PKC Proteins and Muscular Dystrophy

Protein Kinase Cs (PKCs) are a family of 10 isoenzymes with critical roles in cell physiological processes like proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis. Muscular dystrophies are a heterogenous group of genetic degenerative diseases that affect skeletal and cardiac muscles. In the development of muscular dystrophies, several transduction pathways have been studied. A possible link between muscular dystrophies and PKCs have been recently proposed. After a brief description of the possible transduction pathways that are involved in the development of these genetic diseases, we summarize recent evidence on the role of PKC proteins in muscular dystrophies, with the aim to review possible candidates in molecular therapy of these pathologies.