Oxidative stress in myotonic dystrophy type 1

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is the most common form of muscular dystrophy affecting adults. The genetic basis of DM1 consists of a mutational expansion of a repetitive trinucleotide sequence (CTG). The number of triplets expansion divides patients in four categories related to the molecular changes (E1, E2, E3, E4). The pathogenic mechanisms of multi-systemic involvement of DM1 are still unclear. DM1 has been suspected to be due to premature aging, that is known to be sustained by increased free radicals levels and/or decreased antioxidants activities in neurodegenerative disorders. Recently, the gain-of-function at RNA level hypothesis has gained great attention, but oxidative stress might act in the disease progression. We have investigated 36 DM1 patients belonging to 22 unrelated families, 10 patients with other myotonic disorders (OMD) and 22 age-matched healthy controls from the clinical, biochemical and molecular point of view. Biochemical analysis detected blood levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malonilaldehyde (MDA), vitamin E (Vit E), hydroxyl radicals (OH) and total antioxidant system (TAS). Results revealed that DM1 patients showed significantly higher levels of SOD (+40%; p < 0.003), MAL (+57%; p < 0.03), RAD 2 (+106%; p < 0.000002) and TAS (+20%; p < 0.05) than normal controls. Our data support the hypothesis of a pathogenic role of oxidative stress in DM1 and therefore confirm the detrimental role played by free radicals in this pathology and suggest the opportunity to undertake clinical trials with antioxidants in this disorder.