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  • Title: The origin of dystrophin-glycoprotein complex(DGC)-related muscular dystrophies: the need for protection against an ancestral pathogen?
    Author: Brancaccio A.
    Journal: Ital J Biochem; 2003 Jun; 52(2):68-71. PubMed ID: 14677422.
    Abstract:
    Because of its crucial role during the early stages of morphogenesis, no genetic defects associated to dystroglycan have been reported so far. Dystroglycan is an important member of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex (DGC) and in several muscular dystrophies, depending on abnormalities of proteins belonging to or associated with the DGC, it is frequently observed a significant reduction of dystroglycan levels at the sarcolemma. Recently, it has been demonstrated that dystroglycan acts as a receptor for pathogens such as M. leprae and arenaviruses. It is well-known that mutated alleles causing diseases can be selected in order to confer an additional genetic advantage. Herein it is discussed the possibility that mutations leading to a certain number of muscular dystrophies might have been originally selected to indirectly gain a specific advantage: the absence or the lower levels of dystroglycan could have greatly reduced the risk of some ancestral lethal infections specifically directed against muscles.
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