The study confirms the absence of dystrophin in the muscle proteins of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, distinguishing it from other neuromuscular disorders.
Supports dystrophin immunoblot for DMD diagnosis; leaves open validation in larger, prospective cohorts.
We studied total SDS-solubilized muscle proteins (TMP) of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and other neuromuscular disorders, with special attention to the change of dystrophin suspected of being the product of DMD locus. SDS gel electrophoresis of DMD patients showed an absence of band 5 and an extreme faintness of band 2 with a decrease of band 4', 5', and 5''. Immunoblot analysis, using anti-dystrophin antibodies (anti-30 kd and anti-60 kd polyclonals), showed an absence of dystrophin in all 6 DMD cases. In other neuromuscular disorders, there was no change of TMP, and dystrophin was clearly detectable. To elucidate the degenerative mechanism of DMD muscle, further studies, including the problem of clarifying the physiological role of dystrophin, are necessary.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Uchino et al. (1989) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: