evaluation in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) demonstrates fatty replacement and inflammation/edema in muscle. Our previous work demonstrated short T1 inversion recovery (STIR)-hyperintense (STIR+) signal in muscle 2 years before fatty replacement. We evaluated leg muscle STIR changes and fatty replacement within 14 months. METHODS: FSHD subjects received 2 MRI scans of thigh and calf over a 6.9- to 13.8-month interval. Quality of life measures were collected. One Radiologist rated muscle changes on a semi-quantitative scale. RESULTS: Fifteen subjects completed longitudinal imaging. Four STIR + muscles and 3 STIR-normal (STIR-) muscles were rated as progressing to fatty tissue over the study period. DISCUSSION: STIR + muscles with confluent regions of fat at baseline increased more in fat, while STIR- muscles had increases in septal-fat over the study period. These changes may reflect two phases of FSHD, demonstrating MRI sensitivity is weighted toward gross pathological phases of the disease. Muscle Nerve 57: 905-912, 2018.

Control of bone resorption in mice by Schnurri-3.

Mice lacking the large zinc finger protein Schnurri-3 (Shn3) display increased bone mass, in part, attributable to augmented osteoblastic bone formation. Here, we show that in addition to regulating bone formation, Shn3 indirectly controls bone resorption by osteoclasts in vivo. Although Shn3 plays no cell-intrinsic role in osteoclasts, Shn3-deficient animals show decreased serum markers of bone turnover. Mesenchymal cells lacking Shn3 are defective in promoting osteoclastogenesis in response to selective stimuli, likely attributable to reduced expression of the key osteoclastogenic factor receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand. The bone phenotype of Shn3-deficient mice becomes more pronounced with age, and mice lacking Shn3 are completely resistant to disuse osteopenia, a process that requires functional osteoclasts. Finally, selective deletion of Shn3 in the mesenchymal lineage recapitulates the high bone mass phenotype of global Shn3 KO mice, including reduced osteoclastic bone catabolism in vivo, indicating that Shn3 expression in mesenchymal cells directly controls osteoblastic bone formation and indirectly regulates osteoclastic bone resorption.

Longitudinal features of STIR bright signal in FSHD.

INTRODUCTION: Magnetic resonance imaging of muscle shows short tau-inversion recovery (STIR) brightness in autosomal dominant facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD1) suggestive of active inflammation/injury. We measured the longitudinal stability/progression of this potential disease biomarker. METHODS: Nine subjects underwent calf MRI imaging over 2 years. Two radiologists evaluated qualitative muscle changes. RESULTS: In 3/9 subjects, calf muscles demonstrated moderate/severe STIR hyperintensity at Time 1 that had progressed to fatty replacement 2 years later (Time 2). In the remaining subjects, moderate/severe muscle STIR abnormalities, when present, were consistent between exams. Mild STIR+ elevations had roughly similar patterns between exams. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate/severe STIR hyperintensities often foreshadow fatty replacement over a 2-year interval. Whether longer time courses are required to observe muscle degeneration and fatty replacement in some subjects remains to be explored.

Callosal alterations in pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy.

AIM: While there have been isolated reports of callosal morphology differences in pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy (PDE), a rare autosomal disorder caused by ALDH7A1 gene mutations, no study has systematically evaluated callosal features in a large sample of patients. This study sought to overcome this knowledge gap. METHOD: Spanning a wide age range from birth to 48 years, corpus callosum morphology and cross-sectional cerebral area were measured in 30 individuals with PDE (12 males, 18 females, median age 3.92y; 25th centile 0.27, 75th centile 15.25) compared to 30 age-matched comparison individuals (11 males, 19 females, median age 3.85y; 25th centile 0.26, 75th centile 16.00). Individuals with PDE were also divided into age groups to evaluate findings across development. As delay to treatment may modulate clinical severity, groups were stratified by treatment delay (less than or greater than 2wks from birth). RESULTS: Markedly reduced callosal area expressed as a ratio of mid-sagittal cerebral area was observed for the entire group with PDE (p<0.001). Stratifying by age (<1y, 1-10y, >10y) demonstrated posterior abnormalities to be a consistent feature, with anterior regions increasingly involved across the developmental trajectory. Splitting the PDE group by treatment lag did not reveal overall or sub-region callosal differences. INTERPRETATION: Callosal abnormalities are a common feature of PDE not explained by treatment lag. Future work utilizing tract-based approaches to understand inter- and intra-hemispheric connectivity patterns will help in the better understanding the structural aspects of this disease.

