Lessons learned from vivo-morpholinos: How to avoid vivo-morpholino toxicity

Sex determination factor, a novel male-linked gene in the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus: Molecular characterization, expression patterns and effects of gene knockdown

Apostichopus japonicus is a highly significant marine aquaculture species. Research findings have indicated that male sea cucumbers demonstrate a more rapid growth rate compared to females, underscoring the potential advantages of establishing an all-male population. In this study, we identified a specific protein-coding gene (ORFan) within a 4565 bp male fragment and named it sex determination factor (sdf). The sdf transcript exhibited ubiquitous expression in various adult male tissues, along with dynamic expression patterns in the testis across different developmental stages. Notably, knockdown of the sdf gene through immersion of embryos in its specific vivo-morpholino oligomers (vivo-MO) resulted in significant changes in the expression levels of several sex-related genes including piwi1, vasa, foxl2, and DNMT3. Additionally, a transcriptomic analysis showed that sdf knockdown resulted in significant alterations in multiple biological processes encompassing various sex-related gene ontology terms such as male gonad development, ovarian follicle development, and steroidogenesis. These results provide a molecular foundation for comprehending ORFans in sea cucumbers while offering a valuable method for gene knockdown studies in echinoderms.

Efficacy, biodistribution and safety comparison of chemically modified antisense oligonucleotides in the retina

Antisense oligonucleotides (AONs) are a versatile tool for treating inherited retinal diseases. However, little is known about how different chemical modifications of AONs can affect their biodistribution, toxicity, and uptake in the retina. Here, we addressed this question by comparing splice-switching AONs with three different chemical modifications commonly used in a clinical setting (2'O-methyl-phosphorothioate (2-OMe/PS), 2'O-methoxyethyl-phosphoriate (2-MOE/PS), and phosphorodiamidite morpholino oligomers (PMO)). These AONs targeted genes exclusively expressed in certain types of retinal cells. Overall, studies in vitro and in vivo in C57BL/6J wild-type mouse retinas showed that 2-OMe/PS and 2-MOE/PS AONs have comparable efficacy and safety profiles. In contrast, octa-guanidine-dendrimer-conjugated in vivo PMO-oligonucleotides (ivPMO) caused toxicity. This was evidenced by externally visible ocular phenotypes in 88.5% of all ivPMO-treated animals, accompanied by severe alterations at the morphological level. However, delivery of unmodified PMO-AONs did not cause any toxicity, although it clearly reduced the efficacy. We conducted the first systematic comparison of different chemical modifications of AONs in the retina. Our results showed that the same AON sequence with different chemical modifications displayed different splicing modulation efficacies, suggesting the 2'MOE/PS modification as the most efficacious in these conditions. Thereby, our work provides important insights for future clinical applications.

Tailored antisense oligonucleotides designed to correct aberrant splicing reveal actionable groups of mutations for rare genetic disorders

Effective translation of rare disease diagnosis knowledge into therapeutic applications is achievable within a reasonable timeframe; where mutations are amenable to current antisense oligonucleotide technology. In our study, we identified five distinct types of abnormal splice-causing mutations in patients with rare genetic disorders and developed a tailored antisense oligonucleotide for each mutation type using phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers with or without octa-guanidine dendrimers and 2'-O-methoxyethyl phosphorothioate. We observed variations in treatment effects and efficiencies, influenced by both the chosen chemistry and the specific nature of the aberrant splicing patterns targeted for correction. Our study demonstrated the successful correction of all five different types of aberrant splicing. Our findings reveal that effective correction of aberrant splicing can depend on altering the chemical composition of oligonucleotides and suggest a fast, efficient, and feasible approach for developing personalized therapeutic interventions for genetic disorders within short time frames.

Targeted Antisense Oligonucleotide-Mediated Skipping of Murine Postn Exon 17 Partially Addresses Fibrosis in D2.mdx Mice

Periostin, a multifunctional 90 kDa protein, plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of fibrosis across various tissues, including skeletal muscle. It operates within the transforming growth factor beta 1 (Tgf-β1) signalling pathway and is upregulated in fibrotic tissue. Alternative splicing of Periostin's C-terminal region leads to six protein-coding isoforms. This study aimed to elucidate the contribution of the isoforms containing the amino acids encoded by exon 17 (e17+ Periostin) to skeletal muscle fibrosis and investigate the therapeutic potential of manipulating exon 17 splicing. We identified distinct structural differences between e17+ Periostin isoforms, affecting their interaction with key fibrotic proteins, including Tgf-β1 and integrin alpha V. In vitro mouse fibroblast experimentation confirmed the TGF-β1-induced upregulation of e17+ Periostin mRNA, mitigated by an antisense approach that induces the skipping of exon 17 of the Postn gene. Subsequent in vivo studies in the D2.mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) demonstrated that our antisense treatment effectively reduced e17+ Periostin mRNA expression, which coincided with reduced full-length Periostin protein expression and collagen accumulation. The grip strength of the treated mice was rescued to the wild-type level. These results suggest a pivotal role of e17+ Periostin isoforms in the fibrotic pathology of skeletal muscle and highlight the potential of targeted exon skipping strategies as a promising therapeutic approach for mitigating fibrosis-associated complications.

Synthesis of Self Permeable Antisense PMO Using C5-Guanidino-Functionalized Pyrimidines at the 5'-End Enables Sox2 Downregulation in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells

Delivery of macromolecular drugs inside cells has been a huge challenge in the field of oligonucleotide therapeutics for the past few decades. Earliest natural inspirations included the arginine rich stretch of cell permeable HIV-TAT peptide, which led to the design of several molecular transporters with varying numbers of rigid or flexible guanidinium units with different tethering groups. These transporters have been shown to efficiently deliver phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligonucleotides, which have a neutral backbone and cannot form lipoplexes. In this report, PMO based delivery agents having 3 or 4 guanidinium groups at the C5 position of the nucleobases of cytosine and uracil have been explored, which can be assimilated within the desired stretch of the antisense oligonucleotide. Guanidinium units have been connected by varying the flexibility with either a saturated (propyl) or an unsaturated (propargyl) spacer, which showed different serum dependency along with varied cytoplasmic distribution. The effect of cholesterol conjugation in the delivery agent as well as at the 5'-end of full length PMO in cellular delivery has also been studied. Finally, the efficacy of the delivery has been studied by the PMO mediated downregulation of the stemness marker Sox2 in the triple-negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB 231. These results have validated the use of this class of delivery agents, which permit at a stretch PMO synthesis where the modified bases can also participate in Watson-Crick-Franklin base pairing for enhanced mRNA binding and protein downregulation and could solve the delivery problem of PMO.

