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Stavrou M, Kleopa KA. Gene therapies for CMT neuropathies: from the bench to the clinic. Curr Opin Neurol 2024:00019052-990000000-00173. [PMID: 38873808 DOI: 10.1097/wco.0000000000001289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) neuropathies are rare, genetically heterogeneous and progressive diseases for which there are no approved treatments and their management remains mostly supportive and symptomatic. This review is intended to provide an update on recent developments in gene therapies for different CMT neuropathies. RECENT FINDINGS Increasing knowledge of disease pathomechanisms underlying several CMT types has facilitated the development of promising viral and nonviral gene therapy approaches. Some of these therapies are currently approaching the crucial step of moving from the bench to the clinic, having passed the proof-of-concept stage in rodent models and some also in larger animals. However, questions of optimal delivery route and dose, off-target effects, and possible payload toxicity remain to be clarified for several of these approaches. Furthermore, limited resources, the rarity of most CMT subtypes, and issues of safety and regulatory requirements, create the need for consensus guidelines and optimal clinical trial design. SUMMARY Promising gene therapies have been developed for several CMT neuropathies, with proof-of-principle demonstrated in relevant disease models. Advantages and drawbacks of each approach are discussed and remaining challenges are highlighted. Furthermore, we suggest important parameters that should be considered in order to successfully translate them into the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Stavrou
- Neuroscience Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics
| | - Kleopas A Kleopa
- Neuroscience Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics
- Center for Neuromuscular Diseases, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
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Su Y, Verkhratsky A, Yi C. Targeting connexins: possible game changer in managing neuropathic pain? Trends Mol Med 2024:S1471-4914(24)00064-9. [PMID: 38594094 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2024.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Neuropathic pain is a chronic debilitating condition caused by nerve injury or a variety of diseases. At the core of neuropathic pain lies the aberrant neuronal excitability in the peripheral and/or central nervous system (PNS and CNS). Enhanced connexin expression and abnormal activation of connexin-assembled gap junctional channels are prominent in neuropathic pain along with reactive gliosis, contributing to neuronal hypersensitivity and hyperexcitability. In this review, we delve into the current understanding of how connexin expression and function contribute to the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of neuropathic pain and argue for connexins as potential therapeutic targets for neuropathic pain management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixun Su
- Research Centre, Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Alexei Verkhratsky
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; Achucarro Center for Neuroscience, IKERBASQUE, Bilbao, Spain; Department of Stem Cell Biology, State Research Institute Centre for Innovative Medicine, Vilnius, Lithuania; Department of Forensic Analytical Toxicology, School of Forensic Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
| | - Chenju Yi
- Research Centre, Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Brain Function and Disease, Guangzhou, China; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Active substance screening and Translational Research, Shenzhen, China.
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Sivera Mascaró R, García Sobrino T, Horga Hernández A, Pelayo Negro AL, Alonso Jiménez A, Antelo Pose A, Calabria Gallego MD, Casasnovas C, Cemillán Fernández CA, Esteban Pérez J, Fenollar Cortés M, Frasquet Carrera M, Gallano Petit MP, Giménez Muñoz A, Gutiérrez Gutiérrez G, Gutiérrez Martínez A, Juntas Morales R, Ciano-Petersen NL, Martínez Ulloa PL, Mederer Hengstl S, Millet Sancho E, Navacerrada Barrero FJ, Navarrete Faubel FE, Pardo Fernández J, Pascual Pascual SI, Pérez Lucas J, Pino Mínguez J, Rabasa Pérez M, Sánchez González M, Sotoca J, Rodríguez Santiago B, Rojas García R, Turon-Sans J, Vicent Carsí V, Sevilla Mantecón T. Clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Neurologia 2024:S2173-5808(24)00047-6. [PMID: 38431252 DOI: 10.1016/j.nrleng.2024.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease is classified considering the neurophysiological and histological findings, the inheritance pattern and the underlying genetic defect. In recent years, with the advent of next generation sequencing, genetic complexity has increased exponentially, expanding the knowledge about disease pathways, and having an impact in clinical management. The aim of this guide is to offer recommendations for the diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring and treatment of this disease in Spain. MATERIAL AND METHODS This consensus guideline has been developed by a multidisciplinary panel encompassing a broad group of professionals including neurologists, neuropediatricians, geneticists, rehabilitators, and orthopaedic surgeons. RECOMMENDATIONS The diagnosis is based in the clinical characterization, usually presenting with a common phenotype. It should be followed by an appropriate neurophysiological study that allows for a correct classification, specific recommendations are established for the parameters that should be included. Genetic diagnosis must be approached in sequentially, once the PMP22 duplication has been ruled out if appropriate, a next generation sequencing should be considered taking into account the limitations of the available techniques. To date, there is no pharmacological treatment that modifies the course of the disease, but symptomatic management is important, as are the rehabilitation and orthopaedic considerations. The latter should be initiated early to identify and improve the patient's functional impairments, including individualised exercise guidelines, orthotic adaptation, and assessment of conservative surgeries such as tendon transpositions. The follow-up of patients with CMT is exclusively clinical, ancillary testing are not necessary in routine clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Sivera Mascaró
- Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitari i Politécnic La Fe, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, Valencia, Spain; CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain
| | - T García Sobrino
- Servicio de Neurología, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain.
