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Objective: Biallelic titin truncating variants (TTNtv) have been associated with a wide phenotypic spectrum, ranging from complex prenatal muscle diseases with dysmorphic features to adult-onset limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, with or without cardiac involvement. Given the size and complexity of TTN, reaching an unequivocal molecular diagnosis and precise disease prognosis remains challenging., Methods: In this case series, 12 unpublished cases and one already published case with biallelic TTNtv were collected from multiple international medical centers between November 2022 and September 2023. TTN mutations were detected through exome or genome sequencing. Information about familial and personal clinical history was collected in a standardized form. RNA-sequencing and analysis of TTN exon usage were performed on an internal sample cohort including postnatal skeletal muscles, fetal skeletal muscles, postnatal heart muscles, and fetal heart muscles. In addition, publicly available RNA-sequencing data was retrieved from ENCODE., Results: We generated new RNA-seq data on TTN exons and identified genotype-phenotype correlations with prognostic implications for each titinopathy patient (whether worsening or improving in prenatal and postnatal life) using percentage spliced in (PSI) data for the involved exons. Interestingly, thanks to exon usage, we were also able to rule out a titinopathy diagnosis in one prenatal case., Interpretation: This study demonstrates that exon usage provides valuable insights for a more exhaustive clinical interpretation of TTNtv; additionally, it may serve as a model for implementing personalized medicine in many other genetic diseases, since most genes undergo alternative splicing., (© 2024 The Author(s). Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Neurological Association.)

Background: Titin truncating variants (TTNtvs) have been associated with several forms of myopathies and/or cardiomyopathies. In homozygosity or in compound heterozygosity, they cause a wide spectrum of recessive phenotypes with a congenital or childhood onset. Most recessive phenotypes showing a congenital or childhood onset have been described in subjects carrying biallelic TTNtv in specific exons. Often karyotype or chromosomal microarray analyses are the only tests performed when prenatal anomalies are identified. Thereby, many cases caused by TTN defects might be missed in the diagnostic evaluations. In this study, we aimed to dissect the most severe end of the titinopathies spectrum., Methods: We performed a retrospective study analysing an international cohort of 93 published and 10 unpublished cases carrying biallelic TTNtv., Results: We identified recurrent clinical features showing a significant correlation with the genotype, including fetal akinesia (up to 62%), arthrogryposis (up to 85%), facial dysmorphisms (up to 73%), joint (up to 17%), bone (up to 22%) and heart anomalies (up to 27%) resembling complex, syndromic phenotypes., Conclusion: We suggest TTN to be carefully evaluated in any diagnostic process involving patients with these prenatal signs. This step will be essential to improve diagnostic performance, expand our knowledge and optimise prenatal genetic counselling., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Aim: Our goal was to determine the genetic basis of early-onset myopathy in patients from two unrelated families. Materials and Methods: Whole-exome sequencing, autozygosity mapping, and confirmatory targeted Sanger sequencing were performed using genomic DNA extracted from blood samples from three myopathic patients of two unrelated families. Variant filtering and pathogenicity analyses were evaluated according to standard protocols and up-to-date pipelines applied at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center. Results: A novel homozygous variant was detected in TTN gene within the first three M-line-encoding exons in a 9-year-old female in the first family who had delayed motor development and proximal weakness. Her 4-year-old affected brother, with the same homozygous variant, could not yet walk without help. This pathogenic nonsense variant is predicted to cause a premature stop during translation. In the second family we identified two novel variants as compound heterozygosites (a deletion and a variant affecting a canonical splice site) in an affected 9-year-old female with weakness that developed at age 3, in the second family. SpliceAI predicted the variants being splice-altering with high probability. These variants were fully segregated in the family. The deletion was found to be on the paternal allele, whereas the splicing variant was on the maternal allele. The patient's echocardiography revealed mitral valve prolapse with mild mitral regurgitation. Muscle histology showed minicores that were also confirmed by electron microscopy. Conclusion: Our study identified novel pathogenic variants in the TTN gene that are likely responsible for the phenotype of early-onset myopathy; hence, expanding genotype-phenotype relationship of titinopathies.

Purpose of Review: The last few years have confirmed previous assumptions of an enormous impact of the titin gene (TTN) on the occurrence of muscle disease, cardiomyopathy, or both together. The reason for this rather late understanding of its importance is because of the huge size which prevented sequencing of the whole gene by the previous Sanger technique in the individual cases. An update of the advances in diagnosing titinopathies is the main focus of this review., Recent Findings: High throughput methods are now widely available for TTN sequencing and a corresponding explosion of different types of identified titinopathies is observed and published in the literature, although final confirmation is lacking in many cases with recessive missense variants., Summary: The implications of these findings for clinical practice are easy to understand: patients with previously undiagnosed muscle disease can now have a correct diagnosis and subsequently receive a likely prognosis, can have accurate genetic counseling for the whole family and early treatment for predictable complications from the heart and respiratory muscles. In addition not to forget, they can avoid wrong diagnoses leading to wrong treatments.