An antisense oligonucleotide efficiently suppresses splicing of an alternative exon in vascular smooth muscle in vivo

Targeting alternative exons for therapeutic gain has been achieved in a few instances and potentially could be applied more broadly. The myosin phosphatase (MP) enzyme is a critical hub upon which signals converge to regulate vessel tone. Alternative exon 24 of myosin phosphatase regulatory subunit (Mypt1 E24) is an ideal target as toggling between the two isoforms sets smooth muscle sensitivity to vasodilators such as nitric oxide (NO). This study aimed to develop a gene-based therapy to suppress splicing of Mypt1 E24 thereby switching MP enzyme to the NO-responsive isoform. CRISPR/Cas9 constructs were effective at editing of Mypt1 E24 in vitro; however, targeting of vascular smooth muscle in vivo with AAV9 was inefficient. In contrast, an octo-guanidine conjugated antisense oligonucleotide targeting the 5' splice site of Mypt1 E24 was highly efficient in vivo. It reduced the percent splicing inclusion of Mypt1 E24 from 80% to 10% in mesenteric arteries. The maximal and half-maximal effects occurred at 12.5 and 6.25 mg/kg, respectively. The effect persisted for at least 1 mo without toxicity. This highly effective splice-blocking antisense oligonucleotide could be developed as a novel therapy to reverse vascular dysfunction common to diseases such as hypertension and heart failure.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Alternative exon usage is a major driver of phenotypic diversity in all cell types including smooth muscle. However, the functional significance of most of the hundreds of thousands of alternative exons has not been defined, nor in most cases even tested. If their importance to vascular function were known these alternative exons could represent novel therapeutic targets. Here, we present injection of Vivo-morpholino splice-blocking antisense oligonucleotides as a simple, efficient, and cost-effective method for suppression of alternative exon usage in vascular smooth muscle in vivo.

Regulation of Human Sortilin Alternative Splicing by Glucagon-like Peptide-1 (GLP1) in Adipocytes

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease with no cure. Adipose tissue is a major site of systemic insulin resistance. Sortilin is a central component of the glucose transporter -Glut4 storage vesicles (GSV) which translocate to the plasma membrane to uptake glucose from circulation. Here, using human adipocytes we demonstrate the presence of the alternatively spliced, truncated sortilin variant (Sort_T) whose expression is significantly increased in diabetic adipose tissue. Artificial-intelligence-based modeling, molecular dynamics, intrinsically disordered region analysis, and co-immunoprecipitation demonstrated association of Sort_T with Glut4 and decreased glucose uptake in adipocytes. The results show that glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP1) hormone decreases Sort_T. We deciphered the molecular mechanism underlying GLP1 regulation of alternative splicing of human sortilin. Using splicing minigenes and RNA-immunoprecipitation assays, the results show that GLP1 regulates Sort_T alternative splicing via the splice factor, TRA2B. We demonstrate that targeted antisense oligonucleotide morpholinos reduces Sort_T levels and improves glucose uptake in diabetic adipocytes. Thus, we demonstrate that GLP1 regulates alternative splicing of sortilin in human diabetic adipocytes.

Antisense oligonucleotides: a promising therapeutic option against infectious diseases

Infectious diseases have been one of the biggest health problems of humanity for centuries. Nucleic acid-based therapeutics have received attention in recent years with their effectiveness in the treatment of various infectious diseases and vaccine development studies. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the basic properties underlying the mechanism of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), their applications, and their challenges. The efficient delivery of ASOs is the greatest challenge for their therapeutic success, but this problem is overcome with new-generation antisense molecules developed with chemical modifications. The types, carrier molecules, and gene regions targeted by sequences have been summarized in detail. Research and development of antisense therapy is still in its infancy; however, gene silencing therapies appear to have the potential for faster and longer-lasting activity than conventional treatment strategies. On the other hand, realizing the potential of antisense therapy will require a large initial economic investment to ascertain the pharmacological properties and learn how to optimize them. The ability of ASOs to be rapidly designed and synthesized to target different microbes can reduce drug discovery time from 6 years to 1 year. Since ASOs are not particularly affected by resistance mechanisms, they come to the fore in the fight against antimicrobial resistance. The design-based flexibility of ASOs has enabled it to be used for different types of microorganisms/genes and successful in vitro and in vivo results have been revealed. The current review summarized a comprehensive understanding of ASO therapy in combating bacterial and viral infections.

DNAJB6 isoform specific knockdown: Therapeutic potential for limb girdle muscular dystrophy D1

Dominant missense mutations in DNAJB6, a co-chaperone of HSP70, cause limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) D1. No treatments are currently available. Two isoforms exist, DNAJB6a and DNAJB6b, each with distinct localizations in muscle. Mutations reside in both isoforms, yet evidence suggests that DNAJB6b is primarily responsible for disease pathogenesis. Knockdown treatment strategies involving both isoforms carry risk, as DNAJB6 knockout is embryonic lethal. We therefore developed an isoform-specific knockdown approach using morpholinos. Selective reduction of each isoform was achieved in vitro in primary mouse myotubes and human LGMDD1 myoblasts, as well as in vivo in mouse skeletal muscle. To assess isoform specific knockdown in LGMDD1, we created primary myotube cultures from a knockin LGMDD1 mouse model. Using mass spectrometry, we identified an LGMDD1 protein signature related to protein homeostasis and myofibril structure. Selective reduction of DNAJB6b levels in LGMDD1 myotubes corrected much of the proteomic disease signature toward wild type levels. Additional in vivo functional data is required to determine if selective reduction of DNAJB6b is a viable therapeutic target for LGMDD1.

Self-transfecting GMO-PMO chimera targeting Nanog enable gene silencing in vitro and suppresses tumor growth in 4T1 allografts in mouse

Phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligonucleotide (PMO)-based antisense reagents cannot enter cells without the help of a delivery technique, which limits their clinical applications. To overcome this problem, self-transfecting guanidinium-linked morpholino (GMO)-PMO or PMO-GMO chimeras have been explored as antisense agents. GMO facilitates cellular internalization and participates in Watson-Crick base pairing. Targeting NANOG in MCF7 cells resulted in decline of the whole epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and stemness pathway, evident through its phenotypic manifestations, all of which were promulgated in combination with Taxol due to downregulation of MDR1 and ABCG2. GMO-PMO-mediated knockdown of no tail gene resulted in desired phenotypes in zebrafish even upon delivery after 16-cell stages. In BALB/c mice, 4T1 allografts were found to regress via intra-tumoral administration of NANOG GMO-PMO antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), which was associated with occurrence of necrotic regions. GMO-PMO-mediated tumor regression restored histopathological damage in liver, kidney, and spleen caused by 4T1 mammary carcinoma. Serum parameters of systemic toxicity indicated that GMO-PMO chimeras are safe. To the best of our knowledge, self-transfecting antisense reagent is the first report since the discovery of guanidinium-linked DNA (DNG), which could be useful as a combination cancer therapy and, in principle, can render inhibition of any target gene without using any delivery vehicle.

