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Sang A, Zhuo S, Bochanis A, Manautou JE, Bahal R, Zhong XB, Rasmussen TP. Mechanisms of Action of the US Food and Drug Administration-Approved Antisense Oligonucleotide Drugs. BioDrugs 2024; 38:511-526. [PMID: 38914784 DOI: 10.1007/s40259-024-00665-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are single stranded nucleic acids that target RNA. The US Food and Drug Administration has approved ASOs for several diseases. ASOs utilize three principal modes of action (MOA). The first MOA is initiated by base-pairing between the ASO and its target mRNA, followed by RNase H-dependent mRNA degradation. The second MOA is triggered by ASOs that occlude splice acceptor sites in pre-mRNAs leading to skipping of a mutation-bearing exon. The third MOA involves ASOs that sterically hinder mRNA function, often inhibiting translation. ASOs contain a variety of modifications to the sugar-phosphate backbone and bases that stabilize the ASO or render them resistant to RNase activity. RNase H-dependent ASOs include inotersen and eplontersen (for hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis), fomiversen (for opportunistic cytomegalovirus infection), mipomersen (for familial hypercholesterolemia), and tofersen [for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)]. Splice modulating ASOs include nursinersen (for spinal muscular atrophy) and eteplirsen, golodirsen, viltolarsen, and casimersen (all for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy). In addition, a designer ASO, milasen, was used to treat a single individual afflicted with Batten disease. Since ASO design relies principally upon knowledge of mRNA sequence, the bench to bedside pipeline for ASOs is expedient compared with protein-directed drugs. [Graphical abstract available.].
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Sang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Selena Zhuo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Adara Bochanis
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - José E Manautou
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Raman Bahal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Xiao-Bo Zhong
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Theodore P Rasmussen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
- Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
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Xu Y, Song T, Li Y, Guo F, Jin X, Cheng L, Zheng J, Li C, Zhang Y, Chen B, Zhang J. Identification of two novel insertion abnormal transcripts in two Chinese families affected with Dystrophinopathy. J Clin Lab Anal 2019; 34:e23142. [PMID: 31793735 PMCID: PMC7171295 DOI: 10.1002/jcla.23142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X‐linked recessive inheritance muscle dystrophy disease, associated with pathogenic variants in the DMD gene. MLPA, DHPLC and DMD sequence studies fail to found the causative alteration in two cases. This study intends to evaluate the disease‐causing mutations and explains the correlation genotype‐phenotype. Methods The mRNA analysis and Long‐range PCR with sequencing were used for molecular diagnosis. Results In case one, an insertion of 78 nucleotides between exons 40 and 41 (r.5739_5740insMN602429:r415_492) was identified in case one. The insertion sequences were highly homologous to the intron 40 (NG_012232.1:g.1001760_g.1001837). Long‐range PCR with sequencing analysis showed that a novel deep intronic DMD mutation (NG_012232.1:g.1001838A>G) was identified, generating a premature stop codon and terminating protein translation. The likely pathogenic mutation was detected in fetal sample. In case two, an insertion of 74 nucleotides which located inside the consensus sequence AG/GT was detected between exons 2 and 3 (r.93_94insMN584887:r61_134), which resulted in a premature stop codon. The insertion sequences were traceable in the intron 2 of DMD gene (NG_012232.1:g.415926_g.415999). We did not perform prenatal DMD gene diagnosis for case two due to lack of sufficient genetic information. Conclusion These findings clarify importance of proceeding to the mRNA analysis when no causative mutations were found neither by MLPA/DHPLC nor gene sequencing so as to reach the molecular confirmation of DMD and carry out an accurate genetic assessment/ carrier status testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Xu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.,State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Biotechnology Center, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Tingting Song
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yu Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Fenfen Guo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Xin Jin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Lu Cheng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jiao Zheng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Chunyan Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Yingqi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Biotechnology Center, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Biliang Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jianfang Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
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Tsoumpra MK, Fukumoto S, Matsumoto T, Takeda S, Wood MJA, Aoki Y. Peptide-conjugate antisense based splice-correction for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular diseases. EBioMedicine 2019; 45:630-645. [PMID: 31257147 PMCID: PMC6642283 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2019.06.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked disorder characterized by progressive muscle degeneration, caused by the absence of dystrophin. Exon skipping by antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) has recently gained recognition as therapeutic approach in DMD. Conjugation of a peptide to the phosphorodiamidate morpholino backbone (PMO) of ASOs generated the peptide-conjugated PMOs (PPMOs) that exhibit a dramatically improved pharmacokinetic profile. When tested in animal models, PPMOs demonstrate effective exon skipping in target muscles and prolonged duration of dystrophin restoration after a treatment regime. Herein we summarize the main pathophysiological features of DMD and the emergence of PPMOs as promising exon skipping agents aiming to rescue defective gene expression in DMD and other neuromuscular diseases. The listed PPMO laboratory findings correspond to latest trends in the field and highlight the obstacles that must be overcome prior to translating the animal-based research into clinical trials tailored to the needs of patients suffering from neuromuscular diseases.