We present eight families with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita and myopathy bearing a TTN intron 213 extended splice-site variant (NM_001267550.1:c.39974-11T>G), inherited in trans with a second pathogenic TTN variant. Muscle-derived RNA studies of three individuals confirmed mis-splicing induced by the c.39974-11T>G variant; in-frame exon 214 skipping or use of a cryptic 3' splice-site effecting a frameshift. Confounding interpretation of pathogenicity is the absence of exons 213-217 within the described skeletal muscle TTN N2A isoform. However, RNA-sequencing from 365 adult human gastrocnemius samples revealed that 56% specimens predominantly include exons 213-217 in TTN transcripts (inclusion rate ≥66%). Further, RNA-sequencing of five fetal muscle samples confirmed that 4/5 specimens predominantly include exons 213-217 (fifth sample inclusion rate 57%). Contractures improved significantly with age for four individuals, which may be linked to decreased expression of pathogenic fetal transcripts. Our study extends emerging evidence supporting a vital developmental role for TTN isoforms containing metatranscript-only exons., (© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Extensive genetic screening results in the identification of thousands of rare variants that are difficult to interpret. Because of its sheer size, rare variants in the titin gene (TTN) are detected frequently in any individual. Unambiguous interpretation of molecular findings is almost impossible in many patients with myopathies or cardiomyopathies., Objective: To refine the current classification framework for TTN-associated skeletal muscle disorders and standardize the interpretation of TTN variants., Methods: We used the guidelines issued by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) and the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) to re-analyze TTN genetic findings from our patient cohort., Results: We identified in the classification guidelines three rules that are not applicable to titin-related skeletal muscle disorders; six rules that require disease-/gene-specific adjustments and four rules requiring quantitative thresholds for a proper use. In three cases, the rule strength need to be modified., Conclusions: We suggest adjustments are made to the guidelines. We provide frequency thresholds to facilitate filtering of candidate causative variants and guidance for the use and interpretation of functional data and co-segregation evidence. We expect that the variant classification framework for TTN-related skeletal muscle disorders will be further improved along with a better understanding of these diseases.

Objective: Hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure (HMERF) is caused by titin A-band mutations in exon 344 and considered quite rare. Respiratory insufficiency is an early symptom. A collection of families and patients with muscle disease suggestive of HMERF was clinically and genetically studied., Methods: Altogether 12 new families with 19 affected patients and diverse nationalities were studied. Most of the patients were investigated using targeted next-generation sequencing; Sanger sequencing was applied in some of the patients and available family members. Histological data and muscle MRI findings were evaluated., Results: Three families had several family members studied while the rest were single patients. Most patients had distal and proximal muscle weakness together with respiratory insufficiency. Five heterozygous TTN A-band mutations were identified of which two were novel. Also with the novel mutations the muscle pathology and imaging findings were compatible with the previous reports of HMERF., Conclusions: Our collection of 12 new families expands mutational spectrum with two new mutations identified. HMERF is not that rare and can be found worldwide, but maybe underdiagnosed. Diagnostic process seems to be complex as this study shows with mostly single patients without clear dominant family history.

Titin-related myopathies are heterogeneous clinical conditions associated with mutations in TTN. To define their histopathologic boundaries and try to overcome the difficulty in assessing the pathogenic role of TTN variants, we performed a thorough morphological skeletal muscle analysis including light and electron microscopy in 23 patients with different clinical phenotypes presenting pathogenic autosomal dominant or autosomal recessive (AR) mutations located in different TTN domains. We identified a consistent pattern characterized by diverse defects in oxidative staining with prominent nuclear internalization in congenital phenotypes (AR-CM) (n = 10), ± necrotic/regenerative fibers, associated with endomysial fibrosis and rimmed vacuoles (RVs) in AR early-onset Emery-Dreifuss-like (AR-ED) (n = 4) and AR adult-onset distal myopathies (n = 4), and cytoplasmic bodies (CBs) as predominant finding in hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure (HMERF) patients (n = 5). Ultrastructurally, the most significant abnormalities, particularly in AR-CM, were multiple narrow core lesions and/or clear small areas of disorganizations affecting one or a few sarcomeres with M-band and sometimes A-band disruption and loss of thick filaments. CBs were noted in some AR-CM and associated with RVs in HMERF and some AR-ED cases. As a whole, we described recognizable histopathological patterns and structural alterations that could point toward considering the pathogenicity of TTN mutations.

Objective: Comprehensive clinical characterization of congenital titinopathy to facilitate diagnosis and management of this important emerging disorder., Methods: Using massively parallel sequencing we identified 30 patients from 27 families with 2 pathogenic nonsense, frameshift and/or splice site TTN mutations in trans. We then undertook a detailed analysis of the clinical, histopathological and imaging features of these patients., Results: All patients had prenatal or early onset hypotonia and/or congenital contractures. None had ophthalmoplegia. Scoliosis and respiratory insufficiency typically developed early and progressed rapidly, whereas limb weakness was often slowly progressive, and usually did not prevent independent walking. Cardiac involvement was present in 46% of patients. Relatives of 2 patients had dilated cardiomyopathy. Creatine kinase levels were normal to moderately elevated. Increased fiber size variation, internalized nuclei and cores were common histopathological abnormalities. Cap-like regions, whorled or ring fibers, and mitochondrial accumulations were also observed. Muscle magnetic resonance imaging showed gluteal, hamstring and calf muscle involvement. Western blot analysis showed a near-normal sized titin protein in all samples. The presence of 2 mutations predicted to impact both N2BA and N2B cardiac isoforms appeared to be associated with greatest risk of cardiac involvement. One-third of patients had 1 mutation predicted to impact exons present in fetal skeletal muscle, but not included within the mature skeletal muscle isoform transcript. This strongly suggests developmental isoforms are involved in the pathogenesis of this congenital/early onset disorder., Interpretation: This detailed clinical reference dataset will greatly facilitate diagnostic confirmation and management of patients, and has provided important insights into disease pathogenesis. Ann Neurol 2018;83:1105-1124., (© 2018 American Neurological Association.)

