Pro-inflammatory Cytokines in Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (CYTOKINE-FSH)

Pro-inflammatory Cytokines as Potential Therapeutic Target in Type 1 Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy: Pilot Study

The facial-glenohumeral muscular dystrophy type 1 (DMFSH1) is characterized by a selective and asymmetrical involvement of the facial muscles, the shoulder girdle and the anterolateral lodge legs. Genetically, the disease is transmitted in an autosomal dominant manner and is caused by a pathogen contraction of repeat units (UR) say D4Z4 localized to the telomeric portion of chromosome 4qA. The loss of UR causes hypomethylation of DNA and chromatin relaxation of the region that lead to inappropriate expression of DUX4 retrogene highly toxic. The inappropriate expression induces a T cell reaction inflammatory response that participate and increase muscle damage. In favor of this hypothesis, several muscle MRI studies have shown that atrophy and fibro-adipose degeneration (hyper signal in T1) were preceded by the appearance of muscle inflammation (hyper signal T2STIR) confirmed on histologically and dysregulation of genes involved in adaptive and innate immunity. scientific hypothesis and potential benefits: the investigateur hypothesize that in patients of DMFSH1, the immune system cells may participate in the pathophysiology of the disease through changes in serum secretion of one or more cytokines and / or a modification of the response of inflammatory cells in some cell damage stimuli. Design: this is a single-center pilot study, interventional. In this study, the investigator will assay the serum cytokines and changes in peripheral blood cells of the expression of cytokines in response to some stimuli in 20 patients with Type 1 DMFSH genetically confirmed at an intermediate stage of clinical disease (kept walking, but at least one muscle of lower limbs reached) and compare with controls from the CYTOKINAGE study. The investigator will also carry patients clinical testing (MMT sum score) and functional (6minute test march MFM) and a MRI not injected whole body (T1 sequences + and T2STIR) to study the relationship between these parameters and secretion cytokines or serum in response to certain stimuli Main objective: to compare serum levels of IL-6 in patients with DMFSH and controls.

Inclusion Criteria:

• male or female age 18 to 75
• suffering from genetically confirmed FSHD1 (<11 D4Z4 repeat units on permissive chromosome 4 allele)
• ambulant or walking with assistance
• Manual Muscle Testing ≥4 for 1 of lower limb muscles

Exclusion Criteria:

• pregnancy or breast feeding
• stay in tropical/subtropical country within 3 months
• physical exercice within 10 hours
• specific diet (e.g. hypocaloric or cholesterol lowering diet)
• regular alcohol consumption; drug consumption within 3 months
• immunosuppressive or immonumodulating drug within 2 weeks or for more than 3 months withing last 6 months
• vaccination, blood transfusion of immunoglobulin treatment within 3 months
• infection within 3 weeks; HIV, HBV, HCV seropositivity
• chronic inflammatory and/or autoimmune or allergic disease from the gut (Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis), skin (psoriasis, atopic dermatitis), joints (rhumatoid arthritis), nervous system (multiple sclerosis), diabetes type I and II
• neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer's or Parkinson's diseases)
• diagnosed cancer not under remission for at least 5 years
• participation in the last 3 months in a research clinical trial with exposure to a pharmaceutical product or a medical device
• muscular MRI contraindication