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Delafenêtre A, Chapotte-Baldacci CA, Dorémus L, Massouridès E, Bernard M, Régnacq M, Piquereau J, Chatelier A, Cognard C, Pinset C, Sebille S. Duchenne muscular dystrophy skeletal muscle cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells recapitulate various calcium dysregulation pathways. Cell Calcium 2024; 123:102943. [PMID: 39154623 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceca.2024.102943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 08/11/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024]
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked progressive muscle degenerative disease, caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene and resulting in premature death. As a major secondary event, an abnormal elevation of the intracellular calcium concentration in the dystrophin-deficient muscle contributes to disease progression in DMD. In this study, we investigated the specific functional features of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived muscle cells (hiPSC-skMCs) generated from DMD patients to regulate intracellular calcium concentration. As compared to healthy hiPSC-skMCs, DMD hiPSC-skMCs displayed specific spontaneous calcium signatures with high levels of intracellular calcium concentration. Furthermore, stimulations with electrical field or with acetylcholine perfusion induced higher calcium response in DMD hiPSC-skMCs as compared to healthy cells. Finally, Mn2+ quenching experiments demonstrated high levels of constitutive calcium entries in DMD hiPSC-skMCs as compared to healthy cells. Our findings converge on the fact that DMD hiPSC-skMCs display intracellular calcium dysregulation as demonstrated in several other models. Observed calcium disorders associated with RNAseq analysis on these DMD cells highlighted some mechanisms, such as spontaneous and activated sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) releases or constitutive calcium entries, known to be disturbed in other dystrophin-deficient models. However, store operated calcium entries (SOCEs) were not found to be dysregulated in our DMD hiPSC-skMCs model. These results suggest that all the mechanisms of calcium impairment observed in other animal models may not be as pronounced in humans and could point to a preference for certain mechanisms that could correspond to major molecular targets for DMD therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Léa Dorémus
- PRETI laboratory, University of Poitiers, France
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2
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Wohlgemuth RP, Sriram S, Henricson KE, Dinh DT, Brashear SE, Smith LR. Strain-dependent dynamic re-alignment of collagen fibers in skeletal muscle extracellular matrix. Acta Biomater 2024; 187:227-241. [PMID: 39209134 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2024.08.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2024] [Revised: 08/21/2024] [Accepted: 08/22/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Collagen fiber architecture within the skeletal muscle extracellular matrix (ECM) is significant to passive muscle mechanics. While it is thought that collagen fibers re-orient themselves in response to changes in muscle length, this has not been dynamically visualized and quantified within a muscle. The goal of this study was to measure changes in collagen alignment across a range of muscle lengths and compare the corresponding alignment to muscle mechanics. We hypothesized that collagen fibers dynamically increase alignment in response to muscle stretching, and this change in alignment is related to passive muscle stiffness. Further, we hypothesized that digesting collagen fibers with collagenase would reduce the re-alignment response to muscle stretching. Using DBA/2J and D2.mdx mice, we isolated extensor digitorum longus (EDL), soleus, and diaphragm muscles for collagenase or sham treatment and decellularization to isolate intact or collagenase-digested decellularized muscles (DCMs). These DCMs were mechanically tested and imaged using second harmonic generation microscopy to measure collagen alignment across a range of strains. We found that collagen alignment increased in a strain-dependent fashion, but collagenase did not significantly affect the strain-dependent change in alignment. We also saw that the collagen fibers in the diaphragm epimysium (surface ECM) and perimysium (deep ECM) started at different angles, but still re-oriented in the same direction in response to stretching. These robust changes in collagen alignment were weakly related to passive DCM stiffness. Overall, we demonstrated that the architecture of muscle ECM is dynamic in response to strain and is related to passive muscle mechanics. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Our study presents a unique visualization and quantification of strain-induced changes in muscle collagen fiber alignment as they relate to passive mechanics. Using dynamic imaging of collagen in skeletal muscle we demonstrate that as skeletal muscle is stretched, collagen fibers re-orient themselves along the axis of stretch and increase their alignment. The degree of alignment and the increase in alignment are each weakly related to passive muscle stiffness. Collagenase treatments further demonstrate that the basis for muscle Extracellular matrix stiffness is dependent on factors beyond collagen crosslinking and alignment. Together the study contributes to the knowledge of the structure-function relationships of muscle extracellular matrix to tissue stiffness relevant to conditions of fibrosis and aberrant stiffness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross P Wohlgemuth
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, & Behavior, University of California Davis, United States
| | - Sathvik Sriram
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, & Behavior, University of California Davis, United States
| | - Kyle E Henricson
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, & Behavior, University of California Davis, United States
| | - Daryl T Dinh
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, & Behavior, University of California Davis, United States
| | - Sarah E Brashear
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, & Behavior, University of California Davis, United States
| | - Lucas R Smith
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, & Behavior, University of California Davis, United States; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of California Davis, United States.
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3
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Tong H, Fan S, Hu W, Wang H, Guo G, Huang X, Zhao L, Li X, Zhang L, Jiang Z, Yu Q. Diarylpropionitrile-stimulated ERβ nuclear accumulation promotes MyoD-induced muscle regeneration in mdx mice by interacting with FOXO3A. Pharmacol Res 2024; 208:107376. [PMID: 39216837 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2024.107376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 08/21/2024] [Accepted: 08/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive progressive degenerative disease of skeletal muscle, characterized by intramuscular inflammation, muscle regeneration disorder and replacement of muscle with fibroadipose tissue. DMD is caused by the absence of normal dystrophy. Impaired self-renew ability and limited differentiation capacity of satellite cells are proved as main reasons for muscle regeneration failure. The deficiency of estrogen impedes the process of muscle regeneration. However, the role of estrogen receptor β (ERβ) in muscle regeneration is still unclear. This study aims to investigate the role and the pharmacological effect of ERβ activation on muscle regeneration in mdx mice. This study showed that mRNA levels of ERβ and myogenic-related genes both witnessed increasing trends in dystrophic context. Our results revealed that treatment with selective ERβ agonist (DPN, diarylpropionitrile) significantly increased myogenic differentiation 1 (MyoD-1) level and promoted muscle regeneration in mdx mice. Similarly, in mdx mice with muscle-specific estrogen receptor α (ERα) ablation, DPN treatment still promoted muscle regeneration. Moreover, we demonstrated that myoblasts differentiation was accompanied by raised nuclear accumulation of ERβ. DPN treatment augmented the nuclear accumulation of ERβ and, thus, contributed to myotubes formation. One important finding was that forkhead box O3A (FOXO3A), as a pivotal transcription factor in Myod-1 transcription, participated in the ERβ-promoted muscle regeneration. Overall, we offered an interesting explanation about the crucial role of ERβ during myogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haowei Tong
- New drug screening center, Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Shusheng Fan
- New drug screening center, Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Wanting Hu
- New drug screening center, Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Huna Wang
- New drug screening center, Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Guangyao Guo
- New drug screening center, Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Xiaofei Huang
- New drug screening center, Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Lei Zhao
- Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xihua Li
- Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Luyong Zhang
- New drug screening center, Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Center for Drug Research and Development, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China.
| | - Zhenzhou Jiang
- New drug screening center, Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, Ministry of Education, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Qinwei Yu
- New drug screening center, Jiangsu Center for Pharmacodynamics Research and Evaluation, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
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Bourgeois Yoshioka CK, Takenaka-Ninagawa N, Goto M, Miki M, Watanabe D, Yamamoto M, Aoyama T, Sakurai H. Cell transplantation-mediated dystrophin supplementation efficacy in Duchenne muscular dystrophy mouse motor function improvement demonstrated by enhanced skeletal muscle fatigue tolerance. Stem Cell Res Ther 2024; 15:313. [PMID: 39300595 PMCID: PMC11414159 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-024-03922-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an incurable neuromuscular disease leading to progressive skeletal muscle weakness and fatigue. Cell transplantation in murine models has shown promise in supplementing the lack of the dystrophin protein in DMD muscles. However, the establishment of novel, long-term, relevant methods is needed to assess its efficiency on the DMD motor function. By applying newly developed methods, this study aimed to evaluate the functional and molecular effects of cell therapy-mediated dystrophin supplementation on DMD muscles. METHODS Dystrophin was supplemented in the gastrocnemius of a 5-week-old immunodeficient DMD mouse model (Dmd-null/NSG) by intramuscular xenotransplantation of healthy human immortalized myoblasts (Hu5/KD3). A long-term time-course comparative study was conducted between wild-type, untreated DMD, and dystrophin supplemented-DMD mouse muscle functions and histology. A novel GO-ATeam2 transgenic DMD mouse model was also generated to assess in vivo real-time ATP levels in gastrocnemius muscles during repeated contractions. RESULTS We found that 10.6% dystrophin supplementation in DMD muscles was sufficient to prevent low values of gastrocnemius maximal isometric contraction torque (MCT) at rest, while muscle fatigue tolerance, assessed by MCT decline after treadmill running, was fully ameliorated in 21-week-old transplanted mice. None of the dystrophin-supplemented fibers were positive for muscle damage markers after treadmill running, with 85.4% demonstrating the utilization of oxidative metabolism. Furthermore, ATP levels in response to repeated muscle contractions tended to improve, and mitochondrial activity was significantly enhanced in dystrophin supplemented-fibers. CONCLUSIONS Cell therapy-mediated dystrophin supplementation efficiently improved DMD muscle functions, as evaluated using newly developed evaluation methods. The enhanced muscle fatigue tolerance in 21-week-old mice was associated with the preferential regeneration of damage-resistant and oxidative fibers, highlighting increased mitochondrial activity, after cell transplantation. These findings significantly contribute to a more in-depth understanding of DMD pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clémence Kiho Bourgeois Yoshioka
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
- Department of Advanced Physical Therapy, Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Nana Takenaka-Ninagawa
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya City University, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, 467-8601, Japan.
| | - Megumi Goto
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Mayuho Miki
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
- Department of Advanced Physical Therapy, Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Daiki Watanabe
- Graduate School of Sport and Health Sciences, Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences, 1-1 Asashirodai, Kumatori-cho, Sennan-gun, Osaka, 590-0496, Japan
- Department of Research Promotion and Management, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, 6-1 Kishibe-Shimmachi, Suita, Osaka, 564-8565, Japan
| | - Masamichi Yamamoto
- Department of Research Promotion and Management, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, 6-1 Kishibe-Shimmachi, Suita, Osaka, 564-8565, Japan
| | - Tomoki Aoyama
- Department of Advanced Physical Therapy, Human Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Sakurai
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.