Importance: Mutations in the titin gene (TTN) cause a wide spectrum of genetic diseases. The interpretation of the numerous rare variants identified in TTN is a difficult challenge given its large size., Objective: To identify genetic variants in titin in a cohort of patients with muscle disorders., Design, Setting, and Participants: In this case series, 9 patients with titinopathy and 4 other patients with possibly disease-causing variants in TTN were identified. Titin mutations were detected through targeted resequencing performed on DNA from 504 patients with muscular dystrophy, congenital myopathy, or other skeletal muscle disorders. Patients were enrolled from 10 clinical centers in April 2012 to December 2013. All of them had not received a diagnosis after undergoing an extensive investigation, including Sanger sequencing of candidate genes. The data analysis was performed between September 2013 and January 2017. Sequencing data were analyzed using an internal custom bioinformatics pipeline., Main Outcomes and Measures: The identification of novel mutations in the TTN gene and novel patients with titinopathy. We performed an evaluation of putative causative variants in the TTN gene, combining genetic, clinical, and imaging data with messenger RNA and/or protein studies., Results: Of the 9 novel patients with titinopathy, 5 (55.5%) were men and the mean (SD) age at onset was 25 (15.8) years (range, 0-46 years). Of the 4 other patients (3 men and 1 woman) with possibly disease-causing TTN variants, 2 (50%) had a congenital myopathy and 2 (50%) had a slowly progressive distal myopathy with onset in the second decade. Most of the identified mutations were previously unreported. However, all the variants, even the already described mutations, require careful clinical and molecular evaluation of probands and relatives. Heterozygous truncating variants or unique missense changes are not sufficient to make a diagnosis of titinopathy., Conclusions and Relevance: The interpretation of TTN variants often requires further analyses, including a comprehensive evaluation of the clinical phenotype (deep phenotyping) as well as messenger RNA and protein studies. We propose a specific workflow for the clinical interpretation of genetic findings in titin.

Background: Mutations in the titin gene (TTN) cause a large spectrum of diseases affecting skeletal and/or cardiac muscle. TTN includes 363 coding exons, a repeated region with a high degree of complexity, isoform-specific elements, and metatranscript-only exons thought to be expressed only during fetal development. Although three main classes of isoforms have been described so far, alternative splicing events (ASEs) in different tissues or in different developmental and physiological states have been reported., Methods: To achieve a comprehensive view of titin ASEs in adult human skeletal muscles, we performed a RNA-Sequencing experiment on 42 human biopsies collected from 12 anatomically different skeletal muscles of 11 individuals without any skeletal-muscle disorders., Results: We confirmed that the skeletal muscle N2A isoforms are highly prevalent, but we found an elevated number of alternative splicing events, some at a very high level. These include previously unknown exon skipping events and alternative 5' and 3' splice sites. Our data suggests the partial inclusion in the TTN transcript of some metatranscript-only exons and the partial exclusion of canonical N2A exons., Conclusions: This study provides an extensive picture of the complex TTN splicing pattern in human adult skeletal muscle, which is crucial for a proper clinical interpretation of TTN variants.

Phenotypic and genetic/allelic heterogeneity is a feature of many neuromuscular disorders, titinopathies being one of them. Hereditary Myopathy with Early Respiratory Failure (HMERF) has been considered an extremely rare disease with definite clinicopathologic hallmarks, and geographically restricted to the Northern European population with one single titin gene defect identified in previous years. The recent availability of massive parallel sequencing techniques, allowing the screening of all coding regions of the genome in undiagnosed patients, together with a growing awareness of the main muscle MRI features of the disease, has led to the discovery of a number of HMERF families and new titin mutations in the last five years. We reviewed the clinical, pathological and muscle imaging findings that are still cornerstones for the diagnosis of this disease, as well as the most recent molecular genetic findings. HMERF is more common and geographically widespread than previously expected, and the knowledge of the whole phenotypic and molecular spectrum of HMERF can increase the number of diagnosed patients considerably., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Mutations in the gene encoding the giant skeletal muscle protein titin are associated with a variety of muscle disorders, including recessive congenital myopathies ±cardiomyopathy, limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) and late onset dominant distal myopathy. Heterozygous truncating mutations have also been linked to dilated cardiomyopathy. The phenotypic spectrum of titinopathies is emerging and expanding, as next generation sequencing techniques make this large gene amenable to sequencing. We undertook whole exome sequencing in four individuals with LGMD. An essential splice site mutation, previously reported in dilated cardiomyopathy, was identified in all families in combination with a second truncating mutation. Affected individuals presented with childhood onset proximal weakness associated with joint contractures and elevated CK. Cardiac dysfunction was present in two individuals. Muscle biopsy showed increased internal nuclei and immunoblotting identified reduction or absence of calpain-3 and demonstrated a marked reduction of C-terminal titin fragments. We confirm the co-occurrence of cardiac and skeletal myopathies associated with recessive truncating titin mutations. Compound heterozygosity of a truncating mutation previously associated with dilated cardiomyopathy and a 'second truncation' in TTN was identified as causative in our skeletal myopathy patients. These findings add to the complexity of interpretation and genetic counselling for titin mutations., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Tibial muscular dystrophy (TMD) is the first described human titinopathy. It is a mild adult-onset slowly progressive myopathy causing weakness and atrophy in the anterior lower leg muscles. TMD is caused by mutations in the last two exons, Mex5 and Mex6, of the titin gene (TTN). The first reported TMD mutations were dominant, but the Finnish founder mutation FINmaj, an 11-bp insertion/deletion in Mex6, in homozygosity caused a completely different severe early-onset limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2J (LGMD2J). Later, we reported that not all TMD mutations cause LGMD when homozygous or compound heterozygous with truncating mutation, but some of them rather cause a more severe TMD-like distal disease. We have now performed targeted next-generation sequencing of myopathy-related genes on seven families from Albania, Bosnia, Iran, Tunisia, Belgium, and Spain with juvenile or early adult onset recessive distal myopathy. Novel mutations in TTN Mex5, Mex6 and A-band exon 340 were identified in homozygosity or compound heterozygosity with a frameshift or nonsense mutation in TTN I- or A-band region. Family members having only one of these TTN mutations were healthy. Our results add yet another entity to the list of distal myopathies: juvenile or early adult onset recessive distal titinopathy.

The TTN gene with 363 coding exons encodes titin, a giant muscle protein spanning from the Z-disk to the M-band within the sarcomere. Mutations in the TTN gene have been associated with different genetic disorders, including hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathy and several skeletal muscle diseases.Before the introduction of next generation sequencing (NGS) methods, the molecular analysis of TTN has been laborious, expensive and not widely used, resulting in a limited number of mutations identified. Recent studies however, based on the use of NGS strategies, give evidence of an increasing number of rare and unique TTN variants. The interpretation of these rare variants of uncertain significance (VOUS) represents a challenge for clinicians and researchers.The main aim of this review is to describe the wide spectrum of muscle diseases caused by TTN mutations so far determined, summarizing the molecular findings as well as the clinical data, and to highlight the importance of joint efforts to respond to the challenges arising from the use of NGS. An international collaboration through a clinical and research consortium and the development of a single accessible database listing variants in the TTN gene, identified by high throughput approaches, may be the key to a better assessment of titinopathies and to systematic genotype- phenotype correlation studies.

Most myotilinopathy patients present with a dominant late onset distal phenotype and myofibrillar pathology, although the first MYOT mutation in a family reported to have LGMD phenotype. We report here a French family affected with a late onset proximal and distal muscle weakness and myofibrillar myopathy on muscle pathology, in which the siblings known to be clinically affected were homozygous for the c.179C>T (p.Ser60Phe) myotilin gene mutation. One subjectively asymptomatic member of the family was heterozygous for this mutation. This is the first report of a family with patients being homozygous for a known dominant MYOT mutation. Dominant negative mutations are generally considered not to cause a more severe disease in homozygosity, but our data clearly demonstrate the existence of dominant MYOT mutations with a possible dose effect causing a more severe disease phenotype in homozygosity in the spectrum of myofibrillar myopathies (MFM).

Objective: To identify the genetic defects present in 3 families with muscular dystrophy, contractures, and calpain 3 deficiency., Methods: We performed targeted exome sequencing on one patient presenting a deficiency in calpain 3 on Western blot but for which mutations in the gene had been excluded. The identification of a homozygous truncating mutation in the M-line part of titin prompted us to sequence this region in 2 additional patients presenting similar clinical and biochemical characteristics., Results: The 3 patients shared similar features: coexistence of limb-girdle weakness and early-onset diffuse joint contractures without cardiomyopathy. The biopsies showed rimmed vacuoles, a dystrophic pattern, and secondary reduction in calpain 3. We identified a novel homozygous mutation in the exon Mex3 of the TTN gene in the first patient. At protein level, this mutation introduces a stop codon at the level of Mex3. Interestingly, we identified truncating mutations in both alleles in the same region of the TTN gene in patients from 2 additional families. Molecular protein analyses confirm loss of the C-ter part of titin., Conclusions: Our study broadens the phenotype of titinopathies with the report of a new clinical entity with prominent contractures and no cardiac abnormality and where the recessive mutations lead to truncation of the M-line titin and secondary calpain 3 deficiency., (© 2015 American Academy of Neurology.)