Smuggling on the Nanoscale-Fusogenic Liposomes Enable Efficient RNA-Transfer with Negligible Immune Response In Vitro and In Vivo

The efficient and biocompatible transfer of nucleic acids into mammalian cells for research applications or medical purposes is a long-standing, challenging task. Viral transduction is the most efficient transfer system, but often entails high safety levels for research and potential health impairments for patients in medical applications. Lipo- or polyplexes are commonly used transfer systems but result in comparably low transfer efficiencies. Moreover, inflammatory responses caused by cytotoxic side effects were reported for these transfer methods. Often accountable for these effects are various recognition mechanisms for transferred nucleic acids. Using commercially available fusogenic liposomes (Fuse-It-mRNA), we established highly efficient and fully biocompatible transfer of RNA molecules for in vitro as well as in vivo applications. We demonstrated bypassing of endosomal uptake routes and, therefore, of pattern recognition receptors that recognize nucleic acids with high efficiency. This may underlie the observed almost complete abolishment of inflammatory cytokine responses. RNA transfer experiments into zebrafish embryos and adult animals fully confirmed the functional mechanism and the wide range of applications from single cells to organisms.

Identification of the genes encoding candidate septate junction components expressed during early development of the sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, and evidence of a role for Mesh in the formation of the gut barrier

Septate junctions (SJs) evolved as cell-cell junctions that regulate the paracellular barrier and integrity of epithelia in invertebrates. Multiple morphological variants of SJs exist specific to different epithelia and/or phyla but the biological significance of varied SJ morphology is unclear because the knowledge of the SJ associated proteins and their functions in non-insect invertebrates remains largely unknown. Here we report cell-specific expression of nine candidate SJ genes in the early life stages of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. By use of in situ RNA hybridization and single cell RNA-seq we found that the expression of selected genes encoding putatively SJ associated transmembrane and cytoplasmic scaffold molecules was dynamically regulated during epithelial development in the embryos and larvae with different epithelia expressing different cohorts of SJ genes. We focused a functional analysis on SpMesh, a homolog of the Drosophila smooth SJ component Mesh, which was highly enriched in the endodermal epithelium of the mid- and hindgut. Functional perturbation of SpMesh by both CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis and vivo morpholino-mediated knockdown shows that loss of SpMesh does not disrupt the formation of the gut epithelium during gastrulation. However, loss of SpMesh resulted in a severely reduced gut-paracellular barrier as quantitated by increased permeability to 3-5 ​kDa FITC-dextran. Together, these studies provide a first look at the molecular SJ physiology during the development of a marine organism and suggest a shared role for Mesh-homologous proteins in forming an intestinal barrier in invertebrates. Results have implications for consideration of the traits underlying species-specific sensitivity of marine larvae to climate driven ocean change.

Use of vivo-morpholinos for gene knockdown in the postnatal shark retina

Work in the catshark Scyliorhinus canicula has shown that the evolutionary origin of postnatal neurogenesis in vertebrates is earlier than previously thought. Thus, the catshark can serve as a model of interest to understand postnatal neurogenic processes and their evolution in vertebrates. One of the best characterized neurogenic niches of the catshark CNS is found in the peripheral region of the retina. Unfortunately, the lack of genetic tools in sharks limits the possibilities to deepen in the study of genes involved in the neurogenic process. Here, we report a method for gene knockdown in the juvenile catshark retina based on the use of Vivo-Morpholinos. To establish the method, we designed Vivo-Morpholinos against the proliferation marker PCNA. We first evaluated the possible toxicity of 3 different intraocular administration regimes. After this optimization step, we show that a single intraocular injection of the PCNA Vivo-Morpholino decreases the expression of PCNA in the peripheral retina, which leads to reduced mitotic activity in this region. This method will help in deciphering the role of other genes potentially involved in postnatal neurogenesis in this animal model.

Generation of glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (gdnf) morphants in zebrafish larvae by cerebroventricular microinjection of vivo morpholino

Dopaminergic neurons in the brain are an important source of dopamine, which is a crucial neurotransmitter for wellbeing, memory, reward, and motor control. Deficiency of dopamine due to advanced age and accumulative dopaminergic neuron defects can lead to movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease. Glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is one of many factors involved in dopaminergic neuron development and/or survival. However, other endogenous GDNF functions in the brain await further investigation. Zebrafish is a well-established genetic model for neurodevelopment and neurodegeneration studies. Importantly, zebrafish shares approximately 70% functional orthologs with human genes including GDNF. To gain a better understanding on the precise functional role of gdnf in dopaminergic neurons, our laboratory devised a targeted knockdown of gdnf in the zebrafish larval brain using vivo morpholino. Here, detailed protocols on the generation of gdnf morphants using vivo morpholino are outlined. This method can be applied for targeting of genes in the brain to determine specific spatiotemporal gene function in situ.

Antisense Oligonucleotide-Based Therapy of Viral Infections

Nucleic acid-based therapeutics have demonstrated their efficacy in the treatment of various diseases and vaccine development. Antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) technology exploits a single-strand short oligonucleotide to either cause target RNA degradation or sterically block the binding of cellular factors or machineries to the target RNA. Chemical modification or bioconjugation of ASOs can enhance both its pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic performance, and it enables customization for a specific clinical purpose. ASO-based therapies have been used for treatment of genetic disorders, cancer and viral infections. In particular, ASOs can be rapidly developed for newly emerging virus and their reemerging variants. This review discusses ASO modifications and delivery options as well as the design of antiviral ASOs. A better understanding of the viral life cycle and virus-host interactions as well as advances in oligonucleotide technology will benefit the development of ASO-based antiviral therapies.

Neuron-Radial Glial Cell Communication via BMP/Id1 Signaling Is Key to Long-Term Maintenance of the Regenerative Capacity of the Adult Zebrafish Telencephalon

The central nervous system of adult zebrafish displays an extraordinary neurogenic and regenerative capacity. In the zebrafish adult brain, this regenerative capacity relies on neural stem cells (NSCs) and the careful management of the NSC pool. However, the mechanisms controlling NSC pool maintenance are not yet fully understood. Recently, Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) and their downstream effector Id1 (Inhibitor of differentiation 1) were suggested to act as key players in NSC maintenance under constitutive and regenerative conditions. Here, we further investigated the role of BMP/Id1 signaling in these processes, using different genetic and pharmacological approaches. Our data show that BMPs are mainly expressed by neurons in the adult telencephalon, while id1 is expressed in NSCs, suggesting a neuron-NSC communication via the BMP/Id1 signaling axis. Furthermore, manipulation of BMP signaling by conditionally inducing or repressing BMP signaling via heat-shock, lead to an increase or a decrease of id1 expression in the NSCs, respectively. Induction of id1 was followed by an increase in the number of quiescent NSCs, while knocking down id1 expression caused an increase in NSC proliferation. In agreement, genetic ablation of id1 function lead to increased proliferation of NSCs, followed by depletion of the stem cell pool with concomitant failure to heal injuries in repeatedly injured mutant telencephala. Moreover, pharmacological inhibition of BMP and Notch signaling suggests that the two signaling systems cooperate and converge onto the transcriptional regulator her4.1. Interestingly, brain injury lead to a depletion of NSCs in animals lacking BMP/Id1 signaling despite an intact Notch pathway. Taken together, our data demonstrate how neurons feedback on NSC proliferation and that BMP1/Id1 signaling acts as a safeguard of the NSC pool under regenerative conditions.