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Waters EA, Haney CR, Vaught LA, McNally EM, Demonbreun AR. Distribution of MRI-derived T2 values as a biomarker for in vivo rapid screening of phenotype severity in mdx mice. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0310551. [PMID: 39298449 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0310551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pathology in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is characterized by degenerating muscle fibers, inflammation, fibro-fatty infiltrate, and edema, and these pathological processes replace normal healthy muscle tissue. The mdx mouse model is one of the most commonly used preclinical models to study DMD. Mounting evidence has emerged illustrating that muscle disease progression varies considerably in mdx mice, with inter-animal differences as well as intra-muscular differences in pathology in individual mdx mice. This variation is important to consider when conducting assessments of drug efficacy and in longitudinal studies. We developed a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) segmentation and analysis pipeline to rapidly and non-invasively measure the severity of muscle disease in mdx mice. METHODS Wildtype and mdx mice were imaged with MRI and T2 maps were obtained axially across the hindlimbs. A neural network was trained to rapidly and semi-automatically segment the muscle tissue, and the distribution of resulting T2 values was analyzed. Interdecile range and Pearson Skew were identified as biomarkers to quickly and accurately estimate muscle disease severity in mice. RESULTS The semiautomated segmentation tool reduced image processing time approximately tenfold. Measures of Pearson skew and interdecile range based on that segmentation were repeatable and reflected muscle disease severity in healthy wildtype and diseased mdx mice based on both qualitative observation of images and correlation with Evans blue dye uptake. CONCLUSION Use of this rapid, non-invasive, semi-automated MR image segmentation and analysis pipeline has the potential to transform preclinical studies, allowing for pre-screening of dystrophic mice prior to study enrollment to ensure more uniform muscle disease pathology across treatment groups, improving study outcomes.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Mice, Inbred mdx
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods
- Mice
- Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne/diagnostic imaging
- Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne/pathology
- Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne/metabolism
- Biomarkers/metabolism
- Muscle, Skeletal/diagnostic imaging
- Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism
- Muscle, Skeletal/pathology
- Disease Models, Animal
- Phenotype
- Severity of Illness Index
- Male
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily A Waters
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute and Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Chad R Haney
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute and Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Lauren A Vaught
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth M McNally
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States of America
| | - Alexis R Demonbreun
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States of America
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Korb A, Tajbakhsh S, Comai GE. Functional specialisation and coordination of myonuclei. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:1164-1195. [PMID: 38477382 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Myofibres serve as the functional unit for locomotion, with the sarcomere as fundamental subunit. Running the entire length of this structure are hundreds of myonuclei, located at the periphery of the myofibre, juxtaposed to the plasma membrane. Myonuclear specialisation and clustering at the centre and ends of the fibre are known to be essential for muscle contraction, yet the molecular basis of this regionalisation has remained unclear. While the 'myonuclear domain hypothesis' helped explain how myonuclei can independently govern large cytoplasmic territories, novel technologies have provided granularity on the diverse transcriptional programs running simultaneously within the syncytia and added a new perspective on how myonuclei communicate. Building upon this, we explore the critical cellular and molecular sources of transcriptional and functional heterogeneity within myofibres, discussing the impact of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on myonuclear programs. This knowledge provides new insights for understanding muscle development, repair, and disease, but also opens avenues for the development of novel and precise therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaury Korb
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3738, Stem Cells & Development Unit, 25 rue du Dr. Roux, Institut Pasteur, Paris, F-75015, France
| | - Shahragim Tajbakhsh
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3738, Stem Cells & Development Unit, 25 rue du Dr. Roux, Institut Pasteur, Paris, F-75015, France
| | - Glenda E Comai
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3738, Stem Cells & Development Unit, 25 rue du Dr. Roux, Institut Pasteur, Paris, F-75015, France
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Moutachi D, Hyzewicz J, Roy P, Lemaitre M, Bachasson D, Amthor H, Ritvos O, Li Z, Furling D, Agbulut O, Ferry A. Treadmill running and mechanical overloading improved the strength of the plantaris muscle in the dystrophin-desmin double knockout (DKO) mouse. J Physiol 2024; 602:3641-3660. [PMID: 38980963 DOI: 10.1113/jp286425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Limited knowledge exists regarding the chronic effect of muscular exercise on muscle function in a murine model of severe Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Here we determined the effects of 1 month of voluntary wheel running (WR), 1 month of enforced treadmill running (TR) and 1 month of mechanical overloading resulting from the removal of the synergic muscles (OVL) in mice lacking both dystrophin and desmin (DKO). Additionally, we examined the effect of activin receptor administration (AR). DKO mice, displaying severe muscle weakness, atrophy and greater susceptibility to contraction-induced functional loss, were exercised or treated with AR at 1 month of age and in situ force production of lower leg muscle was measured at the age of 2 months. We found that TR and OVL increased absolute maximal force and the rate of force development of the plantaris muscle in DKO mice. In contrast, those of the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle remained unaffected by TR and WR. Furthermore, the effects of TR and OVL on plantaris muscle function in DKO mice closely resembled those in mdx mice, a less severe murine DMD model. AR also improved absolute maximal force and the rate of force development of the TA muscle in DKO mice. In conclusion, exercise training improved plantaris muscle weakness in severely affected dystrophic mice. Consequently, these preclinical results may contribute to fostering further investigations aimed at assessing the potential benefits of exercise for DMD patients, particularly resistance training involving a low number of intense muscle contractions. KEY POINTS: Very little is known about the effects of exercise training in a murine model of severe Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). One reason is that it is feared that chronic muscular exercise, particularly that involving intense muscle contractions, could exacerbate the disease. In DKO mice lacking both dystrophin and desmin, characterized by severe lower leg muscle weakness, atrophy and fragility in comparison to the less severe DMD mdx model, we found that enforced treadmill running improved absolute maximal force of the plantaris muscle, while that of tibialis anterior muscle remained unaffected by both enforced treadmill and voluntary wheel running. Furthermore, mechanical overloading, a non-physiological model of chronic resistance exercise, reversed plantaris muscle weakness. Consequently, our findings may have the potential to alleviate concerns and pave the way for exploring the prescription of endurance and resistance training as a viable therapeutic approach for the treatment of dystrophic patients. Additionally, such interventions may serve in mitigating the pathophysiological mechanisms induced by physical inactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan Moutachi
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM U974, Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Paris, France
| | - Janek Hyzewicz
- Integrare Research Unit UMRS951, Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, Inserm, Genethon, Evry, France
| | - Pauline Roy
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM U974, Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Paris, France
| | - Mégane Lemaitre
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM U974, Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Paris, France
| | - Damien Bachasson
- Institute of Myology, Neuromuscular Investigation Center, Neuromuscular Physiology and Evaluation Laboratory, Paris, France
| | - Helge Amthor
- Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, INSERM U1179, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
| | - Olli Ritvos
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Zhenlin Li
- Sorbonne Université, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, UMR CNRS 8256, Inserm ERL U1164, Biological Adaptation and Ageing, Paris, France
| | - Denis Furling
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM U974, Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Paris, France
| | - Onnik Agbulut
- Sorbonne Université, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, UMR CNRS 8256, Inserm ERL U1164, Biological Adaptation and Ageing, Paris, France
| | - Arnaud Ferry
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM U974, Centre de Recherche en Myologie, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
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Roger AL, Biswas DD, Huston ML, Le D, Bailey AM, Pucci LA, Shi Y, Robinson-Hamm J, Gersbach CA, ElMallah MK. Respiratory characterization of a humanized Duchenne muscular dystrophy mouse model. Respir Physiol Neurobiol 2024; 326:104282. [PMID: 38782084 DOI: 10.1016/j.resp.2024.104282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common X-linked disease. DMD is caused by a lack of dystrophin, a critical structural protein in striated muscle. Dystrophin deficiency leads to inflammation, fibrosis, and muscle atrophy. Boys with DMD have progressive muscle weakness within the diaphragm that results in respiratory failure in the 2nd or 3rd decade of life. The most common DMD mouse model - the mdx mouse - is not sufficient for evaluating genetic medicines that specifically target the human DMD (hDMD) gene sequence. Therefore, a novel transgenic mouse carrying the hDMD gene with an exon 52 deletion was created (hDMDΔ52;mdx). We characterized the respiratory function and pathology in this model using whole body plethysmography, histology, and immunohistochemistry. At 6-months-old, hDMDΔ52;mdx mice have reduced maximal respiration, neuromuscular junction pathology, and fibrosis throughout the diaphragm, which worsens at 12-months-old. In conclusion, the hDMDΔ52;mdx exhibits moderate respiratory pathology, and serves as a relevant animal model to study the impact of novel genetic therapies, including gene editing, on respiratory function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela L Roger
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | - Davina Le
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Aidan M Bailey
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Logan A Pucci
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Yihan Shi
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | | | - Mai K ElMallah
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
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9
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Subhan F, Zizzo MG, Serio R. Motor dysfunction of the gut in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: A review. Neurogastroenterol Motil 2024; 36:e14804. [PMID: 38651673 DOI: 10.1111/nmo.14804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Duchenne's muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe type of hereditary, neuromuscular disorder caused by a mutation in the dystrophin gene resulting in the absence or production of truncated dystrophin protein. Conventionally, clinical descriptions of the disorder focus principally on striated muscle defects; however, DMD manifestations involving gastrointestinal (GI) smooth muscle have been reported, even if not rigorously studied. PURPOSE The objective of the present review is to offer a comprehensive perspective on the existing knowledge concerning GI manifestations in DMD, focusing the attention on evidence in DMD patients and mdx mice. This includes an assessment of symptomatology, etiological pathways, and potential corrective approaches. This paper could provide helpful information about DMD gastrointestinal implications that could serve as a valuable orientation for prospective research endeavors in this field. This manuscript emphasizes the effectiveness of mdx mice, a DMD animal model, in unraveling mechanistic insights and exploring the pathological alterations in the GI tract. The gastrointestinal consequences evident in patients with DMD and the mdx mice models are a significant area of focus for researchers. The exploration of this area in depth could facilitate the development of more efficient therapeutic approaches and improve the well-being of individuals impacted by the condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fazal Subhan
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Palermo, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Zizzo
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Palermo, Italy
- ATeN (Advanced Technologies Network) Center, Viale delle Scienze, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Rosa Serio
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Palermo, Italy
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10
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Villa C, Secchi V, Macchi M, Tripodi L, Trombetta E, Zambroni D, Padelli F, Mauri M, Molinaro M, Oddone R, Farini A, De Palma A, Varela Pinzon L, Santarelli F, Simonutti R, Mauri P, Porretti L, Campione M, Aquino D, Monguzzi A, Torrente Y. Magnetic-field-driven targeting of exosomes modulates immune and metabolic changes in dystrophic muscle. NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY 2024:10.1038/s41565-024-01725-y. [PMID: 39039121 DOI: 10.1038/s41565-024-01725-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
Exosomes are promising therapeutics for tissue repair and regeneration to induce and guide appropriate immune responses in dystrophic pathologies. However, manipulating exosomes to control their biodistribution and targeting them in vivo to achieve adequate therapeutic benefits still poses a major challenge. Here we overcome this limitation by developing an externally controlled delivery system for primed annexin A1 myo-exosomes (Exomyo). Effective nanocarriers are realized by immobilizing the Exomyo onto ferromagnetic nanotubes to achieve controlled delivery and localization of Exomyo to skeletal muscles by systemic injection using an external magnetic field. Quantitative muscle-level analyses revealed that macrophages dominate the uptake of Exomyo from these ferromagnetic nanotubes in vivo to synergistically promote beneficial muscle responses in a murine animal model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Our findings provide insights into the development of exosome-based therapies for muscle diseases and, in general, highlight the formulation of effective functional nanocarriers aimed at optimizing exosome biodistribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Villa
- Stem Cell Laboratory, Dino Ferrari Center, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Valeria Secchi
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- NANOMIB, Nanomedicine Center, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Mirco Macchi
- Stem Cell Laboratory, Dino Ferrari Center, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, Department of Biomedical Data Science, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
| | - Luana Tripodi
- Stem Cell Laboratory, Dino Ferrari Center, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Trombetta
- Flow Cytometry Service, Clinical Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Desiree Zambroni
- Advanced Light and Electron Microscopy Bioimaging Center ALEMBIC, San Raffaele Scientific Institute - OSR, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Padelli
- Department of Neuroradiology, IRCCS Foundation Neurological Institute 'Carlo Besta', Milan, Italy
| | - Michele Mauri
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- NANOMIB, Nanomedicine Center, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Molinaro
- Stem Cell Laboratory, Dino Ferrari Center, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Rebecca Oddone
- Stem Cell Laboratory, Dino Ferrari Center, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Farini
- Neurology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonella De Palma
- National Research Council of Italy, Proteomics and Metabolomics Unit, Institute for Biomedical Technologies, ITB-CNR, Segrate, Milan, Italy
- Clinical Proteomics Laboratory, ITB-CNR, CNR.Biomics Infrastructure, Elixir, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Varela Pinzon
- Veterinary Medicine, Department Clinical Sciences, Equine Sciences, Equine Musculoskeletal Biology. Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Federica Santarelli
- Stem Cell Laboratory, Dino Ferrari Center, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Roberto Simonutti
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- NANOMIB, Nanomedicine Center, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - PierLuigi Mauri
- National Research Council of Italy, Proteomics and Metabolomics Unit, Institute for Biomedical Technologies, ITB-CNR, Segrate, Milan, Italy
- Clinical Proteomics Laboratory, ITB-CNR, CNR.Biomics Infrastructure, Elixir, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Porretti
- Flow Cytometry Service, Clinical Pathology, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Marcello Campione
- NANOMIB, Nanomedicine Center, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Milano Bicocca, Milano, Italy
| | - Domenico Aquino
- Department of Neuroradiology, IRCCS Foundation Neurological Institute 'Carlo Besta', Milan, Italy
| | - Angelo Monguzzi
- Department of Materials Science, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- NANOMIB, Nanomedicine Center, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Yvan Torrente
- Stem Cell Laboratory, Dino Ferrari Center, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
- Neurology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
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11
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Ó Murchú SC, O'Halloran KD. BREATHE DMD: boosting respiratory efficacy after therapeutic hypoxic episodes in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. J Physiol 2024; 602:3255-3272. [PMID: 38837229 DOI: 10.1113/jp280280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a fatal genetic neuromuscular disorder, characterised by progressive decline in skeletal muscle function due to the secondary consequences of dystrophin deficiency. Weakness extends to the respiratory musculature, and cardiorespiratory failure is the leading cause of death in men with DMD. Intermittent hypoxia has emerged as a potential therapy to counteract ventilatory insufficiency by eliciting long-term facilitation of breathing. Mechanisms of sensory and motor facilitation of breathing have been well delineated in animal models. Various paradigms of intermittent hypoxia have been designed and implemented in human trials culminating in clinical trials in people with spinal cord injury and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Application of therapeutic intermittent hypoxia to DMD is considered together with discussion of the potential barriers to progression owing to the complexity of this devastating disease. Notwithstanding the considerable challenges and potential pitfalls of intermittent hypoxia-based therapies for DMD, we suggest it is incumbent on the research community to explore the potential benefits in pre-clinical models. Intermittent hypoxia paradigms should be implemented to explore the proclivity to express respiratory plasticity with the longer-term aim of preserving and potentiating ventilation in pre-clinical models and people with DMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seán C Ó Murchú
- Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Ken D O'Halloran
- Department of Physiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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12
