dystrophin

noun

dys·​tro·​phin ˈdi-strə-ˌfin 

: a protein that is associated with a transmembrane complex of skeletal muscle cells and that is absent in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and deficient or defective in Becker muscular dystrophy

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

In a study involving patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, 12 weeks of treatment with the Wave drug called suvodirsen failed to increase levels of dystrophin compared to baseline, the company said. —BostonGlobe.com, 17 Dec. 2019

Duchenne is a rare fatal neuromuscular disease caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene that result in a progressive loss of muscle function and weakness, including in the heart and skeleton. —BostonGlobe.com, 24 Dec. 2019

The guide RNAs were designed to trigger production of a missing protein called dystrophin. —Sara Reardon, Scientific American, 5 Feb. 2020

In a study involving patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, 12 weeks of treatment with the Wave drug called suvodirsen failed to increase levels of dystrophin compared to baseline, the company said. —BostonGlobe.com, 17 Dec. 2019

In a study involving patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, 12 weeks of treatment with the Wave drug called suvodirsen failed to increase levels of dystrophin compared to baseline, the company said. —Adam Feuerstein, STAT, 16 Dec. 2019

In a clinical trial, Vyondys 53 produced a small increase in an important muscle protein called dystrophin that children with Duchenne lack. —BostonGlobe.com, 24 Dec. 2019

In a clinical trial, Sarepta’s drug produced a small increase in an important muscle protein called dystrophin that is normally missing in children with Duchenne. —Damian Garde, STAT, 12 Dec. 2019

Instead, the Wave drug made no dystrophin protein at all, which raises serious questions about the viability of the company’s entire chemistry platform. —BostonGlobe.com, 17 Dec. 2019

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Word History

Etymology

dystrophy + -in entry 1

Note: Term introduced by Eric P. Hoffman, Robert H. Brown, Jr., and Louis M. Kunkel in "Dystrophin: The protein product of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy locus," Cell, vol. 51, no. 6, December 24, 1987, pp. 919-28.

First Known Use

1987, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

dystrophin

noun

dys·​tro·​phin ˈdis-trə-ˌfin 

: a protein of high molecular weight that is associated with a transmembrane glycoprotein complex of skeletal muscle cells and is absent in Duchenne muscular dystrophy and deficient or of abnormal molecular weight in Becker muscular dystrophy