| | - A Horga Hernández
- Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
| | - A L Pelayo Negro
- Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander, Spain; Center for Biomedical Research in the Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED) Network, Madrid, Spain
| | - A Alonso Jiménez
- Neuromuscular Reference Center, Neurology Department, University Hospital of Antwerp, Amberes, Belgium
| | - A Antelo Pose
- Servicio de Rehabilitación, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain
| | | | - C Casasnovas
- Unitat de Neuromuscular, Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - J Esteban Pérez
- Servicio de Neurología, Unidad de ELA y Enfermedades Neuromusculares, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
| | - M Fenollar Cortés
- Genética Clínica, Servicio de Análisis Clínicos, Instituto de Medicina del Laboratorio, IdISSC, Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain
| | - M Frasquet Carrera
- CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain; Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitari Dr. Peset, Valencia, Spain
| | - M P Gallano Petit
- CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain; Servicio de Genética, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain
| | - A Giménez Muñoz
- Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Royo Villanova, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - G Gutiérrez Gutiérrez
- CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain; Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitario Infanta Sofía, San Sebastián de los Reyes, Madrid, Spain; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - A Gutiérrez Martínez
- Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitario Insular de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - R Juntas Morales
- Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
| | - N L Ciano-Petersen
- Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - P L Martínez Ulloa
- Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain
| | - S Mederer Hengstl
- Servicio de Neurología, Complejo Hospitalario de Pontevedra, Pontevedra, Spain
| | - E Millet Sancho
- CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain; Servicio de Neurofisiología, Hospital Universitari i Politécnic La Fe, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria la Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - F J Navacerrada Barrero
- Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitario Infanta Sofía, San Sebastián de los Reyes, Madrid, Spain
| | - F E Navarrete Faubel
- Servicio de Cirugía Ortopédica y Traumatología, Hospital Universitari i Politécnic La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - J Pardo Fernández
- Servicio de Neurología, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain
| | | | - J Pérez Lucas
- Servicio de Neurología, Hospital del Tajo, Aranjuez, Madrid, Spain
| | - J Pino Mínguez
- Servicio de Cirugía Ortopédica y Traumatología, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain
| | - M Rabasa Pérez
- Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitario de Fuenlabrada, Fuenlabrada, Madrid, Spain
| | - M Sánchez González
- Servicio de Cirugía Ortopédica y Traumatología, Hospital Universitari i Politécnic La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - J Sotoca
- Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - R Rojas García
- CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain; Servicio de Neurología, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Departamento de Medicina, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - J Turon-Sans
- CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain; Servicio de Neurofisiología, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Departamento de Medicina, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - V Vicent Carsí
- Servicio de Cirugía Ortopédica y Traumatología, Hospital Universitari i Politécnic La Fe, Valencia, Spain
| | - T Sevilla Mantecón
- Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Universitari i Politécnic La Fe, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria La Fe, Valencia, Spain; CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Madrid, Spain; Universidad de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
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Butler J, Dale N. X-linked Charcot Marie Tooth mutations alter CO 2 sensitivity of connexin32 hemichannels. Front Cell Neurosci 2023; 17:1330983. [PMID: 38188670 PMCID: PMC10771293 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2023.1330983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Connexin32 (Cx32) is expressed in myelinating Schwann cells. It forms both reflexive gap junctions, to facilitate transfer of molecules from the outer to the inner myelin layers and hemichannels at the paranode to permit action potential-evoked release of ATP into the extracellular space. Loss of function mutations in Cx32 cause X-linked Charcot Marie Tooth disease (CMTX), a slowly developing peripheral neuropathy. The mechanistic