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Attarian S, Beloribi-Djefaflia S, Bernard R, Nguyen K, Cances C, Gavazza C, Echaniz-Laguna A, Espil C, Evangelista T, Feasson L, Audic F, Zagorda B, Milhe De Bovis V, Stojkovic T, Sole G, Salort-Campana E, Sacconi S. French National Protocol for diagnosis and care of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). J Neurol 2024:10.1007/s00415-024-12538-3. [PMID: 38955828 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-024-12538-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is one of the most common genetically inherited myopathies in adults. It is characterized by incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity. Typically, FSHD patients display asymmetric weakness of facial, scapular, and humeral muscles that may progress to other muscle groups, particularly the abdominal and lower limb muscles. Early-onset patients display more severe muscle weakness and atrophy, resulting in a higher frequency of associated skeletal abnormalities. In these patients, multisystem involvement, including respiratory, ocular, and auditory, is more frequent and severe and may include the central nervous system. Adult-onset FSHD patients may also display some degree of multisystem involvement which mainly remains subclinical. In 95% of cases, FSHD patients carry a pathogenic contraction of the D4Z4 repeat units (RUs) in the subtelomeric region of chromosome 4 (4q35), which leads to the expression of DUX4 retrogene, toxic for muscles (FSHD1). Five percent of patients display the same clinical phenotype in association with a mutation in the SMCHD1 gene located in chromosome 18, inducing epigenetic modifications of the 4q D4Z4 repeated region and expression of DUX4 retrogene. This review highlights the complexities and challenges of diagnosing and managing FSHD, underscoring the importance of standardized approaches for optimal patient outcomes. It emphasizes the critical role of multidisciplinary care in addressing the diverse manifestations of FSHD across different age groups, from skeletal abnormalities in early-onset cases to the often-subclinical multisystem involvement in adults. With no current cure, the focus on alleviating symptoms and slowing disease progression through coordinated care is paramount.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahram Attarian
- Reference Center for Neuromuscular Disorders and ALS, Timone University Hospital, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France.
- FILNEMUS, European Reference Network for Rare Diseases (ERN-NMD), Marseille, France.
- Marseille Medical Genetics, Aix Marseille Université-Inserm UMR_1251, 13005, Marseille, France.
| | - Sadia Beloribi-Djefaflia
- Reference Center for Neuromuscular Disorders and ALS, Timone University Hospital, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Rafaelle Bernard
- Marseille Medical Genetics, Aix Marseille Université-Inserm UMR_1251, 13005, Marseille, France
| | - Karine Nguyen
- Marseille Medical Genetics, Aix Marseille Université-Inserm UMR_1251, 13005, Marseille, France
| | - Claude Cances
- Reference Center for Neuromuscular Disorders, Toulouse Children's Hospital, Toulouse, France
- Pediatric Neurology Department, Toulouse Children's Hospital, Toulouse, France
| | - Carole Gavazza
- Reference Center for Neuromuscular Disorders and ALS, Timone University Hospital, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Andoni Echaniz-Laguna
- Department of Neurology, APHP, CHU de Bicêtre, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
- French National Reference Center for Rare Neuropathies (NNERF), Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
- Inserm U1195, University Paris Saclay, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Caroline Espil
- Reference Center for Neuromuscular Disorders AOC, Children's Hospital, CHU Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Teresinha Evangelista
- Institute of Myology, Nord/Est/Ile-de-France Neuromuscular Reference Center, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, APHP, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Léonard Feasson
- Department of Clinical and Exercise Physiology, University Hospital Center of Saint-Etienne, 42000, Saint-Etienne, France
- Inter-University Laboratory of Human Movement Biology, EA 7424, Jean Monnet University, 42000, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Frédérique Audic
- Reference Center for Neuromuscular Diseases in Children PACARARE, Neuropediatrics Department, Timone University Children's Hospital, Marseille, France
| | - Berenice Zagorda
- Department of Clinical and Exercise Physiology, University Hospital Center of Saint-Etienne, 42000, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Virginie Milhe De Bovis
- Reference Center for Neuromuscular Disorders and ALS, Timone University Hospital, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Tanya Stojkovic
- Institute of Myology, Nord/Est/Ile-de-France Neuromuscular Reference Center, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, APHP, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Guilhem Sole
- Centre de Référence des Maladies Neuromusculaires AOC, FILNEMUS, Hôpital Pellegrin, CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Emmanuelle Salort-Campana
- Reference Center for Neuromuscular Disorders and ALS, Timone University Hospital, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Sabrina Sacconi
- Peripheral Nervous System and Muscle Department, Université Côte d'Azur, CHU Nice, Pasteur 2, Nice Hospital, France.