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Key Words
- aso, antisense oligonucleotides
- cns, central nervous system
- cpp, cell penetrating peptide
- dgc, dystrophin glyco-protein complex
- dmd, duchenne muscular dystrophy
- fda, us food and drug administration
- pmo, phosphorodiamidate morpholino
- ppmo, peptide-conjugated pmos
- ps, phosphorothioate
- sma, spinal muscular atrophy
- 2ʹ-ome, 2ʹ-o-methyl
- 2ʹ-moe, 2ʹ-o-methoxyethyl
- 6mwt, 6-minute walk test
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria K Tsoumpra
- Department of Molecular Therapy, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Centre of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira-shi, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Seiji Fukumoto
- Fujii Memorial Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Toshio Matsumoto
- Fujii Memorial Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Tokushima, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Shin'ichi Takeda
- Department of Molecular Therapy, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Centre of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira-shi, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Yoshitsugu Aoki
- Department of Molecular Therapy, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Centre of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira-shi, Tokyo, Japan.
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Zhang Y, Yang W, Wen G, Wu Y, Jing Z, Li D, Tang M, Liu G, Wei X, Zhong Y, Li Y, Deng Y. Application whole exome sequencing for the clinical molecular diagnosis of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy; identification of four novel nonsense mutations in four unrelated Chinese DMD patients. Mol Genet Genomic Med 2019; 7:e622. [PMID: 30938079 PMCID: PMC6503051 DOI: 10.1002/mgg3.622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 01/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common form of inherited muscular dystrophy. Germline mutations in dystrophin (DMD) gene cause DMD, with a X‐linked recessive mode of inheritance. Patients with DMD are usually characterized by weakness of muscle, usually started since childhood and gradually the patient will unable to stand and walk. Methods In our present study, we identified four unrelated Chinese patients with DMD from four Chinese families. Whole exome sequencing was performed for genetic molecular analysis for these probands. Results Whole exome sequencing and confirmatory Sanger sequencing identified four novel nonsense mutations in these four unrelated Chinese patients, respectively. All these four mutations lead to the formation of a truncated DMD protein by formation of a premature stop codon. According to the variant interpretation guidelines of American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), these four novel nonsense mutations are categorized as “likely pathogenic” variants. Conclusion Our present finding not only identified four novel loss‐of‐function mutations in dystrophin (DMD) gene but also strongly emphasized the significance of whole exome sequencing as the most efficient way of identifying the candidate genes and mutations which enables us for easy and rapid clinical diagnosis, follow‐up, and management of DMD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Shenzhen Longhua District Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen, P.R. China
| | - Weikang Yang
- Department of Prevention and health care, Shenzhen Longhua District Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Guoming Wen
- Department of Outpatient, Shenzhen Longhua District Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yanxia Wu
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Zhiliang Jing
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Dazhou Li
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Minshan Tang
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Guanglong Liu
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Xuxuan Wei
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Yan Zhong
- Department of Pathology, Shenzhen Longhua District Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen, P.R. China
| | - Yanhua Li
- Department of Pathology, Shenzhen Longhua District Maternity & Child Healthcare Hospital, Shenzhen, P.R. China
| | - Yongjian Deng
- Department of Pathology, Nanfang Hospital and School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, P.R. China
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