Systemic antisense therapeutics inhibiting DUX4 expression ameliorates FSHD-like pathology in an FSHD mouse model

Aberrant expression of the double homeobox 4 (DUX4) gene in skeletal muscle causes muscle deterioration and weakness in Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). Since the presence of a permissive pLAM1 polyadenylation signal is essential for stabilization of DUX4 mRNA and translation of DUX4 protein, disrupting the function of this structure can prevent expression of DUX4. We and others have shown promising results using antisense approaches to reduce DUX4 expression in vitro and in vivo following local intramuscular administration. Here we demonstrate that further development of the antisense chemistries enhances in vitro antisense efficacy. The optimal chemistry was conjugated to a cell-penetrating moiety and was systemically administered into the tamoxifen-inducible Cre-driver FLExDUX4 double-transgenic mouse model of FSHD. After four weekly treatments, mRNA quantities of DUX4 and target genes were reduced by 50% that led to 12% amelioration in muscle atrophy, 52% improvement in in situ muscle strength, 17% reduction in muscle fibrosis and prevention of shift in the myofiber type profile. Systemic DUX4 inhibition also significantly improved the locomotor activity and reduced the fatigue level by 22%. Our data demonstrate that the optimized antisense approach has potential of being further developed as a therapeutic strategy for FSHD.

Na+/H+ exchangers differentially contribute to midgut fluid sodium and proton concentration in the sea urchin larva

Regulation of ionic composition and pH is a requisite of all digestive systems in the animal kingdom. Larval stages of the marine superphylum Ambulacraria, including echinoderms and hemichordates, were demonstrated to have highly alkaline conditions in their midgut with the underlying epithelial transport mechanisms being largely unknown. Using ion-selective microelectrodes, the present study demonstrated that pluteus larvae of the purple sea urchin have highly alkaline pH (pH ∼9) and low [Na+] (∼120 mmol l-1) in their midgut fluids, compared with the ionic composition of the surrounding seawater. We pharmacologically investigated the role of Na+/H+ exchangers (NHE) in intracellular pH regulation and midgut proton and sodium maintenance using the NHE inhibitor 5-(n-ethyl-n-isopropyl)amiloride (EIPA). Basolateral EIPA application decreased midgut pH while luminal application via micro-injections increased midgut [Na+], without affecting pH. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated a luminal localization of NHE-2 (SpSlc9a2) in the midgut epithelium. Specific knockdown of spslc9a2 using Vivo-Morpholinos led to an increase in midgut [Na+] without affecting pH. Acute acidification experiments in combination with quantitative PCR analysis and measurements of midgut pH and [Na+] identified two other NHE isoforms, Spslc9a7 and SpSlc9a8, which potentially contribute to the regulation of [Na+] and pH in midgut fluids. This work provides new insights into ion regulatory mechanisms in the midgut epithelium of sea urchin larvae. The involvement of NHEs in regulating pH and Na+ balance in midgut fluids shows conserved features of insect and vertebrate digestive systems and may contribute to the ability of sea urchin larvae to cope with changes in seawater pH.

Pharmacokinetics and Proceedings in Clinical Application of Nucleic Acid Therapeutics

Oligonucleotide therapeutics are a novel promising class of drugs designed to specifically target either coding or non-coding RNA molecules to revolutionize treatment of various diseases. During preclinical development, investigations of the pharmacokinetic characteristics of these oligonucleotide-based drug candidates are essential. Oligonucleotides possess a long history of chemical modifications to enhance their stability and binding affinity, as well as reducing toxicity. Phosphorothioate backbone modifications of oligonucleotides were a hallmark of this development process that greatly enhanced plasma stability and protein binding of these agents. Modifications such as 2'-O-methylation further improved stability, while other modifications of the ribose, such as locked nucleic acid (LNA) modification, significantly increased binding affinity, potency, and tissue half-life. These attributes render oligonucleotide therapeutics able to regulate protein expression in both directions depending on the target RNA. Thus, a growing interest has emerged using these oligonucleotides in the treatment of neurodegenerative and cardiac disorders as well as cancer, since the deregulation of certain coding and non-coding RNAs plays a key role in the development of these diseases. Cutting edge research is being performed in the field of non-coding RNAs, identifying potential therapeutic targets, and developing novel oligonucleotide-based agents that outperform classical drugs. Some of these agents are either in clinical trials showing promising results or are already US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved, with more oligonucleotides being developed for therapeutic purposes. This is the advent of mechanism-based next-generation therapeutics for a wide range of diseases.

Internal Oligoguanidinium Transporter: Mercury-Free Scalable Synthesis, Improvement of Cellular Localization, Endosomal Escape, Mitochondrial Localization, and Conjugation with Antisense Morpholino for NANOG Inhibition to Induce Chemosensitization of Taxol in MCF-7 Cells

A nontoxic delivery vehicle is essential for the therapeutic applications of antisense phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligonucleotides (PMOs). Though guanidinium-rich or arginine-rich cellular transporter conjugated Vivo-PMO or PPMO has been developed for in vivo application, however, either their toxicity or stability has become an issue. Previously, we reported nonpeptidic internal guanidinium transporter (IGT) mediated delivery of PMO for gene silencing and got encouraging results. In this paper, we report the synthesis of IGT using a Hg-free method for scale up and N-terminal modification of IGT with a suitable hydrophobic or lipophilic group to improve the cell permeability, endosomal escape, and mitochondrial localization and to reduce toxicity in the MTT assay. For the delivery of PMO, IGT-PMO conjugate was synthesized to target NANOG in cells, a transcription factor required for cancer stem cell proliferation and embryonic development and is involved in many cancers. Our data shows IGT-PMO-facilitated NANOG inhibition, and thereby the prevention of EpCAM-N-Cadherin-Vimentin axis mediated epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in MCF-7 cells. Moreover, unlike taxol, NANOG inhibition influences the expression of stemness factor c-Myc, Hh-Gli signaling proteins, other cancer related factors, and their respective phenotypes in cancer cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to illustrate that the IGT-PMO-mediated NANOG inhibition increases the therapeutic potential of taxol and induces G0-G1 arrest in cancer cells to prevent cancer progression. However, it warrants further investigation in other cancer cells and preclinical platforms.