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Dorry S, Perla S, Bennett AM. MAPK Phosphatase-5 is required for TGF-β signaling through a JNK-dependent pathway. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.27.600976. [PMID: 38979264 PMCID: PMC11230413 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.27.600976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphatases (MKPs) constitute members of the dual-specificity family of protein phosphatases that dephosphorylate the MAPKs. MKP-5 dephosphorylates the stress-responsive MAPKs, p38 MAPK and JNK, and has been shown to promote tissue fibrosis. Here, we provide insight into how MKP-5 regulates the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway, a well-established driver of fibrosis. We show that MKP-5-deficient fibroblasts in response to TGF-β are impaired in SMAD2 phosphorylation at canonical and non-canonical sites, nuclear translocation, and transcriptional activation of fibrogenic genes. Consistent with this, pharmacological inhibition of MKP-5 is sufficient to block TGF-β signaling, and that this regulation occurs through a JNK-dependent pathway. By utilizing RNA sequencing and transcriptomic analysis, we identify TGF-β signaling activators regulated by MKP-5 in a JNK-dependent manner, providing mechanistic insight into how MKP-5 promotes TGF-β signaling. This study elucidates a novel mechanism whereby MKP-5-mediated JNK inactivation is required for TGF-β signaling and provides insight into the role of MKP-5 in fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Dorry
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Sravan Perla
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Anton M. Bennett
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Yale Center for Molecular and Systems Metabolism, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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13
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Kodippili K, Hakim CH, Burke MJ, Yue Y, Teixeira JA, Zhang K, Yao G, Babu GJ, Herzog RW, Duan D. SERCA2a overexpression improves muscle function in a canine Duchenne muscular dystrophy model. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2024; 32:101268. [PMID: 38911286 PMCID: PMC11190715 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2024.101268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Excessive cytosolic calcium accumulation contributes to muscle degeneration in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) is a sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) calcium pump that actively transports calcium from the cytosol into the SR. We previously showed that adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated SERCA2a therapy reduced cytosolic calcium overload and improved muscle and heart function in the murine DMD model. Here, we tested whether AAV SERCA2a therapy could ameliorate muscle disease in the canine DMD model. 7.83 × 1013 vector genome particles of the AAV vector were injected into the extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) muscles of four juvenile affected dogs. Contralateral ECU muscles received excipient. Three months later, we observed widespread transgene expression and significantly increased SERCA2a levels in the AAV-injected muscles. Treatment improved SR calcium uptake, significantly reduced calpain activity, significantly improved contractile kinetics, and significantly enhanced resistance to eccentric contraction-induced force loss. Nonetheless, muscle histology was not improved. To evaluate the safety of AAV SERCA2a therapy, we delivered the vector to the ECU muscle of adult normal dogs. We achieved strong transgene expression without altering muscle histology and function. Our results suggest that AAV SERCA2a therapy has the potential to improve muscle performance in a dystrophic large mammal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kasun Kodippili
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Chady H. Hakim
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Matthew J. Burke
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Yongping Yue
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - James A. Teixeira
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Keqing Zhang
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Gang Yao
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
| | - Gopal J. Babu
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA
| | - Roland W. Herzog
- Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
| | - Dongsheng Duan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA
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14
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Kepreotis SV, Oh JG, Park M, Yoo J, Lee C, Mercola M, Hajjar RJ, Jeong D. Inhibition of miR-25 ameliorates cardiac and skeletal muscle dysfunction in aged mdx/utrn haploinsufficient (+/-) mice. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2024; 35:102174. [PMID: 38584818 PMCID: PMC10998245 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Dystrophic cardiomyopathy is a significant feature of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Increased cardiomyocyte cytosolic calcium (Ca2+) and interstitial fibrosis are major pathophysiological hallmarks that ultimately result in cardiac dysfunction. MicroRNA-25 (miR-25) has been identified as a suppressor of both sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase 2a (SERCA2a) and mothers against decapentaplegic homolog-7 (Smad7) proteins. In this study, we created a gene transfer using an miR-25 tough decoy (TuD) RNA inhibitor delivered via recombinant adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (AAV9) to evaluate the effect of miR-25 inhibition on cardiac and skeletal muscle function in aged dystrophin/utrophin haploinsufficient mice mdx/utrn (+/-), a validated transgenic murine model of DMD. We found that the intravenous delivery of AAV9 miR-25 TuD resulted in strong and stable inhibition of cardiac miR-25 levels, together with the restoration of SERCA2a and Smad7 expression. This was associated with the amelioration of cardiomyocyte interstitial fibrosis as well as recovered cardiac function. Furthermore, the direct quadricep intramuscular injection of AAV9 miR-25 TuD significantly restored skeletal muscle Smad7 expression, reduced tissue fibrosis, and enhanced skeletal muscle performance in mdx/utrn (+/-) mice. These results imply that miR-25 TuD gene transfer may be a novel therapeutic approach to restore cardiomyocyte Ca2+ homeostasis and abrogate tissue fibrosis in DMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sacha V. Kepreotis
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, NY, USA
| | - Jae Gyun Oh
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, NY, USA
| | - Mina Park
- Department of Medicinal and Life Science, College of Science and Convergence Technology, Hanyang University-ERICA, Ansan, South Korea
| | - Jimeen Yoo
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, NY, USA
| | - Cholong Lee
- Department of Medicinal and Life Science, College of Science and Convergence Technology, Hanyang University-ERICA, Ansan, South Korea
| | - Mark Mercola
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Roger J. Hajjar
- Mass General Brigham Gene and Cell Therapy Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dongtak Jeong
- Department of Medicinal and Life Science, College of Science and Convergence Technology, Hanyang University-ERICA, Ansan, South Korea
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, NY, USA
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15
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Kuriki M, Korb A, Comai G, Tajbakhsh S. Interplay between Pitx2 and Pax7 temporally governs specification of extraocular muscle stem cells. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1010935. [PMID: 38875306 PMCID: PMC11178213 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010935] [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] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Gene regulatory networks that act upstream of skeletal muscle fate determinants are distinct in different anatomical locations. Despite recent efforts, a clear understanding of the cascade of events underlying the emergence and maintenance of the stem cell pool in specific muscle groups remains unresolved and debated. Here, we invalidated Pitx2 with multiple Cre-driver mice prenatally, postnatally, and during lineage progression. We showed that this gene becomes progressively dispensable for specification and maintenance of the muscle stem (MuSC) cell pool in extraocular muscles (EOMs) despite being, together with Myf5, a major upstream regulator during early development. Moreover, constitutive inactivation of Pax7 postnatally led to a greater loss of MuSCs in the EOMs compared to the limb. Thus, we propose a relay between Pitx2, Myf5 and Pax7 for EOM stem cell maintenance. We demonstrate also that MuSCs in the EOMs adopt a quiescent state earlier that those in limb muscles and do not spontaneously proliferate in the adult, yet EOMs have a significantly higher content of Pax7+ MuSCs per area pre- and post-natally. Finally, while limb MuSCs proliferate in the mdx mouse model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, significantly less MuSCs were present in the EOMs of the mdx mouse model compared to controls, and they were not proliferative. Overall, our study provides a comprehensive in vivo characterisation of MuSC heterogeneity along the body axis and brings further insights into the unusual sparing of EOMs during muscular dystrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mao Kuriki
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3738, Stem Cells & Development Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Amaury Korb
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3738, Stem Cells & Development Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Glenda Comai
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3738, Stem Cells & Development Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Shahragim Tajbakhsh
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3738, Stem Cells & Development Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
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16
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Alizadeh F, Abraghan YJ, Farrokhi S, Yousefi Y, Mirahmadi Y, Eslahi A, Mojarrad M. Production of Duchenne muscular dystrophy cellular model using CRISPR-Cas9 exon deletion strategy. Mol Cell Biochem 2024; 479:1027-1040. [PMID: 37289342 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-023-04759-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive muscle wasting disorder caused by loss-of-function mutations in the dystrophin gene. Although the search for a definitive cure has failed to date, extensive efforts have been made to introduce effective therapeutic strategies. Gene editing technology is a great revolution in biology, having an immediate application in the generation of research models. DMD muscle cell lines are reliable sources to evaluate and optimize therapeutic strategies, in-depth study of DMD pathology, and screening the effective drugs. However, only a few immortalized muscle cell lines with DMD mutations are available. In addition, obtaining muscle cells from patients also requires an invasive muscle biopsy. Mostly DMD variants are rare, making it challenging to identify a patient with a particular mutation for a muscle biopsy. To overcome these challenges and generate myoblast cultures, we optimized a CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing approach to model the most common DMD mutations that include approximately 28.2% of patients. GAP-PCR and sequencing results show the ability of the CRISPR-Cas9 system to efficient deletion of mentioned exons. We showed producing truncated transcript due to the targeted deletion by RT-PCR and sequencing. Finally, mutation-induced disruption of dystrophin protein expression was confirmed by western blotting. All together, we successfully created four immortalized DMD muscle cell lines and showed the efficacy of the CRISPR-Cas9 system for the generation of immortalized DMD cell models with the targeted deletions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farzaneh Alizadeh
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Yousef Jafari Abraghan
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Shima Farrokhi
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Yasamin Yousefi
- Department of Biochemistry, Mashhad University of Ferdowsi, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Yeganeh Mirahmadi
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Atieh Eslahi
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
- Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
| | - Majid Mojarrad
- Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
- Genetic Center of Khorasan Razavi, Mashhad, Iran.
- Medical Genetics Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
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17
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Alix JJP, Plesia M, Dudgeon AP, Kendall CA, Hewamadduma C, Hadjivassiliou M, Gorman GS, Taylor RW, McDermott CJ, Shaw PJ, Mead RJ, Day JC. Conformational fingerprinting with Raman spectroscopy reveals protein structure as a translational biomarker of muscle pathology. Analyst 2024; 149:2738-2746. [PMID: 38533726 PMCID: PMC11056770 DOI: 10.1039/d4an00320a] [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] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Neuromuscular disorders are a group of conditions that can result in weakness of skeletal muscles. Examples include fatal diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and conditions associated with high morbidity such as myopathies (muscle diseases). Many of these disorders are known to have abnormal protein folding and protein aggregates. Thus, easy to apply methods for the detection of such changes may prove useful diagnostic biomarkers. Raman spectroscopy has shown early promise in the detection of muscle pathology in neuromuscular disorders and is well suited to characterising the conformational profiles relating to protein secondary structure. In this work, we assess if Raman spectroscopy can detect differences in protein structure in muscle in the setting of neuromuscular disease. We utilise in vivo Raman spectroscopy measurements from preclinical models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and the myopathy Duchenne muscular dystrophy, together with ex vivo measurements of human muscle samples from individuals with and without myopathy. Using quantitative conformation profiling and matrix factorisation we demonstrate that quantitative 'conformational fingerprinting' can be used to identify changes in protein folding in muscle. Notably, myopathic conditions in both preclinical models and human samples manifested a significant reduction in α-helix structures, with concomitant increases in β-sheet and, to a lesser extent, nonregular configurations. Spectral patterns derived through non-negative matrix factorisation were able to identify myopathy with a high accuracy (79% in mouse, 78% in human tissue). This work demonstrates the potential of conformational fingerprinting as an interpretable biomarker for neuromuscular disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- James J P Alix
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, UK.
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, UK
- National Institute for Health and Care Research Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre, Sheffield, UK
| | - Maria Plesia
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, UK.
| | - Alexander P Dudgeon
- Biophotonics Research Unit, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Exeter, UK
| | - Catherine A Kendall
- Biophotonics Research Unit, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK
| | - Channa Hewamadduma
- National Institute for Health and Care Research Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre, Sheffield, UK
- Department of Neurology, Academic Directorate of Neurosciences, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, UK
| | - Marios Hadjivassiliou
- National Institute for Health and Care Research Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre, Sheffield, UK
- Department of Neurology, Academic Directorate of Neurosciences, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, UK
| | - Gráinne S Gorman
- Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- NHS Highly Specialised Service for Rare Mitochondrial Disorders, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- National Institute for Health and Care Research Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Robert W Taylor
- Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research, Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- NHS Highly Specialised Service for Rare Mitochondrial Disorders, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Christopher J McDermott
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, UK.
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, UK
- National Institute for Health and Care Research Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre, Sheffield, UK
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, UK.
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, UK
- National Institute for Health and Care Research Sheffield Biomedical Research Centre, Sheffield, UK
| | - Richard J Mead
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, UK.
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, UK
| | - John C Day
- Interface Analysis Centre, School of Physics, University of Bristol, UK
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18
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Earl CC, Javier AJ, Richards AM, Markham LW, Goergen CJ, Welc SS. Functional cardiac consequences of β-adrenergic stress-induced injury in the mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.15.589650. [PMID: 38659739 PMCID: PMC11042272 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.15.589650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of death in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), however, in the mdx mouse model of DMD, the cardiac phenotype differs from that seen in DMD-associated cardiomyopathy. Although some have used pharmacologic stress to enhance the cardiac phenotype in the mdx model, many methods lead to high mortality, variable cardiac outcomes, and do not recapitulate the structural and functional cardiac changes seen in human disease. Here, we describe a simple and effective method to enhance the cardiac phenotype model in mdx mice using advanced 2D and 4D high-frequency ultrasound to monitor cardiac dysfunction progression in vivo. For our study, mdx and wild-type (WT) mice received daily low-dose (2 mg/kg/day) isoproterenol injections for 10 days. Histopathologic assessment showed that isoproterenol treatment increased myocyte injury, elevated serum cardiac troponin I levels, and enhanced fibrosis in mdx mice. Ultrasound revealed reduced ventricular function, decreased wall thickness, increased volumes, and diminished cardiac reserve in mdx mice compared to wild-type. Our findings highlight the utility of low-dose isoproterenol in mdx mice as a valuable model for exploring therapies targeting DMD-associated cardiac complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conner C. Earl
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN, USA
- Indiana University School of Medicine, IN, USA
| | - Areli J. Javier
- Musculoskeletal Health Sciences Program, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN USA
| | - Alyssa M. Richards
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN, USA
| | - Larry W. Markham
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Riley Children’s Hospital at Indiana University Health, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
| | - Craig J. Goergen
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette IN, USA
- Indiana University School of Medicine, IN, USA
| | - Steven S. Welc
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Riley Children’s Hospital at Indiana University Health, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
- Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology & Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis IN, USA
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19
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Assefa M, Gepfert A, Zaheer M, Hum JM, Skinner BW. Casimersen (AMONDYS 45™): An Antisense Oligonucleotide for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Biomedicines 2024; 12:912. [PMID: 38672266 PMCID: PMC11048227 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12040912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Casimersen (AMONDYS 45TM) is an antisense oligonucleotide of the phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer subclass developed by Sarepta therapeutics. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February 2021 to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in patients whose DMD gene mutation is amenable to exon 45 skipping. Administered intravenously, casimersen binds to the pre-mRNA of the DMD gene to skip a mutated region of an exon, thereby producing an internally truncated yet functional dystrophin protein in DMD patients. This is essential in maintaining the structure of a myocyte membrane. While casimersen is currently continuing in phase III of clinical trials in various countries, it was granted approval by the FDA under the accelerated approval program due to its observed increase in dystrophin production. This article discusses the pathophysiology of DMD, summarizes available treatments thus far, and provides a full drug review of casimersen (AMONDYS 45TM).
