Articles: oligonucleotides.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Mipomersen, an apolipoprotein B synthesis inhibitor, for lowering of LDL cholesterol concentrations in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
Homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia is a rare genetic disorder in which both LDL-receptor alleles are defective, resulting in very high concentrations of LDL cholesterol in plasma and premature coronary artery disease. This study investigated whether an antisense inhibitor of apolipoprotein B synthesis, mipomersen, is effective and safe as an adjunctive agent to lower LDL cholesterol concentrations in patients with this disease. ⋯ ISIS Pharmaceuticals and Genzyme Corporation.
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Human molecular genetics · Nov 2009
A fusion peptide directs enhanced systemic dystrophin exon skipping and functional restoration in dystrophin-deficient mdx mice.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by mutations in the DMD gene that abolish the synthesis of dystrophin protein. Antisense oligonucleotides (AOs) targeted to trigger excision of an exon bearing a mutant premature stop codon in the DMD transcript have been shown to skip the mutated exon and partially restore functional dystrophin protein in dystrophin-deficient mdx mice. To fully exploit the therapeutic potential of this method requires highly efficient systemic AO delivery to multiple muscle groups, to modify the disease process and restore muscle function. ⋯ Here we report for the first time that a chimeric fusion peptide (B-MSP-PMO) consisting of a muscle-targeting heptapeptide (MSP) fused to an arginine-rich cell-penetrating peptide (B-peptide) and conjugated to a morpholino oligomer (PMO) AO directs highly efficient systemic dystrophin splice correction in mdx mice. With very low systemic doses, we demonstrate that B-MSP-PMO restores high-level, uniform dystrophin protein expression in multiple peripheral muscle groups, yielding functional correction and improvement of the mdx dystrophic phenotype. Our data demonstrate proof-of-concept for this chimeric peptide approach in DMD splice correction therapy and is likely to have broad application.
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Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is caused by the lack of dystrophin protein at the sarcolemma. Exon skipping by antisense oligonucleotides is a novel method to restore the reading frame of the mutated DMD gene, and rescue dystrophin production. ⋯ We also tried systemic delivery of antisense Morpholino to skip exon 51 in mdx52 mice. It is important to verify the effectiveness and side effects of antisense Morpholino in experimental animal models such as dystrophic dogs or mdx52 mice, before clinical trials in DMD patients.
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Curr. Opin. Neurol. · Oct 2009
ReviewEmerging genetic therapies to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a progressive muscle degenerative disease caused by dystrophin mutations. The purpose of this review is to highlight two emerging therapies designed to repair the primary genetic defect, called 'exon skipping' and 'nonsense codon suppression'. ⋯ These novel therapies that act to correct the primary genetic defect of dystrophin deficiency are among the first generation of therapies tailored to correct specific mutations in humans. Thus, they represent paradigm forming approaches to personalized medicine with the potential to lead to life changing treatment for those affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy.