Genetic evaluation of inherited motor/sensory neuropathy

Inherited disorders of peripheral nerves represent a common group of neurologic diseases. Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy type 1 (CMT1) is a genetically heterogeneous group of chronic demyelinating polyneuropathies with loci mapping to chromosome 17 (CMT1A), chromosome 1 (CMT1B), chromosome 16 (CMT1C) and chromosome 10 (CMT1D). CMT1A is most often associated with a tandem 1.5-megabase (Mb) duplication in chromosome 17p11.2-p12. In rare patients it may result from a point mutation in the peripheral myelin protein-22 (PMP22) gene. CMT1B is associated with point mutations in the myelin protein zero (Po or MPZ) gene. Mutations in the SIMPLE gene cause CMT1C, and CMT1D is the result of mutations in the early response 2 (ERG2 or Krox-20) gene. An X-linked form of CMT1 (CMT1X) maps to Xq13 and is associated with mutations in the connexin32 (Cx32) gene. Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy type 2 (CMT2) is an axonal neuropathy that maps to chromosome 1p35-p36 (CMT2A), chromosome 3q13-q22 (CMT2B), chromosome 7p14 (CMT2D), chromosome 8p21 (CMT2E), chromosome 1q22-q23 (CMT2F) or chromosome 3q13 (CMT2G). Two X-linked forms of CMT2 have been reported (CMT2XA and CMT2XB), but the genes remain unidentified. An area that has recently expanded is the identification of autosomal recessive forms of CMT type 1 and 2. Of the eight recessive forms of CMT1 that have been identified to date, only two have been fully characterized at the molecular level (CMT1 AR B 1 and CMT1 AR D). Point mutations were found in the myotubularin-related protein-2 (MTM2) gene for CMT1 AR B1. CMT1 AR D is the result of point mutations in the N-myc downstream-regulated gene 1 (NDRG1). Dejerine-Sottas disease (DSD), also called hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy type III (HMSNIII), is a severe, infantile-onset demyelinating polyneuropathy syndrome that may be associated with point mutations in either the PMP22 gene, PO gene, EGR2 gene or the PRX gene (for the recessive form). It shares considerable clinical and pathological features with CMT1. Hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) is an autosomal dominant disorder that results in a recurrent, episodic demyelinating neuropathy. HNPP is associated with a 1.5-Mb deletion in chromosome 17p11.2-p12 that results in reduced expression of the PMP22 gene. CMT1A and HNPP are reciprocal duplication/deletion syndromes that originate from unequal crossover during germ cell meiosis. Other rare forms of demyelinating peripheral neuropathies map to chromosome 8q, 10q and 11q.