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Affiliation(s)
- Milyard Assefa
- School of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA;
| | - Addison Gepfert
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Marian University, Indianapolis, IN 46222, USA; (A.G.); (M.Z.)
| | - Meesam Zaheer
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Marian University, Indianapolis, IN 46222, USA; (A.G.); (M.Z.)
| | - Julia M. Hum
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Marian University, Indianapolis, IN 46222, USA
| | - Brian W. Skinner
- Division of Clinical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Marian University, Indianapolis, IN 46222, USA;
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20
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Behrmann A, Cayton J, Hayden MR, Lambert MD, Nourian Z, Nyanyo K, Godbee B, Hanft LM, Krenz M, McDonald KS, Domeier TL. Right ventricular preload and afterload challenge induces contractile dysfunction and arrhythmia in isolated hearts of dystrophin-deficient male mice. Physiol Rep 2024; 12:e16004. [PMID: 38658324 PMCID: PMC11043033 DOI: 10.14814/phy2.16004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive myopathy due to mutations in the dystrophin gene. Diaphragmatic weakness in DMD causes hypoventilation and elevated afterload on the right ventricle (RV). Thus, RV dysfunction in DMD develops early in disease progression. Herein, we deliver a 30-min sustained RV preload/afterload challenge to isolated hearts of wild-type (Wt) and dystrophic (Dmdmdx-4Cv) mice at both young (2-6 month) and middle-age (8-12 month) to test the hypothesis that the dystrophic RV is susceptible to dysfunction with elevated load. Young dystrophic hearts exhibited greater pressure development than wild type under baseline (Langendorff) conditions, but following RV challenge exhibited similar contractile function as wild type. Following the RV challenge, young dystrophic hearts had an increased incidence of premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) compared to wild type. Hearts of middle-aged wild-type and dystrophic mice had similar contractile function during baseline conditions. After RV challenge, hearts of middle-aged dystrophic mice had severe RV dysfunction and arrhythmias, including ventricular tachycardia. Following the RV load challenge, dystrophic hearts had greater lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release than wild-type mice indicative of damage. Our data indicate age-dependent changes in RV function with load in dystrophin deficiency, highlighting the need to avoid sustained RV load to forestall dysfunction and arrhythmia.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Male
- Dystrophin/genetics
- Dystrophin/deficiency
- Mice
- Myocardial Contraction
- Arrhythmias, Cardiac/physiopathology
- Arrhythmias, Cardiac/etiology
- Arrhythmias, Cardiac/genetics
- Ventricular Dysfunction, Right/physiopathology
- Ventricular Dysfunction, Right/genetics
- Ventricular Dysfunction, Right/metabolism
- Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne/physiopathology
- Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne/genetics
- Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne/complications
- Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne/metabolism
- Mice, Inbred mdx
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Behrmann
- Medical Pharmacology and PhysiologyUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMissouriUSA
| | - Jessica Cayton
- Department of Veterinary PathobiologyUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMissouriUSA
| | - Matthew R. Hayden
- Medical Pharmacology and PhysiologyUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMissouriUSA
| | - Michelle D. Lambert
- Medical Pharmacology and PhysiologyUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMissouriUSA
| | - Zahra Nourian
- Medical Pharmacology and PhysiologyUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMissouriUSA
| | - Keith Nyanyo
- Medical Pharmacology and PhysiologyUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMissouriUSA
| | - Brooke Godbee
- Medical Pharmacology and PhysiologyUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMissouriUSA
| | - Laurin M. Hanft
- Medical Pharmacology and PhysiologyUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMissouriUSA
| | - Maike Krenz
- Medical Pharmacology and PhysiologyUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMissouriUSA
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research CenterUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMissouriUSA
| | - Kerry S. McDonald
- Medical Pharmacology and PhysiologyUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMissouriUSA
| | - Timothy L. Domeier
- Medical Pharmacology and PhysiologyUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMissouriUSA
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21
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Gatto F, Benemei S, Piluso G, Bello L. The complex landscape of DMD mutations: moving towards personalized medicine. Front Genet 2024; 15:1360224. [PMID: 38596212 PMCID: PMC11002111 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1360224] [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: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscle degeneration, with respiratory and cardiac complications, caused by mutations in the DMD gene, encoding the protein dystrophin. Various DMD mutations result in different phenotypes and disease severity. Understanding genotype/phenotype correlations is essential to optimize clinical care, as mutation-specific therapies and innovative therapeutic approaches are becoming available. Disease modifier genes, trans-active variants influencing disease severity and phenotypic expressivity, may modulate the response to therapy, and become new therapeutic targets. Uncovering more disease modifier genes via extensive genomic mapping studies offers the potential to fine-tune prognostic assessments for individuals with DMD. This review provides insights into genotype/phenotype correlations and the influence of modifier genes in DMD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Giulio Piluso
- Medical Genetics and Cardiomyology, Department of Precision Medicine, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Napoli, Italy
| | - Luca Bello
- Department of Neurosciences DNS, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
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22
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Muntoni F, Byrne BJ, McMillan HJ, Ryan MM, Wong BL, Dukart J, Bansal A, Cosson V, Dreghici R, Guridi M, Rabbia M, Staunton H, Tirucherai GS, Yen K, Yuan X, Wagner KR. The Clinical Development of Taldefgrobep Alfa: An Anti-Myostatin Adnectin for the Treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Neurol Ther 2024; 13:183-219. [PMID: 38190001 PMCID: PMC10787703 DOI: 10.1007/s40120-023-00570-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic muscle disorder that manifests during early childhood and is ultimately fatal. Recently approved treatments targeting the genetic cause of DMD are limited to specific subpopulations of patients, highlighting the need for therapies with wider applications. Pharmacologic inhibition of myostatin, an endogenous inhibitor of muscle growth produced almost exclusively in skeletal muscle, has been shown to increase muscle mass in several species, including humans. Taldefgrobep alfa is an anti-myostatin recombinant protein engineered to bind to and block myostatin signaling. Preclinical studies of taldefgrobep alfa demonstrated significant decreases in myostatin and increased lower limb volume in three animal species, including dystrophic mice. METHODS This manuscript reports the cumulative data from three separate clinical trials of taldefgrobep alfa in DMD: a phase 1 study in healthy adult volunteers (NCT02145234), and two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in ambulatory boys with DMD-a phase 1b/2 trial assessing safety (NCT02515669) and a phase 2/3 trial including the North Star Ambulatory Assessment (NSAA) as the primary endpoint (NCT03039686). RESULTS In healthy adult volunteers, taldefgrobep alfa was generally well tolerated and resulted in a significant increase in thigh muscle volume. Treatment with taldefgrobep alfa was associated with robust dose-dependent suppression of free myostatin. In the phase 1b/2 trial, myostatin suppression was associated with a positive effect on lean body mass, though effects on muscle mass were modest. The phase 2/3 trial found that the effects of treatment did not meet the primary endpoint pre-specified futility analysis threshold (change from baseline of ≥ 1.5 points on the NSAA total score). CONCLUSIONS The futility analysis demonstrated that taldefgrobep alfa did not result in functional change for boys with DMD. The program was subsequently terminated in 2019. Overall, there were no safety concerns, and no patients were withdrawn from treatment as a result of treatment-related adverse events or serious adverse events. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT02145234, NCT02515669, NCT03039686.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Muntoni
- Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, UK
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and Great Ormond Street Hospital NHS Trust, London, UK
| | | | - Hugh J McMillan
- Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Monique M Ryan
- Royal Children's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Brenda L Wong
- University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Juergen Dukart
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, Brain and Behaviour (INM-7), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | | | | | - Roxana Dreghici
- F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland
- Solid Biosciences Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Karl Yen
- Genentech Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
- Sanofi, Paris, France
| | | | - Kathryn R Wagner
- F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel, Switzerland.
- The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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23
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O’Brien JG, Willis AB, Long AM, Kwon J, Lee G, Li FW, Page PG, Vo AH, Hadhazy M, Spencer MJ, Crosbie RH, Demonbreun AR, McNally EM. The super-healing MRL strain promotes muscle growth in muscular dystrophy through a regenerative extracellular matrix. JCI Insight 2024; 9:e173246. [PMID: 38175727 PMCID: PMC11143963 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.173246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The Murphy Roths Large (MRL) mouse strain has "super-healing" properties that enhance recovery from injury. In mice, the DBA/2J strain intensifies many aspects of muscular dystrophy, so we evaluated the ability of the MRL strain to suppress muscular dystrophy in the Sgcg-null mouse model of limb girdle muscular dystrophy. A comparative analysis of Sgcg-null mice in the DBA/2J versus MRL strains showed greater myofiber regeneration, with reduced structural degradation of muscle in the MRL strain. Transcriptomic profiling of dystrophic muscle indicated strain-dependent expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) and TGF-β signaling genes. To investigate the MRL ECM, cellular components were removed from dystrophic muscle sections to generate decellularized myoscaffolds. Decellularized myoscaffolds from dystrophic mice in the protective MRL strain had significantly less deposition of collagen and matrix-bound TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 throughout the matrix. Dystrophic myoscaffolds from the MRL background, but not the DBA/2J background, were enriched in myokines like IGF-1 and IL-6. C2C12 myoblasts seeded onto decellularized matrices from Sgcg-/- MRL and Sgcg-/- DBA/2J muscles showed the MRL background induced greater myoblast differentiation compared with dystrophic DBA/2J myoscaffolds. Thus, the MRL background imparts its effect through a highly regenerative ECM, which is active even in muscular dystrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph G. O’Brien
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Alexander B. Willis
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Ashlee M. Long
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Jason Kwon
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - GaHyun Lee
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Frank W. Li
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Patrick G.T. Page
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Andy H. Vo
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Michele Hadhazy
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Melissa J. Spencer
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Rachelle H. Crosbie
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Alexis R. Demonbreun
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Elizabeth M. McNally
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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24
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Matias-Valiente L, Sanchez-Fernandez C, Rodriguez-Outeiriño L, Ramos MC, Díaz C, Crespo G, González-Menéndez V, Genilloud O, Reyes F, Montolio M, Hernandez-Torres F, Aranega AE. Evaluation of pro-regenerative and anti-inflammatory effects of isolecanoric acid in the muscle: Potential treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 170:116056. [PMID: 38159372 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.116056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a devastating degenerative disease of skeletal muscles caused by loss of dystrophin, a key protein that maintains muscle integrity, which leads to progressive muscle degeneration aggravated by chronic inflammation, muscle stem cells' (MuSCs) reduced regenerative capacity and replacement of muscle with fibroadipose tissue. Previous research has shown that pharmacological GSK-3β inhibition favors myogenic differentiation and plays an important role in modulating inflammatory processes. Isolecanoric acid (ILA) is a natural product isolated from a fungal culture displaying GSK-3β inhibitory properties. The present study aimed to investigate the proregenerative and anti-inflammatory properties of this natural compound in the DMD context. Our results showed that ILA markedly promotes myogenic differentiation of myoblasts by increasing β-Catenin signaling and boosting the myogenic potential of mouse and human stem cells. One important finding was that the GSK-3β/β-Catenin pathway is altered in dystrophic mice muscle and ILA enhances the myofiber formation of dystrophic MuSCs. Treatment with this natural compound improves muscle regeneration of dystrophic mice by, in turn, improving functional performance. Moreover, ILA ameliorates the inflammatory response in both muscle explants and the macrophages isolated from dystrophic mice to, thus, mitigate fibrosis after muscle damage. Overall, we show that ILA modulates both inflammation and muscle regeneration to, thus, contribute to improve the dystrophic phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Matias-Valiente
- Cardiovascular Development Group, Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Jaen, Jaen, Spain; Fundación MEDINA, Technology Park of Health Sciences, Granada, Spain
| | - Cristina Sanchez-Fernandez
- Cardiovascular Development Group, Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Jaen, Jaen, Spain; Fundación MEDINA, Technology Park of Health Sciences, Granada, Spain
| | - Lara Rodriguez-Outeiriño
- Cardiovascular Development Group, Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Jaen, Jaen, Spain; Fundación MEDINA, Technology Park of Health Sciences, Granada, Spain
| | - Maria C Ramos
- Fundación MEDINA, Technology Park of Health Sciences, Granada, Spain
| | - Caridad Díaz
- Fundación MEDINA, Technology Park of Health Sciences, Granada, Spain
| | - Gloria Crespo
- Fundación MEDINA, Technology Park of Health Sciences, Granada, Spain
| | | | - Olga Genilloud
- Fundación MEDINA, Technology Park of Health Sciences, Granada, Spain
| | - Fernando Reyes
- Fundación MEDINA, Technology Park of Health Sciences, Granada, Spain
| | - Marisol Montolio
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Spain; Duchenne Parent Project Spain Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Hernandez-Torres
- Fundación MEDINA, Technology Park of Health Sciences, Granada, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology III and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
| | - Amelia Eva Aranega
- Cardiovascular Development Group, Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Jaen, Jaen, Spain; Fundación MEDINA, Technology Park of Health Sciences, Granada, Spain.
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Florio F, Vencato S, Papa FT, Libergoli M, Kheir E, Ghzaiel I, Rando TA, Torrente Y, Biressi S. Combinatorial activation of the WNT-dependent fibrogenic program by distinct complement subunits in dystrophic muscle. EMBO Mol Med 2023; 15:e17405. [PMID: 37927228 PMCID: PMC10701616 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202317405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Fibrosis is associated with compromised muscle functionality in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). We report observations with tissues from dystrophic patients and mice supporting a model to explain fibrosis in DMD, which relies on the crosstalk between the complement and the WNT signaling pathways and the functional interactions of two cellular types. Fibro-adipogenic progenitors and macrophages, which populate the inflamed dystrophic muscles, act as a combinatorial source of WNT activity by secreting distinct subunits of the C1 complement complex. The resulting aberrant activation of the WNT signaling in responsive cells, such as fibro-adipogenic progenitors, contributes to fibrosis. Indeed, pharmacological inhibition of the C1r/s subunits in a murine model of DMD mitigated the activation of the WNT signaling pathway, reduced the fibrogenic characteristics of the fibro-adipogenic progenitors, and ameliorated the dystrophic phenotype. These studies shed new light on the molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for fibrosis in muscular dystrophy and open to new therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Florio
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO)University of TrentoTrentoItaly
- Dulbecco Telethon Institute at University of TrentoTrentoItaly
- Neurology UnitFondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore PoliclinicoMilanItaly
| | - Sara Vencato
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO)University of TrentoTrentoItaly
- Dulbecco Telethon Institute at University of TrentoTrentoItaly
| | - Filomena T Papa
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO)University of TrentoTrentoItaly
- Dulbecco Telethon Institute at University of TrentoTrentoItaly
| | - Michela Libergoli
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO)University of TrentoTrentoItaly
- Dulbecco Telethon Institute at University of TrentoTrentoItaly
| | - Eyemen Kheir
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO)University of TrentoTrentoItaly
- Dulbecco Telethon Institute at University of TrentoTrentoItaly
| | - Imen Ghzaiel
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO)University of TrentoTrentoItaly
- Dulbecco Telethon Institute at University of TrentoTrentoItaly
| | - Thomas A Rando
- Broad Stem Cell Research CenterUniversity of California Los AngelesLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Yvan Torrente
- Neurology UnitFondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore PoliclinicoMilanItaly
- Stem Cell Laboratory, Dino Ferrari Center, Department of Pathophysiology and TransplantationUniversity of MilanMilanItaly
| | - Stefano Biressi
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO)University of TrentoTrentoItaly
- Dulbecco Telethon Institute at University of TrentoTrentoItaly
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26
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Mucha O, Myszka M, Podkalicka P, Świderska B, Malinowska A, Dulak J, Łoboda A. Proteome Profiling of the Dystrophic mdx Mice Diaphragm. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1648. [PMID: 38002330 PMCID: PMC10669179 DOI: 10.3390/biom13111648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Mdx mice with a spontaneous mutation in exon 23 of the Dmd gene represent the most common model to investigate the pathophysiology of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The disease, caused by the lack of functional dystrophin, is characterized by irreversible impairment of muscle functions, with the diaphragm affected earlier and more severely than other skeletal muscles. We applied a label-free (LF) method and the more thorough tandem mass tag (TMT)-based method to analyze differentially expressed proteins in the diaphragm of 6-week-old mdx mice. The comparison of both methods revealed 88 commonly changed proteins. A more in-depth analysis of the TMT-based method showed 953 significantly changed proteins, with 867 increased and 86 decreased in dystrophic animals (q-value < 0.05, fold-change threshold: 1.5). Consequently, several dysregulated processes were demonstrated, including the immune response, fibrosis, translation, and programmed cell death. Interestingly, in the dystrophic diaphragm, we found a significant decrease in the expression of enzymes generating hydrogen sulfide (H2S), suggesting that alterations in the metabolism of this gaseous mediator could modulate DMD progression, which could be a potential target for pharmacological intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Mucha
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Gronostajowa 7 Street, 30-387 Kraków, Poland; (O.M.); (M.M.); (P.P.); (J.D.)
| | - Małgorzata Myszka
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Gronostajowa 7 Street, 30-387 Kraków, Poland; (O.M.); (M.M.); (P.P.); (J.D.)
- Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Łojasiewicza 11 Street, 30-348 Kraków, Poland
| | - Paulina Podkalicka
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Gronostajowa 7 Street, 30-387 Kraków, Poland; (O.M.); (M.M.); (P.P.); (J.D.)
| | - Bianka Świderska
- Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawińskiego 5a Street, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland; (B.Ś.); (A.M.)
| | - Agata Malinowska
- Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawińskiego 5a Street, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland; (B.Ś.); (A.M.)
| | - Józef Dulak
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Gronostajowa 7 Street, 30-387 Kraków, Poland; (O.M.); (M.M.); (P.P.); (J.D.)
| | - Agnieszka Łoboda
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Gronostajowa 7 Street, 30-387 Kraków, Poland; (O.M.); (M.M.); (P.P.); (J.D.)
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27
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Dubey AK, Mostafavi E. Biomaterials-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 delivery: recent challenges and opportunities in gene therapy. Front Chem 2023; 11:1259435. [PMID: 37841202 PMCID: PMC10568484 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2023.1259435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of biomaterials in delivering CRISPR/Cas9 for gene therapy in infectious diseases holds tremendous potential. This innovative approach combines the advantages of CRISPR/Cas9 with the protective properties of biomaterials, enabling accurate and efficient gene editing while enhancing safety. Biomaterials play a vital role in shielding CRISPR/Cas9 components, such as lipid nanoparticles or viral vectors, from immunological processes and degradation, extending their effectiveness. By utilizing the flexibility of biomaterials, tailored systems can be designed to address specific genetic diseases, paving the way for personalized therapeutics. Furthermore, this delivery method offers promising avenues in combating viral illnesses by precisely modifying pathogen genomes, and reducing their pathogenicity. Biomaterials facilitate site-specific gene modifications, ensuring effective delivery to infected cells while minimizing off-target effects. However, challenges remain, including optimizing delivery efficiency, reducing off-target effects, ensuring long-term safety, and establishing scalable production techniques. Thorough research, pre-clinical investigations, and rigorous safety evaluations are imperative for successful translation from the laboratory to clinical applications. In this review, we discussed how CRISPR/Cas9 delivery using biomaterials revolutionizes gene therapy and infectious disease treatment, offering precise and safe editing capabilities with the potential to significantly improve human health and quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankit Kumar Dubey
- Global Research and Publishing Foundation, New Delhi, India
- Institute of Scholars, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Ebrahim Mostafavi
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
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28
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Tejedera-Villafranca A, Montolio M, Ramón-Azcón J, Fernández-Costa JM. Mimicking sarcolemmal damage in vitro: a contractile 3D model of skeletal muscle for drug testing in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Biofabrication 2023; 15:045024. [PMID: 37725998 DOI: 10.1088/1758-5090/acfb3d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most prevalent neuromuscular disease diagnosed in childhood. It is a progressive and wasting disease, characterized by a degeneration of skeletal and cardiac muscles caused by the lack of dystrophin protein. The absence of this crucial structural protein leads to sarcolemmal fragility, resulting in muscle fiber damage during contraction. Despite ongoing efforts, there is no cure available for DMD patients. One of the primary challenges is the limited efficacy of current preclinical tools, which fail in modeling the biological complexity of the disease. Human-based three-dimensional (3D) cell culture methods appear as a novel approach to accelerate preclinical research by enhancing the reproduction of pathophysiological processes in skeletal muscle. In this work, we developed a patient-derived functional 3D skeletal muscle model of DMD that reproduces the sarcolemmal damage found in the native DMD muscle. These bioengineered skeletal muscle tissues exhibit contractile functionality, as they responded to electrical pulse stimulation. Sustained contractile regimes induced the loss of myotube integrity, mirroring the pathological myotube breakdown inherent in DMD due to sarcolemmal instability. Moreover, damaged DMD tissues showed disease functional phenotypes, such as tetanic fatigue. We also evaluated the therapeutic effect of utrophin upregulator drug candidates on the functionality of the skeletal muscle tissues, thus providing deeper insight into the real impact of these treatments. Overall, our findings underscore the potential of bioengineered 3D skeletal muscle technology to advance DMD research and facilitate the development of novel therapies for DMD and related neuromuscular disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ainoa Tejedera-Villafranca
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), C/Baldiri Reixac 10-12, E08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marisol Montolio
- Duchenne Parent Project España, E28032 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, E08027 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Ramón-Azcón
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), C/Baldiri Reixac 10-12, E08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Reserca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Passeig de Lluís Companys, 23, E08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan M Fernández-Costa
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), C/Baldiri Reixac 10-12, E08028 Barcelona, Spain
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Lee J, Myrie NO, Jeong GJ, Han WM, Jang YC, García AJ, Emelianov S. In vivo shear wave elasticity imaging for assessment of diaphragm function in muscular dystrophy. Acta Biomater 2023; 168:277-285. [PMID: 37453552 PMCID: PMC10540053 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2023.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) causes patients to suffer from ambulatory disability and cardiorespiratory failure, the latter of which leads to premature death. Due to its role in respiration, the diaphragm is an important muscle for study. A common method for evaluating diaphragm function is ex vivo force testing, which only allows for an end point measurement. In contrast, ultrasound shear wave elastography imaging (US-SWEI) can assess diaphragm function over time; however, US-SWEI studies in dystrophic patients to date have focused on the limbs without preclinical studies. In this work, we used US-SWEI to estimate the shear wave speed (SWS) in diaphragm muscles of healthy (WT) mice, mdx mice, and mdx mice haploinsufficient for utrophin (mdx-utr) at 6 and 12 months of age. Diaphragms were then subjected to ex vivo force testing and histological analysis at 12 months of age. Between 6 and 12 months, a 23.8% increase in SWS was observed in WT mice and a 27.8% increase in mdx mice, although no significant difference was found in mdx-utr mice. Specific force generated by mdx-utr diaphragms was lower than that of WT diaphragms following twitch stimulus. A strong correlation between SWS and collagen deposition was observed, as well as between SWS and muscle fiber size. Together, these data demonstrate the ability of US-SWEI to evaluate dystrophic diaphragm functionality over time and predict the biochemical and morphological make-up of the diaphragm. Additionally, our results highlight the advantage of US-SWEI over ex vivo testing by obtaining longitudinal measurements in the same subject. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: In DMD patients, muscles experience cycles of regeneration and degeneration that contribute to chronic inflammation and muscle weakness. This pathology only worsens with time and leads to muscle wasting, including in respiratory and cardiac muscles. Because respiratory failure is a major contributor to premature death in DMD patients, the diaphragm muscle is an important muscle to evaluate and treat over time. Currently, diaphragm function is assessed using ex vivo force testing, a technique that only allows measurement at sacrifice. In contrast, ultrasonography, particularly shear wave elasticity imaging (USSWEI), is a promising tool for longitudinal assessment; however, most US-SWEI in DMD patients aimed for limb muscles only with the absence of preclinical studies. This work broadens the applications of US-SWE imaging by demonstrating its ability to track properties and function of dystrophic diaphragm muscles longitudinally in multiple dystrophic mouse models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeehyun Lee
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Nia O Myrie
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Gun-Jae Jeong
- Institute of Cell and Tissue Engineering, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 06591, Republic of Korea
| | - Woojin M Han
- Department of Orthopedics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Young C Jang
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA; Department of Orthopedics, Emory Musculoskeletal Institute, Emory School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA.
| | - Andrés J García
- George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
| | - Stanislav Emelianov
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA; Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
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Le Guiner C, Xiao X, Larcher T, Lafoux A, Huchet C, Toumaniantz G, Adjali O, Anegon I, Remy S, Grieger J, Li J, Farrokhi V, Neubert H, Owens J, McIntyre M, Moullier P, Samulski RJ. Evaluation of an AAV9-mini-dystrophin gene therapy candidate in a rat model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2023; 30:30-47. [PMID: 37746247 PMCID: PMC10512999 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2023.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked disease caused by loss-of-function mutations in the dystrophin gene and is characterized by muscle wasting and early mortality. Adeno-associated virus-mediated gene therapy is being investigated as a treatment for DMD. In the nonclinical study documented here, we determined the effective dose of fordadistrogene movaparvovec, a clinical candidate adeno-associated virus serotype 9 vector carrying a human mini-dystrophin transgene, after single intravenous injection in a dystrophin-deficient (DMDmdx) rat model of DMD. Overall, we found that transduction efficiency, number of muscle fibers expressing the human mini-dystrophin polypeptide, improvement of the skeletal and cardiac muscle tissue architecture, correction of muscle strength and fatigability, and improvement of diastolic and systolic cardiac function were directly correlated with the amount of vector administered. The effective dose was then tested in older DMDmdx rats with a more dystrophic phenotype similar to the pathology observed in older patients with DMD. Except for a less complete rescue of muscle function in the oldest cohort, fordadistrogene movaparvovec was also found to be therapeutically effective in older DMDmdx rats, suggesting that this product may be appropriate for evaluation in patients with DMD at all stages of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Le Guiner
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, INSERM, TaRGeT, UMR 1089, Translational Research for Gene Therapies, 44200 Nantes, France
| | - Xiao Xiao
- Gene Therapy Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7352, USA
| | | | - Aude Lafoux
- Therassay Platform, Capacités, Nantes Université, 44007 Nantes, France
| | - Corinne Huchet
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, INSERM, TaRGeT, UMR 1089, Translational Research for Gene Therapies, 44200 Nantes, France
- Therassay Platform, Capacités, Nantes Université, 44007 Nantes, France
| | - Gilles Toumaniantz
- Therassay Platform, Capacités, Nantes Université, 44007 Nantes, France
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, CNRS, L’Institut du Thorax, 44007 Nantes, France
| | - Oumeya Adjali
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, INSERM, TaRGeT, UMR 1089, Translational Research for Gene Therapies, 44200 Nantes, France
| | - Ignacio Anegon
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, INSERM, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44093 Nantes, France
| | - Séverine Remy
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, INSERM, Center for Research in Transplantation and Translational Immunology, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44093 Nantes, France
| | - Josh Grieger
- Bamboo Therapeutics, Pfizer, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA
| | - Juan Li
- Gene Therapy Center, Eshelman School of Pharmacy DPMP, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7352, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Philippe Moullier
- Nantes Université, CHU Nantes, INSERM, TaRGeT, UMR 1089, Translational Research for Gene Therapies, 44200 Nantes, France
| | - R. Jude Samulski
- Gene Therapy Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7352, USA
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Lorena MDSV, Santos EKD, Ferretti R, Nagana Gowda GA, Odom GL, Chamberlain JS, Matsumura CY. Biomarkers for Duchenne muscular dystrophy progression: impact of age in the mdx tongue spared muscle. Skelet Muscle 2023; 13:16. [PMID: 37705069 PMCID: PMC10500803 DOI: 10.1186/s13395-023-00325-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe form of muscular dystrophy without an effective treatment, caused by mutations in the DMD gene, leading to the absence of dystrophin. DMD results in muscle weakness, loss of ambulation, and death at an early age. Metabolomics studies in mdx mice, the most used model for DMD, reveal changes in metabolites associated with muscle degeneration and aging. In DMD, the tongue muscles exhibit unique behavior, initially showing partial protection against inflammation but later experiencing fibrosis and loss of muscle fibers. Certain metabolites and proteins, like TNF-α and TGF-β, are potential biomarkers for dystrophic muscle characterization. METHODS To investigate disease progression and aging, we utilized young (1 month old) and old (21-25 months old) mdx and wild-type tongue muscles. Metabolite changes were analyzed using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance, while TNF-α and TGF-β were assessed using Western blotting to examine inflammation and fibrosis. Morphometric analysis was conducted to assess the extent of myofiber damage between groups. RESULTS The histological analysis of the mid-belly tongue showed no differences between groups. No differences were found between the concentrations of metabolites from wild-type or mdx whole tongues of the same age. The metabolites alanine, methionine, and 3-methylhistidine were higher, and taurine and glycerol were lower in young tongues in both wild type and mdx (p < 0.001). The metabolites glycine (p < 0.001) and glutamic acid (p = 0.0018) were different only in the mdx groups, being higher in young mdx mice. Acetic acid, phosphocreatine, isoleucine, succinic acid, creatine, and the proteins TNF-α and TGF-β had no difference in the analysis between groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Surprisingly, histological, metabolite, and protein analysis reveal that the tongue of old mdx remains partially spared from the severe myonecrosis observed in other muscles. The metabolites alanine, methionine, 3-methylhistidine, taurine, and glycerol may be effective for specific assessments, although their use for disease progression monitoring should be cautious due to age-related changes in the tongue muscle. Acetic acid, phosphocreatine, isoleucine, succinate, creatine, TNF-α, and TGF-β do not vary with aging and remain constant in spared muscles, suggesting their potential as specific biomarkers for DMD progression independent of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcelo Dos Santos Voltani Lorena
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Estela Kato Dos Santos
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Renato Ferretti
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - G A Nagana Gowda
- Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Northwest Metabolomics Research Center, Mitochondria and Metabolism Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Guy L Odom
- Department of Neurology, Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Chamberlain
- Department of Neurology, Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Cintia Yuri Matsumura
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil.
