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Human dystrophin expressing chimeric (DEC) cell therapy ameliorates cardiac, respiratory, and skeletal muscle's function in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

ABSTRACT: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive and lethal disease, caused by X-linked mutations of the dystrophin encoding gene. The lack of dystrophin leads to muscle weakness, degeneration, fibrosis, and progressive loss of skeletal, cardiac, and respiratory muscle function resulting in premature death due to the cardiac and respiratory failure. There is no cure for DMD and current therapies neither cure nor arrest disease progression. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop new approaches and safer therapies for DMD patients. We have previously reported functional improvements which correlated with increased dystrophin expression following transplantation of dystrophin expressing chimeric (DEC) cells of myoblast origin to the mdx mouse models of DMD. In this study, we demonstrated that systemic-intraosseous transplantation of DEC human cells derived from myoblasts of normal and DMD-affected donors, increased dystrophin expression in cardiac, respiratory, and skeletal muscles of the mdx/scid mouse model of DMD. DEC transplant correlated with preservation of ejection fraction and fractional shortening on echocardiography, improved respiratory function on plethysmography, and improved strength and function of the limb skeletal muscles. Enhanced function was associated with improved muscle histopathology, revealing reduced mdx pathology, fibrosis, decreased inflammation, and preserved muscle morphology and architecture. Our findings confirm that DECs generate a systemic protective effect in DMD-affected target organs. Therefore, DECs represents a novel therapeutic approach with the potential to preserve or enhance multiorgan function of the skeletal, cardiac, and respiratory muscles critical for the well-being of DMD patients.

SUBMITTER: Siemionow M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8459641 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a lethal disease caused by mutations in dystrophin encoding gene, causing progressive degeneration of cardiac, respiratory, and skeletal muscles leading to premature death due to cardiac and respiratory failure. Currently, there is no cure for DMD. Therefore, novel therapeutic approaches are needed for DMD patients.We have previously reported functional improvements which correlated with increased dystrophin expression following administration of dystrophin expressing chimeric (DEC) cells of myoblast origin to the mdx mouse models of DMD.In the current study, we confirmed dose-dependent protective effect of human DEC therapy created from myoblasts of normal and DMD-affected donors, on restoration of dystrophin expression and amelioration of cardiac, respiratory, and skeletal muscle function at 180 days after systemic-intraosseous DEC administration to mdx/scid mouse model of DMD. Functional improvements included maintenance of ejection fraction and fractional shortening levels on echocardiography, reduced enhanced pause and expiration time on plethysmography and improved grip strength and maximum stretch induced contraction of skeletal muscles. Improved function was associated with amelioration of mdx muscle pathology revealed by reduced muscle fibrosis, reduced inflammation and improved muscle morphology confirmed by reduced number of centrally nucleated fibers and normalization of muscle fiber diameters. Our findings confirm the long-term systemic effect of DEC therapy in the most severely affected by DMD organs including heart, diaphragm, and long skeletal muscles.These encouraging preclinical data introduces human DEC as a novel therapeutic modality of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (ATMP) with the potential to improve or halt the progression of DMD and enhance quality of life of DMD patients. Human DEC as a novel therapeutic modality with the potential to improve or halt progression of the DMD disease and enhance quality of life of DMD patients. Graphical abstract represents manufacturing process of the human DEC therapy for the future clinical applications. 1. We report the long-term efficacy of human DEC therapy resulting in increased dystrophin expression and reduced mdx muscle pathology after systemic-intraosseous administration of human Dystrophin Expressing Chimeric (DEC) Cells to the mdx/scid mouse model of DMD. 2. Systemic administration of human DEC therapy resulted in amelioration of cardiac, respiratory and skeletal muscle function as confirmed by echocardiography, plethysmography and standard muscle strength tests respectively. 3. We introduce human DEC as a novel Advanced Therapy Medicinal Product (ATMP) for future clinical application in DMD patients.

Project description:Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a lethal disease caused by X-linked mutations in the dystrophin gene. Dystrophin deficiency results in progressive degeneration of cardiac, respiratory and skeletal muscles leading to premature death due to cardiopulmonary complications. Currently, no cure exists for DMD. Based on our previous reports confirming a protective effect of human dystrophin expressing chimeric (DEC) cell therapy on cardiac, respiratory, and skeletal muscle function after intraosseous administration, now we assessed long-term safety and biodistribution of human DEC therapy for potential clinical applications in DMD patients. Safety of different DEC doses (1 × 106 and 5 × 106) was assessed at 180 days after systemic-intraosseous administration to mdx/scid mice, a model of DMD. Assessments included: single cell gel electrophoresis assay (COMET assay) to confirm lack of genetic toxicology, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for tumorigenicity, and body, muscle and organ weights. Human DEC biodistribution to the target (heart, diaphragm, gastrocnemius muscle) and non-target (blood, bone marrow, lung, liver, spleen) organs was detected by flow cytometry assessment of HLA-ABC markers. Human origin of dystrophin was verified by co-localization of dystrophin and human spectrin by immunofluorescence. No complications were observed after intraosseous transplant of human DEC. COMET assay of donors and fused DEC cells confirmed lack of DNA damage. Biodistribution analysis of HLA-ABC expression revealed dose-dependent presence of human DEC cells in target organs, whereas negligible presence was detected in non-target organs. Human origin of dystrophin in the heart, diaphragm and gastrocnemius muscle was confirmed by co-localization of dystrophin expression with human spectrin. MRI revealed no evidence of tumor formation. Body mass and muscle and organ weights were stable and comparable to vehicle controls, further confirming DEC safety at 180 days post- transplant. This preclinical study confirmed long-term local and systemic safety of human DEC therapy at 180 days after intraosseous administration. Thus, DEC can be considered as a novel myoblast based advanced therapy medicinal product for DMD patients.

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Human dystrophin expressing chimeric (DEC) cell therapy ameliorates cardiac, respiratory, and skeletal muscle's function in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

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