U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Format

Send to:

Choose Destination

Actin accumulation myopathy(CMYO2A)

MedGen UID:
777997
Concept ID:
C3711389
Disease or Syndrome
Synonyms: CMYO2A; CONGENITAL MYOPATHY 2A, TYPICAL, AUTOSOMAL DOMINANT; Myopathy, actin, congenital, with cores; Myopathy, actin, congenital, with excess of thin myofilaments; Nemaline myopathy 3, with intranuclear rods; Nemaline myopathy caused by mutation in the alpha-actin gene; Nemaline myopathy type 3
SNOMED CT: Nemaline myopathy 3 (702349003); Actin accumulation myopathy (702349003); Congenital myopathy with excess thin filaments (702349003)
 
Gene (location): ACTA1 (1q42.13)
 
Monarch Initiative: MONDO:0008070
OMIM®: 161800

Definition

Congenital myopathy-2A (CMYO2A) is an autosomal dominant disorder of the skeletal muscle characterized by infantile- or childhood-onset myopathy with delayed motor milestones and nonprogressive muscle weakness. Of the patients with congenital myopathy caused by mutation in the ACTA1 gene, about 90% carry heterozygous mutations that are usually de novo and cause the severe infantile phenotype (CMYO2C; 620278). Some patients with de novo mutations have a more typical and milder disease course with delayed motor development and proximal muscle weakness, but are able to achieve independent ambulation. Less frequently, autosomal dominant transmission of the disorder within a family may occur when the ACTA1 mutation produces a phenotype compatible with adult life. Of note, intrafamilial variability has also been reported: a severely affected proband may be identified and then mildly affected or even asymptomatic relatives are found to carry the same mutation. The severity of the disease most likely depends on the detrimental effect of the mutation, although there are probably additional modifying factors (Ryan et al., 2001; Laing et al., 2009; Sanoudou and Beggs, 2001; Agrawal et al., 2004; Nowak et al., 2013; Sewry et al., 2019; Laitila and Wallgren-Pettersson, 2021). The most common histologic finding on muscle biopsy in patients with ACTA1 mutations is the presence of 'nemaline rods,' which represent abnormal thread- or rod-like structures ('nema' is Greek for 'thread'). However, skeletal muscle biopsy from patients with mutations in the ACTA1 gene can show a range of pathologic phenotypes. These include classic rods, intranuclear rods, clumped filaments, cores, or fiber-type disproportion, all of which are nonspecific pathologic findings and not pathognomonic of a specific congenital myopathy. Most patients have clinically severe disease, regardless of the histopathologic phenotype (Nowak et al., 2007; Sewry et al., 2019). ACTA1 mutations are the second most common cause of congenital myopathies classified histologically as 'nemaline myopathy' after mutations in the NEB gene (161650). ACTA1 mutations are overrepresented in the severe phenotype with early death (Laing et al., 2009). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of congenital myopathy, see CMYO1A (117000). For a discussion of genetic heterogeneity of nemaline myopathy, see NEM2 (256030). [from OMIM]

Additional descriptions

From MedlinePlus Genetics
Actin-accumulation myopathy is a disorder that primarily affects skeletal muscles, which are muscles that the body uses for movement. People with actin-accumulation myopathy have severe muscle weakness (myopathy) and poor muscle tone (hypotonia) throughout the body. Signs and symptoms of this condition are apparent in infancy and include feeding and swallowing difficulties, a weak cry, and difficulty with controlling head movements. Affected babies are sometimes described as "floppy" and may be unable to move on their own.

The severe muscle weakness that occurs in actin-accumulation myopathy also affects the muscles used for breathing. Individuals with this disorder may take shallow breaths (hypoventilate), especially during sleep, resulting in a shortage of oxygen and a buildup of carbon dioxide in the blood. Frequent respiratory infections and life-threatening breathing difficulties can occur. Because of the respiratory problems, most affected individuals do not survive past infancy. Those who do survive have delayed development of motor skills such as sitting, crawling, standing, and walking.

The name actin-accumulation myopathy derives from characteristic accumulations in muscle cells of filaments composed of a protein called actin. These filaments can be seen when muscle tissue is viewed under a microscope.  https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/actin-accumulation-myopathy
From MedlinePlus Genetics
Intranuclear rod myopathy is a disorder that primarily affects skeletal muscles, which are muscles that the body uses for movement. People with intranuclear rod myopathy have severe muscle weakness (myopathy) and poor muscle tone (hypotonia) throughout the body. Signs and symptoms of this condition are apparent in infancy and include feeding and swallowing difficulties, a weak cry, and difficulty with controlling head movements. Affected babies are sometimes described as "floppy" and may be unable to move on their own.

The severe muscle weakness that occurs in intranuclear rod myopathy also affects the muscles used for breathing. Individuals with this disorder may take shallow breaths (hypoventilate), especially during sleep, resulting in a shortage of oxygen and a buildup of carbon dioxide in the blood. Frequent respiratory infections and life-threatening breathing difficulties can occur. Because of the respiratory problems, most affected individuals do not survive past infancy. Those who do survive have delayed development of motor skills such as sitting, crawling, standing, and walking.

The name intranuclear rod myopathy comes from characteristic abnormal rod-shaped structures that can be seen in the nucleus of muscle cells when muscle tissue is viewed under a microscope.  https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/intranuclear-rod-myopathy
From MedlinePlus Genetics
Nemaline myopathy is a disorder that primarily affects skeletal muscles, which are muscles that the body uses for movement. People with nemaline myopathy have muscle weakness (myopathy) throughout the body, but it is typically most severe in the muscles of the face; neck; trunk; and other muscles close to the center of the body (proximal muscles), such as those of the upper arms and legs. This weakness can worsen over time. Affected individuals may have feeding and swallowing difficulties, foot deformities, abnormal curvature of the spine (scoliosis), and joint deformities (contractures). Most people with nemaline myopathy are able to walk, although some affected children may begin walking later than usual. As the condition progresses, some people may require wheelchair assistance. In severe cases, the muscles used for breathing are affected and life-threatening breathing difficulties can occur.

Nemaline myopathy is divided into six types. In order of decreasing severity, the types are: severe congenital, Amish, intermediate congenital, typical congenital, childhood-onset, and adult-onset. The types are distinguished by the age when symptoms first appear and the severity of symptoms; however, there is overlap among the various types. The severe congenital type is the most life-threatening. Most individuals with this type do not survive past early childhood due to respiratory failure. The Amish type solely affects the Old Order Amish population of Pennsylvania and is typically fatal in early childhood. The most common type of nemaline myopathy is the typical congenital type, which is characterized by muscle weakness and feeding problems beginning in infancy. Most of these individuals do not have severe breathing problems and can walk unassisted. People with the childhood-onset type usually develop muscle weakness in adolescence. The adult-onset type is the mildest of all the various types. People with this type usually develop muscle weakness between ages 20 and 50.  https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/condition/nemaline-myopathy

