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AAV-mediated overexpression of human ?7 integrin leads to histological and functional improvement in dystrophic mice.

ABSTRACT: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe muscle disease caused by mutations in the DMD gene, with loss of its gene product, dystrophin. Dystrophin helps link integral membrane proteins to the actin cytoskeleton and stabilizes the sarcolemma during muscle activity. We investigated an alternative therapeutic approach to dystrophin replacement by overexpressing human ?7 integrin (ITGA7) using adeno-associated virus (AAV) delivery. ITGA7 is a laminin receptor in skeletal and cardiac muscle that links the extracellular matrix (ECM) to the actin skeleton. It is modestly upregulated in DMD muscle and has been proposed to be an important modifier of dystrophic symptoms. We delivered rAAV8.MCK.ITGA7 to the lower limb of mdx mice through isolated limb perfusion (ILP) of the femoral artery. We demonstrated ~50% of fibers in the tibialis anterior (TA) and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) overexpressing ?7 integrin at the sarcolemma following AAV gene transfer. The increase in ITGA7 in skeletal muscle significantly protected against loss of force following eccentric contraction-induced injury compared with untreated (contralateral) muscles while specific force following tetanic contraction was unchanged. Reversal of additional dystrophic features included reduced Evans blue dye (EBD) uptake and increased muscle fiber diameter. Taken together, this data shows that rAAV8.MCK.ITGA7 gene transfer stabilizes the sarcolemma potentially preserving mdx muscle from further damage. This therapeutic approach demonstrates promise as a viable treatment for DMD with further implications for other forms of muscular dystrophy.

SUBMITTER: Heller KN

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3589167 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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AAV-mediated overexpression of human α7 integrin leads to histological and functional improvement in dystrophic mice.

Heller Kristin N KN Montgomery Chrystal L CL Janssen Paul Ml PM Clark K Reed KR Mendell Jerry R JR Rodino-Klapac Louise R LR

Molecular therapy : the journal of the American Society of Gene Therapy 20130115 3

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe muscle disease caused by mutations in the DMD gene, with loss of its gene product, dystrophin. Dystrophin helps link integral membrane proteins to the actin cytoskeleton and stabilizes the sarcolemma during muscle activity. We investigated an alternative therapeutic approach to dystrophin replacement by overexpressing human α7 integrin (ITGA7) using adeno-associated virus (AAV) delivery. ITGA7 is a laminin receptor in skeletal and cardiac muscle that ...[more]

PMID: 23319059

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Project description:ObjectiveType 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune destruction of ?-cells leading to severe insulin deficiency. Although many improvements have been made in recent years, exogenous insulin therapy is still imperfect; new therapeutic approaches, focusing on preserving/expanding ?-cell mass and/or blocking the autoimmune process that destroys islets, should be developed. The main objective of this work was to test in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, which spontaneously develop autoimmune diabetes, the effects of local expression of Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), a potent mitogenic and pro-survival factor for ?-cells with immunomodulatory properties.MethodsTransgenic NOD mice overexpressing IGF1 specifically in ?-cells (NOD-IGF1) were generated and phenotyped. In addition, miRT-containing, IGF1-encoding adeno-associated viruses (AAV) of serotype 8 (AAV8-IGF1-dmiRT) were produced and administered to 4- or 11-week-old non-transgenic NOD females through intraductal delivery. Several histological, immunological, and metabolic parameters were measured to monitor disease over a period of 28-30 weeks.ResultsIn transgenic mice, local IGF1 expression led to long-term suppression of diabetes onset and robust protection of ?-cell mass from the autoimmune insult. AAV-mediated pancreatic-specific overexpression of IGF1 in adult animals also dramatically reduced diabetes incidence, both when vectors were delivered before pathology onset or once insulitis was established. Transgenic NOD-IGF1 and AAV8-IGF1-dmiRT-treated NOD animals had much less islet infiltration than controls, preserved ?-cell mass, and normal insulinemia. Transgenic and AAV-treated islets showed less expression of antigen-presenting molecules, inflammatory cytokines, and chemokines important for tissue-specific homing of effector T cells, suggesting IGF1 modulated islet autoimmunity in NOD mice.ConclusionsLocal expression of Igf1 by AAV-mediated gene transfer counteracts progression to diabetes in NOD mice. This study suggests a therapeutic strategy for autoimmune diabetes in humans.

Dataset Information

AAV-mediated overexpression of human ?7 integrin leads to histological and functional improvement in dystrophic mice.

Publications

AAV-mediated overexpression of human α7 integrin leads to histological and functional improvement in dystrophic mice.

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