Transient muscle paralysis degrades bone via rapid osteoclastogenesis.

A unilateral injection of botulinum toxin A (BTxA) in the calf induces paralysis and profound loss of ipsalateral trabecular bone within days. However, the cellular mechanism underlying acute muscle paralysis-induced bone loss (MPIBL) is poorly understood. We hypothesized that MPIBL arises via rapid and extensive osteoclastogenesis. We performed a series of in vivo experiments to explore this thesis. First, we observed elevated levels of the proosteoclastogenic cytokine receptor activator for nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) within the proximal tibia metaphysis at 7 d after muscle paralysis (+113%, P<0.02). Accordingly, osteoclast numbers were increased 122% compared with the contralateral limb at 5 d after paralysis (P=0.04) and MPIBL was completely blocked by treatment with human recombinant osteoprotegerin (hrOPG). Further, conditional deletion of nuclear factor of activated T-cells c1 (NFATc1), the master regulator of osteoclastogenesis, completely inhibited trabecular bone loss (-2.2±11.9%, P<0.01). All experiments included negative control assessments of contralateral limbs and/or within-animal pre- and postintervention imaging. In summary, transient muscle paralysis induced acute RANKL-mediated osteoclastogenesis resulting in profound local bone resorption. Elucidation of the pathways that initiate osteoclastogenesis after paralysis may identify novel targets to inhibit bone loss and prevent fractures.

Tissue localization during resective epilepsy surgery.

OBJECT: Imaging-guided surgery (IGS) systems are widely used in neurosurgical practice. During epilepsy surgery, the authors routinely use IGS landmarks to localize intracranial electrodes and/or specific brain regions. The authors have developed a technique to coregister these landmarks with pre- and postoperative scans and the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) standard space brain MRI to allow 1) localization and identification of tissue anatomy; and 2) identification of Brodmann areas (BAs) of the tissue resected during epilepsy surgery. Tracking tissue in this fashion allows for better correlation of patient outcome to clinical factors, functional neuroimaging findings, and pathological characteristics and molecular studies of resected tissue. METHODS: Tissue samples were collected in 21 patients. Coordinates from intraoperative tissue localization were downloaded from the IGS system and transformed into patient space, as defined by preoperative high-resolution T1-weighted MRI volume. Tissue landmarks in patient space were then transformed into MNI standard space for identification of the BAs of the tissue samples. RESULTS: Anatomical locations of resected tissue were identified from the intraoperative resection landmarks. The BAs were identified for 17 of the 21 patients. The remaining patients had abnormal brain anatomy that could not be meaningfully coregistered with the MNI standard brain without causing extensive distortion. CONCLUSIONS: This coregistration and landmark tracking technique allows localization of tissue that is resected from patients with epilepsy and identification of the BAs for each resected region. The ability to perform tissue localization allows investigators to relate preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative functional and anatomical brain imaging to better understand patient outcomes, improve patient safety, and aid in research.

The magnetic resonance imaging spectrum of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.

INTRODUCTION: Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is associated with a repeat contraction in the D4Z4 gene locus on chromosome 4q35. We used a one-step quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method to evaluate muscle, edema, and fat in patients spanning the range of severity. METHODS: Fifteen patients with FSHD were compared with 10 healthy subjects using non-negative linear least-squares fitting of 32-echo relaxation data (T2). The results were compared with a biexponential approach for characterizing muscle/fat ratio and T2 relaxation measurements from fat-suppressed inversion recovery. RESULTS: Increased T2 signal consistent with edema was common in FSHD subjects, a pattern not present in healthy controls. A varied pattern of edema and fatty replacement in muscles was shown. CONCLUSIONS: As a discrete biomarker, edema may be useful for following the clinical course of FSHD. Future work toward optimizing measurement is discussed.

Laser Ablation Therapy for Pediatric Patients with Intracranial Lesions in Eloquent Areas.