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Hicks MR, Liu X, Young CS, Saleh K, Ji Y, Jiang J, Emami MR, Mokhonova E, Spencer MJ, Meng H, Pyle AD. Nanoparticles systemically biodistribute to regenerating skeletal muscle in DMD. J Nanobiotechnology 2023; 21:303. [PMID: 37641124 PMCID: PMC10463982 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-01994-0] [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] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Skeletal muscle disease severity can often progress asymmetrically across muscle groups and heterogeneously within tissues. An example is Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) in which lack of dystrophin results in devastating skeletal muscle wasting in some muscles whereas others are spared or undergo hypertrophy. An efficient, non-invasive approach to identify sites of asymmetry and degenerative lesions could enable better patient monitoring and therapeutic targeting of disease. In this study, we utilized a versatile intravenously injectable mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSNP) based nanocarrier system to explore mechanisms of biodistribution in skeletal muscle of mdx mouse models of DMD including wildtype, dystrophic, and severely dystrophic mice. Moreover, MSNPs could be imaged in live mice and whole muscle tissues enabling investigation of how biodistribution is altered by different types of muscle pathology such as inflammation or fibrosis. We found MSNPs were tenfold more likely to aggregate within select mdx muscles relative to wild type, such as gastrocnemius and quadriceps. This was accompanied by decreased biodistribution in off-target organs. We found the greatest factor affecting preferential delivery was the regenerative state of the dystrophic skeletal muscle with the highest MSNP abundance coinciding with the regions showing the highest level of embryonic myosin staining and intramuscular macrophage uptake. To demonstrate, muscle regeneration regulated MSNP distribution, we experimentally induced regeneration using barium chloride which resulted in a threefold increase of intravenously injected MSNPs to sites of regeneration 7 days after injury. These discoveries provide the first evidence that nanoparticles have selective biodistribution to skeletal muscle in DMD to areas of active regeneration and that nanoparticles could enable diagnostic and selective drug delivery in DMD skeletal muscle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael R Hicks
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Eli and Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Xiangsheng Liu
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- California Nanosystems Institute at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, Zhejiang, China
| | - Courtney S Young
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- MyoGene Bio, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Kholoud Saleh
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ying Ji
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jinhong Jiang
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- California Nanosystems Institute at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, Zhejiang, China
| | - Michael R Emami
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ekaterina Mokhonova
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Melissa J Spencer
- Eli and Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - Huan Meng
- Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- California Nanosystems Institute at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, China.
| | - April D Pyle
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Medical Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
- Eli and Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Dubuisson N, Versele R, Davis-López de Carrizosa MA, Selvais CM, Noel L, Planchon C, Van den Bergh PYK, Brichard SM, Abou-Samra M. The Adiponectin Receptor Agonist, ALY688: A Promising Therapeutic for Fibrosis in the Dystrophic Muscle. Cells 2023; 12:2101. [PMID: 37626911 PMCID: PMC10453606 DOI: 10.3390/cells12162101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is one of the most devastating myopathies, where severe inflammation exacerbates disease progression. Previously, we demonstrated that adiponectin (ApN), a hormone with powerful pleiotropic effects, can efficiently improve the dystrophic phenotype. However, its practical therapeutic application is limited. In this study, we investigated ALY688, a small peptide ApN receptor agonist, as a potential novel treatment for DMD. Four-week-old mdx mice were subcutaneously treated for two months with ALY688 and then compared to untreated mdx and wild-type mice. In vivo and ex vivo tests were performed to assess muscle function and pathophysiology. Additionally, in vitro tests were conducted on human DMD myotubes. Our results showed that ALY688 significantly improved the physical performance of mice and exerted potent anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative and anti-fibrotic actions on the dystrophic muscle. Additionally, ALY688 hampered myonecrosis, partly mediated by necroptosis, and enhanced the myogenic program. Some of these effects were also recapitulated in human DMD myotubes. ALY688's protective and beneficial properties were mainly mediated by the AMPK-PGC-1α axis, which led to suppression of NF-κβ and TGF-β. Our results demonstrate that an ApN mimic may be a promising and effective therapeutic prospect for a better management of DMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Dubuisson
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition Unit, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Medical Sector, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Avenue Hippocrate 55, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (N.D.); (R.V.); (M.A.D.-L.d.C.); (C.M.S.); (L.N.); (C.P.); (S.M.B.)
- Neuromuscular Reference Center, Department of Neurology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Romain Versele
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition Unit, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Medical Sector, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Avenue Hippocrate 55, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (N.D.); (R.V.); (M.A.D.-L.d.C.); (C.M.S.); (L.N.); (C.P.); (S.M.B.)
| | - Maria A. Davis-López de Carrizosa
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition Unit, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Medical Sector, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Avenue Hippocrate 55, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (N.D.); (R.V.); (M.A.D.-L.d.C.); (C.M.S.); (L.N.); (C.P.); (S.M.B.)
- Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, 41012 Seville, Spain
| | - Camille M. Selvais
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition Unit, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Medical Sector, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Avenue Hippocrate 55, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (N.D.); (R.V.); (M.A.D.-L.d.C.); (C.M.S.); (L.N.); (C.P.); (S.M.B.)
| | - Laurence Noel
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition Unit, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Medical Sector, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Avenue Hippocrate 55, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (N.D.); (R.V.); (M.A.D.-L.d.C.); (C.M.S.); (L.N.); (C.P.); (S.M.B.)
| | - Chloé Planchon
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition Unit, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Medical Sector, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Avenue Hippocrate 55, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (N.D.); (R.V.); (M.A.D.-L.d.C.); (C.M.S.); (L.N.); (C.P.); (S.M.B.)
| | - Peter Y. K. Van den Bergh
- Neuromuscular Reference Center, Department of Neurology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Avenue Hippocrate 10, 1200 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Sonia M. Brichard
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition Unit, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Medical Sector, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Avenue Hippocrate 55, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (N.D.); (R.V.); (M.A.D.-L.d.C.); (C.M.S.); (L.N.); (C.P.); (S.M.B.)
| | - Michel Abou-Samra
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition Unit, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research (IREC), Medical Sector, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), Avenue Hippocrate 55, 1200 Brussels, Belgium; (N.D.); (R.V.); (M.A.D.-L.d.C.); (C.M.S.); (L.N.); (C.P.); (S.M.B.)
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Muniyandi P, O’Hern C, Popa MA, Aguirre A. Biotechnological advances and applications of human pluripotent stem cell-derived heart models. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1214431. [PMID: 37560538 PMCID: PMC10407810 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1214431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, significant biotechnological advancements have been made in engineering human cardiac tissues and organ-like models. This field of research is crucial for both basic and translational research due to cardiovascular disease being the leading cause of death in the developed world. Additionally, drug-associated cardiotoxicity poses a major challenge for drug development in the pharmaceutical and biotechnological industries. Progress in three-dimensional cell culture and microfluidic devices has enabled the generation of human cardiac models that faithfully recapitulate key aspects of human physiology. In this review, we will discuss 3D pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-models of the human heart, such as engineered heart tissues and organoids, and their applications in disease modeling and drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyadharshni Muniyandi
- Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, Division of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Colin O’Hern
- Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, Division of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Mirel Adrian Popa
- Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, Division of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Institute of Cellular Biology and Pathology Nicolae Simionescu, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Aitor Aguirre
- Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, Division of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
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De Paepe B. What Nutraceuticals Can Do for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: Lessons Learned from Amino Acid Supplementation in Mouse Models. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2033. [PMID: 37509672 PMCID: PMC10377666 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11072033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), the severest form of muscular dystrophy, is characterized by progressive muscle weakness with fatal outcomes most often before the fourth decade of life. Despite the recent addition of molecular treatments, DMD remains a disease without a cure, and the need persists for the development of supportive therapies aiming to help improve patients' quality of life. This review focuses on the therapeutical potential of amino acid and derivative supplements, summarizing results obtained in preclinical studies in murine disease models. Several promising compounds have emerged, with L-arginine, N-acetylcysteine, and taurine featuring among the most intensively investigated. Their beneficial effects include reduced inflammatory, oxidative, fibrotic, and necrotic damage to skeletal muscle tissues. Improvement of muscle strength and endurance have been reported; however, mild side effects have also surfaced. More explorative, placebo-controlled and long-term clinical trials would need to be conducted in order to identify amino acid formulae that are safe and of true benefit to DMD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boel De Paepe
- Department of Neurology, Ghent University & Neuromuscular Reference Center, Ghent University Hospital, Route 830, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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Dowling P, Gargan S, Zweyer M, Swandulla D, Ohlendieck K. Extracellular Matrix Proteomics: The mdx-4cv Mouse Diaphragm as a Surrogate for Studying Myofibrosis in Dystrophinopathy. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1108. [PMID: 37509144 PMCID: PMC10377647 DOI: 10.3390/biom13071108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The progressive degeneration of the skeletal musculature in Duchenne muscular dystrophy is accompanied by reactive myofibrosis, fat substitution, and chronic inflammation. Fibrotic changes and reduced tissue elasticity correlate with the loss in motor function in this X-chromosomal disorder. Thus, although dystrophinopathies are due to primary abnormalities in the DMD gene causing the almost-complete absence of the cytoskeletal Dp427-M isoform of dystrophin in voluntary muscles, the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins presents a key histopathological hallmark of muscular dystrophy. Animal model research has been instrumental in the characterization of dystrophic muscles and has contributed to a better understanding of the complex pathogenesis of dystrophinopathies, the discovery of new disease biomarkers, and the testing of novel therapeutic strategies. In this article, we review how mass-spectrometry-based proteomics can be used to study changes in key components of the endomysium, perimysium, and epimysium, such as collagens, proteoglycans, matricellular proteins, and adhesion receptors. The mdx-4cv mouse diaphragm displays severe myofibrosis, making it an ideal model system for large-scale surveys of systematic alterations in the matrisome of dystrophic fibers. Novel biomarkers of myofibrosis can now be tested for their appropriateness in the preclinical and clinical setting as diagnostic, pharmacodynamic, prognostic, and/or therapeutic monitoring indicators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Dowling
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, National University of Ireland, W23 F2H6 Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
- Kathleen Lonsdale Institute for Human Health Research, Maynooth University, National University of Ireland, W23 F2H6 Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Stephen Gargan
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, National University of Ireland, W23 F2H6 Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
- Kathleen Lonsdale Institute for Human Health Research, Maynooth University, National University of Ireland, W23 F2H6 Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
| | - Margit Zweyer
- Department of Neonatology and Paediatric Intensive Care, Children's Hospital, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Bonn, D53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Dieter Swandulla
- Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, D53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Kay Ohlendieck
- Department of Biology, Maynooth University, National University of Ireland, W23 F2H6 Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
- Kathleen Lonsdale Institute for Human Health Research, Maynooth University, National University of Ireland, W23 F2H6 Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland
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O’Brien JG, Willis AB, Long AM, Kwon J, Lee G, Li F, Page PG, Vo AH, Hadhazy M, Crosbie RH, Demonbreun AR, McNally EM. The super-healing MRL strain promotes muscle growth in muscular dystrophy through a regenerative extracellular matrix. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.29.547098. [PMID: 37425960 PMCID: PMC10327155 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.29.547098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Genetic background shifts the severity of muscular dystrophy. In mice, the DBA/2J strain confers a more severe muscular dystrophy phenotype, whereas the Murphy's Roth Large (MRL) strain has "super-healing" properties that reduce fibrosis. A comparative analysis of the Sgcg null model of Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy in the DBA/2J versus MRL strain showed the MRL background was associated with greater myofiber regeneration and reduced structural degradation of muscle. Transcriptomic profiling of dystrophic muscle in the DBA/2J and MRL strains indicated strain-dependent expression of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and TGF-β signaling genes. To investigate the MRL ECM, cellular components were removed from dystrophic muscle sections to generate decellularized "myoscaffolds". Decellularized myoscaffolds from dystrophic mice in the protective MRL strain had significantly less deposition of collagen and matrix-bound TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 throughout the matrix, and dystrophic myoscaffolds from the MRL background were enriched in myokines. C2C12 myoblasts were seeded onto decellularized matrices from Sgcg-/- MRL and Sgcg-/- DBA/2J matrices. Acellular myoscaffolds from the dystrophic MRL background induced myoblast differentiation and growth compared to dystrophic myoscaffolds from the DBA/2J matrices. These studies establish that the MRL background also generates its effect through a highly regenerative ECM, which is active even in muscular dystrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph G. O’Brien
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Alexander B. Willis
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Ashlee M. Long
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Jason Kwon
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - GaHyun Lee
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Frank Li
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Patrick G.T. Page
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | | | - Michele Hadhazy
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Rachelle H. Crosbie
- Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA; Department of Neurology David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Alexis R. Demonbreun
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Elizabeth M. McNally
- Center for Genetic Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
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Lorena MDSV, Santos EK, Ferretti R, Gowda GAN, Odom GL, Chamberlain JS, Matsumura CY. Biomarkers for Duchenne muscular dystrophy progression: impact of age in the mdx tongue spared muscle. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3038923. [PMID: 37398370 PMCID: PMC10312970 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3038923/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Background: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe form of muscular dystrophy without an effective treatment, caused by mutations in the DMD gene, leading to the absence of dystrophin. DMD results in muscle weakness, loss of ambulation and death at an early age. Metabolomics studies in mdx mice, the most used model for DMD, reveal changes in metabolites associated with muscle degeneration and aging. In DMD, the tongue muscles exhibit unique behavior, initially showing partial protection against inflammation but later experiencing fibrosis and loss of muscle fibers. Certain metabolites and proteins, like TNF-α and TGF-β, are potential biomarkers for dystrophic muscle characterization. Methods: To investigate disease progression and aging, we utilized young (1-month old) and old (21-25 months old) mdx and wild-type mice. Metabolite changes were analyzed using 1-H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, while TNF-α and TGF-β were assessed using Western blotting to examine inflammation, and fibrosis. Morphometric analysis was conducted to assess the extent of myofiber damage between groups. Results: The histological analysis of the tongue showed no differences between groups. No differences were found between the concentrations of metabolites from wild type or mdx animals of the same age. The metabolites alanine, methionine, 3-methylhistidine were higher, and taurine and glycerol were lower in young animals in both wild type and mdx (p < 0.001). The metabolites glycine (p < 0.001) and glutamic acid (p = 0.0018) were different only in the mdx groups, being higher in young mdx mice. Acetic acid, phosphocreatine, isoleucine, succinic acid, creatine and the proteins TNF-α and TGF-β had no difference in the analysis between groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Surprisingly, histological and protein analysis reveals that the tongue of young and old mdx animals is protected from severe myonecrosis observed in other muscles. The metabolites alanine, methionine, 3-methylhistidine, taurine, and glycerol may be effective for specific assessments, although their use for disease progression monitoring should be cautious due to age-related changes. Acetic acid, phosphocreatine, isoleucine, succinate, creatine, TNF-α, and TGF-β do not vary with aging and remain constant in spared muscles, suggesting their potential as specific biomarkers for DMD progression independent of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Estela Kato Santos
