MAB1944 Sigma-AldrichAnti-Collagen Type VI Antibody, clone 3C4

Congenital muscular dystrophy type Ullrich (UCMD) is a severe disorder of early childhood onset for which currently there is no effective treatment. UCMD commonly is caused by dominant-negative mutations in the genes coding for collagen type VI, a major microfibrillar component of the extracellular matrix surrounding the muscle fibers. To explore RNA interference (RNAi) as a potential therapy for UCMD, we designed a series of small interfering RNA (siRNA) oligos that specifically target the most common mutations resulting in skipping of exon 16 in the COL6A3 gene and tested them in UCMD-derived dermal fibroblasts. Transcript analysis by semiquantitative and quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR showed that two of these siRNAs were the most allele-specific, i.e., they efficiently knocked down the expression from the mutant allele, without affecting the normal allele. In HEK293T cells, these siRNAs selectively suppressed protein expression from a reporter construct carrying the mutation, with no or minimal suppression of the wild-type (WT) construct, suggesting that collagen VI protein levels are as also reduced in an allele-specific manner. Furthermore, we found that treating UCMD fibroblasts with these siRNAs considerably improved the quantity and quality of the collagen VI matrix, as assessed by confocal microscopy. Our current study establishes RNAi as a promising molecular approach for treating dominant COL6-related dystrophies.Molecular Therapy-Nucleic Acids (2014) 3, e147; doi:10.1038/mtna.2013.74; published online 11 February 2014.

Collagen VI-related myopathies are disorders of connective tissue presenting with an overlap phenotype combining clinical involvement from the muscle and from the connective tissue. Not all patients displaying related overlap phenotypes between muscle and connective tissue have mutations in collagen VI. Here, we report a homozygous recessive loss of function mutation and a de novo dominant mutation in collagen XII (COL12A1) as underlying a novel overlap syndrome involving muscle and connective tissue. Two siblings homozygous for a loss of function mutation showed widespread joint hyperlaxity combined with weakness precluding independent ambulation, while the patient with the de novo missense mutation was more mildly affected, showing improvement including the acquisition of walking. A mouse model with inactivation of the Col12a1 gene showed decreased grip strength, a delay in fiber-type transition and a deficiency in passive force generation while the muscle seems more resistant to eccentric contraction induced force drop, indicating a role for a matrix-based passive force-transducing elastic element in the generation of the weakness. This new muscle connective tissue overlap syndrome expands on the emerging importance of the muscle extracellular matrix in the pathogenesis of muscle disease.

Mutations within the C-terminal region of the COL6A1 gene are only detected in Ullrich/Bethlem patients on extremely rare occasions.Herein we report two Brazilian brothers with a classic Ullrich phenotype and compound heterozygous for two truncating mutations in COL6A1 gene, expected to result in the loss of the α1(VI) chain C2 subdomain. Despite the reduction in COL6A1 RNA level due to nonsense RNA decay, three truncated alpha1 (VI) chains were produced as protein variants encoded by different out-of-frame transcripts. Collagen VI matrix was severely decreased and intracellular protein retention evident.The altered deposition of the fibronectin network highlighted abnormal interactions of the mutated collagen VI, lacking the α1(VI) C2 domain, within the extracellular matrix, focusing further studies on the possible role played by collagen VI in fibronectin deposition and organization.

Mutations in COL6A1, COL6A2 and COL6A3 genes result in collagen VI myopathies: Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy (UCMD), Bethlem myopathy (BM) and intermediate phenotypes. At present, none of the existing diagnostic techniques for evaluating collagen VI expression is quantitative, and the detection of subtle changes in collagen VI expression remains challenging. We investigated flow cytometry analysis as a means of quantitatively measuring collagen VI in primary fibroblasts and compared this method with the standard method of fibroblast collagen VI immunohistochemical analysis. Eight UCMD and five BM molecularly confirmed patients were studied and compared to five controls. Flow cytometry analysis consistently detected a reduction of collagen VI of at least 60% in all UCMD cases. In BM cases the levels of collagen VI were variable but on average 20% less than controls. Flow cytometry analysis provides an alternative method for screening for collagen VI deficiency at the protein level in a quantitative, time and cost-effective manner.

