Two novel CAV3 gene mutations in Japanese families

Caveolin-3 deficiency is a rare, autosomal dominant, muscle disorder caused by caveolin-3 gene (CAV3) mutations and consists of four clinical phenotypes: limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 1C (LGMD-1C), rippling muscle disease, distal myopathy, and familial hyperCKemia. So far, only 13 mutations have been reported. We here report two novel heterozygous mutations, 96C>G (N32K) and 128T>A (V43E), in the CAV3 gene in two unrelated Japanese families with LGMD-1C. Both probands presented with elevated serum CK level with calf muscle hypertrophy in their childhood but without apparent muscle weakness. However, their mothers showed mild limb-girdle weakness in addition to high CK level. Caveolin-3 was deficient and caveolae were lacking in muscles from both patients. Our data confirm that caveolin-3 deficiency causes LGMD-1C and expand the variability in CAV3 gene mutations.