Background Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a fatal motor neuron disease of childhood that is caused by mutations in the SMN1 gene. Currently, no effective treatment is available. One possible therapeutic approach is the use of antisense oligos (ASOs) to redirect the splicing of the paralogous gene SMN2, thus increasing functional SMN protein production. Various ASOs with different chemical properties are suitable for these applications, including a morpholino oligomer (MO) variant with a particularly excellent safety and efficacy profile. Objective We investigated a 25-nt MO sequence targeting the negative intronic splicing silencer (ISS-N1) 10 to 34 region. Methods We administered a 25-nt MO sequence against the ISS-N1 region of SMN2 (HSMN2Ex7D[-10-34]) in the SMAΔ7 mouse model and evaluated the effect and neuropathologic phenotype. We tested different concentrations (from 2 to 24 nM) and delivery protocols (intracerebroventricular injection, systemic injection, or both). We evaluated the treatment efficacy regarding SMN levels, survival, neuromuscular phenotype, and neuropathologic features. Results We found that a 25-nt MO sequence against the ISS-N1 region of SMN2 (HSMN2Ex7D[-10-34]) exhibited superior efficacy in transgenic SMAΔ7 mice compared with previously described sequences. In our experiments, the combination of local and systemic administration of MO (bare or conjugated to octaguanidine) was the most effective approach for increasing full-length SMN expression, leading to robust improvement in neuropathologic features and survival. Moreover, we found that several small nuclear RNAs were deregulated in SMA mice and that their levels were restored by MO treatment. Conclusion These results indicate that MO-mediated SMA therapy is efficacious and can result in phenotypic rescue, providing important insights for further development of ASO-based therapeutic strategies in SMA patients. © 2014 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc.

Effect of combined systemic and local morpholino treatment on the spinal muscular atrophy δ7 mouse model phenotype / M. Nizzardo, C. Simone, S. Salani, M. Ruepp, F. Rizzo, M. Ruggieri, C. Zanetta, S. Brajkovic, H.M. Moulton, O. Müehlemann, N. Bresolin, G.P. Comi, S. Corti. - In: CLINICAL THERAPEUTICS. - ISSN 0149-2918. - 36:3(2014), pp. 340-356. [10.1016/j.clinthera.2014.02.004]

Effect of combined systemic and local morpholino treatment on the spinal muscular atrophy δ7 mouse model phenotype

M. Nizzardo
Primo
;
C. Simone
Secondo
;
S. Salani;F. Rizzo;N. Bresolin;G.P. Comi
Penultimo
;
S. Corti
2014

Abstract

Background Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a fatal motor neuron disease of childhood that is caused by mutations in the SMN1 gene. Currently, no effective treatment is available. One possible therapeutic approach is the use of antisense oligos (ASOs) to redirect the splicing of the paralogous gene SMN2, thus increasing functional SMN protein production. Various ASOs with different chemical properties are suitable for these applications, including a morpholino oligomer (MO) variant with a particularly excellent safety and efficacy profile. Objective We investigated a 25-nt MO sequence targeting the negative intronic splicing silencer (ISS-N1) 10 to 34 region. Methods We administered a 25-nt MO sequence against the ISS-N1 region of SMN2 (HSMN2Ex7D[-10-34]) in the SMAΔ7 mouse model and evaluated the effect and neuropathologic phenotype. We tested different concentrations (from 2 to 24 nM) and delivery protocols (intracerebroventricular injection, systemic injection, or both). We evaluated the treatment efficacy regarding SMN levels, survival, neuromuscular phenotype, and neuropathologic features. Results We found that a 25-nt MO sequence against the ISS-N1 region of SMN2 (HSMN2Ex7D[-10-34]) exhibited superior efficacy in transgenic SMAΔ7 mice compared with previously described sequences. In our experiments, the combination of local and systemic administration of MO (bare or conjugated to octaguanidine) was the most effective approach for increasing full-length SMN expression, leading to robust improvement in neuropathologic features and survival. Moreover, we found that several small nuclear RNAs were deregulated in SMA mice and that their levels were restored by MO treatment. Conclusion These results indicate that MO-mediated SMA therapy is efficacious and can result in phenotypic rescue, providing important insights for further development of ASO-based therapeutic strategies in SMA patients. © 2014 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc.
morpholino oligomer; SMAΔ7 mice; spinal muscular atrophy; survival motor neuron; therapy
Settore MED/26 - Neurologia
2014
Article (author)
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/237579
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 29
  • Scopus 43
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 39
social impact