title: Molecular pathophysiology and targeted therapeutics for muscular dystrophy.
abstract: Experimental therapeutics of the muscular dystrophies has made impressive advances on several fronts. Adeno-associated virus has emerged as the clear 'vector of choice' for muscle gene delivery, with successful functional rescue of dystrophic muscle in rodent models. Correction of the dystrophin gene mutation in a dog model has been reported, and several reports of progress on myogenic stem cell characterization are resurrecting cell transplantation as a possible therapeutic approach. The downstream consequences of dystrophin deficiency are being defined quickly using microarray experiments, and drugs targeting specific biochemical pathways are being tested rapidly in animal models. Such targeted drug discoveries, which are discussed in this article, have begun to be implemented in human clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Genetic Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington DC 20010, USA. ehoffman@cnmc.org
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dressman
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D016189:Dystrophin / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D009136:Muscular Dystrophies / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D049031:Sarcoglycans
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D016189:Dystrophin; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D049031:Sarcoglycans