Correction of Bcl-x splicing improves responses to imatinib in chronic myeloid leukaemia cells and mouse models

Imatinib mesylate (IM) resistance has become a major clinical problem for chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). It is known that Bcl-x splicing is deregulated and is involved in multiple malignant cancer initiation and chemotherapy resistance, including CML. The aim of the present study was to correct the abnormal splicing of Bcl-x in CML and investigate the subsequent malignant phenotype changes, especially response to IM. The aberrant Bcl-x splicing in CML cells was effectively restored using vivo-Morpholino Antisense Oligomer (vMO). CCK-8 cell viability assay and flow cytometry showed that restoring of Bcl-x splicing increases IM-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis of K562 cells. Moreover, a more significant similar phenomenon was observed in imatinib-resistant CML cell lines K562/G01. Finally, establishment of CML xenograft model had also proved that correcting Bcl-x splicing in vivo can also enhance the anti-tumor effect of IM. Our findings suggest that vMO co-operating with IM can effectively increase the sensitivity of CML cells to IM both in vitro and in vivo, and Bcl-x splicing could become good candidates for chemotherapy-sensitized target in IM-resistant CML.

Recent advancements in exon-skipping therapies using antisense oligonucleotides and genome editing for the treatment of various muscular dystrophies

Muscular dystrophy is a group of genetic disorders characterised by degeneration of muscles. Different forms of muscular dystrophy can show varying phenotypes with a wide range of age, severity and location of muscle deterioration. Many palliative care options are available for muscular dystrophy patients, but no curative treatment is available. Exon-skipping therapy aims to induce skipping of exons with disease-causing mutations and/or nearby exons to restore the reading frame, which results in an internally truncated, partially functional protein. In antisense-mediated exon-skipping synthetic antisense oligonucleotide binds to pre-mRNA to induce exon skipping. Recent advances in exon skipping have yielded promising results; the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved eteplirsen (Exondys51) as the first exon-skipping drug for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and in vivo exon skipping has been demonstrated in animal models of dysferlinopathy, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2C and congenital muscular dystrophy type 1A. Novel methods that induce exon skipping utilizing Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) are also being developed where splice site mutations are created within the genome to induce exon skipping. Challenges remain as exon-skipping agents can have deleterious non-specific effects and different in-frame deletions show phenotypic variance. This article reviews the state of the art of exon skipping for treating muscular dystrophy and discusses challenges and future prospects.

Exons 45-55 Skipping Using Mutation-Tailored Cocktails of Antisense Morpholinos in the DMD Gene

Mutations in the dystrophin (DMD) gene and consequent loss of dystrophin cause Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). A promising therapy for DMD, single-exon skipping using antisense phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMOs), currently confronts major issues in that an antisense drug induces the production of functionally undefined dystrophin and may not be similarly efficacious among patients with different mutations. Accordingly, the applicability of this approach is limited to out-of-frame mutations. Here, using an exon-skipping efficiency predictive tool, we designed three different PMO cocktail sets for exons 45-55 skipping aiming to produce a dystrophin variant with preserved functionality as seen in milder or asymptomatic individuals with an in-frame exons 45-55 deletion. Of them, the most effective set was composed of select PMOs that each efficiently skips an assigned exon in cell-based screening. These combinational PMOs fitted to different deletions of immortalized DMD patient muscle cells significantly induced exons 45-55 skipping with removing 3, 8, or 10 exons and dystrophin restoration as represented by western blotting. In vivo skipping of the maximum 11 human DMD exons was confirmed in humanized mice. The finding indicates that our PMO set can be used to create mutation-tailored cocktails for exons 45-55 skipping and treat over 65% of DMD patients carrying out-of-frame or in-frame deletions.

Loss-of-function approaches in comparative physiology: is there a future for knockdown experiments in the era of genome editing?

Loss-of-function technologies, such as morpholino- and RNAi-mediated gene knockdown, and TALEN- and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knockout, are widely used to investigate gene function and its physiological significance. Here, we provide a general overview of the various knockdown and knockout technologies commonly used in comparative physiology and discuss the merits and drawbacks of these technologies with a particular focus on research conducted in zebrafish. Despite their widespread use, there is an ongoing debate surrounding the use of knockdown versus knockout approaches and their potential off-target effects. This debate is primarily fueled by the observations that, in some studies, knockout mutants exhibit phenotypes different from those observed in response to knockdown using morpholinos or RNAi. We discuss the current debate and focus on the discrepancies between knockdown and knockout phenotypes, providing literature and primary data to show that the different phenotypes are not necessarily a direct result of the off-target effects of the knockdown agents used. Nevertheless, given the recent evidence of some knockdown phenotypes being recapitulated in knockout mutants lacking the morpholino or RNAi target, we stress that results of knockdown experiments need to be interpreted with caution. We ultimately argue that knockdown experiments should not be discontinued if proper control experiments are performed, and that with careful interpretation, knockdown approaches remain useful to complement the limitations of knockout studies (e.g. lethality of knockout and compensatory responses).

Multiple Exon Skipping in the Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Hot Spots: Prospects and Challenges

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a fatal X-linked recessive disorder, is caused mostly by frame-disrupting, out-of-frame deletions in the dystrophin (DMD) gene. Antisense oligonucleotide-mediated exon skipping is a promising therapy for DMD. Exon skipping aims to convert out-of-frame mRNA to in-frame mRNA and induce the production of internally-deleted dystrophin as seen in the less severe Becker muscular dystrophy. Currently, multiple exon skipping has gained special interest as a new therapeutic modality for this approach. Previous retrospective database studies represented a potential therapeutic application of multiple exon skipping. Since then, public DMD databases have become more useful with an increase in patient registration and advances in molecular diagnosis. Here, we provide an update on DMD genotype-phenotype associations using a global DMD database and further provide the rationale for multiple exon skipping development, particularly for exons 45–55 skipping and an emerging therapeutic concept, exons 3–9 skipping. Importantly, this review highlights the potential of multiple exon skipping for enabling the production of functionally-corrected dystrophin and for treating symptomatic patients not only with out-of-frame deletions but also those with in-frame deletions. We will also discuss prospects and challenges in multiple exon skipping therapy, referring to recent progress in antisense chemistry and design, as well as disease models.