Therapy-responsive biomarkers are an important and unmet need in the muscular dystrophy field where new treatments are currently in clinical trials. By using a comprehensive high-resolution mass spectrometry approach and western blot validation, we found that two fragments of the myofibrillar structural protein myomesin-3 (MYOM3) are abnormally present in sera of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2D (LGMD2D) and their respective animal models. Levels of MYOM3 fragments were assayed in therapeutic model systems: (1) restoration of dystrophin expression by antisense oligonucleotide-mediated exon-skipping in mdx mice and (2) stable restoration of α-sarcoglycan expression in KO-SGCA mice by systemic injection of a viral vector. Following administration of the therapeutic agents MYOM3 was restored toward wild-type levels. In the LGMD model, where different doses of vector were used, MYOM3 restoration was dose-dependent. MYOM3 fragments showed lower inter-individual variability compared with the commonly used creatine kinase assay, and correlated better with the restoration of the dystrophin-associated protein complex and muscle force. These data suggest that the MYOM3 fragments hold promise for minimally invasive assessment of experimental therapies for DMD and other neuromuscular disorders., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Centronuclear myopathies (CNMs) are a group of clinically and genetically heterogeneous muscle disorders. To date, mutation in 7 different genes has been reported to cause CNMs but 30 % of cases still remain genetically undefined. Genetic investigations are often expensive and time consuming. Clinical and morphological clues are needed to facilitate genetic tests and to choose the best approach for genetic screening. We aimed to describe genotype-phenotype correlation in an Italian cohort of patients affected by CNMs, to define the relative frequencies of its defined genetic forms and to draw a diagnostic algorithm to address genetic investigations. We recruited patients with CNMs from all the Italian tertiary neuromuscular centers following clinical and histological criteria. All selected patients were screened for the four 'canonical' genes related to CNMs: MTM1, DNM2, RYR1 and BIN1. Pathogenetic mutations were found in 38 of the 54 screened patients (70 %), mostly in patients with congenital onset (25 of 30 patients, 83 %): 15 in MTM1, 6 in DNM2, 3 in RYR1 and one in TTN. Among the 13 patients with a childhood-adolescence onset, mutations were found in 6 patients (46 %), all in DNM2. In the group of the 11 patients with adult onset, mutations were identified in 7 patients (63 %), again in DNM2, confirming that variants in this gene are relatively more common in late-onset phenotypes. The present study provides the relative molecular frequency of centronuclear myopathy and of its genetically defined forms in Italy and also proposes a diagnostic algorithm to be used in clinical practice to address genetic investigations.

Mutations in the extreme C-terminus of titin (TTN), situated in the sarcomeric M-band, cause tibial muscular dystrophy (TMD) and limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2J (LGMD2J). The mutations ultimately cause a loss of C-terminal titin, including a binding site for the protease calpain 3 (CAPN3), and lead to a secondary CAPN3 deficiency in LGMD2J muscle. CAPN3 has been previously shown to bind C-terminal titin and to use it as a substrate in vitro. Interestingly, mutations in CAPN3 underlie limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2A (LGMD2A). Here, we aimed to clarify the relationship of CAPN3 and M-band titin in normal and pathological muscle. In vitro analyses identified several CAPN3 cleavage sites in C-terminal titin that were defined by protein sequencing. Furthermore, cleavage products were detected in normal muscle extracts by western blotting and in situ by immunofluorescence microscopy. The TMD/LGMD2J mutation FINmaj proved to alter this processing in vitro, while binding of CAPN3 to mutant titin was preserved. Unexpectedly, the pathological loss of M-band titin due to TMD/LGMD2J mutations was found to be independent of CAPN3, whereas the involvement of ubiquitous calpains is likely. We conclude that proteolytic processing of C-terminal titin by CAPN3 may have an important role in normal muscle, and that this process is disrupted in LGMD2A and in TMD/LGMD2J due to CAPN3 deficiency and to the loss of C-terminal titin, respectively., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Rarely, inflammation can be present in genetic myopathies, such as dysferlinopathies, facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy and GNE-myopathy (hereditary inclusion body myopathy). This may lead to erroneous initial diagnosis and unnecessary therapy which bear serious side effects. We report on an unusual case of mutations in the TTN gene presenting with inflammatory infiltrates in the muscle biopsy. Only after intensive immune-modulating therapies failed, a genetic myopathy was considered. Exome sequencing and search for mutated muscle protein-encoding genes disclosed compound heterozygous mutations in TTN: K26320T and A6135G. The parents carry one each of the mutations. Titinopathy could be considered also in patients presenting with inflammatory infiltrates resistant to therapy., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Diagnosis of muscular dystrophies is currently based on invasive methods requiring muscle biopsies or blood tests. The aim of the present study was to identify urinary biomarkers as a diagnostic tool for muscular dystrophies. Here, the urinary proteomes of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients and healthy donors were compared with a bottom-up proteomic approach. Label-free analysis of more than 1100 identified proteins revealed that 32 of them were differentially expressed between healthy controls and DMD patients. Among these 32 proteins, titin showed the highest fold change between healthy subjects and DMD patients. Interestingly, most of the sequenced peptides belong to the N-terminal and C-terminal parts of titin, and the presence of the corresponding fragments in the urine of DMD patients was confirmed by Western blot analysis. Analysis of a large cohort of DMD patients and age-matched controls (a total of 104 individuals aged from 3 to 20 years) confirmed presence of the N-ter fragment in all but two patients. In two DMD patients aged 16 and 20 years this fragment was undetectable and two healthy controls of 16 and 19 years with serum CK >800 IU/L demonstrated a low level of the fragment. N- and C-terminal titin fragments were also detected in urine from patients with other muscular dystrophies such as Becker muscular dystrophy and Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (type 1D, 2D and 2J) but not in neurogenic spinal muscular atrophy. They were also present in urine of dystrophin-deficient animal models (GRMD dogs and mdx mice). Titin is the first urinary biomarker that offers the possibility to develop a simple, non-invasive and easy-to-use test for pre-screening of muscular dystrophies, and may also prove to be useful for the non-invasive follow up of DMD patients under treatment., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Core myopathies (CM), the main non-dystrophic myopathies in childhood, remain genetically unexplained in many cases. Heart disease is not considered part of the typical CM spectrum. No congenital heart defect has been reported, and childhood-onset cardiomyopathy has been documented in only two CM families with homozygous mutations of the TTN gene. TTN encodes titin, a giant protein of striated muscles. Recently, heterozygous TTN truncating mutations have also been reported as a major cause of dominant dilated cardiomyopathy. However, relatively few TTN mutations and phenotypes are known, and titin pathophysiological role in cardiac and skeletal muscle conditions is incompletely understood. We analyzed a series of 23 families with congenital CM and primary heart disease using TTN M-line-targeted sequencing followed in selected patients by whole-exome sequencing and functional studies. We identified seven novel homozygous or compound heterozygous TTN mutations (five in the M-line, five truncating) in 17% patients. Heterozygous parents were healthy. Phenotype analysis identified four novel titinopathies, including cardiac septal defects, left ventricular non-compaction, Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy or arthrogryposis. Additionally, in vitro studies documented the first-reported absence of a functional titin kinase domain in humans, leading to a severe antenatal phenotype. We establish that CM are associated with a large range of heart conditions of which TTN mutations are a major cause, thereby expanding the TTN mutational and phenotypic spectrum. Additionally, our results suggest titin kinase implication in cardiac morphogenesis and demonstrate that heterozygous TTN truncating mutations may not manifest unless associated with a second mutation, reassessing the paradigm of their dominant expression.

