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Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases
Published in: Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research

ATM splicing variants as biomarkers for low dose dexamethasone treatment of A-T

Authors: Michele Menotta, Sara Biagiotti, Chiara Spapperi, Sara Orazi, Luigia Rossi, Luciana Chessa, Vincenzo Leuzzi, Daniela D’Agnano, Annarosa Soresina, Roberto Micheli, Mauro Magnani

Published in: Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Background

Ataxia Telangiectasia (AT) is a rare incurable genetic disease, caused by biallelic mutations in the Ataxia Telangiectasia-Mutated (ATM) gene. Treatment with glucocorticoid analogues has been shown to improve the neurological symptoms that characterize this syndrome. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanism underlying the glucocorticoid action in AT patients is not yet understood. Recently, we have demonstrated that Dexamethasone treatment may partly restore ATM activity in AT lymphoblastoid cells by a new ATM transcript, namely ATMdexa1.

Results

In the present study, the new ATMdexa1 transcript was also identified in vivo, specifically in the PMBCs of AT patients treated with intra-erythrocyte Dexamethasone (EryDex). In these patients it was also possible to isolate new “ATMdexa1 variants” originating from canonical and non-canonical splicing, each containing the coding sequence for the ATM kinase domain. The expression of the ATMdexa1 transcript family was directly related to treatment and higher expression levels of the transcript in patients’ blood correlated with a positive response to Dexamethasone therapy. Neither untreated AT patients nor untreated healthy volunteers possessed detectable levels of the transcripts. ATMdexa1 transcript expression was found to be elevated 8 days after the drug infusion, while it decreased 21 days after treatment.

Conclusions

For the first time, the expression of ATM splicing variants, similar to those previously observed in vitro, has been found in the PBMCs of patients treated with EryDex. These findings show a correlation between the expression of ATMdexa1 transcripts and the clinical response to low dose dexamethasone administration.
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Metadata
Title
ATM splicing variants as biomarkers for low dose dexamethasone treatment of A-T
Authors
Michele Menotta
Sara Biagiotti
Chiara Spapperi
Sara Orazi
Luigia Rossi
Luciana Chessa
Vincenzo Leuzzi
Daniela D’Agnano
Annarosa Soresina
Roberto Micheli
Mauro Magnani
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1750-1172
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13023-017-0669-2

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