Inflammation and the Gut-Liver Axis in the Pathophysiology of Cholangiopathies

Cholangiocytes, the epithelial cells lining the bile ducts, represent the unique target of a group of progressive diseases known as cholangiopathies whose pathogenesis remain largely unknown. In normal conditions, cholangiocytes are quiescent and participate to the final bile volume and composition. Following exogenous or endogenous stimuli, cholangiocytes undergo extensive modifications of their phenotype. Reactive cholangiocytes actively proliferate and release a set of proinflammatory molecules, which act in autocrine/paracrine manner mediating the cross-talk with other liver cell types and innate and adaptive immune cells. Cholangiocytes themselves activate innate immune responses against gut-derived microorganisms or bacterial products that reach the liver via enterohepatic circulation. Gut microbiota has been implicated in the development and progression of the two most common cholangiopathies, i.e., primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), which have distinctive microbiota composition compared to healthy individuals. The impairment of intestinal barrier functions or gut dysbiosis expose cholangiocytes to an increasing amount of microorganisms and may exacerbate inflammatory responses thus leading to fibrotic remodeling of the organ. The present review focuses on the complex interactions between the activation of innate immune responses in reactive cholangiocytes, dysbiosis, and gut permeability to bacterial products in the pathogenesis of PSC and PBC.

Effect of Tim23 knockdown in vivo on mitochondrial protein import and retrograde signaling to the UPRmt in muscle

The mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPR^mt) is a protein quality control mechanism that strives to achieve proteostasis in the face of misfolded proteins. Because of the reliance of mitochondria on both the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes, a perturbation of the coordination of these genomes results in a mitonuclear imbalance in which holoenzymes are unable to assume mature stoichiometry and thereby activates the UPR^mt. Thus, we sought to perturb this genomic coordination by using a systemic antisense oligonucleotide (in vivo morpholino) targeted to translocase of the inner membrane channel subunit 23 (Tim23), the major channel of the inner membrane. This resulted in a 40% reduction in Tim23 protein content, a 32% decrease in matrix-destined protein import, and a trend to elevate reactive oxygen species (ROS) emission under maximal respiration conditions. This import defect activated the C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) branch of the UPR^mt, as evident from increases in caseinolytic mitochondrial matrix peptidase proteolytic subunit (ClpP) and chaperonin 10 (cpn10) but not the activating transcription factor 5 (ATF5) arm. Thus, in the face of proteotoxic stress, CHOP and ATF5 could be activated independently to regain proteostasis. Our second aim was to investigate the role of proteolytically derived peptides in mediating retrograde signaling. Peptides released from the mitochondrion following basal proteolysis were isolated and incubated with import reactions. Dose- and time-dependent effect of peptides on protein import was observed. Our data suggest that mitochondrial proteolytic byproducts exert an inhibitory effect on protein import, possibly to reduce excessive protein import as a potential negative feedback mechanism. The inhibition of import into the organelle also serves a retrograde function, possibly via ROS emission, to modify nuclear gene expression and ultimately improve folding capacity.

Targeting TGFβ Signaling to Address Fibrosis Using Antisense Oligonucleotides

Fibrosis results from the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix in chronically injured tissue. The fibrotic process is governed by crosstalk between many signaling pathways. The search for an effective treatment is further complicated by the fact that there is a degree of tissue-specificity in the pathways involved, although the process is not completely understood for all tissues. A plethora of drugs have shown promise in pre-clinical models, which is not always borne out translationally in clinical trial. With the recent approvals of two antisense oligonucleotides for the treatment of the genetic diseases Duchenne muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular atrophy, we explore here the potential of antisense oligonucleotides to knockdown the expression of pro-fibrotic proteins. We give an overview of the generalized fibrotic process, concentrating on key players and highlight where antisense oligonucleotides have been used effectively in cellular and animal models of different fibrotic conditions. Consideration is given to the advantages antisense oligonucleotides would have as an anti-fibrotic therapy alongside factors that would need to be addressed to improve efficacy. A prospective outlook for the development of antisense oligonucleotides to target fibrosis is outlined.

Antisense Phosphorodiamidate Morpholino Oligomers as Novel Antiviral Compounds

Phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMO) are short single-stranded DNA analogs that are built upon a backbone of morpholine rings connected by phosphorodiamidate linkages. As uncharged nucleic acid analogs, PMO bind to complementary sequences of target mRNA by Watson–Crick base pairing to block protein translation through steric blockade. PMO interference of viral protein translation operates independently of RNase H. Meanwhile, PMO are resistant to a variety of enzymes present in biologic fluids, a characteristic that makes them highly suitable for in vivo applications. Notably, PMO-based therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration which is now a hallmark for PMO-based antisense therapy. In this review, the development history of PMO, delivery methods for improving cellular uptake of neutrally charged PMO molecules, past studies of PMO antagonism against RNA and DNA viruses, PMO target selection, and remaining questions of PMO antiviral strategies are discussed in detail and new insights are provided.

Delivery is key: lessons learnt from developing splice-switching antisense therapies

The use of splice‐switching antisense therapy is highly promising, with a wealth of pre‐clinical data and numerous clinical trials ongoing. Nevertheless, its potential to treat a variety of disorders has yet to be realized. The main obstacle impeding the clinical translation of this approach is the relatively poor delivery of antisense oligonucleotides to target tissues after systemic delivery. We are a group of researchers closely involved in the development of these therapies and would like to communicate our discussions concerning the validity of standard methodologies currently used in their pre‐clinical development, the gaps in current knowledge and the pertinent challenges facing the field. We therefore make recommendations in order to focus future research efforts and facilitate a wider application of therapeutic antisense oligonucleotides.

RNA interference for glioblastoma therapy: Innovation ladder from the bench to clinical trials

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and deadliest type of primary brain tumor with a prognosis of 14months after diagnosis. Current treatment for GBM patients includes "total" tumor resection, temozolomide-based chemotherapy, radiotherapy or a combination of these options. Although, several targeted therapies, gene therapy, and immunotherapy are currently in the clinic and/or in clinical trials, the overall survival of GBM patients has hardly improved over the last two decades. Therefore, novel multitarget modalities are urgently needed. Recently, RNA interference (RNAi) has emerged as a novel strategy for the treatment of most cancers, including GBM. RNAi-based therapies consist of using small RNA oligonucleotides to regulate protein expression at the post-transcriptional level. Despite the therapeutic potential of RNAi molecules, systemic limitations including short circulatory stability and low release into the tumor tissue have halted their progress to the clinic. The effective delivery of RNAi molecules through the blood-brain barrier (BBB) represents an additional challenge. This review focuses on connecting the translational process of RNAi-based therapies from in vitro evidence to pre-clinical studies. We delineate the effect of RNAi in GBM cell lines, describe their effectiveness in glioma mouse models, and compare the proposed drug carriers for the effective transport of RNAi molecules through the BBB to reach the tumor in the brain. Furthermore, we summarize the most important obstacles to overcome before RNAi-based therapy becomes a reality for GBM treatment.

