Nemaline myopathy with minicores caused by mutation of the CFL2 gene encoding the skeletal muscle actin-binding protein, cofilin-2
Pankaj B Agrawal, Rebecca S Greenleaf, Kinga K Tomczak, Vilma-Lotta Lehtokari, Carina Wallgren-Pettersson, William Wallefeld, Nigel G Laing, Basil T Darras, Sutherland K Maciver, Philip R Dormitzer, Alan H Beggs, Pankaj B Agrawal, Rebecca S Greenleaf, Kinga K Tomczak, Vilma-Lotta Lehtokari, Carina Wallgren-Pettersson, William Wallefeld, Nigel G Laing, Basil T Darras, Sutherland K Maciver, Philip R Dormitzer, Alan H Beggs
Abstract
Nemaline myopathy (NM) is a congenital myopathy characterized by muscle weakness and nemaline bodies in affected myofibers. Five NM genes, all encoding components of the sarcomeric thin filament, are known. We report identification of a sixth gene, CFL2, encoding the actin-binding protein muscle cofilin-2, which is mutated in two siblings with congenital myopathy. The proband's muscle contained characteristic nemaline bodies, as well as occasional fibers with minicores, concentric laminated bodies, and areas of F-actin accumulation. Her affected sister's muscle was reported to exhibit nonspecific myopathic changes. Cofilin-2 levels were significantly lower in the proband's muscle, and the mutant protein was less soluble when expressed in Escherichia coli, suggesting that deficiency of cofilin-2 may result in reduced depolymerization of actin filaments, causing their accumulation in nemaline bodies, minicores, and, possibly, concentric laminated bodies.
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Source: PubMed