Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.1.1.8 (cholinesterase)
 12,691 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Congenital myasthenic syndromes are rare genetic disorders compromising neuromuscular transmission. The defects are mainly mutations in the muscle acetylcholine receptor, or associated proteins rapsyn and Dok-7. We analyzed three unrelated Italian patients with typical clinical features of congenital myasthenic syndrome, who all benefitted from cholinesterase inhibitors. We found five mutations: a previously unreported homozygous alphaG378D mutation in the CHRNA1 gene, a previously unreported heterozygous epsilonY8X mutation associated with a known heterozygous epsilonM292del deletion in the CHRNE gene, and the common heterozygous N88K mutation associated with a previously unreported heterozygous IVS1 + 2T > G splice site mutation in the RAPSN gene. All three patients had two mutant alleles; parents or offspring with a single mutated allele were asymptomatic, thus all mutations exerted their effects recessively. The previously unreported mutations are likely to reduce the number of AChRs at the motor endplate, although the alphaG378D mutation might produce a mild fast channel syndrome. The alphaG378D mutation was recessive, but recessive CHRNA1 mutations have rarely been reported previously, so studies on the effect of this mutation at the cellular level would be of interest.
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PMID:Identification of previously unreported mutations in CHRNA1, CHRNE and RAPSN genes in three unrelated Italian patients with congenital myasthenic syndromes. 2015 24

Congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS) are a heterogeneous group of disorders caused by genetic defects affecting neuromuscular transmission and leading to muscle weakness accentuated by exertion. Three different aspects have been investigated by members of the national French CMS Network: the difficulties in making a proper diagnosis; the course and long-term prognosis; and the response to therapy, especially for CMS that do not respond to cholinesterase inhibitors. CMS diagnosis is late in most cases because of confusion with other entities such as: congenital myopathies, due to the frequent presentation in patients of myopathies such as permanent muscle weakness, atrophy and scoliosis, and the abnormalities of internal structure, diameter and distribution of fibers (type I predominance, type II atrophy) seen on biopsy; seronegative autoimmune myasthenia gravis, when CMS is of late onset; and metabolic myopathy, with the presence of lipidosis in muscle. The long-term prognosis of CMS was studied in a series of 79 patients recruited with the following gene mutations: CHRNA; CHRNE; DOK7; COLQ; RAPSN; AGRN; and MUSK. Disease-course patterns (progressive worsening, exacerbation, stability, improvement) could be variable throughout life in a given patient. DOK7 patients had the most severe disease course with progressive worsening: of the eight wheelchair-bound and ventilated patients, six had mutations of this gene. Pregnancy was a frequent cause of exacerbation. Anticholinesterase agents are the first-line therapy for CMS patients, except for cases of slow-channel CMS, COLQ and DOK7. In our experience, 3,4-DAP was a useful complement for several patients harboring CMS with AChR loss or RAPSN gene mutations. Ephedrine was given to 18 patients (eight DOK7, five COLQ, four AGRN and one RAPSN). Tolerability was good. Therapeutic responses were encouraging even in the most severely affected patients, particularly with DOK7 and COLQ. Salbutamol was a good alternative in one patient who was allergic to ephedrine.
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PMID:[Congenital myasthenic syndromes: difficulties in the diagnosis, course and prognosis, and therapy--The French National Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome Network experience]. 2345 72