BACKGROUND: Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is an alternative, less-invasive, and, in some circumstances, effective treatment for patients with intracranial pathology including epilepsy and some tumors. For intracranial lesions in eloquent areas, resection by conventional craniotomy proves often to be a challenge, including in the care of pediatric patients. Herein, we reviewed our experience with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided LITT as treatment for pediatric patients with intracranial lesions in eloquent areas and evaluate neurologic function and clinical outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients with intracranial lesions in eloquent speech and motor areas who underwent MRI-guided LITT. Clinical evaluation, including neurologic function and neuropsychological testing, was conducted according to clinical considerations. MRI pre- and postoperative imaging was reviewed to compare the change of lesion size. RESULTS: Five pediatric patients received MRI-guided LITT of intracranial lesions in eloquent cortex. One patient experienced complications secondary to MRI-guided LITT, but neither was discharged with a neurologic deficit. CONCLUSIONS: For intracranial lesions in the eloquent cortex, conventional craniotomy with surgical resection is a challenge for neurosurgeons, especially pediatric patients. MRI-guided LITT provides a less-invasive and potentially effective option for treatment in the management of pediatric epilepsy and tumors.

32 wk old C3H/HeJ mice actively respond to mechanical loading.

Numerous studies indicate that C3H/HeJ (C3H) mice are mildly responsive to mechanical loading compared to C57BL/6J (C57) mice. Guided by data indicating high baseline periosteal osteoblast activity in 16 wk C3H mice, we speculated that simply allowing the C3H mice to age until basal periosteal bone formation was equivalent to that of 16 wk C57 mice would restore mechanoresponsiveness in C3H mice. We tested this hypothesis by subjecting the right tibiae of 32 wk old C3H mice and 16 wk old C57 mice to low magnitude rest-inserted loading (peak strain: 1235 mu epsilon) and then exposing the right tibiae of 32 wk C3H mice to low (1085 mu epsilon) or moderate (1875 mu epsilon) magnitude cyclic loading. The osteoblastic response to loading on the endocortical and periosteal surfaces was evaluated via dynamic histomorphometry. At 32 wk of age, C3H mice responded to low magnitude rest-inserted loading with significantly elevated periosteal mineralizing surface, mineral apposition rate and bone formation compared to unloaded contralateral bones. Surprisingly, the periosteal bone formation induced by low magnitude rest-inserted loading in C3H mice exceeded that induced in 16 wk C57 mice. At 32 wk of age, C3H mice also demonstrated an elevated response to increased magnitudes of cyclic loading. We conclude that a high level of basal osteoblast function in 16 wk C3H mice appears to overwhelm the ability of the tissue to respond to an otherwise anabolic mechanical loading stimulus. However, when basal surface osteoblast activity is equivalent to that of 16 wk C57 mice, C3H mice demonstrate a clear ability to respond to either rest-inserted or cyclic loading.

Preservation of electrophysiological functional connectivity after partial corpus callosotomy: case report.

Prior studies of functional connectivity following callosotomy have disagreed in the observed effects on interhemispheric functional connectivity. These connectivity studies, in multiple electrophysiological methods and functional MRI, have found conflicting reductions in connectivity or patterns resembling typical individuals. The authors examined a case of partial anterior corpus callosum connection, where pairs of bilateral electrocorticographic electrodes had been placed over homologous regions in the left and right hemispheres. They sorted electrode pairs by whether their direct corpus callosum connection had been disconnected or preserved using diffusion tensor imaging and native anatomical MRI, and they estimated functional connectivity between pairs of electrodes over homologous regions using phase-locking value. They found no significant differences in any frequency band between pairs of electrodes that had their corpus callosum connection disconnected and those that had an intact connection. The authors' results may imply that the corpus callosum is not an obligatory mediator of connectivity between homologous sites in opposite hemispheres. This interhemispheric synchronization may also be linked to disruption of seizure activity.

