Long-term survivor diagnosed with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia

The subject was a 70 year-old man who survived for 31 years after being diagnosed with right ventricular cardiomyopathy, having undergone right ventricular (RV) aneurysmectomy at the age of 39. His arrhythmia and syncopal attacks were effectively abolished after the original aneurysmectomy. Although he frequently suffered from right heart failure, hemodialysis improved his status. However, the patient died due to worsening anasarca caused by RV low output syndrome. Autopsy results indicated extensive replacement of the RV myocardium with fibrous and fatty tissues. This case suggests that patients with arrhythmogenic RV cardiomyopathy, but without left ventricular abnormalities and rapid ventricular arrhythmia, have a relatively favorable prognosis, although RV abnormalities may be progressive

CGG repeat expansion in LRP12 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the degeneration of motor neurons. Although repeat expansion in C9orf72 is its most common cause, the pathogenesis of ALS isn’t fully clear. In this study, we show that repeat expansion in LRP12, a causative variant of oculopharyngodistal myopathy type 1 (OPDM1), is a cause of ALS. We identify CGG repeat expansion in LRP12 in five families and two simplex individuals. These ALS individuals (LRP12-ALS) have 61–100 repeats, which contrasts with most OPDM individuals with repeat expansion in LRP12 (LRP12-OPDM), who have 100–200 repeats. Phosphorylated TDP-43 is present in the cytoplasm of iPS cell-derived motor neurons (iPSMNs) in LRP12-ALS, a finding that reproduces the pathological hallmark of ALS. RNA foci are more prominent in muscle and iPSMNs in LRP12-ALS than in LRP12-OPDM. Muscleblind-like 1 aggregates are observed only in OPDM muscle. In conclusion, CGG repeat expansions in LRP12 cause ALS and OPDM, depending on the length of the repeat. Our findings provide insight into the repeat length-dependent switching of phenotypes