Mutations of the slow muscle alpha-tropomyosin gene, TPM3, are a rare cause of nemaline myopathy

Neurology. 2002 Aug 27;59(4):613-7. doi: 10.1212/wnl.59.4.613.

Abstract

The alpha-tropomyosin-3 (TPM3) gene was screened in 40 unrelated patients with nemaline myopathy (NM). A single compound heterozygous patient was identified carrying one mutation that converts the stop codon to a serine and a second splicing mutation that is predicted to prevent inclusion of skeletal muscle exon IX. TPM3 mutations are a rare cause of NM, probably accounting for less than 3% of cases. The severity of cases with TPM3 mutations may vary from severe infantile to late childhood onset, slowly progressive forms.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Blotting, Western
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Codon, Terminator
  • DNA Mutational Analysis
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Muscle Fibers, Slow-Twitch*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / chemistry
  • Muscle, Skeletal / pathology
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiopathology
  • Mutation, Missense
  • Myopathies, Nemaline / genetics*
  • Myopathies, Nemaline / pathology
  • Myopathies, Nemaline / physiopathology
  • Point Mutation
  • Protein Isoforms / analysis
  • Protein Isoforms / genetics
  • Sarcomeres / pathology
  • Sarcomeres / ultrastructure
  • Tropomyosin / analysis
  • Tropomyosin / genetics*

Substances

  • Codon, Terminator
  • Protein Isoforms
  • TPM3 protein, human
  • Tropomyosin