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Salsi V, Vattemi GNA, Tupler RG. The FSHD jigsaw: are we placing the tiles in the right position? Curr Opin Neurol 2023; 36:455-463. [PMID: 37338810 PMCID: PMC10487374 DOI: 10.1097/wco.0000000000001176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is one of the most common myopathies, involving over 870,000 people worldwide and over 20 FSHD national registries. Our purpose was to summarize the main objectives of the scientific community on this topic and the moving trajectories of research from the past to the present. RECENT FINDINGS To date, research is mainly oriented toward deciphering the molecular and pathogenetic basis of the disease by investigating DUX4-mediated muscle alterations. Accordingly, FSHD drug development has been escalating in the last years in an attempt to silence DUX4 or to block its downstream effectors. Breakthroughs in the field include the awareness that new biomarkers and outcome measures are required for tracking disease progression and patient stratification. The need to develop personalized therapeutic strategies is also crucial according to the phenotypic variability observed in FSHD subjects. SUMMARY We analysed 121 literature reports published between 2021 and 2023 to assess the most recent advances in FSHD clinical and molecular research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Salsi
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena
| | - Gaetano Nicola Alfio Vattemi
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Section of Clinical Neurology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Rossella Ginevra Tupler
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena
- Department of Molecular Cell and Cancer Biology
- Li Weibo Institute for Rare Diseases Research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, USA
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Strafella C, Caputo V, Bortolani S, Torchia E, Megalizzi D, Trastulli G, Monforte M, Colantoni L, Caltagirone C, Ricci E, Tasca G, Cascella R, Giardina E. Whole exome sequencing highlights rare variants in CTCF, DNMT1, DNMT3A, EZH2 and SUV39H1 as associated with FSHD. Front Genet 2023; 14:1235589. [PMID: 37674478 PMCID: PMC10477786 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1235589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Despite the progress made in the study of Facioscapulohumeral Dystrophy (FSHD), the wide heterogeneity of disease complicates its diagnosis and the genotype-phenotype correlation among patients and within families. In this context, the present work employed Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) to investigate known and unknown genetic contributors that may be involved in FSHD and may represent potential disease modifiers, even in presence of a D4Z4 Reduced Allele (DRA). Methods: A cohort of 126 patients with clinical signs of FSHD were included in the study, which were characterized by D4Z4 sizing, methylation analysis and WES. Specific protocols were employed for D4Z4 sizing and methylation analysis, whereas the Illumina® Next-Seq 550 system was utilized for WES. The study included both patients with a DRA compatible with FSHD diagnosis and patients with longer D4Z4 alleles. In case of patients harboring relevant variants from WES, the molecular analysis was extended to the family members. Results: The WES data analysis highlighted 20 relevant variants, among which 14 were located in known genetic modifiers (SMCHD1, DNMT3B and LRIF1) and 6 in candidate genes (CTCF, DNMT1, DNMT3A, EZH2 and SUV39H1). Most of them were found together with a permissive short (4-7 RU) or borderline/long DRA (8-20 RU), supporting the possibility that different genes can contribute to disease heterogeneity in presence of a FSHD permissive background. The segregation and methylation analysis among family members, together with clinical findings, provided a more comprehensive picture of patients. Discussion: Our results support FSHD pathomechanism being complex with a multigenic contribution by several known (SMCHD1, DNMT3B, LRIF1) and possibly other candidate genes (CTCF, DNMT1, DNMT3A, EZH2, SUV39H1) to disease penetrance and expressivity. Our results further emphasize the importance of extending the analysis of molecular findings within the proband's family, with the purpose of providing a broader framework for understanding single cases and allowing finer genotype-phenotype correlations in FSHD-affected families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Strafella
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory UILDM, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Valerio Caputo
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory UILDM, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Bortolani
- Unità Operativa Complessa di Neurologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Eleonora Torchia
- Unità Operativa Complessa di Neurologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Domenica Megalizzi