Construction of nanostructured DNA harbouring phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligonucleotide for controlled tissue distribution in mice

Phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligonucleotides (PMOs) are a class of antisense oligonucleotides used in the treatment of neuromuscular diseases. Their major drawbacks are high blood clearance and poor cellular delivery. Previously, we demonstrated that tripod-like nanostructured DNA, or tripodna, was efficiently taken up by macrophages and dendritic cells. In this study, we used iodine-125(¹²⁵I)-labelled PMOs, designed a tripodna harbouring an ¹²⁵I-PMO (¹²⁵I-PMO/tripodna), and evaluated whether this tripodna could control the pharmacokinetic properties of PMO. Gel electrophoresis showed that ¹²⁵I-PMO was almost completely incorporated into the tripodna. Compared to ¹²⁵I-PMO, ¹²⁵I-PMO/tripodna was more efficiently taken up by macrophage-like RAW264.7 cells. Moreover, after intravenous injection into mice, the area under the plasma concentration-time curve of ¹²⁵I-PMO/tripodna was significantly larger than that of ¹²⁵I-PMO. The distribution of ¹²⁵I-PMO/tripodna in the liver and spleen at 24 h was 32- and 51-fold higher than that of ¹²⁵I-PMO, respectively. The fractionation of liver cells revealed that non-parenchymal cells were the major cells contributing to the hepatic uptake of ¹²⁵I-PMO/tripodna. These results indicate that tripodna has the potential to deliver PMO, particularly to the liver and spleen.

Evaluation of Amphiphilic Peptide Modified Antisense Morpholino Oligonucleotides In Vitro and in Dystrophic mdx Mice

A series of amphiphilic peptides modified PMO (Pt-PMO) were prepared, and their antisense effect and toxicity were evaluated both in vitro and in mdx mice. The results showed that the exon-skipping performance of Pt-PMO are relative to the structure of the conjugated peptide: the Pt3/Pt4 composed of six/seven arginines and one myristoylation modified PMO showed more efficacy and with less toxicity as compared to others, confirming that appropriate hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) and cationic sequence numbers play a crucial role in improving cell uptake and corresponding exon-skipping efficiency. This was observed particularly in enhanced delivery efficiency of PMO comparable to B-PMO in vitro, while 6-fold improved exon-skipping was achieved against naked PMO in vivo. The multi-PMO modified Pt8-PMO also showed improved exon-skipping both in vitro and in vivo, though there is lower efficiency in systemic delivery as compared to Pt4-PMO. These data suggest that with optimization of peptide in component, charge density has clear potential for exploration towards achieving higher efficiency of antisense oligonucleotide systemic delivery, and thus is more applicable for clinical application.

Using Morpholinos to Control Gene Expression

Morpholino oligonucleotides are stable, uncharged, water-soluble molecules used to block complementary sequences of RNA, preventing processing, read-through, or protein binding at those sites. Morpholinos are typically used to block translation of mRNA and to block splicing of pre-mRNA, though they can block other interactions between biological macromolecules and RNA. Morpholinos are effective, specific, and lack non-antisense effects. They work in any cell that transcribes and translates RNA, but must be delivered into the nuclear/cytosolic compartment to be effective. Morpholinos form stable base pairs with complementary nucleic acid sequences but apparently do not bind to proteins to a significant extent. They are not recognized by any proteins and do not undergo protein-mediated catalysis-nor do they mediate RNA cleavage by RNase H or the RISC complex. This work focuses on techniques and background for using Morpholinos. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Internal Oligoguanidinium-Based Cellular Transporter Enhances Antisense Efficacy of Morpholinos in In Vitro and Zebrafish Model

An efficient cellular transporter is highly desirable for the therapeutic applications of antisense phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligonucleotides (PMOs) as Vivo-PMO and PPMO have limitations for in vivo study. We report here a novel internally tetraguanidinium-linked nonpeptidic cellular transporter having a conformationally rigid backbone composed of pharmacologically compatible heterocyclic six-membered rings which internalizes efficiently into cells in full growth medium and ubiquitously distributed into zebrafish embryos. It efficiently transports antisense PMO in vitro and in vivo zebrafish embryos. Comparative study with Gene Tools Vivo-PMO revealed that our cellular-transporter conjugated PMO shows better antisense efficacy.

Targeting mRNA for the treatment of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is an inherited autosomal dominant disorder characterized clinically by progressive muscle degeneration. Currently, no curative treatment for this disorder exists. FSHD patients are managed through physiotherapy to improve function and quality of life. Over the last two decades, FSHD has been better understood as a disease genetically characterized by a pathogenic contraction of a subset of macrosatellite repeats on chromosome 4. Specifically, several studies support an FSHD pathogenesis model involving the aberrant expression of the double homeobox protein 4 (DUX4) gene. Hence, potential therapies revolving around inhibition of DUX4 have been explored. One of the potential treatment options is the use of effective antisense oligonucleotides (AOs) to knockdown expression of the myopathic DUX4 gene and its downstream molecules including paired-like homeodomain transcription factor 1 (PITX1). Success in the suppression of PITX1 expression has already been demonstrated systemically in vivo in recent studies. In this article, we will review the pathogenesis of FSHD and the latest research involving the use of antisense knockdown therapy.

Investigating Synthetic Oligonucleotide Targeting of Mir31 in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Exon-skipping via synthetic antisense oligonucleotides represents one of the most promising potential therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), yet this approach is highly sequence-specific and thus each oligonucleotide is of benefit to only a subset of patients. The discovery that dystrophin mRNA is subject to translational suppression by the microRNA miR31, and that miR31 is elevated in the muscle of DMD patients, raises the possibility that the same oligonucleotide chemistries employed for exon skipping could be directed toward relieving this translational block. This approach would act synergistically with exon skipping where possible, but by targeting the 3'UTR it would further be of benefit to the many DMD patients who express low levels of in-frame transcript. We here present investigations into the feasibility of combining exon skipping with several different strategies for miR31-modulation, using both in vitro models and the mdx mouse (the classical animal model of DMD), and monitoring effects on dystrophin at the transcriptional and translational level. We show that despite promising results from our cell culture model, our in vivo data failed to demonstrate similarly reproducible enhancement of dystrophin translation, suggesting that miR31-modulation may not be practical under current oligonucleotide approaches. Possible explanations for this disappointing outcome are discussed, along with suggestions for future investigations.

