Mutations in BAG3 cause adult-onset Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease

Introduction

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is an umbrella term for more than 90 different genetic causes of inherited peripheral neuropathies (http://hihg.med.miami.edu/code/http/cmt/public_html/index.html#/) and has an estimated prevalence of 1 in 2500. Most cases present within the first two decades of life but increasing axonal genetic subtypes (CMT2) first present in adulthood. Identifying additional genes causing CMT2 is important because these can identify molecular pathways involved in axonal degeneration and enable development of rational therapies for these and related disorders.

We have used whole exome sequencing (WES) to identify two families with CMT2 caused by mutations in the Bcl2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3). Mutations in BAG3 have previously been shown to cause a myofibrillar myopathy1 2 often associated with cardiomyopathy that usually presents in childhood. Children have been reported with peripheral neuropathy in addition to myopathy3 and/or cardiomyopathy.4

Genetic testing

Genomic...

from #ORL-AlexandrosSfakianakis via ola Kala on Inoreader http://ift.tt/2C8ybBe