Antisense Oligonucleotides (ASOs) in Motor Neuron Diseases: A Road to Cure in Light and Shade.

Int J Mol Sci

Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurological Sciences, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy.

Published: April 2024

AI Article Synopsis

  • * The most notable success is nusinersen for SMA, which improves symptoms and slows progression, while tofersen is aimed at ALS but hasn't shown benefits for all patients.
  • * This review summarizes current ASO research in MNDs, highlighting both successful and unsuccessful outcomes, discussing the strengths and weaknesses of existing studies, and suggesting future research directions for better treatments.

Article Abstract

Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are short oligodeoxynucleotides designed to bind to specific regions of target mRNA. ASOs can modulate pre-mRNA splicing, increase levels of functional proteins, and decrease levels of toxic proteins. ASOs are being developed for the treatment of motor neuron diseases (MNDs), including spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). The biggest success has been the ASO known as nusinersen, the first effective therapy for SMA, able to improve symptoms and slow disease progression. Another success is tofersen, an ASO designed to treat ALS patients with gene mutations. Both ASOs have been approved by the FDA and EMA. On the other hand, ASO treatment in ALS patients with the gene mutation did not show any improvement in disease progression. The aim of this review is to provide an up-to-date overview of ASO research in MNDs, from preclinical studies to clinical trials and, where available, regulatory approval. We highlight the successes and failures, underline the strengths and limitations of the current ASO research, and suggest possible approaches that could lead to more effective treatments.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11083842PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms25094809DOI Listing

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