Validation of sensitivity and specificity of tetraplet-primed PCR (TP-PCR) in the molecular diagnosis of myotonic dystrophy type 2 (DM2)

J Mol Diagn. 2010 Sep;12(5):601-6. doi: 10.2353/jmoldx.2010.090239. Epub 2010 Jul 8.

Abstract

Myotonic dystrophy type 2 (DM2, OMIM #602688) is a multisystemic hereditary degenerative disease caused by a tetranucleotide CCTG expansion in the ZNF9 gene. Routine testing strategies for DM2 require the use of Southern blot or long-range PCR, but the presence of very large expansions and wide somatic mosaicism greatly reduce the sensitivity of these reference techniques. We therefore developed and validated a tetraplet-primed PCR (TP-PCR) method to detect the DM2 mutation by testing 87 DM2-positive and 76 DM2-negative previously characterized patients. The specificity of this technique was evaluated including DNA samples from 39 DM1-positive patients. We then attempted a prospective analysis of 50 patients with unknown genotype who referred to our center for diagnostic or presymptomatic tests. Results show that TP-PCR is a fast, reliable, and flexible technique, whose specificity and sensitivity is almost 100%, with no false positive or negative results either in retrospective and prospective applications. We therefore conclude that using this technique, in combination with the short-range PCR, is sufficient to correctly establish the presence or the absence of ZNF9 expanded alleles in the molecular diagnosis of DM2.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • DNA Primers
  • Electrophoresis, Agar Gel
  • Humans
  • Molecular Diagnostic Techniques
  • Myotonic Disorders / diagnosis
  • Myotonic Disorders / genetics
  • Myotonic Dystrophy
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity

Substances

  • DNA Primers