Clinical features

From HPO
Limb muscle weakness
MedGen UID:
107956
Concept ID:
C0587246
Finding
Reduced strength and weakness of the muscles of the arms and legs.
Pes cavus
MedGen UID:
675590
Concept ID:
C0728829
Congenital Abnormality
An increase in height of the medial longitudinal arch of the foot that does not flatten on weight bearing (i.e., a distinctly hollow form of the sole of the foot when it is bearing weight).
Primary dilated cardiomyopathy
MedGen UID:
2880
Concept ID:
C0007193
Disease or Syndrome
Familial dilated cardiomyopathy is a genetic form of heart disease. It occurs when heart (cardiac) muscle becomes thin and weakened in at least one chamber of the heart, causing the open area of the chamber to become enlarged (dilated). As a result, the heart is unable to pump blood as efficiently as usual. To compensate, the heart attempts to increase the amount of blood being pumped through the heart, leading to further thinning and weakening of the cardiac muscle. Over time, this condition results in heart failure.\n\nIt usually takes many years for symptoms of familial dilated cardiomyopathy to cause health problems. They typically begin in mid-adulthood, but can occur at any time from infancy to late adulthood. Signs and symptoms of familial dilated cardiomyopathy can include an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), shortness of breath (dyspnea), extreme tiredness (fatigue), fainting episodes (syncope), and swelling of the legs and feet. In some cases, the first sign of the disorder is sudden cardiac death. The severity of the condition varies among affected individuals, even in members of the same family.
Slender build
MedGen UID:
376828
Concept ID:
C1850573
Finding
Asthenic habitus refers to a slender build with long limbs, an angular profile, and prominent muscles or bones.
Dysphagia
MedGen UID:
41440
Concept ID:
C0011168
Disease or Syndrome
Difficulty in swallowing.
Feeding difficulties in infancy
MedGen UID:
436211
Concept ID:
C2674608
Finding
Impaired feeding performance of an infant as manifested by difficulties such as weak and ineffective sucking, brief bursts of sucking, and falling asleep during sucking. There may be difficulties with chewing or maintaining attention.
Hyperreflexia
MedGen UID:
57738
Concept ID:
C0151889
Finding
Hyperreflexia is the presence of hyperactive stretch reflexes of the muscles.
Waddling gait
MedGen UID:
66667
Concept ID:
C0231712
Finding
Weakness of the hip girdle and upper thigh muscles, for instance in myopathies, leads to an instability of the pelvis on standing and walking. If the muscles extending the hip joint are affected, the posture in that joint becomes flexed and lumbar lordosis increases. The patients usually have difficulties standing up from a sitting position. Due to weakness in the gluteus medius muscle, the hip on the side of the swinging leg drops with each step (referred to as Trendelenburg sign). The gait appears waddling. The patients frequently attempt to counteract the dropping of the hip on the swinging side by bending the trunk towards the side which is in the stance phase (in the German language literature this is referred to as Duchenne sign). Similar gait patterns can be caused by orthopedic conditions when the origin and the insertion site of the gluteus medius muscle are closer to each other than normal, for instance due to a posttraumatic elevation of the trochanter or pseudarthrosis of the femoral neck.
Areflexia
MedGen UID:
115943
Concept ID:
C0234146
Finding
Absence of neurologic reflexes such as the knee-jerk reaction.
Hyporeflexia
MedGen UID:
195967
Concept ID:
C0700078
Finding
Reduction of neurologic reflexes such as the knee-jerk reaction.
Motor delay
MedGen UID:
381392
Concept ID:
C1854301
Finding
A type of Developmental delay characterized by a delay in acquiring motor skills.
Bulbar palsy
MedGen UID:
898626
Concept ID:
C4082299
Disease or Syndrome
Bulbar weakness (or bulbar palsy) refers to bilateral impairment of function of the lower cranial nerves IX, X, XI and XII, which occurs due to lower motor neuron lesion either at nuclear or fascicular level in the medulla or from bilateral lesions of the lower cranial nerves outside the brain-stem. Bulbar weakness is often associated with difficulty in chewing, weakness of the facial muscles, dysarthria, palatal weakness and regurgitation of fluids, dysphagia, and dysphonia.
Hyperlordosis
MedGen UID:
9805
Concept ID:
C0024003
Finding
Abnormally increased curvature (anterior concavity) of the lumbar or cervical spine.
Hypertonia
MedGen UID:
10132
Concept ID:
C0026826
Finding
A condition in which there is increased muscle tone so that arms or legs, for example, are stiff and difficult to move.
Rigidity
MedGen UID:
7752
Concept ID:
C0026837
Sign or Symptom
Continuous involuntary sustained muscle contraction. When an affected muscle is passively stretched, the degree of resistance remains constant regardless of the rate at which the muscle is stretched. This feature helps to distinguish rigidity from muscle spasticity.
Retrognathia
MedGen UID:
19766
Concept ID:
C0035353
Congenital Abnormality
An abnormality in which the mandible is mislocalised posteriorly.
Scoliosis
MedGen UID:
11348
Concept ID:
C0036439
Disease or Syndrome
The presence of an abnormal lateral curvature of the spine.
Proximal muscle weakness
MedGen UID:
113169
Concept ID:
C0221629
Finding
A lack of strength of the proximal muscles.
Facial palsy
MedGen UID:
87660
Concept ID:
C0376175
Disease or Syndrome
Facial nerve palsy is a dysfunction of cranial nerve VII (the facial nerve) that results in inability to control facial muscles on the affected side with weakness of the muscles of facial expression and eye closure. This can either be present in unilateral or bilateral form.
Generalized muscle weakness
MedGen UID:
155433
Concept ID:
C0746674
Sign or Symptom
Generalized weakness or decreased strength of the muscles, affecting both distal and proximal musculature.
Frequent falls
MedGen UID:
163408
Concept ID:
C0850703
Finding
Neck flexor weakness
MedGen UID:
334801
Concept ID:
C1843637
Finding
Weakness of the muscles involved in neck flexion (sternocleidomastoid, longus capitus, longus colli, and scalenus anterior).
Type 1 muscle fiber predominance
MedGen UID:
344274
Concept ID:
C1854387
Finding
An abnormal predominance of type I muscle fibers (in general, this feature can only be observed on muscle biopsy).
Spinal rigidity
MedGen UID:
346721
Concept ID:
C1858025
Finding
Reduced ability to move the vertebral column with a resulting limitation of neck and trunk flexion.
Neonatal hypotonia
MedGen UID:
412209
Concept ID:
C2267233
Disease or Syndrome
Muscular hypotonia (abnormally low muscle tone) manifesting in the neonatal period.
Nemaline bodies
MedGen UID:
814369
Concept ID:
C3808039
Finding
Nemaline rods are abnormal bodies that can occur in skeletal muscle fibers. The rods can be observed on histological analysis of muscle biopsy tissue or upon electron microscopy, where they appear either as extensions of sarcomeric Z-lines, in random array without obvious attachment to Z-lines (often in areas devoid of sarcomeres) or in large clusters localized at the sarcolemma or intermyofibrillar spaces.
EMG: myopathic abnormalities
MedGen UID:
867362
Concept ID:
C4021726
Pathologic Function
The presence of abnormal electromyographic patterns indicative of myopathy, such as small-short polyphasic motor unit potentials.
EMG: neuropathic changes
MedGen UID:
867363
Concept ID:
C4021727
Finding
The presence of characteristic findings of denervation on electromyography (fibrillations, positive sharp waves, and giant motor unit potentials).
Late-onset distal muscle weakness
MedGen UID:
871100
Concept ID:
C4025565
Finding
Arthrogryposis multiplex congenita
MedGen UID:
1830310
Concept ID:
C5779613
Disease or Syndrome
Multiple congenital contractures in different body areas.
Respiratory insufficiency
MedGen UID:
11197
Concept ID:
C0035229
Pathologic Function
Impairment of gas exchange within the lungs secondary to a disease process, neoplasm, or trauma, possibly resulting in hypoxia, hypercarbia, or both, but not requiring intubation or mechanical ventilation. Patients are normally managed with pharmaceutical therapy, supplemental oxygen, or both.
Respiratory insufficiency due to muscle weakness
MedGen UID:
812797
Concept ID:
C3806467
Finding
Mildly elevated creatine kinase
MedGen UID:
342469
Concept ID:
C1850309
Finding
High palate
MedGen UID:
66814
Concept ID:
C0240635
Congenital Abnormality
Height of the palate more than 2 SD above the mean (objective) or palatal height at the level of the first permanent molar more than twice the height of the teeth (subjective).
Myopathic facies
MedGen UID:
90695
Concept ID:
C0332615
Finding
A facial appearance characteristic of myopathic conditions. The face appears expressionless with sunken cheeks, bilateral ptosis, and inability to elevate the corners of the mouth, due to muscle weakness.
Mask-like facies
MedGen UID:
140860
Concept ID:
C0424448
Finding
A lack of facial expression often with staring eyes and a slightly open mouth.
Polyhydramnios
MedGen UID:
6936
Concept ID:
C0020224
Pathologic Function
The presence of excess amniotic fluid in the uterus during pregnancy.
Decreased fetal movement
MedGen UID:
68618
Concept ID:
C0235659
Finding
An abnormal reduction in quantity or strength of fetal movements.