Objective: Several patients with previously reported titin gene (TTN) mutations causing tibial muscular dystrophy (TMD) have more complex, severe, or unusual phenotypes. This study aimed to clarify the molecular cause of the variant phenotypes in 8 patients of 7 European families., Methods: Clinical, histopathological, and muscle imaging data of patients and family members were reanalyzed. The titin protein was analyzed by Western blotting and TTN gene by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Sanger sequencing., Results: Western blotting showed more pronounced C-terminal titin abnormality than expected for heterozygous probands, suggesting the existence of additional TTN mutations. RT-PCR indicated unequal mRNA expression of the TTN alleles in biopsies of 6 patients, 3 with an limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2J (LGMD2J) phenotype. Novel frameshift mutations were identified in 5 patients. A novel A-band titin mutation, c.92167C>T (p.P30723S), was found in 1 patient, and 1 Portuguese patient with a severe TMD phenotype proved to be homozygous for the previously reported Iberian TMD mutation., Interpretation: The unequal expression levels of TTN transcripts in 5 probands suggested severely reduced expression of the frameshift mutated allele, probably through nonsense-mediated decay, explaining the more severe phenotypes. The Iberian TMD mutation may cause a more severe TMD rather than LGMD2J when homozygous. The Finnish patient compound heterozygous for the FINmaj TMD mutation and the novel A-band titin missense mutation showed a phenotype completely different from previously described titinopathies. Our results further expand the complexity of muscular dystrophies caused by TTN mutations and suggest that the coexistence of second mutations may constitute a more common general mechanism explaining phenotype variability., (© 2014 American Neurological Association.)

Hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure (HMERF) is caused by A-band titin mutations and characterized by myofibrillar alterations and protein aggregation in skeletal muscle fibers. Our previous studies revealed that the composition of myotilin-positive aggregates is comparable to that seen in myofibrillar myopathies (MFM). However, there are two different types of protein aggregates in HMERF: subsarcolemmal cytoplasmic bodies (CB) with a dense filamentous core and non-CB aggregates. The aim of this study was to compare the proteomic profile of these protein deposits. We used Gomori trichrome stained skeletal muscle sections from two HMERF patients to separately collect CB, non-CB aggregates and intraindividual control samples by laser microdissection and performed a highly sensitive label-free mass spectrometry approach for protein detection and relative quantification based on spectral counting. The proteomic profiles of CB and non-CB aggregates showed a high degree of similarity: XIRP2, desmin, filamin C, N-RAP, nestin, COL6A3, myotilin, sarcosin, αB-crystallin, dystrophin, XIN and aciculin ranked among the most abundant over-represented proteins (ratio >1.5 compared to control samples) in both aggregate types. Peptides assigned to these twelve proteins accounted for 69% (CB) and 75% (non-CB aggregates) of all peptides assigned to over-represented proteins and the individual proportions of these proteins were almost the same. We also detected similarities in less abundant over-represented proteins. Titin was under-represented in CB (ratio 0.81) and in non-CB aggregates (ratio 0.80). In conclusion, our analysis revealed that the proteomic profiles of CB and non-CB aggregates are highly similar in HMERF, especially regarding abundant over-represented proteins, and typical of MFM aggregates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congenital core myopathies (CM) remain genetically unexplained in many cases. Heart disease is not considered part of the typical CM spectrum. Childhood-onset dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) was reported in two families with minicores and homozygous TTN mutations. TTN encodes the giant sarcomere protein titin. Relatively few titin mutations (mostly heterozygous and associated to adult-onset cardiac or skeletal muscle disease) have been reported, TTN size and complexity precluding full screening before NGS. Thus, the prevalence and spectrum of titinopathies is probably underestimated. Here we report the analysis of 23 families with CM and primary heart disease using TTN M-line targeted sequencing followed in selected patients by whole-exome sequencing and functional studies. We found 7 novel homozygous or compound heterozygous TTN mutations (5 in the M-line, 5 truncating) in 5 patients. All heterozygous parents were healthy. We identified 4 novel phenotypes previously unreported or non-associated with TTN , including several congenital cardiopathies. The first antenatal-onset titinopathy presented with multi-minicore disease (MmD), arthrogryposis, left ventricular non-compaction and ventricular septal defect, and was associated with the first-reported absence of a functional titin kinase domain in humans. Other novel phenotypes associate MmD with auricular and/or ventricular septal defects, Rigid Spine, Emery-Dreifuss phenotype and/or adult-onset DCM. The histological pattern consistently showed minicores, central nuclei and structural lesions. Conversely, the spectrum of severity and heart disease was large. Thus, we demonstrate that TTN M-line truncating mutations are typically recessive and represent a significant cause of MmD with heart disease. Our results represent the first series of recessive titinopathies, expand TTN mutational and phenotypic spectrum, and identify TTN as a candidate gene in arthrogryposis, EDMD and pediatric heart defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several patients with previously reported titin gene (TTN) mutations causing tibial muscular dystrophy (TMD) have more complex, severe or unusual phenotypes. This study aimed to clarify the molecular cause of these variant phenotypes in proband patients of six European families. Clinical, histopathological and muscle imaging data of patients and family members was reanalyzed and muscle biopsies of the patients were studied by titin Western blotting and RT-PCR. Western blotting showed a more pronounced C-terminal titin abnormality than expected for heterozygous mutants in all six probands, suggesting the existence of additional TTN mutations. RT-PCR indicated unequal mRNA expression of the two TTN alleles in biopsies of four patients, two of them with an LGMD2J phenotype. TTN was analyzed by Sanger sequencing from genomic DNA of the patients. Three patients proved to be compound heterozygotes with novel TTN frameshift mutations combined with previously reported TMD mutations. One LGMD2J patient was heterozygous for the FINmaj TMD mutation with a likely second yet undiscovered mutation. The unequal expression levels of TTN transcripts in these four probands suggested that the expression of the frameshifted allele was severely reduced, probably through nonsense-mediated decay, explaining the observed more severe phenotypes. One Portuguese patient was homozygote for a previously known Spanish TMD mutation. This TMD mutation seems to cause a more severe TMD rather than LGMD2J when homozygous. One Finnish patient had FINmaj mutation combined with a novel missense mutation in the A-band region of titin causing a new phenotype completely different from previously described titinopathies. Our results further expand the complexity of muscular dystrophies caused by TTN mutations and suggest that the coexistence of second mutations may constitute a more common general mechanism of phenotype variability in muscular dystrophies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure (HMERF) is characterized by proximal–distal weakness and respiratory insufficiency in ambulant patients. The clinical onset of the disease is variable, ranging from early to late adulthood. Muscle weakness is typical in neck flexors, limb girdle, and in some cases also in distal lower limb muscles. A prominent early finding is respiratory muscle weakness presenting with an acute respiratory failure in many patients. A dominant mutation in the TTN kinase domain leading to HMERF has been described in a few families from Sweden. Very recently, two reports (in press) revealed a novel dominant A-band mutation in titin gene, TTN. This mutation (g.274375T>C; p.Cys30071Arg) was found in eight HMERF patients from three Swedish families and in 31 patients from three families. In our collaborative study we have identified the identical mutation in one Finnish family with four affected HMERF patients. In addition, the mutation was identified in one British patient, in one Italian patient and in one additional Swedish family. The patients had the same phenotype with progressive muscle weakness in the lower limbs and respiratory muscles, cytoplasmic bodies and rimmed vacuolar myopathy in muscle biopsy. Muscle MRI findings are pathognomonic with fatty degenerative changes in semitendinosus, obturatorius, sartorius, gracilis and iliopsoas muscles with variable involvement of anterior and lateral compartment and tibialis posterior on the lower legs. All patients carried the same haplotype including markers D2S2173 and D2S385 at the mutational locus. The shared genomic region is less than 3.3Mb in size suggesting an ancestral founder, and indicating the existence of many undiagnosed families with this mutation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Several published studies strongly implied the existence of functional relationship between calpain 3 and titin proteins. Calpain 3, the cysteine protease mutated in Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy type 2A (LGMD2A), has at least 2 different binding sites on titin, which is also