LRP4 Is Critical for Neuromuscular Junction Maintenance

LRP4 is critical for neuromuscular junction maintenance.

The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a synapse between motor neurons and skeletal muscle fibers, and is critical for control of muscle contraction. Its formation requires neuronal agrin that acts by binding to LRP4 to stimulate MuSK. Mutations have been identified in agrin, MuSK, and LRP4 in patients with congenital myasthenic syndrome, and patients with myasthenia gravis develop antibodies agai...

MuSK frizzled-like domain is critical for mammalian neuromuscular junction formation and maintenance.

The muscle-specific kinase MuSK is one of the key molecules orchestrating neuromuscular junction (NMJ) formation. MuSK interacts with the Wnt morphogens, through its Frizzled-like domain (cysteine-rich domain [CRD]). Dysfunction of MuSK CRD in patients has been recently associated with the onset of myasthenia, common neuromuscular disorders mainly characterized by fatigable muscle weakness. How...

Supplemental Information Distinct Roles of Muscle and Motoneuron LRP4 in Neuromuscular Junction Formation

Distinct Roles of Muscle and Motoneuron LRP4 in Neuromuscular Junction Formation

Neuromuscular junction (NMJ) formation requires precise interaction between motoneurons and muscle fibers. LRP4 is a receptor of agrin that is thought to act in cis to stimulate MuSK in muscle fibers for postsynaptic differentiation. Here we dissected the roles of LRP4 in muscle fibers and motoneurons in NMJ formation by cell-specific mutation. Studies of muscle-specific mutants suggest that LR...

Impaired Synaptic Development, Maintenance, and Neuromuscular Transmission in LRP4-Related Myasthenia.

IMPORTANCE Congenital myasthenic syndromes (CMS) are heterogeneous disorders. Defining the phenotypic features, genetic basis, and pathomechanisms of a CMS is relevant to prognosis, genetic counseling, and therapy. OBJECTIVES To characterize clinical, structural, electrophysiologic, and genetic features of a CMS and to search for optimal therapy. DESIGN, SETTINGS, AND PARTICIPANTS Two siste...