Changes in resting-state connectivity in pediatric temporal lobe epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE Functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging (fcMRI) is a form of fMRI that allows for analysis of blood oxygen level-dependent signal changes within a task-free, resting paradigm. This technique has been shown to have efficacy in evaluating network connectivity changes with epilepsy. Presurgical data from patients with unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy were evaluated using the fcMRI technique to define connectivity changes within and between the diseased and healthy temporal lobes using a within-subjects design. METHODS Using presurgical fcMRI data from pediatric patients with unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy, the authors performed seed-based analyses within the diseased and healthy temporal lobes. Connectivity within and between temporal lobe seeds was measured and compared. RESULTS In the cohort studied, local ipsilateral temporal lobe connectivity was significantly increased on the diseased side compared to the healthy temporal lobe. Connectivity of the diseased side to the healthy side, on the other hand, was significantly reduced when compared to connectivity of the healthy side to the diseased temporal lobe. A statistically significant regression was observed when comparing the changes in local ipsilateral temporal lobe connectivity to the changes in inter-temporal lobe connectivity. A statistically significant difference was also noted in ipsilateral connectivity changes between patients with and those without mesial temporal sclerosis. CONCLUSIONS Using fcMRI, significant changes in ipsilateral temporal lobe and inter-temporal lobe connectivity can be appreciated in unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy. Furthermore, fcMRI may have a role in the presurgical evaluation of patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy.

Geometric morphometrics reveal altered corpus callosum shape in pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the features and maturational changes in overall callosal shape in patients with pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy (PDE). METHODS: Measurements were conducted through landmark-based geometric morphometrics applied on cerebral MRIs of patients with PDE and age-matched control subjects. The outline of the corpus callosum was manually traced in the midsagittal plane. Three hundred semi-landmarks along the outline were collected and underwent statistical generalized Procrustes analysis. An allometric regression was applied to evaluate the callosal shape due to growth over time. RESULTS: Thirty-eight patients with PDE and 38 age- and sex-matched control subjects were included. Mean age at the time of the MRI in the patient group was 9.3 years (median 6.3 years, range 0.01-48 years). Significant differences (p < 0.01) in the mean callosal shape between patients and controls were found. The allometric regression model revealed significant shape variations (p < 0.01) between the 2 study groups across the developmental course after controlling for the effect of callosal size on shape. This latter effect turned out to be significant as well (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with PDE show an altered callosal shape and variations in callosal ontogeny, which are likely secondary to the underlying genetic defect with abnormal function of antiquitin, the product of the ALDH7A1 gene.

Rest-inserted loading rapidly amplifies the response of bone to small increases in strain and load cycles.

We hypothesized that a 10-s rest interval (at zero load) inserted between each load cycle would increase the osteogenic effects of mechanical loading near previously identified thresholds for strain magnitude and cycle numbers. We tested our hypothesis by subjecting the right tibiae of female C57BL/6J mice (16 wk, n = 70) to exogenous mechanical loading within a peri-threshold physiological range of strain magnitudes and load cycle numbers using a noninvasive murine tibia loading device. Bone responses to mechanical loading were determined via dynamic histomorphometry. More specifically, we contrasted bone formation induced by cyclic vs. rest-inserted loading (10-s rest at zero load inserted between each load cycle) by first varying peak strains (1,000, 1,250, or 1,600 micro epsilon) at fixed cycle numbers (50 cycles/day, 3 days/wk for 3 wk) and then varying cycle numbers (10, 50, or 250 cycles/day) at a fixed strain magnitude (1,250 micro epsilon). Within the range of strain magnitudes tested, the slope of periosteal bone formation rate (p.BFR/BS) with increasing strain magnitudes was significantly increased by rest-inserted compared with cyclical loading. Within the range of load cycles tested, the slope of p.BFR/BS with increasing load cycles of rest-inserted loading was also significantly increased by rest-inserted compared with cyclical loading. In sum, the data of this study indicate that inserting a 10-s rest interval between each load cycle amplifies bone's response to mechanical loading, even within a peri-threshold range of strain magnitudes and cycle numbers.

A cross sectional study of two independent cohorts identifies serum biomarkers for facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD).

Measuring the severity and progression of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is particularly challenging because muscle weakness progresses over long periods of time and can be sporadic. Biomarkers are essential for measuring disease burden and testing treatment strategies. We utilized the sensitive, specific, high-throughput SomaLogic proteomics platform of 1129 proteins to identify proteins with levels that correlate with FSHD severity in a cross-sectional study of two independent cohorts. We discovered biomarkers that correlate with clinical severity and disease burden measured by magnetic resonance imaging. Sixty-eight proteins in the Rochester cohort (n = 48) and 51 proteins in the Seattle cohort (n = 30) had significantly different levels in FSHD-affected individuals when compared with controls (p-value ≤ .005). A subset of these varied by at least 1.5 fold and four biomarkers were significantly elevated in both cohorts. Levels of creatine kinase MM and MB isoforms, carbonic anhydrase III, and troponin I type 2 reliably predicted the disease state and correlated with disease severity. Other novel biomarkers were also discovered that may reveal mechanisms of disease pathology. Assessing the levels of these biomarkers during clinical trials may add significance to other measures of quantifying disease progression or regression.