one of calpain 3 substrates. Moreover, Tibial Muscular Dystrophy (TMD) and LGMD2J, both caused by the mutations in the last exons of the titin gene, are characterised by secondary reduction of calpain 3 expression. We also showed that the last domains of titin are not present in the TMD/LGMD2J muscle. Here, we tested several calpain 3 properties in vivo and in vitro conditions to better clarify the relationship between calpain 3 and titin in the M-band of the sarcomere, as well as its possible implication in the pathogenesis of LGMD2A and LGMD2J. An in vitro analysis validated the C-terminal part of the titin protein as a proteolytic substrate for calpain 3. Moreover, we demonstrated that TMD/LGMD2J mutations induce disruption of these cleavages in vitro while calpain 3 is still able to interact with titin. Interestingly and unexpectedly, we showed that the disappearance of the M-band titin seen in vivo as a consequence of TMD/LGMD2J mutations is still observed in the absence of calpain 3, indicating that this event is not caused by a calpain 3 proteolytic cleavage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The titinopathies tibial muscular dystrophy (TMD) and limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2J (LGMD2J) are caused by mutations in the C-terminus of titin, residing in the sarcomeric M-band. Mutations identified so far affect the last Ig domain M10 or the preceding is7 region. The FINmaj mutation, underlying TMD/LGMD2J in patients of Finnish origin, causes the exchange of four amino acids in M10 and presumably leads to domain unfolding. The other known mutations cause missense changes of single amino acids or truncation of the ultimate C-terminus. Loss of C-terminal titin epitopes in IF microscopy and reduced amount of C-terminal titin fragments in western blotting suggest that increased or abnormal proteolytic turnover of mutant titin may contribute to the pathomechanism. The muscle-specific protease calpain 3 (CAPN3) binds M-band titin at the is7 region; the interaction is thought to regulate the autolytic activation of CAPN3. LGMD2J patients and FINmaj knock-in mice show secondary CAPN3 deficiency, reflecting loss of the binding site and consequent dysregulation of CAPN3 activity. To elucidate the proteolytic events involved in the pathogenesis of M-band titinopathies, we investigated the cleavage of C-terminal titin by CAPN3. Cleavage fragments generated by CAPN3 were identified by coexpressing various wild-type and mutant titin constructs with active or inactive CAPN3 in cell culture, and comparing the resulting fragment patterns. Active CAPN3 produced several titin fragments, which were characterized by western blotting, protein sequencing and mass spectrometry for identification of cleavage sites. Furthermore, targeted mutagenesis of predicted CAPN3 recognition sites was utilized for understanding the sequence determinants of CAPN3 cleavage and studying the order of cleavage events. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Hereditary myopathy with early respiratory failure (HMERF) and extensive myofibrillar lesions have been described in sporadic and familial cases and linked to various chromosomal regions. We describe the clinical manifestations, muscle histopathology and genetics in eight individuals from three apparently unrelated families with clinical and pathological features of HMERF. All patients had muscle weakness in the pelvic girdle, neck flexors, respiratory and trunk muscles, and the majority had prominent calf hypertrophy. Examination of pulmonary function showed decreased vital capacity. No signs of cardiac muscle involvement were found. Muscle histopathological features included marked muscle fibre size variation, fibre splitting, numerous internal nuclei and fatty infiltration. Frequent groups of fibres showed eosinophilic inclusions and deposits. At the ultrastructural level there were extensive myofibrillar lesions with marked Z-disc alterations. Whole exome sequencing in four individuals from one family revealed a missense mutation, g.274375, T>C; p.Cys30071Arg, in the titin gene, TTN. The mutation, which changes a highly conserved residue in the myosin binding A-band titin, was demonstrated to segregate with the disease in all three families. High density single nucleotide polymorphism arrays covering the entire genome demonstrated sharing of a 699Mb haplotype, located in chromosome region 2q31 including TTN, indicating common ancestry of this novel and first disease-causing mutation in A-band titin associated with HMERF. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The titinopathies tibial muscular dystrophy (TMD) and limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2J (LGMD2J) are caused by mutations in the C-terminus of titin, residing in the sarcomeric M-band. Mutations identified so far affect the last Ig domain M10 or the preceding is 7 region. The FINmaj mutation, underlying TMD/LGMD2J in patients of Finnish origin, causes the exchange of four amino acids in M10 and presumably leads to domain unfolding. The other known mutations cause missense changes of single amino acids or truncation of the ultimate C-terminus. Loss of C-terminal titin epitopes in IF microscopy and reduced amount of C-terminal titin fragments in western blotting suggest that increased or abnormal proteolytic turnover of mutant titin may contribute to the pathomechanism. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms responsible for titin proteolysis and downstream processing of the fragments remain unknown. We recently identified mutations in the co-chaperone DNAJB6 as the molecular cause of LGMD1D, a dominant form of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy with myofibrillar and rimmed vacuolar pathology. Our findings also suggested that DNAJB6 is associated with CASA (chaperone-assisted selective authophagy), a protein turnover pathway important for Z-disk maintenance. Interestingly, DNAJB6 and the CASA proteins BAG3 and HSPB8 also show occasional localization to the M-band, suggesting that the CASA pathway might have additional functions there. To assess whether CASA could be involved in mediating the normal and pathological turnover of M-band titin, we have characterized the expression and localization of these proteins in muscles of titinopathy patients and the FINmaj knock-in mouse. We have also studied the effects of overexpression and knockdown of CASA components on the behaviour of C-terminal titin fragments. Our preliminary results suggest there might be cross-talk between regulatory maintenance functions of the Z-disk and the M-band of the sarcomere. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Tibial muscular dystrophy (TMD) is a late onset, autosomal dominant distal myopathy that results from mutations in the two last domains of titin. The cascade of molecular events leading from the causative Titin mutations to the preterm death of muscle cells in TMD is largely unknown. To identify these components we used gene expression profiling from muscle biopsies samples of TMD patients, healthy controls and from phenotypically overlapping Welander distal myopathy (WDM) patients. The profiling results were confirmed through RT-PCR and protein level analysis and we identified an activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR). UPR was then confirmed through elevation of marker genes HSPA5 (BIP) and XBP1 and the presence of ER-stress specific XBP1 splicing events. However, UPR activation appears to be insufficient, leading to build-up of ubiquitinated proteins which in turn cause activation of the autophagic system. Massive accumulation of LC3b positive autophagosomes within the rimmed vacuolated regions of degenerated muscle fibers suggests that this apparently compensatory mechanism is not capable of restoring equilibrium since these fibers degenerate further and disappear in the end stage of the pathology cascade. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]