Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy in a Portuguese patient caused by a mutation in the telethonin gene

Acta Myol. 2010 Jul;29(1):21-4.

Abstract

Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2G is caused by mutations in the telethonin (TCAP) gene in chromosome 17q11-12. This rare form of hereditary muscle disease was originally described in Brazilian patients and was recently identified in Chinese and Moldavian patients. We present the first Portuguese patient with a limb-girdle muscular dystrophy caused by a mutation in the TCAP gene. A Caucasian male, 50 years old, presented in his early twenties, slowly progressive weakness in upper and lower limbs. Neurologic examination revealed severe atrophy and weakness in the muscles of the arms, thighs and legs' anterior compartment. Muscle MRI of the thighs and legs revealed severe atrophy of all the muscles of the thighs and legs' anterolateral compartment, in a symmetrical way. Molecular studies identified the homozygous c.157C > T (p.Gln53X) mutation in exon 2 of the TCAP gene, already described in Brazilian patients.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Connectin
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • Genes, Recessive
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscle Proteins / genetics*
  • Muscular Dystrophies, Limb-Girdle / diagnosis
  • Muscular Dystrophies, Limb-Girdle / genetics*
  • Muscular Dystrophies, Limb-Girdle / pathology
  • Mutation
  • Portugal

Substances

  • Connectin
  • Muscle Proteins
  • TCAP protein, human