Corpus Callosum Diffusion and Connectivity Features in High Functioning Subjects With Pyridoxine-Dependent Epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: In this observational study, white matter structure, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) task-based responses, and functional connectivity were assessed in four subjects with high functioning pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy and age-matched control subjects. METHODS: Four male subjects with pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy (mean age 31 years 8 months, standard deviation 12 years 3 months) and age-matched control subjects (32 years 4 months, standard deviation 13 years) were recruited to participate in the study. Diffusion tensor data were collected and postprocessed in Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain Software Library to quantify corpus callosum tracts as a means to assess white matter structure. Task-based fMRI data were collected and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain Software Library used to assess task response. The fMRI resting-state data were analyzed with the functional connectivity toolbox Conn to determine functional connectivity. RESULTS: Subjects with high functioning pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy retained structural white matter connectivity compared with control subjects, despite morphologic differences in the posterior corpus callosum. fMRI task-based results did not differ between subjects with pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy and control subjects; functional connectivity as measured with resting-state fMRI was lower in subjects with pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy for several systems (memory, somatosensory, auditory). CONCLUSION: Although corpus callosum morphology is diminished in the posterior portions, structural connectivity was retained in subjects with pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy, while functional connectivity was diminished for memory, somatosensory, and auditory systems.

Enabling bone formation in the aged skeleton via rest-inserted mechanical loading.

The mild and moderate physical activity most successfully implemented in the elderly has proven ineffective in augmenting bone mass. We have recently reported that inserting 10 s of unloaded rest between load cycles transformed low-magnitude loading into a potent osteogenic regimen for both adolescent and adult animals. Here, we extended our observations and hypothesized that inserting rest between load cycles will initiate and enhance bone formation in the aged skeleton. Aged female C57BL/6 mice (21.5 months) were subject to 2-week mechanical loading protocols utilizing the noninvasive murine tibia loading device. We tested our hypothesis by examining whether (a) inserting 10 s of rest between low-magnitude load cycles can initiate bone formation in aged mice and (b) whether bone formation response in aged animals can be further enhanced by doubling strain magnitudes, inserting rest between these load cycles, and increasing the number of high-magnitude rest-inserted load cycles. We found that 50 cycles/day of low-magnitude cyclic loading (1200 microepsilon peak strain) did not influence bone formation rates in aged animals. In contrast, inserting 10 s of rest between each of these low-magnitude load cycles was sufficient to initiate and significantly increase periosteal bone formation (fivefold versus intact controls and twofold versus low-magnitude loading). However, otherwise potent strategies of doubling induced strain magnitude (to 2400 microepsilon) and inserting rest (10 s, 20 s) and, lastly, utilizing fivefold the number of high-magnitude rest-inserted load cycles (2400 microepsilon, 250 cycles/day) were not effective in enhancing bone formation beyond that initiated via low-magnitude rest-inserted loading. We conclude that while rest-inserted loading was significantly more osteogenic in aged animals than the corresponding low-magnitude cyclic loading regimen, age-related osteoblastic deficits most likely diminished the ability to optimize this stimulus.

The relation between cavitation and platelet aggregation during exposure to high-intensity focused ultrasound.

Our previous study showed that high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is capable of producing "primary acoustic hemostasis" in the form of ultrasound (US)-induced platelet activation, aggregation and adhesion to a collagen-coated surface. In the current study, 1.1 MHz continuous-wave HIFU was used to investigate the role of cavitation as a mechanism for platelet aggregation in samples of platelet-rich plasma. A 5 MHz passive cavitation detector was used to monitor cavitation activity and laser aggregometry was used to measure platelet aggregation. Using spatial average intensities from 0 to 3350 W/cm2, the effects of HIFU-induced cavitation on platelet aggregation were investigated by enhancing cavitation activity through use of US contrast agents and by limiting cavitation activity through use of an overpressure system. Our results show that increased cavitation activity lowers the intensity threshold to produce platelet aggregation and decreased cavitation activity in the overpressure system raises the intensity threshold for platelet aggregation.