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory UILDM, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Trastulli
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory UILDM, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Mauro Monforte
- Unità Operativa Complessa di Neurologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Luca Colantoni
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory UILDM, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Caltagirone
- Department of Clinical and Behavioral Neurology, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Enzo Ricci
- Unità Operativa Complessa di Neurologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- Istituto di Neurologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Giorgio Tasca
- Unità Operativa Complessa di Neurologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
- John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre, Newcastle University and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trusts, Newcastle UponTyne, United Kingdom
| | - Raffaella Cascella
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory UILDM, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Catholic University Our Lady of Good Counsel, Tirana, Albania
| | - Emiliano Giardina
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory UILDM, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy
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Zubair AS, Salam S, Dimachkie MM, Machado PM, Roy B. Imaging biomarkers in the idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1146015. [PMID: 37181575 PMCID: PMC10166883 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1146015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are a group of acquired muscle diseases with muscle inflammation, weakness, and other extra-muscular manifestations. IIMs can significantly impact the quality of life, and management of IIMs often requires a multi-disciplinary approach. Imaging biomarkers have become an integral part of the management of IIMs. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), muscle ultrasound, electrical impedance myography (EIM), and positron emission tomography (PET) are the most widely used imaging technologies in IIMs. They can help make the diagnosis and assess the burden of muscle damage and treatment response. MRI is the most widely used imaging biomarker of IIMs and can assess a large volume of muscle tissue but is limited by availability and cost. Muscle ultrasound and EIM are easy to administer and can even be performed in the clinical setting, but they need further validation. These technologies may complement muscle strength testing and laboratory studies and provide an objective assessment of muscle health in IIMs. Furthermore, this is a rapidly progressing field, and new advances are going to equip care providers with a better objective assessment of IIMS and eventually improve patient management. This review discusses the current state and future direction of imaging biomarkers in IIMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adeel S. Zubair
- Division of Neuromuscular Diseases, Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Sharfaraz Salam
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mazen M. Dimachkie
- Department of Neurology, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Pedro M. Machado
- Department of Neuromuscular Diseases, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Rheumatology, Division of Medicine, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Bhaskar Roy
- Division of Neuromuscular Diseases, Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
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Meeting report: The 2022 FSHD International Research Congress. Neuromuscul Disord 2023; 33:196-198. [PMID: 36682112 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2022.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Monforte M, Attarian S, Vissing J, Diaz-Manera J, Tasca G. 265th ENMC International Workshop: Muscle imaging in Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD): relevance for clinical trials. 22-24 April 2022, Hoofddorp, The Netherlands. Neuromuscul Disord 2023; 33:65-75. [PMID: 36369218 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2022.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mauro Monforte
- Unità Operativa Complessa di Neurologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Shahram Attarian
- Reference Center for Neuromuscular Disorders and ALS, CHU La Timone Aix-Marseille Hospital University Marseille, France
| | - John Vissing
- Copenhagen Neuromuscular Center, Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jordi Diaz-Manera
- John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Center, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Giorgio Tasca
- Unità Operativa Complessa di Neurologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, Rome 00168, Italy.
