Congenital myasthenic syndrome caused by decreased agonist binding affinity due to a mutation in the acetylcholine receptor ε subunit

Kinji Ohno, Hai Long Wang, Margherita Milone, Nina Bren, Joan M. Brengman, Satoshi Nakano, Polly Quiram, Jerry N. Pruitt, Steven M. Sine, Andrew G. Engel

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

209 Scopus citations

Abstract

We describe the genetic and kinetic defects for a low-affinity fast channel disease of the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) that causes a myasthenic syndrome. In two unrelated patients with very small miniature end plate (EP) potentials, but with normal EP AChR density and normal EP ultrastructure, patch-clamp studies demonstrated infrequent AChR channel events, diminished channel reopenings during ACh occupancy, and resistance to desensitization by ACh. Each patient had two heteroallelic AChR ε subunit gene mutations: a common εP121L mutation, a signal peptide mutation (εG-8R) (patient 1), and a glycosylation consensus site mutation (εS143L) (patient 2). AChR expression in HEK fibroblasts was normal with εP121L but was markedly reduced with the other mutations. Therefore, εP121L defines the clinical phenotype. Studies of the engineered EP121L AChR revealed a markedly decreased rate of channel opening, little change in affinity of the resting state for ACh, but reduced affinity of the open channel and desensitized states.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)157-170
Number of pages14
JournalNeuron
Volume17
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 1996
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

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