A novel lamin A/C gene mutation causing spinal muscular atrophy phenotype with cardiac involvement: report of one case

BACKGROUND Mutations of the lamin A/C gene have been associated with several diseases such as Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy, dilated cardiomyopathy and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, referred to as laminopathies. Only one report of spinal muscular atrophy and cardiomyopathy phenotype with lamin A/C gene mutations has been published. The concept that lamin A/C gene mutations cause spinal muscular atrophy has not been established. CASE PRESENTATION We report a man aged 65 years who presented with amyotrophy of lower limbs, arrhythmia and cardiac hypofunction. He showed gait disturbance since childhood, and his family showed similar symptoms. Neurological and electrophysiological findings suggested spinal muscular atrophy type 3. Gene analysis of lamin A/C gene showed a novel nonsense mutation p.Q353X (c.1057C > T). Further investigations revealed that he and his family members had cardiac diseases including atrioventricular block. CONCLUSIONS We report the first Japanese case of spinal muscular atrophy phenotype associated with lamin A/C mutation. When a patient presents a spinal muscular atrophy phenotype and unexplained cardiac disease, especially when the family history is positive, gene analysis of lamin A/C gene should be considered.