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Background: Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is the most common inherited peripheral neuropathy. A great number of causative genes have been described in CMT, and among them, the heterozygous duplication of peripheral myelin protein-22 (PMP22) is the major cause. Although the missense mutation in PMP22 is rarely reported, it has been demonstrated to be associated with CMT. This study described a novel missense mutation of PMP22 in a Chinese family with CMT phenotype. Methods: Targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) was used to screen the causative genes in a family featured with an autosomal dominant demyelinating form of CMT. The potential variants identified by targeted NGS were verified by Sanger sequencing and classified according to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics standards and guidelines. Further cell transfection studies were performed to characterize the function of the novel variant. Results: Using targeted NGS, a novel heterozygous missense variant in PMP22 (c.320G>A, p.G107D) was identified. In vitro cell functional studies revealed that mutant PMP22 protein carrying p.G107D mutation lost the ability to reach the plasma membrane, was mainly retained in the endoplasmic reticulum, and induced cell apoptosis. Conclusions: This study supported the notion that missense mutations in PMP22 give rise to a CMT phenotype, possibly through a toxic gain-of-function mechanism.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A (CMT1A) is caused by an abnormal copy number variation (CNV) with a trisomy of chromosome 17p12. The increase of the DNA-segment copy number is expected to alter the allele frequency of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) within the duplicated region. We tested whether SNP allele frequency determined by a Sequenom MassArray can be used to detect the CMT1A mutation. Our results revealed distinct patterns of SNP allele frequency distribution, which reliably differentiated CMT1A patients from controls. This finding suggests that this technique may serve as an alternative approach to identifying CNV in certain diseases, including CMT1A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myelin abnormalities exist in schizophrenia leading to the hypothesis that oligodendrocyte dysfunction plays a role in the pathophysiology of the disease. The expression of the mRNA for the peripheral myelin protein-22 (PMP-22) is decreased in schizophrenia and recent genetic evidence suggests a link between PMP-22 and schizophrenia. While PMP-22 mRNA is found in both rodent and human brain it has been generally thought that no protein expression occurs. Here we show that PMP-22 protein is present in myelin isolated from adult mouse and human brain. These results suggest that PMP-22 protein likely plays a role in the maintenance and function of central nervous system (CNS) myelin and provide an explanation for why altered PMP-22 expression may be pathophysiologically relevant in a CNS disorder such as schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myelin sheaths are formed around axons by extending, biochemically modifying and spiraling plasma membranes of Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS). Because glycoproteins are prominent components of plasma membranes, it is not surprising that they have important roles in the formation, maintenance and degeneration of myelin sheaths. The emphasis in this review is on four integral membrane glycoproteins. Two of them, protein zero (P0) and peripheral myelin protein-22 (PMP-22), are components of compact PNS myelin. The other two are preferentially localized in membranes of sheaths that are distinct from compact myelin. One is the myelin-associated glycoprotein, which is localized at the inside of sheaths where it functions in glia-axon interactions in both the PNS and CNS. The other is the myelin-oligodendrocyte glycoprotein, which is preferentially localized on the outside of CNS myelin sheaths and appears to be an important target antigen in autoimmune demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic factors may be learnt from families with gene mutations that render nerve-injury susceptibility even to ordinary physical activities. A typical example is hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP). HNPP is caused by a heterozygous deletion of PMP22 gene. PMP22 deficiency disrupts myelin junctions (such as tight junction and adherens junctions), leading to abnormally increased myelin permeability that explains the nerve susceptibility to injury. This finding should motivate investigators to identify additional genetic factors contributing to nerve vulnerability of injury.

Progesterone is commonly considered as a female reproductive hormone and is well-known for its role in pregnancy. It is less well appreciated that progesterone and its metabolite allopregnanolone are also male hormones, as they are produced in both sexes by the adrenal glands. In addition, they are synthesized within the nervous system. Progesterone and allopregnanolone are associated with adaptation to stress, and increased production of progesterone within the brain may be part of the response of neural cells to injury. Progesterone receptors (PR) are widely distributed throughout the brain, but their study has been mainly limited to the hypothalamus and reproductive functions, and the extra-hypothalamic receptors have been neglected. This lack of information about brain functions of PR is unexpected, as the protective and trophic effects of progesterone are much investigated, and as the therapeutic potential of progesterone as a neuroprotective and promyelinating agent is currently being assessed in clinical trials. The little attention devoted to the brain functions of PR may relate to the widely accepted assumption that non-reproductive actions of progesterone may be mainly mediated by allopregnanolone, which does not bind to PR, but acts as a potent positive modulator of γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA(A) receptors. The aim of this review is to critically discuss effects of progesterone on the nervous system via PR, and of allopregnanolone via its modulation of GABA(A) receptors, with main focus on the brain., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)