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, São Paulo State University (UNESP)
| | - Renato Ferretti
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, São Paulo State University (UNESP)
| | - G A Nagana Gowda
- Northwest Metabolomics Research Center; Mitochondria and Metabolism Center, Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington
| | - Guy L Odom
- Department of Neurology, Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine
| | - Jeffrey S Chamberlain
- Department of Neurology, Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Washington School of Medicine
| | - Cintia Yuri Matsumura
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, São Paulo State University (UNESP)
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Hamblin MR. Photobiomodulation Therapy for Muscular Dystrophy: Time for a Trial? Photobiomodul Photomed Laser Surg 2023; 41:245-247. [PMID: 37219956 PMCID: PMC10282807 DOI: 10.1089/photob.2023.0057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael R. Hamblin
- Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Science, University of Johannesburg—Doornfontein Campus, Doornfontein, South Africa
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Acin‐Perez R, Benincá C, Fernandez del Rio L, Shu C, Baghdasarian S, Zanette V, Gerle C, Jiko C, Khairallah R, Khan S, Rincon Fernandez Pacheco D, Shabane B, Erion K, Masand R, Dugar S, Ghenoiu C, Schreiner G, Stiles L, Liesa M, Shirihai OS. Inhibition of ATP synthase reverse activity restores energy homeostasis in mitochondrial pathologies. EMBO J 2023; 42:e111699. [PMID: 36912136 PMCID: PMC10183817 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022111699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The maintenance of cellular function relies on the close regulation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis and hydrolysis. ATP hydrolysis by mitochondrial ATP Synthase (CV) is induced by loss of proton motive force and inhibited by the mitochondrial protein ATPase inhibitor (ATPIF1). The extent of CV hydrolytic activity and its impact on cellular energetics remains unknown due to the lack of selective hydrolysis inhibitors of CV. We find that CV hydrolytic activity takes place in coupled intact mitochondria and is increased by respiratory chain defects. We identified (+)-Epicatechin as a selective inhibitor of ATP hydrolysis that binds CV while preventing the binding of ATPIF1. In cells with Complex-III deficiency, we show that inhibition of CV hydrolytic activity by (+)-Epichatechin is sufficient to restore ATP content without restoring respiratory function. Inhibition of CV-ATP hydrolysis in a mouse model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is sufficient to improve muscle force without any increase in mitochondrial content. We conclude that the impact of compromised mitochondrial respiration can be lessened using hydrolysis-selective inhibitors of CV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebeca Acin‐Perez
- Department of Medicine, Endocrinology, David Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Metabolism Theme, David Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Cristiane Benincá
- Department of Medicine, Endocrinology, David Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Metabolism Theme, David Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Lucia Fernandez del Rio
- Department of Medicine, Endocrinology, David Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Metabolism Theme, David Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Cynthia Shu
- Department of Medicine, Endocrinology, David Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Metabolism Theme, David Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Siyouneh Baghdasarian
- Department of Medicine, Endocrinology, David Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Metabolism Theme, David Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Vanessa Zanette
- Department of BioinformaticsUniversity Federal of ParanaCuritibaBrazil
| | - Christoph Gerle
- Institute for Protein ResearchOsaka UniversitySuitaJapan
- RIKEN SPring‐8 CenterSayo‐gunJapan
| | - Chimari Jiko
- Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear ScienceKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
| | | | | | | | - Byourak Shabane
- Department of Medicine, Endocrinology, David Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Metabolism Theme, David Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Linsey Stiles
- Department of Medicine, Endocrinology, David Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Metabolism Theme, David Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Department of Molecular and Medical PharmacologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Marc Liesa
- Department of Medicine, Endocrinology, David Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Metabolism Theme, David Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Department of Molecular and Medical PharmacologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Molecular Cellular Integrative PhysiologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Institut de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona, IBMB, CSICBarcelonaCataloniaSpain
| | - Orian S Shirihai
- Department of Medicine, Endocrinology, David Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Metabolism Theme, David Geffen School of MedicineUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Department of Molecular and Medical PharmacologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Molecular Cellular Integrative PhysiologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
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Wasala NB, Yue Y, Hu B, Shin JH, Srivastava A, Yao G, Duan D. Lifelong Outcomes of Systemic Adeno-Associated Virus Micro-Dystrophin Gene Therapy in a Murine Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Model. Hum Gene Ther 2023; 34:449-458. [PMID: 36515166 PMCID: PMC10210228 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2022.181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated systemic micro-dystrophin (μDys) therapy is currently in clinical trials. The hope is to permanently improve the life quality of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients. Numerous preclinical studies have been conducted to support these trials. However, none examined whether a single therapy at a young age can lead to lifelong disease amelioration. To address this critical question, we injected 1 × 1013 vg particles/mouse of an AAV serotype-9 μDys vector to 3-month-old mdx mice through the tail vein. Therapeutic outcomes were evaluated at the age of 11 months (adulthood, 8 months postinjection) and 21 months (terminal age, 18 months postinjection). Immunostaining and Western blot showed saturated supraphysiological levels of μDys expression in skeletal muscle and heart till the end of the study. Treatment significantly improved grip force and treadmill running, and significantly reduced the serum creatine kinase level at both time points. Since cardiac death is a major threat in late-stage patients, we evaluated cardiac electrophysiology and hemodynamics by ECG and the closed-chest cardiac catheter assay, respectively. Significant improvements were observed in these assays. Importantly, many ECG and hemodynamic parameters (heart rate, PR interval, QRS duration, QTc interval, end-diastolic/systolic volume, dP/dt max and min, max pressure, and ejection fraction) were completely normalized at 21 months of age. Our results have provided direct evidence that a single systemic AAV μDys therapy has the potential to provide lifelong benefits in the murine DMD model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nalinda B. Wasala
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Yongping Yue
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Bryan Hu
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Jin-Hong Shin
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
- Department of Neurology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, South Korea
| | - Arun Srivastava
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Therapy, Child Health Research Institute, Department of Pediatrics, Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, The University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Gang Yao
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Dongsheng Duan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
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Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) was named more than 150 years ago. About four decades ago, the DMD gene was discovered, and the reading frame shift was determined as the genetic underpinning. These pivotal findings significantly changed the landscape of DMD therapy development. Restoration of dystrophin expression with gene therapy became a primary focus. Investment in gene therapy has led to the approval of exon skipping by regulatory agencies, multiple clinical trials of systemic microdystrophin therapy using adeno-associated virus vectors, and revolutionary genome editing therapy using the CRISPR technology. However, many important issues surfaced during the clinical translation of DMD gene therapy (such as low efficiency of exon skipping, immune toxicity-induced serious adverse events, and patient death). In this issue of Human Gene Therapy, several research articles highlighted some of the latest developments in DMD gene therapy. Importantly, a collection of articles from experts in the field reviewed the progress, major challenges, and future directions of DMD gene therapy. These insightful discussions have significant implications for gene therapy of other neuromuscular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongsheng Duan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
- Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
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Spelier S, van Doorn EPM, van der Ent CK, Beekman JM, Koppens MAJ. Readthrough compounds for nonsense mutations: bridging the translational gap. Trends Mol Med 2023; 29:297-314. [PMID: 36828712 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2023.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Approximately 10% of all pathological mutations are nonsense mutations that are responsible for several severe genetic diseases for which no treatment regimens are currently available. The most widespread strategy for treating nonsense mutations is by enhancing ribosomal readthrough of premature termination codons (PTCs) to restore the production of the full-length protein. In the past decade several compounds with readthrough potential have been identified. However, although preclinical results on these compounds are promising, clinical studies have not yielded positive outcomes. We review preclinical and clinical research related to readthrough compounds and characterize factors that contribute to the observed translational gap.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sacha Spelier
- Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584, EA, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Regenerative Medicine Utrecht, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584, CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Eveline P M van Doorn
- Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584, EA, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Cornelis K van der Ent
- Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584, EA, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Regenerative Medicine Utrecht, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584, CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jeffrey M Beekman
- Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584, EA, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Regenerative Medicine Utrecht, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584, CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Center for Living Technologies, Eindhoven-Wageningen-Utrecht Alliance, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Martijn A J Koppens
- Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584, EA, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Regenerative Medicine Utrecht, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584, CT, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Department of Metabolic Diseases, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center, Utrecht University, 3584, EA, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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Crawford AH, Hornby NL, de la Fuente AG, Piercy RJ. Brain magnetic resonance imaging in the DE50-MD dog model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy reveals regional reductions in cerebral gray matter. BMC Neurosci 2023; 24:21. [PMID: 36932329 PMCID: PMC10024360 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-023-00788-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a X-linked disease characterized by severe and progressive muscle weakness, alongside cognitive impairment and a range of neurobehavioral disorders secondary to brain dystrophin deficiency. Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients have reduced cerebral gray matter and altered white matter ultrastructure (detected by magnetic resonance imaging) compared to age-matched controls. METHODS We studied the DE50-MD canine model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which is deficient in full length brain dystrophin (Dp427) isoforms and has a neurocognitive phenotype. Eight DE50-MD and 6 age-matched littermate wild type male dogs underwent serial brain magnetic resonance imaging from 14 to 33 months of age. RESULTS Reduced regional gray matter was detected in DE50-MD dogs compared with wildtype, including the piriform lobe, hippocampus and cingulate gyrus. Lateral ventricle volume was larger in DE50-MD dogs. Differences did not progress over time. White matter volume did not differ between DE50-MD and wildtype dogs. There was no difference in brain nor cranial vault volume between DE50-MD and wildtype dogs. CONCLUSION Dystrophin deficiency in the canine brain results in structural changes that likely contribute to the neurocognitive phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abbe H. Crawford
- grid.20931.390000 0004 0425 573XComparative Neuromuscular Diseases Laboratory, Department of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, London, UK
| | - Natasha L. Hornby
- grid.20931.390000 0004 0425 573XComparative Neuromuscular Diseases Laboratory, Department of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, London, UK
| | - Alerie G. de la Fuente
- grid.513062.30000 0004 8516 8274Institute of Health and Biomedical Research of Alicante (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain
- Institute of Neurosciences CSIC-UMH, San Juan de Alicante, Spain
- grid.4777.30000 0004 0374 7521Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen’s University, Belfast, UK
| | - Richard J. Piercy
- grid.20931.390000 0004 0425 573XComparative Neuromuscular Diseases Laboratory, Department of Clinical Science and Services, Royal Veterinary College, London, UK
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Khattri RB, Batra A, Matheny M, Hart C, Henley-Beasley SC, Hammers D, Zeng H, White Z, Ryan TE, Barton E, Pascal B, Walter GA. Magnetic resonance quantification of skeletal muscle lipid infiltration in a humanized mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2023; 36:e4869. [PMID: 36331178 PMCID: PMC10308798 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.4869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Rodent models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) often do not recapitulate the severity of muscle wasting and resultant fibro-fatty infiltration observed in DMD patients. Having recently documented severe muscle wasting and fatty deposition in two preclinical models of muscular dystrophy (Dysferlin-null and mdx mice) through apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene deletion without and with cholesterol-, triglyceride-rich Western diet supplementation, we sought to determine whether magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy (MRI and MRS, respectively) could be used to detect, characterize, and compare lipid deposition in mdx-ApoE knockout with mdx mice in a diet-dependent manner. MRI revealed that both mdx and mdx-ApoE mice exhibited elevated proton relaxation time constants (T2 ) in their lower hindlimbs irrespective of diet, indicating both chronic muscle damage and fatty tissue deposition. The mdx-ApoE mice on a Western diet (mdx-ApoEW ) presented with greatest fatty tissue infiltration in the posterior compartment of the hindlimb compared with other groups, as detected by MRI/MRS. High-resolution magic angle spinning confirmed elevated lipid deposition in the posterior compartments of mdx-ApoEW mice in vivo and ex vivo, respectively. In conclusion, the mdx-ApoEW model recapitulates some of the extreme fatty tissue deposition observed clinically in DMD muscle but typically absent in mdx mice. This preclinical model will help facilitate the development of new imaging modalities directly relevant to the image contrast generated in DMD, and help to refine MR-based biomarkers and their relationship to tissue structure and disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ram B. Khattri
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Abhinandan Batra
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Michael Matheny
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Cora Hart
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | | | - David Hammers
- Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Huadong Zeng
- Advanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy Facility, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Zoe White
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Terence E. Ryan
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Center of Exercise Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Elisabeth Barton
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Bernatchez Pascal
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Canada
| | - Glenn A. Walter
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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Cikes D, Elsayad K, Sezgin E, Koitai E, Torma F, Orthofer M, Yarwood R, Heinz LX, Sedlyarov V, Miranda ND, Taylor A, Grapentine S, Al-Murshedi F, Abot A, Weidinger A, Kutchukian C, Sanchez C, Cronin SJF, Novatchkova M, Kavirayani A, Schuetz T, Haubner B, Haas L, Hagelkruys A, Jackowski S, Kozlov AV, Jacquemond V, Knauf C, Superti-Furga G, Rullman E, Gustafsson T, McDermot J, Lowe M, Radak Z, Chamberlain JS, Bakovic M, Banka S, Penninger JM. PCYT2-regulated lipid biosynthesis is critical to muscle health and ageing. Nat Metab 2023; 5:495-515. [PMID: 36941451 DOI: 10.1038/s42255-023-00766-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
Muscle degeneration is the most prevalent cause for frailty and dependency in inherited diseases and ageing. Elucidation of pathophysiological mechanisms, as well as effective treatments for muscle diseases, represents an important goal in improving human health. Here, we show that the lipid synthesis enzyme phosphatidylethanolamine cytidyltransferase (PCYT2/ECT) is critical to muscle health. Human deficiency in PCYT2 causes a severe disease with failure to thrive and progressive weakness. pcyt2-mutant zebrafish and muscle-specific Pcyt2-knockout mice recapitulate the participant phenotypes, with failure to thrive, progressive muscle weakness and accelerated ageing. Mechanistically, muscle Pcyt2 deficiency affects cellular bioenergetics and membrane lipid bilayer structure and stability. PCYT2 activity declines in ageing muscles of mice and humans, and adeno-associated virus-based delivery of PCYT2 ameliorates muscle weakness in Pcyt2-knockout and old mice, offering a therapy for individuals with a rare disease and muscle ageing. Thus, PCYT2 plays a fundamental and conserved role in vertebrate muscle health, linking PCYT2 and PCYT2-synthesized lipids to severe muscle dystrophy and ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domagoj Cikes
- IMBA, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Kareem Elsayad
- Division of Anatomy, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology and Medical Imaging Cluster (MIC), Vienna, Austria.
