Methods for diagnosing, prognosing and treating muscular dystrophy

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods for diagnosing, prognosing and treating muscular dystrophy. The disclosed methods can be used to diagnosis, prognosis or treat a subject with merosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy Type 1A (MDC1A), limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD), facioscapulohumeral (FHMD), Beckers muscular dystrophy (BMD) or Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Also disclosed are methods of determining the effectiveness of an agent for the treatment of muscular dystrophy. In an example, a method of diagnosing or prognosing a subject with muscular dystrophy includes detecting expression of Galectin-1 or Galectin-3 in a sample obtained from the subject at risk of having or having one or more signs or symptoms associated with muscular dystrophy, thereby diagnosing or prognosing the subject with muscular dystrophy. Also provided are methods of enhancing muscle regeneration, repair, or maintenance in a subject by administering galectin, such as Galectin-1 and/or Galectin-3 to a subject in need thereof.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of enhancing muscle regeneration, repair or maintenance in a subject comprising administering an effective amount of Galectin-1, Galectin-3 or a combination thereof to the subject in need thereof. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method includes administering an effective amount of Galectin-1 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the subject has or is at risk of acquiring a muscular dystrophy. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the subject has a muscular dystrophy. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the muscular dystrophy is merosin deficient congenital muscular dystrophy Type 1A (MDC1A), limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD), facioscapulohumeral (FHMD), Beckers muscular dystrophy (BMD) or Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the muscular dystrophy is merosin deficient congenital muscular dystrophy Type 1A (MDC1A), limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD), facioscapulohumeral (FHMD), Beckers muscular dystrophy (BMD) or Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The method of  claim 5 , wherein the muscular dystrophy is DMD. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the muscular dystrophy is DMD. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the muscular dystrophy is DMD. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the muscular dystrophy is MDC1A. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the muscular dystrophy is MDC1A.