SAG therapy restores bone growth and reduces enchondroma incidence in a model of skeletal chondrodysplasias caused by Ihh deficiency
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ABSTRACT: Inactivation mutations in the Indian hedgehog (Ihh) gene in humans cause numerous skeletal chondrodysplasias, including acrocapitofemoral dysplasia, brachydactyly type A1, and human short stature. The lack of an appropriate human-relevant model to accurately represent these chondrodysplasias has hampered the identification of clinically effective treatments. Here, we established a mouse model of human skeletal dysplasia induced by Ihh gene mutations via ablation of Ihh in Aggrecan-positive (Acan+) cells using Aggrecan (Acan)-creERT transgenic mice. Smoothen agonist (SAG) promoted Hh activity and rescued chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation by stimulating smoothened trafficking to the cilium in Ihh-silenced cells. SAG treatment corrected mouse stature and significantly decreased mortality without evidence of toxicity. Moreover, Ihh ablation in Acan+ cells produced enchondroma-like tissues near the growth plates that were significantly reduced by SAG treatment. These results demonstrated that SAG effectively treats skeletal dysplasia caused by Ihh gene mutations in a mouse model, suggesting that SAG may represent a potential drug for the treatment of these diseases and/or enchondromas. Graphical abstract The phenotype of Acan-creERT;Ihhfl/fl highly resembled that of human skeletal dysplasia caused by Ihh mutations. SAG therapy restores bone growth and reduces enchondroma incidence in a model of skeletal chondrodysplasias caused by Ihh deficiency.
SUBMITTER: Li X
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8591400 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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