Genetics

Two newly identified mutations in the GAA gene, along with a previously known variant of unclear significance, were found to reduce the activity of the enzyme whose deficiency causes Pompe disease, a study has shown. The three variants appeared to produce unstable forms of the enzyme that were prone…

Late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD), a rare, inherited muscle disorder, was finally diagnosed in a 52-year-old man in Austria after decades of misdiagnosis, a case study shows. The condition had long been hidden by overlapping symptoms of dermatomyositis, an autoimmune disorder. Only after treatment for the autoimmune disease failed to…

A man was diagnosed with late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) after prenatal genetic counseling, even though he exhibited no symptoms. “This example stresses the importance of pretest consultation and the relevance of clinical and ethical implications during prenatal genetic testing for the whole family group,” scientists wrote. His condition was…

Reduced activity of the COL13A1 gene, which codes for a protein involved in the communication between nerves and muscles, may contribute to the neuromuscular dysfunction and muscle weakness seen in people with Pompe disease, a new study suggests. This gene’s activity seems to be mediated by levels of glucose…

Estimates of the number people diagnosed with Pompe disease vary widely across regions, with notably higher rates in populations of African descent, a study review found. The researchers attributed the variability to underlying genetic differences as well as inconsistencies in diagnostic criteria, newborn screening methods, and disease classification depending…

Some individuals with limb-girdle muscular weakness, a hallmark symptom of a type of muscular dystrophy, may instead be found to have Pompe disease by genetic panel testing, according to a new study with data from more than 2,000 patients in 21 countries. That testing used next-generation sequencing, or NGS,…

Among almost 3,000 people with symptoms consistent with Pompe disease, fewer than 40 were found to carry genetic mutations known to cause the rare condition and receive a confirmed diagnosis, according to the findings of a new study that researchers say highlights the challenges of diagnosing Pompe. Importantly, the…

Three genes related to the regulation of immune responses — GPNMB, CALML6, and TRIM7 — show abnormal activity in immune cells infiltrating the muscles of people with infantile-onset Pompe disease, according to a new study from researchers in China. All three were found to be associated with regulatory T-cells, a…

A two-step process used to screen thousands of people with suspected Pompe disease led to diagnoses of the rare genetic condition in more than 700 individuals across 50-plus nations, a new retrospective study reports. The researchers used both biochemical and genetic testing to analyze more than 30,000 blood-spot…

Several metabolic processes in Pompe disease muscles are altered, according to a detailed examination of gene activity in muscle cells from adults with late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD). The changes, many of which occur in early disease progression, included a switch from energy production based on glucose to fat-like lipids…