Nearly one-hundred loci in the human genome have been associated with different forms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) and related inherited neuropathies. Despite this wealth of gene targets, treatment options are still extremely limited, and clear "druggable" pathways are not obvious for many of these mutations. However, recent advances in gene therapies are beginning to circumvent this challenge. Each type of CMT is a monogenic disorder, and the cellular targets are usually well-defined and typically include peripheral neurons or Schwann cells. In addition, the genetic mechanism is often also clear, with loss-of-function mutations requiring restoration of gene expression, and gain-of-function or dominant-negative mutations requiring silencing of the mutant allele. These factors combine to make CMT a good target for developing genetic therapies. Here we will review the state of relatively established gene therapy approaches, including viral vector-mediated gene replacement and antisense oligonucleotides for exon skipping, altering splicing, and gene knockdown. We will also describe earlier stage approaches for allele-specific knockdown and CRIPSR/Cas9 gene editing. We will next describe how these various approaches have been deployed in clinical and preclinical studies. Finally, we will evaluate various forms of CMT as candidates for gene therapy based on the current understanding of their genetics, cellular/tissue targets, validated animal models, and availability of patient populations and natural history data.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2020.146683 | DOI Listing |
Bioengineered
December 2025
Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India.
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are bioplastics produced by few bacteria as intracellular lipid inclusions under excess carbon source and nutrient-deprived conditions. These polymers are biodegradable and resemble petroleum-based plastics. The rising environmental concerns have increased the demand for PHA, but the low yield in wild-type bacterial strains limits large-scale production.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCardiol Young
January 2025
Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, Belfast, UK.
Biallelic pathogenic variants in the inorganic pyrophosphatase 2 (PPA2) gene are a rare but established cause of sudden infant death, which may be precipitated by a pyrexial or viral illness. It has also been associated with sudden death secondary to alcohol ingestion in young adults. We describe the case of a thirteen-month-old female who presented following out-of- hospital cardiac arrest and was subsequently diagnosed with compound, heterozygous pathogenic variants of PPA2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol
January 2025
Research Center of Clinical Medicine, Affiliated Hospital, Nantong University, China. (X.W., D.L.).
Background: Hyperglycemia is a major contributor to endothelial dysfunction and blood vessel damage, leading to severe diabetic microvascular complications. Despite the growing body of research on the underlying mechanisms of endothelial cell (EC) dysfunction, the available drugs based on current knowledge fall short of effectively alleviating these complications. Therefore, our endeavor to explore novel insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction is crucial for the field.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol
January 2025
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Japan. (H. Yagi, H.A., Q.L., A.S.-K., M.U., H.K., R.M., A.S., S.O., H.T., Norifumi Takeda, I.K.).
Background: Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an inherited disorder caused by mutations in the gene encoding fibrillin-1, a matrix component of extracellular microfibrils. The main cause of morbidity and mortality in MFS is thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection, but the underlying mechanisms remain undetermined.
Methods: To elucidate the role of endothelial XOR (xanthine oxidoreductase)-derived reactive oxygen species in aortic aneurysm progression, we inhibited in vivo function of XOR either by endothelial cell (EC)-specific disruption of the gene or by systemic administration of an XOR inhibitor febuxostat in MFS mice harboring the missense mutation p.
Case Rep Dermatol Med
January 2025
Department of Dentistry and Oral Health, Amana Regional Referral Hospital, Ministry of Health, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Harlequin ichthyosis is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder resulting from mutations in the gene. It is marked by distinctive skin abnormalities, including armor-like thickened scales separated by deep fissures. This condition is infrequently reported in the African population.
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