Painful cramps and giant myotonic discharges in a family with the Nav1.4-G1306A mutation

Mouse models of non-dystrophic and dystrophic myotonia exhibit nociplastic pain-like behaviors

Pain is a prominent and debilitating symptom in myotonic disorders, yet its physiological mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study assessed preclinical pain-like behavior in murine models of pharmacologically induced myotonia and myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). In both myotonia congenita and DM1, impairment of the CLCN1 gene, which encodes skeletal muscle voltage-gated CLC-1 chloride channels, reduces chloride ion conductance in skeletal muscle cells, leading to prolonged muscle excitability and delayed relaxation after contraction. We used the CLC-1 antagonist anthracene-9-carboxylic acid (9-AC) at intraperitoneal doses of 30 or 60 mg/kg and HSA LR20b DM1 mice to model CLC-1-induced myotonia. Our experimental approach included in vivo pain behavioral testing, ex vivo calcium imaging, and whole-cell current-clamp electrophysiology in mouse dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. A single injection of 9-AC induced myotonia in mice, which persisted for several hours and resulted in long-lasting allodynic pain-like behavior. Similarly, HSA LR20b mice exhibited both allodynia and hyperalgesia. Despite these pain-like behaviors, DRG neurons did not show signs of hyperexcitability in either myotonic model. These findings suggest that myotonia induces nociplastic pain-like behavior in preclinical rodents, likely through central sensitization mechanisms rather than peripheral sensitization. This study provides insights into the pathophysiology of pain in myotonic disorders and highlights the potential of using myotonic mouse models to explore pain mechanisms and assess novel analgesics. Future research should focus on the central mechanisms involved in myotonia-induced pain and develop targeted therapies to alleviate this significant clinical burden.

Coexistence of Charcot-Marie-Tooth 1A and nondystrophic myotonia due to PMP22 duplication and SCN4A pathogenic variants: a case report

BACKGROUND

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is a genetically heterogeneous hereditary neuropathy, and CMT1A is the most common form; it is caused by a duplication of the peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP22) gene. Mutations in the transient sodium channel Nav1.4 alpha subunit (SCN4A) gene underlie a diverse group of dominantly inherited nondystrophic myotonias that run the spectrum from subclinical myopathy to severe muscle stiffness, disabling weakness, or frank episodes of paralysis.

CASE PRESENTATION

We describe a Chinese family affected by both CMT1A and myotonia with concomitant alterations in both the PMP22 and SCN4A genes. In this family, the affected proband inherited the disease from his father in an autosomal dominant manner. Genetic analysis confirmed duplication of the PMP22 gene and a missense c.3917G > C (p. Gly1306Ala) mutation in SCN4A in both the proband and his father. The clinical phenotype in the proband showed the combined involvement of skeletal muscle and peripheral nerves. Electromyography showed myopathic changes, including myotonic discharges. MRI revealed the concurrence of neurogenic and myogenic changes in the lower leg muscles. Sural nerve biopsies revealed a chronic demyelinating and remyelinating process with onion bulb formations in the proband. The proband's father presented with confirmed subclinical myopathy, very mild distal atrophy and proximal hypertrophy of the lower leg muscles, pes cavus, and areflexia.

CONCLUSION

This study reports the coexistence of PMP22 duplication and SCN4A mutation. The presenting features in this family suggested that both neuropathy and myopathy were inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. The proband had a typical phenotype of sodium channel myotonia (SCM) and CMT1A. However, his father with the same mutations presented a much milder clinical phenotype. Our study might expand the genetic and phenotypic spectra of neuromuscular disorders with concomitant mutations.

Pain as a significant symptom in patients with periodic paralysis-A cross-sectional survey

INTRODUCTION

Periodic paralysis (PP) is thought to be limited to episodes of muscle weakness, but there are reports of fibromyalgia-like pain in PP. We aimed to evaluate pain and comorbid sleep, fatigue, and mood disorders in PP patients.

METHODS

We administered a cross-sectional survey to PP patients at the 2019 Periodic Paralysis Conference. The survey consisted of the Brief Pain Inventory, Widespread Pain Index, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Modified Fatigue Impact Scale, and ten-question Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10). Descriptive statistics for PP patients were calculated and compared with earlier studies.

RESULTS

Forty-four individuals with PP took the survey. Of these patients, 52.3% reported a moderate to severe interference of pain on their lives, and 45.5% met the study criteria for fibromyalgia. Patients with SCN4A mutations had higher rates of fibromyalgia than the next most prevalent gene mutation, CACNA1S. In patients with pain, there were increased rates of comorbid fatigue, depression, and poor sleep quality.

DISCUSSION

Pain, akin to fibromyalgia, is a significant symptom of PP and can affect quality of life. Pain in PP was more prevalent than in the general population, at a rate comparable with other chronic neuromuscular disease groups. PP patients could benefit from a multidisciplinary approach to assess their pain, sleep, fatigue, and mood.

Targeted Therapies for Skeletal Muscle Ion Channelopathies: Systematic Review and Steps Towards Precision Medicine

BACKGROUND

Skeletal muscle ion channelopathies include non-dystrophic myotonias (NDM), periodic paralyses (PP), congenital myasthenic syndrome, and recently identified congenital myopathies. The treatment of these diseases is mainly symptomatic, aimed at reducing muscle excitability in NDM or modifying triggers of attacks in PP.

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review collected the evidences regarding effects of pharmacological treatment on muscle ion channelopathies, focusing on the possible link between treatments and genetic background.

METHODS

We searched databases for randomized clinical trials (RCT) and other human studies reporting pharmacological treatments. Preclinical studies were considered to gain further information regarding mutation-dependent drug effects. All steps were performed by two independent investigators, while two others critically reviewed the entire process.

RESULTS

For NMD, RCT showed therapeutic benefits of mexiletine and lamotrigine, while other human studies suggest some efficacy of various sodium channel blockers and of the carbonic anhydrase inhibitor (CAI) acetazolamide. Preclinical studies suggest that mutations may alter sensitivity of the channel to sodium channel blockers in vitro, which has been translated to humans in some cases. For hyperkalemic and hypokalemic PP, RCT showed efficacy of the CAI dichlorphenamide in preventing paralysis. However, hypokalemic PP patients carrying sodium channel mutations may have fewer benefits from CAI compared to those carrying calcium channel mutations. Few data are available for treatment of congenital myopathies.

CONCLUSIONS

These studies provided limited information about the response to treatments of individual mutations or groups of mutations. A major effort is needed to perform human studies for designing a mutation-driven precision medicine in muscle ion channelopathies.

The effect of ethanol extract of Glycyrrhiza uralensis on the voltage-gated sodium channel subtype 1.4

To investigate the inhibitory effect of Glycyrrhiza uralensis (G. uralensis) and its monomeric compounds on Nav1.4 voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) and analyze the relationship between the content of its marker compounds and the inhibitory rate. Based on this study, we found that 4 mg/ml ethanol extract of G. uralensis at 30%, 50%, 70% and 90% (v/v) exhibited 77.00 ± 0.03%, 34.75 ± 0.09%, 100.00 ± 0.01% and 2.00 ± 0.01% inhibitory rates on I_Nav1.4 respectively, and 8 mg/ml ethanol extract of G. uralensis at 30%, 50%, 70% and 90% (v/v) exhibited 99.00 ± 0.01%, 97.10 ± 0.02%, 100.00 ± 0.01% and 17.00 ± 0.04% inhibitory rates on I_Nav1.4 respectively. Isoliquiritigenin, echinatin, liquiritin and glycyrrhizic acid exhibited higher inhibitory rates of 39.98 ± 4.55%, 33.20 ± 1.61%, 22.62 ± 0.30% and 20.54 ± 4.82% respectively. However, liquiritigenin, formononetin, neoisoliquiritin and glycyrrhetinic acid exhibited lower inhibitory rates of less than 20%. Further, liquiritin apioside, isoliquiritin and neoliquiritin exhibited almost no effect on I_Nav1.4. These findings showed that glycyrrhizic acid reached a maximum concentration of 49.15 μg/ml, while echinatin had the lowest concentration. The ethanol extract of G. uralensis has significant inhibitory effects on Nav1.4 VGSCs. This may be an important mechanism in the treatment of gastrocnemius spasm and could guide further research regarding material basis and mechanism of the treatment of gastrocnemius spasm with peony and licorice decoction.

Predominantly myalgic phenotype caused by the c.3466G>A p.A1156T mutation in SCN4A gene

Objective:

To characterize the clinical phenotype in patients with p.A1156T sodium channel mutation.

Methods:

Twenty-nine Finnish patients identified with the c.3466G>A p.A1156T mutation in the SCN4A gene were extensively examined. In a subsequent study, 63 patients with similar myalgic phenotype and with negative results in myotonic dystrophy type 2 genetic screening (DM2-neg group) and 93 patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia were screened for the mutation. Functional consequences of the p.A1156T mutation were studied in HEK293 cells with whole-cell patch clamp.

Results:

The main clinical manifestation in p.A1156T patients was not myotonia or periodic paralysis but exercise- and cold-induced muscle cramps, muscle stiffness, and myalgia. EMG myotonic discharges were detected in most but not all. Electrophysiologic compound muscle action potentials exercise test showed variable results. The p.A1156T mutation was identified in one patient in the DM2-neg group but not in the fibromyalgia group, making a total of 30 patients so far identified. Functional studies of the p.A1156T mutation showed mild attenuation of channel fast inactivation.

Conclusions:

The unspecific symptoms of myalgia stiffness and exercise intolerance without clinical myotonia or periodic paralysis in p.A1156T patients make the diagnosis challenging. The symptoms of milder SCN4A mutations may be confused with other similar myalgic syndromes, including fibromyalgia and myotonic dystrophy type 2.