Mechanical stress-induced apoptosis has been proposed as the mechanism underpinning DCM in lamin A/C-deficient hearts, but supporting in vivo evidence has been lacking.
Mutations of the LMNA gene encoding lamin A and C are associated with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), conduction system defects and skeletal muscle dystrophy.
Therefore, we conclude that NMD is not sufficient to completely prevent the expression of truncated lamin A and that even trace amounts of it may negatively interfere with structural and/or regulatory functions of lamin A/C eventually leading to the development of DCM and rhythm disturbances.
Longitudinal retrospective observational studies were conducted with 27 consecutive families in which LMNA gene defects were identified in the probands, all sharing the DCM phenotype.
The aim of our study was to perform an immunohistochemical and ultrastructural analysis of the nuclear architecture of cardiomyocytes from an end-stage DCM patient with a missense point mutation in the exon 3 of the LMNA gene which is predicted to result in a D192G substitution.
Our goal was to analyze the LMNA gene in patients with DCM and/or conduction disease referred to the cardiogenetics outpatient clinic and to evaluate the prevalence of LMNA mutations and their clinical expression.
A group of 99 unrelated adult patients with DCM (familial n=27, sporadic n=72) were screened for the following genes: cardiac beta-myosin heavy chain, cardiac myosin-binding protein C (MYBPC3), regulatory and essential myosin light chains, alpha cardiac actin, alpha tropomyosin, cardiac troponin T, cardiac troponin I, cardiac troponin C, dystrophin, and lamin A/C.
Familial progressive sinoatrial and atrioventricular conduction disease of adult onset with sudden death, dilated cardiomyopathy, and brachydactyly. A new type of heart-hand syndrome?