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D4Z4 Methylation Levels Combined with a Machine Learning Pipeline Highlight Single CpG Sites as Discriminating Biomarkers for FSHD Patients. Cells 2022; 11:cells11244114. [PMID: 36552879 PMCID: PMC9777431 DOI: 10.3390/cells11244114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The study describes a protocol for methylation analysis integrated with Machine Learning (ML) algorithms developed to classify Facio-Scapulo-Humeral Dystrophy (FSHD) subjects. The DNA methylation levels of two D4Z4 regions (DR1 and DUX4-PAS) were assessed by an in-house protocol based on bisulfite sequencing and capillary electrophoresis, followed by statistical and ML analyses. The study involved two independent cohorts, namely a training group of 133 patients with clinical signs of FSHD and 150 healthy controls (CTRL) and a testing set of 27 FSHD patients and 25 CTRL. As expected, FSHD patients showed significantly reduced methylation levels compared to CTRL. We utilized single CpG sites to develop a ML pipeline able to discriminate FSHD subjects. The model identified four CpGs sites as the most relevant for the discrimination of FSHD subjects and showed high metrics values (accuracy: 0.94, sensitivity: 0.93, specificity: 0.96). Two additional models were developed to differentiate patients with lower D4Z4 size and patients who might carry pathogenic variants in FSHD genes, respectively. Overall, the present model enables an accurate classification of FSHD patients, providing additional evidence for DNA methylation as a powerful disease biomarker that could be employed for prioritizing subjects to be tested for FSHD.
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Di Pietro L, Giacalone F, Ragozzino E, Saccone V, Tiberio F, De Bardi M, Picozza M, Borsellino G, Lattanzi W, Guadagni E, Bortolani S, Tasca G, Ricci E, Parolini O. Non-myogenic mesenchymal cells contribute to muscle degeneration in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy patients. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:793. [PMID: 36114172 PMCID: PMC9481542 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-05233-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Muscle-resident non-myogenic mesenchymal cells play key roles that drive successful tissue regeneration within the skeletal muscle stem cell niche. These cells have recently emerged as remarkable therapeutic targets for neuromuscular disorders, although to date they have been poorly investigated in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). In this study, we characterised the non-myogenic mesenchymal stromal cell population in FSHD patients' muscles with signs of disease activity, identified by muscle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and compared them with those obtained from apparently normal muscles of FSHD patients and from muscles of healthy, age-matched controls. Our results showed that patient-derived cells displayed a distinctive expression pattern of mesenchymal markers, along with an impaired capacity to differentiate towards mature adipocytes in vitro, compared with control cells. We also demonstrated a significant expansion of non-myogenic mesenchymal cells (identified as CD201- or PDGFRA-expressing cells) in FSHD muscles with signs of disease activity, which correlated with the extent of intramuscular fibrosis. In addition, the accumulation of non-myogenic mesenchymal cells was higher in FSHD muscles that deteriorate more rapidly. Our results prompt a direct association between an accumulation, as well as an altered differentiation, of non-myogenic mesenchymal cells with muscle degeneration in FSHD patients. Elucidating the mechanisms and cellular interactions that are altered in the affected muscles of FSHD patients could be instrumental to clarify disease pathogenesis and identifying reliable novel therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena Di Pietro
- grid.8142.f0000 0001 0941 3192Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Sanità Pubblica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy ,grid.411075.60000 0004 1760 4193Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCSS, Rome, Italy
| | - Flavia Giacalone
- grid.8142.f0000 0001 0941 3192Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Sanità Pubblica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Elvira Ragozzino
- grid.8142.f0000 0001 0941 3192Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Sanità Pubblica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Saccone
- grid.8142.f0000 0001 0941 3192Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Sanità Pubblica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Federica Tiberio
- grid.8142.f0000 0001 0941 3192Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Sanità Pubblica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco De Bardi
- grid.417778.a0000 0001 0692 3437Neuroimmunology Unit, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Picozza
- grid.417778.a0000 0001 0692 3437Neuroimmunology Unit, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanna Borsellino
- grid.417778.a0000 0001 0692 3437Neuroimmunology Unit, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| | - Wanda Lattanzi