Professional guidelines

Curated

Nowak KJ, Davis MR, Wallgren-Pettersson C, Lamont PJ, Laing NG
Eur J Hum Genet 2012 Jun;20(6) Epub 2012 Apr 18 doi: 10.1038/ejhg.2012.70. PMID: 22510848Free PMC Article

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Liewluck T, Niu Z, Moore SA, Alsharabati M, Milone M
Neuromuscul Disord 2019 May;29(5):388-391. Epub 2019 Mar 2 doi: 10.1016/j.nmd.2019.02.012. PMID: 30987788Free PMC Article

Diagnosis

Kapur RP, Goldstein AM, Loeff DS, Myers CT, Paschal CR
Pediatr Dev Pathol 2022 Nov-Dec;25(6):581-597. Epub 2022 Jun 12 doi: 10.1177/10935266221107449. PMID: 35695198
Joureau B, de Winter JM, Conijn S, Bogaards SJP, Kovacevic I, Kalganov A, Persson M, Lindqvist J, Stienen GJM, Irving TC, Ma W, Yuen M, Clarke NF, Rassier DE, Malfatti E, Romero NB, Beggs AH, Ottenheijm CAC
Ann Neurol 2018 Feb;83(2):269-282. Epub 2018 Feb 6 doi: 10.1002/ana.25144. PMID: 29328520Free PMC Article
Waisayarat J, Suriyonplengsaeng C, Khongkhatithum C, Rochanawutanon M
Diagn Pathol 2015 Apr 16;10:27. doi: 10.1186/s13000-015-0270-8. PMID: 25890230Free PMC Article
Castiglioni C, Cassandrini D, Fattori F, Bellacchio E, D'Amico A, Alvarez K, Gejman R, Diaz J, Santorelli FM, Romero NB, Bertini E, Bevilacqua JA
Muscle Nerve 2014 Dec;50(6):1011-6. Epub 2014 Oct 30 doi: 10.1002/mus.24353. PMID: 25088345

Prognosis

Waisayarat J, Suriyonplengsaeng C, Khongkhatithum C, Rochanawutanon M
Diagn Pathol 2015 Apr 16;10:27. doi: 10.1186/s13000-015-0270-8. PMID: 25890230Free PMC Article

Clinical prediction guides

Kapur RP, Goldstein AM, Loeff DS, Myers CT, Paschal CR
Pediatr Dev Pathol 2022 Nov-Dec;25(6):581-597. Epub 2022 Jun 12 doi: 10.1177/10935266221107449. PMID: 35695198

Supplemental Content

Recent activity

Your browsing activity is empty.

Activity recording is turned off.

Turn recording back on

See more...