Targeting protein translation, RNA splicing, and degradation by morpholino-based conjugates in Plasmodium falciparum

Identification and genetic validation of new targets from available genome sequences are critical steps toward the development of new potent and selective antimalarials. However, no methods are currently available for large-scale functional analysis of the Plasmodium falciparum genome. Here we present evidence for successful use of morpholino oligomers (MO) to mediate degradation of target mRNAs or to inhibit RNA splicing or translation of several genes of P. falciparum involved in chloroquine transport, apicoplast biogenesis, and phospholipid biosynthesis. Consistent with their role in the parasite life cycle, down-regulation of these essential genes resulted in inhibition of parasite development. We show that a MO conjugate that targets the chloroquine-resistant transporter PfCRT is effective against chloroquine-sensitive and -resistant parasites, causes enlarged digestive vacuoles, and renders chloroquine-resistant strains more sensitive to chloroquine. Similarly, we show that a MO conjugate that targets the PfDXR involved in apicoplast biogenesis inhibits parasite growth and that this defect can be rescued by addition of isopentenyl pyrophosphate. MO-based gene regulation is a viable alternative approach to functional analysis of the P. falciparum genome.

Antisense oligonucleotides in therapy for neurodegenerative disorders

Antisense oligonucleotides are synthetic single stranded strings of nucleic acids that bind to RNA and thereby alter or reduce expression of the target RNA. They can not only reduce expression of mutant proteins by breakdown of the targeted transcript, but also restore protein expression or modify proteins through interference with pre-mRNA splicing. There has been a recent revival of interest in the use of antisense oligonucleotides to treat several neurodegenerative disorders using different approaches to prevent disease onset or halt disease progression and the first clinical trials for spinal muscular atrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis showing promising results. For these trials, intrathecal delivery is being used but direct infusion into the brain ventricles and several methods of passing the blood brain barrier after peripheral administration are also under investigation.

Long-term efficacy of systemic multiexon skipping targeting dystrophin exons 45-55 with a cocktail of vivo-morpholinos in mdx52 mice

Antisense-mediated exon skipping, which can restore the reading frame, is a most promising therapeutic approach for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Remaining challenges include the limited applicability to patients and unclear function of truncated dystrophin proteins. Multiexon skipping targeting exons 45–55 at the mutation hotspot of the dystrophin gene could overcome both of these challenges. Previously, we described the feasibility of exons 45–55 skipping with a cocktail of Vivo-Morpholinos in vivo; however, the long-term efficacy and safety of Vivo-Morpholinos remains to be determined. In this study, we examined the efficacy and toxicity of exons 45–55 skipping by intravenous injections of 6 mg/kg 10-Vivo-Morpholino cocktail (0.6 mg/kg each vPMO) every 2 weeks for 18 weeks to dystrophic exon-52 knockout (mdx52) mice. Systemic skipping of the entire exons 45–55 region was induced, and the Western blot analysis exhibited the restoration of 5–27% of normal levels of dystrophin protein in skeletal muscles, accompanied by improvements in histopathology and muscle strength. No obvious immune response and renal and hepatic toxicity were detected at the end-point of the treatment. We demonstrate our new regimen with the 10-Vivo-Morpholino cocktail is effective and safe for long-term repeated systemic administration in the dystrophic mouse model.

Morpholino-Mediated Isoform Modulation of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 (VEGFR2) Reduces Colon Cancer Xenograft Growth

Angiogenesis plays a key role in tumor growth. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a pro-angiogenic that is involved in tumor angiogenesis. When VEGF binds to membrane-bound vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (mVEGFR2), it promotes angiogenesis. Through alternative polyadenylation, VEGFR2 is also expressed in a soluble form (sVEGFR2). sVEGFR2 sequesters VEGF and is therefore anti-angiogenic. The aim of this study was to show that treatment with a previously developed and reported antisense morpholino oligomer that shifts expression from mVEGFR2 to sVEGFR2 would lead to reduced tumor vascularization and growth in a murine colon cancer xenograft model. Xenografts were generated by implanting human HCT-116 colon cancer cells into the flanks of NMRI nu/nu mice. Treatment with the therapeutic morpholino reduced both tumor growth and tumor vascularization. Because the HCT-116 cells used for the experiments did not express VEGFR2 and because the treatment morpholino targeted mouse rather than human VEGFR2, it is likely that treatment morpholino was acting on the mouse endothelial cells rather than directly on the tumor cells.

A sensitive assay system to test antisense oligonucleotides for splice suppression therapy in the mouse liver

We have previously demonstrated the efficacy of antisense therapy for splicing defects in cellular models of metabolic diseases, suppressing the use of cryptic splice sites or pseudoexon insertions. To date, no animal models with these defects are available. Here, we propose exon skipping of the phenylalanine hydroxylase (Pah) gene expressed in liver and kidney to generate systemic hyperphenylalaninemia in mice as a sensitive in vivo assay to test splice suppression. Systemic elevation of blood L-Phe can be quantified using tandem MS/MS. Exon 11 and/or 12 skipping for the normal PAH gene was validated in hepatoma cells for comparing two oligonucleotide chemistries, morpholinos and locked nucleic acids. Subsequently, Vivo-morpholinos (VMO) were tested in wild-type and in phenotypically normal Pah^enu2/+ heterozygous mice to target exon 11 and/or 12 of the murine Pah gene using different VMO dosing, mode of injection and treatment regimes. Consecutive intravenous injections of VMO resulted in transient hyperphenylalaninemia correlating with complete exon skipping and absence of PAH protein and enzyme activity. Sustained effect required repeated injection of VMOs. Our results provide not only a sensitive in vivo assay to test for splice-modulating antisense oligonucleotides, but also a simple method to generate murine models for genetic liver diseases.

Phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers suppress mutant huntingtin expression and attenuate neurotoxicity

Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG trinucleotide repeat expansion in the huntingtin (HTT) gene. Disease pathogenesis derives, at least in part, from the long polyglutamine tract encoded by mutant HTT. Therefore, considerable effort has been dedicated to the development of therapeutic strategies that significantly reduce the expression of the mutant HTT protein. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) targeted to the CAG repeat region of HTT transcripts have been of particular interest due to their potential capacity to discriminate between normal and mutant HTT transcripts. Here, we focus on phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomers (PMOs), ASOs that are especially stable, highly soluble and non-toxic. We designed three PMOs to selectively target expanded CAG repeat tracts (CTG22, CTG25 and CTG28), and two PMOs to selectively target sequences flanking the HTT CAG repeat (HTTex1a and HTTex1b). In HD patient-derived fibroblasts with expanded alleles containing 44, 77 or 109 CAG repeats, HTTex1a and HTTex1b were effective in suppressing the expression of mutant and non-mutant transcripts. CTGn PMOs also suppressed HTT expression, with the extent of suppression and the specificity for mutant transcripts dependent on the length of the targeted CAG repeat and on the CTG repeat length and concentration of the PMO. PMO CTG25 reduced HTT-induced cytotoxicity in vitro and suppressed mutant HTT expression in vivo in the N171-82Q transgenic mouse model. Finally, CTG28 reduced mutant HTT expression and improved the phenotype of Hdh(Q7/Q150) knock-in HD mice. These data demonstrate the potential of PMOs as an approach to suppressing the expression of mutant HTT.