- grid.8142.f0000 0001 0941 3192Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Sanità Pubblica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy ,grid.411075.60000 0004 1760 4193Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCSS, Rome, Italy
| | - Enrico Guadagni
- grid.8142.f0000 0001 0941 3192Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Sanità Pubblica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Bortolani
- grid.414603.4Unità Operativa Complessa di Neurologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Giorgio Tasca
- grid.414603.4Unità Operativa Complessa di Neurologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Enzo Ricci
- grid.414603.4Unità Operativa Complessa di Neurologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy ,grid.8142.f0000 0001 0941 3192Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Ornella Parolini
- grid.8142.f0000 0001 0941 3192Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e Sanità Pubblica, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy ,grid.411075.60000 0004 1760 4193Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCSS, Rome, Italy
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Caputo V, Megalizzi D, Fabrizio C, Termine A, Colantoni L, Caltagirone C, Giardina E, Cascella R, Strafella C. Update on the Molecular Aspects and Methods Underlying the Complex Architecture of FSHD. Cells 2022; 11:cells11172687. [PMID: 36078093 PMCID: PMC9454908 DOI: 10.3390/cells11172687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the knowledge of the main mechanisms involved in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), the high heterogeneity and variable penetrance of the disease complicate the diagnosis, characterization and genotype–phenotype correlation of patients and families, raising the need for further research and data. Thus, the present review provides an update of the main molecular aspects underlying the complex architecture of FSHD, including the genetic factors (related to D4Z4 repeated units and FSHD-associated genes), epigenetic elements (D4Z4 methylation status, non-coding RNAs and high-order chromatin interactions) and gene expression profiles (FSHD transcriptome signatures both at bulk tissue and single-cell level). In addition, the review will also describe the methods currently available for investigating the above-mentioned features and how the resulting data may be combined with artificial-intelligence-based pipelines, with the purpose of developing a multifunctional tool tailored to enhancing the knowledge of disease pathophysiology and progression and fostering the research for novel treatment strategies, as well as clinically useful biomarkers. In conclusion, the present review highlights how FSHD should be regarded as a disease characterized by a molecular spectrum of genetic and epigenetic factors, whose alteration plays a differential role in DUX4 repression and, subsequently, contributes to determining the FSHD phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerio Caputo
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory-UILDM, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, 00179 Rome, Italy
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Domenica Megalizzi
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory-UILDM, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, 00179 Rome, Italy
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Fabrizio
- Data Science Unit, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, 00179 Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Termine
- Data Science Unit, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, 00179 Rome, Italy
| | - Luca Colantoni
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory-UILDM, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, 00179 Rome, Italy
| | - Carlo Caltagirone
- Department of Clinical and Behavorial Neurology, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, 00179 Rome, Italy
| | - Emiliano Giardina
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory-UILDM, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, 00179 Rome, Italy
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, 00133 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0651501550
| | - Raffaella Cascella
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory-UILDM, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, 00179 Rome, Italy
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Strafella
- Genomic Medicine Laboratory-UILDM, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, 00179 Rome, Italy
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, Tor Vergata University, 00133 Rome, Italy
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Fabry V, Mamalet F, Laforet A, Capelle M, Acket B, Sengenes C, Cintas P, Faruch-Bilfeld M. A deep learning tool without muscle-by-muscle grading to differentiate myositis from facio-scapulo-humeral dystrophy using MRI. Diagn Interv Imaging 2022; 103:353-359. [DOI: 10.1016/j.diii.2022.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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11
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Upper body involvement in GNE myopathy assessed by muscle imaging. Neuromuscul Disord 2022; 32:410-418. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2021.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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