links between Cx32 mutations and CMTX are not well understood. As Cx32 hemichannels can be opened by increases in PCO2, we have examined whether CMTX mutations alter this CO2 sensitivity. By using Ca2+ imaging, dye loading and genetically encoded ATP sensors to measure ATP release, we have found 5 CMTX mutations that abolish the CO2 sensitivity of Cx32 hemichannels (A88D, 111-116 Del, C179Y, E102G, V139M). Others cause a partial loss (L56F, R220Stop, and R15W). Some CMTX mutations have no apparent effect on CO2 sensitivity (R15Q, L9F, G12S, V13L, V84I, W133R). The mutation R15W alters multiple additional aspects of hemichannel function including Ca2+ and ATP permeability. The mutations that abolish CO2 sensitivity are transdominant and abolish CO2 sensitivity of co-expressed Cx32WT. We have shown that Schwannoma RT4 D6P2T cells can release ATP in response to elevated PCO2 via the opening of Cx32. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the CO2 sensitivity of Cx32 may be important for maintenance of healthy myelin. Our data, showing a transdominant effect of certain CMTX mutations on CO2 sensitivity, may need to be taken into account in any future gene therapies for this condition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nicholas Dale
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
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Kagiava A, Karaiskos C, Lapathitis G, Heslegrave A, Sargiannidou I, Zetterberg H, Bosch A, Kleopa KA. Gene replacement therapy in two Golgi-retained CMT1X mutants before and after the onset of demyelinating neuropathy. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2023; 30:377-393. [PMID: 37645436 PMCID: PMC10460951 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2023.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1 (CMT1X) is a demyelinating neuropathy resulting from loss-of-function mutations affecting the GJB1/connexin 32 (Cx32) gene. We previously showed functional and morphological improvement in Gjb1-null mice following AAV9-mediated delivery of human Cx32 driven by the myelin protein zero (Mpz) promoter in Schwann cells. However, CMT1X mutants may interfere with virally delivered wild-type (WT) Cx32. To confirm the efficacy of this vector also in the presence of CMT1X mutants, we delivered AAV9-Mpz-GJB1 by lumbar intrathecal injection in R75W/Gjb1-null and N175D/Gjb1-null transgenic lines expressing Golgi-retained mutations, before and after the onset of the neuropathy. Widespread expression of virally delivered Cx32 was demonstrated in both genotypes. Re-establishment of WT Cx32 function resulted in improved muscle strength and increased sciatic nerve motor conduction velocities in all treated groups from both mutant lines when treated before as well as after the onset of the neuropathy. Furthermore, morphological analysis showed improvement of myelination and reduction of inflammation in lumbar motor roots and peripheral nerves. In conclusion, this study provides proof of principle for a clinically translatable gene therapy approach to treat CMT1X before and after the onset of the neuropathy, even in the presence of endogenously expressed Golgi-retained Cx32 mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexia Kagiava
- Neuroscience Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics and Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, 2371 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Christos Karaiskos
- Neuroscience Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics and Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, 2371 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - George Lapathitis
- Neuroscience Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics and Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, 2371 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Amanda Heslegrave
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Irene Sargiannidou
- Neuroscience Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics and Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, 2371 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, 40530 Mölndal, Sweden
- Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, 40530 Mölndal, Sweden
- Hong Kong Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
- Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53792, USA
| | - Assumpció Bosch
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Institute of Neurosciences, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellatera, Spain
- Unitat Mixta UAB-VHIR, Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), 08035 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 028029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Kleopas A. Kleopa
- Neuroscience Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics and Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, 2371 Nicosia, Cyprus
- Center for Neuromuscular Disorders, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics and Cyprus School of Molecular Medicine, 2371 Nicosia, Cyprus
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