Applications of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are limited by the use of mouse embryonic fibroblasts feeder and animal-derived components during culture. In this study, we demonstrated the potential use of extracellular matrix (ECM) derived from the autologous feeders to support long-term undifferentiated growth of hESCs in xeno-free, serum-free, and feeder-free conditions. Autologous H9 ebF (feeder cells derived from outgrowth of embryoid body [EB] predifferentiated from H9 hESCs) was derived from EBs predifferentiated from H9 hESCs through a direct-plating outgrowth system. The ECM comprising collagen VI, laminin, and fibronectin was extracted from H9 ebF through a freeze-thaw procedure. The autologous ECM together with animal component-free TeSR™2 medium was used to support long-term growth of H1 and H9 hESC lines for up to 20 passages. The maintenance of hESC undifferentiated state by autologous ECM was confirmed by the positive staining of hESC-specific markers (Oct4, SSEA-4, and Tra-1-60) and the expression of pluripotency marker genes (Oct4, Nanog, and Sox2). Flow cytometry further showed that more than 99% of hESCs retained the expression of SSEA-3/4 after long-term culture on autologous ECM. Pluripotency of hESCs on ECM was further proven by in vitro EB formation and in vivo teratoma assay. Overall, this study suggested a strategy for efficient propagation of clinically compliant hESCs in an autologous feeder-free culture system.

Collagen VI myopathies, caused by mutations in the genes encoding collagen type VI (ColVI), represent a clinical continuum with Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy (UCMD) and Bethlem myopathy (BM) at each end of the spectrum, and less well-defined intermediate phenotypes in between. ColVI myopathies also share common features with other disorders associated with prominent muscle contractures, making differential diagnosis difficult. This group of disorders, under-recognized for a long time, has aroused much interest over the past decade, with important advances made in understanding its molecular pathogenesis. Indeed, numerous mutations have now been reported in the COL6A1, COL6A2 and COL6A3 genes, a large proportion of which are de novo and exert dominant-negative effects. Genotype-phenotype correlations have also started to emerge, which reflect the various pathogenic mechanisms at play in these disorders: dominant de novo exon splicing that enables the synthesis and secretion of mutant tetramers and homozygous nonsense mutations that lead to premature termination of translation and complete loss of function are associated with early-onset, severe phenotypes. In this review, we present the current state of diagnosis and research in the field of ColVI myopathies. The past decade has provided significant advances, with the identification of altered cellular functions in animal models of ColVI myopathies and in patient samples. In particular, mitochondrial dysfunction and a defect in the autophagic clearance system of skeletal muscle have recently been reported, thereby opening potential therapeutic avenues.

Stem cell therapy holds promise for treating muscle diseases. Although satellite cells regenerate skeletal muscle, they only have a local effect after intra-muscular transplantation. Alternative cell types, more easily obtainable and systemically-deliverable, were therefore sought. Human synovial stem cells (hSSCs) have been reported to regenerate muscle fibres and reconstitute the satellite cell pool. We therefore determined if these cells are able to regenerate skeletal muscle after intra-muscular injection into cryodamaged muscles of Rag2-/gamma chain-/C5-mice. We found that hSSCs possess only limited capacity to undergo myogenic differentiation in vitro or to contribute to muscle regeneration in vivo. However, this is enhanced by over-expression of human MyoD1. Interestingly, hSSCs express extracellular matrix components laminin alpha2 and collagen VI within grafted muscles. Therefore, despite their limited capacity to regenerate skeletal muscle, hSSCs could play a role in treating muscular dystrophies secondary to defects in extracellular matrix proteins.

Molecular characterization of collagen-VI related myopathies currently relies on standard sequencing, which yields a detection rate approximating 75-79% in Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy (UCMD) and 60-65% in Bethlem myopathy (BM) patients as PCR-based techniques tend to miss gross genomic rearrangements as well as copy number variations (CNVs) in both the coding sequence and intronic regions.We have designed a custom oligonucleotide CGH array in order to investigate the presence of CNVs in the coding and non-coding regions of COL6A1, A2, A3, A5 and A6 genes and a group of genes functionally related to collagen VI. A cohort of 12 patients with UCMD/BM negative at sequencing analysis and 2 subjects carrying a single COL6 mutation whose clinical phenotype was not explicable by inheritance were selected and the occurrence of allelic and genetic heterogeneity explored.A deletion within intron 1A of the COL6A2 gene, occurring in compound heterozygosity with a small deletion in exon 28, previously detected by routine sequencing, was identified in a BM patient. RNA studies showed monoallelic transcription of the COL6A2 gene, thus elucidating the functional effect of the intronic deletion. No pathogenic mutations were identified in the remaining analyzed patients, either within COL6A genes, or in genes functionally related to collagen VI.Our custom CGH array may represent a useful complementary diagnostic tool, especially in recessive forms of the disease, when only one mutant allele is detected by standard sequencing. The intronic deletion we identified represents the first example of a pure intronic mutation in COL6A genes.

Mutations in the genes encoding the extracellular matrix protein collagen VI (ColVI) cause a spectrum of disorders with variable inheritance including Ullrich congenital muscular dystrophy, Bethlem myopathy, and intermediate phenotypes. We extensively characterized, at the clinical, cellular, and molecular levels, 49 patients with onset in the first 2 years of life to investigate genotype-phenotype correlations.