A 4-year-old boy is brought to the physician by his parents because he tires easily. Physical examination reveals weakness in the pelvic and shoulder girdles and enlargement of the child’s calf muscle. Serum levels of creatine kinase are elevated. A biopsy of calf muscle shows marked variation in size and shape of muscle fibers. There are foci of muscle fiber necrosis, with myophagocytosis, regenerating fibers, and fibrosis. Molecular diagnostic assays would most likely show alterations in the length of the primary transcript for which of the following muscle-associated proteins?
A 4-year-old boy is brought to the physician by his parents because he tires easily. Physical examination reveals weakness in the pelvic and shoulder girdles and enlargement of the child’s calf muscle. Serum levels of creatine kinase are elevated. A biopsy of calf muscle shows marked variation in size and shape of muscle fibers. There are foci of muscle fiber necrosis, with myophagocytosis, regenerating fibers, and fibrosis. Molecular diagnostic assays would most likely show alterations in the length of the primary transcript for which of the following muscle-associated proteins?
π‘ Explanation
**Core Concept**
The clinical presentation suggests a muscular dystrophy, characterized by progressive muscle weakness and degeneration. The key **muscular dystrophy** features include elevated serum **creatine kinase** levels and muscle biopsy findings of **necrosis**, **myophagocytosis**, and **regenerating fibers**.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
The described symptoms and biopsy results are characteristic of **Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)**, which is caused by mutations in the **dystrophin** gene. DMD leads to the absence or severe deficiency of the **dystrophin protein**, resulting in muscle fiber instability and degeneration. The variation in muscle fiber size and presence of **fibrosis** are hallmarks of the disease.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A:** This choice is incorrect because the primary issue in DMD is not related to **dystroglycan** mutations, although dystroglycan interacts with dystrophin in the muscle cell membrane.
**Option B:** This option is incorrect as **merosin** (laminin alpha-2) deficiencies are associated with a different form of muscular dystrophy.
**Option C:** This choice is incorrect because **sarcoglycan** mutations are linked to another type of muscular dystrophy.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is an X-linked recessive disorder, primarily affecting males, with a key diagnostic feature being significantly elevated **creatine kinase** levels. The disease progression is relentless, leading to severe disability.
**Correct Answer:** D. dystrophin
β Correct Answer: C. Dystrophin
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