| | - Erdinc Sezgin
- MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, MRC Human Immunology Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Erika Koitai
- Research Institute of Sport Science, University of Physical Education, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Torma
- Research Institute of Sport Science, University of Physical Education, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Michael Orthofer
- IMBA, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rebecca Yarwood
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Leonhard X Heinz
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Vitaly Sedlyarov
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Adrian Taylor
- Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sophie Grapentine
- Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Fathiya Al-Murshedi
- Department of Genetics, College of Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
| | - Anne Abot
- Enterosys SAS, Prologue Biotech, Labège, France
| | - Adelheid Weidinger
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Traumatology, The Research Center in Cooperation with AUVA, Vienna, Austria
| | - Candice Kutchukian
- Institut NeuroMyoGène, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Colline Sanchez
- Institut NeuroMyoGène, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Shane J F Cronin
- IMBA, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Novatchkova
- IMBA, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anoop Kavirayani
- VBCF, Vienna BioCenter Core Facilities, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Schuetz
- IMBA, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernhard Haubner
- IMBA, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lisa Haas
- IMP Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna, Austria
| | - Astrid Hagelkruys
- IMBA, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Andrey V Kozlov
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Traumatology, The Research Center in Cooperation with AUVA, Vienna, Austria
| | - Vincent Jacquemond
- Institut NeuroMyoGène, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Claude Knauf
- INSERM U1220 Institut de Recherche en Santé Digestive, CHU Purpan, Université Toulouse III Paul Sabatier Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Giulio Superti-Furga
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eric Rullman
- Division of Clinical Physiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, and Unit of Clinical Physiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Cardiovascular Theme, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Thomas Gustafsson
- Division of Clinical Physiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, and Unit of Clinical Physiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - John McDermot
- Manchester Centre for Genomics Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester University Hospital Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Martin Lowe
- School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Zsolt Radak
- Research Institute of Sport Science, University of Physical Education, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Jeffrey S Chamberlain
- Department of Neurology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Marica Bakovic
- Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Siddharth Banka
- Manchester Centre for Genomics Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester University Hospital Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Josef M Penninger
- IMBA, Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.
- Department of Medical Genetics, Life Science Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
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47
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Sandonà M, Cavioli G, Renzini A, Cedola A, Gigli G, Coletti D, McKinsey TA, Moresi V, Saccone V. Histone Deacetylases: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications for Muscular Dystrophies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:4306. [PMID: 36901738 PMCID: PMC10002075 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are enzymes that regulate the deacetylation of numerous histone and non-histone proteins, thereby affecting a wide range of cellular processes. Deregulation of HDAC expression or activity is often associated with several pathologies, suggesting potential for targeting these enzymes for therapeutic purposes. For example, HDAC expression and activity are higher in dystrophic skeletal muscles. General pharmacological blockade of HDACs, by means of pan-HDAC inhibitors (HDACi), ameliorates both muscle histological abnormalities and function in preclinical studies. A phase II clinical trial of the pan-HDACi givinostat revealed partial histological improvement and functional recovery of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) muscles; results of an ongoing phase III clinical trial that is assessing the long-term safety and efficacy of givinostat in DMD patients are pending. Here we review the current knowledge about the HDAC functions in distinct cell types in skeletal muscle, identified by genetic and -omic approaches. We describe the signaling events that are affected by HDACs and contribute to muscular dystrophy pathogenesis by altering muscle regeneration and/or repair processes. Reviewing recent insights into HDAC cellular functions in dystrophic muscles provides new perspectives for the development of more effective therapeutic approaches based on drugs that target these critical enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giorgia Cavioli
- Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Department of Human Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra Renzini
- Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Department of Human Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessia Cedola
- Institute of Nanotechnology, National Research Council (CNR-NANOTEC), University of Rome “La Sapienza”, 00181 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Gigli
- Institute of Nanotechnology, National Research Council (CNR-NANOTEC), 73100 Lecce, Italy
| | - Dario Coletti
- Unit of Histology and Medical Embryology, Department of Human Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine and Orthopedics, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, 00161 Rome, Italy
- CNRS UMR 8256, INSERM ERL U1164, Biological Adaptation and Aging B2A, Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Timothy A. McKinsey
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology and Consortium for Fibrosis Research & Translation, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Viviana Moresi
- Institute of Nanotechnology, National Research Council (CNR-NANOTEC), University of Rome “La Sapienza”, 00181 Rome, Italy
| | - Valentina Saccone
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, 00143 Rome, Italy
- Department of Life Science and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
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48
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Ishii MN, Nakashima M, Kamiguchi H, Zach N, Kuboki R, Baba R, Hirakawa T, Suzuki K, Quinton M. Urine titin as a novel biomarker for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Neuromuscul Disord 2023; 33:302-308. [PMID: 36871413 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2023.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most severe form of muscular dystrophy that is caused by lack of dystrophin, a critical structural protein in skeletal muscle. DMD treatments, and quantitative biomarkers to assess the efficacy of potential treatments, are urgently needed. Previous evidence has shown that titin, a muscle cell protein, is increased in the urine of patients with DMD, suggesting its usefulness as a DMD biomarker. Here, we demonstrated that the elevated titin in urine is directly associated with the lack of dystrophin and urine titin responses to drug treatment. We performed a drug intervention study using mdx mice, a DMD mouse model. We showed that mdx mice, which lack dystrophin due to a mutation in exon 23 of the Dmd gene, have elevated urine titin. Treatment with an exon skipper that targets exon 23 rescued muscle dystrophin level and dramatically decreased urine titin in mdx mice and correlates with dystrophin expression. We also demonstrated that titin levels were significantly increased in the urine of patients with DMD. This suggests that elevated urine titin level might be a hallmark of DMD and a useful pharmacodynamic marker for therapies designed to restore dystrophin levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Misawa Niki Ishii
- Neuroscience Drug Discovery Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Tokyo, 251-0012, 26-1, 2-chome, Higashimuraoka, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan.
| | - Masato Nakashima
- Neuroscience Drug Discovery Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Tokyo, 251-0012, 26-1, 2-chome, Higashimuraoka, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Hidenori Kamiguchi
- Neuroscience Drug Discovery Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Tokyo, 251-0012, 26-1, 2-chome, Higashimuraoka, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Neta Zach
- Neuroscience Drug Discovery Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, US, 350 Massachusetts Ave Cambridge, MA 02139, United Kingdom
| | - Ryosuke Kuboki
- Neuroscience Drug Discovery Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Tokyo, 251-0012, 26-1, 2-chome, Higashimuraoka, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Rina Baba
- Neuroscience Drug Discovery Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Tokyo, 251-0012, 26-1, 2-chome, Higashimuraoka, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Takeshi Hirakawa
- Neuroscience Drug Discovery Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Tokyo, 251-0012, 26-1, 2-chome, Higashimuraoka, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kazunori Suzuki
- Neuroscience Drug Discovery Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Tokyo, 251-0012, 26-1, 2-chome, Higashimuraoka, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Maria Quinton
- Neuroscience Drug Discovery Unit, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, US, 350 Massachusetts Ave Cambridge, MA 02139, United Kingdom
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49
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Li G, Jin M, Li Z, Xiao Q, Lin J, Yang D, Liu Y, Wang X, Xie L, Ying W, Wang H, Zuo E, Shi L, Wang N, Chen W, Xu C, Yang H. Mini-dCas13X-mediated RNA editing restores dystrophin expression in a humanized mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:162809. [PMID: 36512423 PMCID: PMC9888377 DOI: 10.1172/jci162809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Approximately 10% of monogenic diseases are caused by nonsense point mutations that generate premature termination codons (PTCs), resulting in a truncated protein and nonsense-mediated decay of the mutant mRNAs. Here, we demonstrate a mini-dCas13X-mediated RNA adenine base editing (mxABE) strategy to treat nonsense mutation-related monogenic diseases via A-to-G editing in a genetically humanized mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Initially, we identified a nonsense point mutation (c.4174C>T, p.Gln1392*) in the DMD gene of a patient and validated its pathogenicity in humanized mice. In this model, mxABE packaged in a single adeno-associated virus (AAV) reached A-to-G editing rates up to 84% in vivo, at least 20-fold greater than rates reported in previous studies using other RNA editing modalities. Furthermore, mxABE restored robust expression of dystrophin protein to over 50% of WT levels by enabling PTC read-through in multiple muscle tissues. Importantly, systemic delivery of mxABE by AAV also rescued dystrophin expression to averages of 37%, 6%, and 54% of WT levels in the diaphragm, tibialis anterior, and heart muscle, respectively, as well as rescued muscle function. Our data strongly suggest that mxABE-based strategies may be a viable new treatment modality for DMD and other monogenic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoling Li
- HuiGene Therapeutics, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Ming Jin
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | | | - Qingquan Xiao
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiajia Lin
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Dong Yang
- HuiGene Therapeutics, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuanhua Liu
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xing Wang
- HuiGene Therapeutics, Shanghai, China
| | - Long Xie
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wenqin Ying
- Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Erwei Zuo
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Linyu Shi
- HuiGene Therapeutics, Shanghai, China
| | - Ning Wang
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Wanjin Chen
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chunlong Xu
- Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Yang
- HuiGene Therapeutics, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Neuroscience, State Key Laboratory of Neuroscience, Key Laboratory of Primate Neurobiology, CAS Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Research Center for Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Shanghai, China
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50
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Kiriaev L, Baumann CW, Lindsay A. Eccentric contraction-induced strength loss in dystrophin-deficient muscle: Preparations, protocols, and mechanisms. J Gen Physiol 2023; 155:213810. [PMID: 36651896 PMCID: PMC9856740 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202213208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The absence of dystrophin hypersensitizes skeletal muscle of lower and higher vertebrates to eccentric contraction (ECC)-induced strength loss. Loss of strength can be accompanied by transient and reversible alterations to sarcolemmal excitability and disruption, triad dysfunction, and aberrations in calcium kinetics and reactive oxygen species production. The degree of ECC-induced strength loss, however, appears dependent on several extrinsic and intrinsic factors such as vertebrate model, skeletal muscle preparation (in vivo, in situ, or ex vivo), skeletal muscle hierarchy (single fiber versus whole muscle and permeabilized versus intact), strength production, fiber branching, age, and genetic background, among others. Consistent findings across research groups show that dystrophin-deficient fast(er)-twitch muscle is hypersensitive to ECCs relative to wildtype muscle, but because preparations are highly variable and sensitivity to ECCs are used repeatedly to determine efficacy of many preclinical treatments, it is critical to evaluate the impact of skeletal muscle preparations on sensitivity to ECC-induced strength loss in dystrophin-deficient skeletal muscle. Here, we review and discuss variations in skeletal muscle preparations to evaluate the factors responsible for variations and discrepancies between research groups. We further highlight that dystrophin-deficiency, or loss of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex in skeletal muscle, is not a prerequisite for accelerated strength loss-induced by ECCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonit Kiriaev
- Muscle Research Group, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia,School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Cory W. Baumann
- Ohio Musculoskeletal and Neurological Institute (OMNI), Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA,Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Angus Lindsay
- Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia,Correspondence to Angus Lindsay:
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