title: Spinal muscular atrophy: SMN2 pre-mRNA splicing corrected by a U7 snRNA derivative carrying a splicing enhancer sequence.
abstract: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a lethal hereditary disease caused by homozygous deletion/inactivation of the survival of motoneuron 1 (SMN1) gene. The nearby SMN2 gene, despite its identical coding capacity, is only an incomplete substitute, because a single nucleotide difference impairs the inclusion of its seventh exon in the messenger RNA (mRNA). This splicing defect can be corrected (transiently) by specially designed oligonucleotides. Here we have developed a more permanent correction strategy based on bifunctional U7 small nuclear RNAs (snRNAs). These carry both an antisense sequence that allows specific binding to exon 7 and a splicing enhancer sequence that will improve the recognition of the targeted exon. When expression cassettes for these RNAs are stably introduced into cells, the U7 snRNAs become incorporated into small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) particles that will induce a durable splicing correction. We have optimized this strategy to the point that virtually all SMN2 pre-mRNA becomes correctly spliced. In fibroblasts from an SMA patient, this approach induces a prolonged restoration of SMN protein and ensures its correct localization to discrete nuclear foci (gems).
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marquis
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: Larissa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Angehrn
authors.forename: Sacha S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kämpfer
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rothen-Rutishauser
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schümperli
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016373:DNA, Antisense / Q000235:genetics; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D005347:Fibroblasts; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009134:Muscular Atrophy, Spinal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012326:RNA Splicing / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012342:RNA, Small Nuclear / Q000235:genetics*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055532:SMN Complex Proteins; D055533:Survival of Motor Neuron 1 Protein; D055540:Survival of Motor Neuron 2 Protein; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D016373:DNA, Antisense; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012342:RNA, Small Nuclear; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D055532:SMN Complex Proteins; C526471:SMN1 protein, human; C526477:SMN2 protein, human; D055533:Survival of Motor Neuron 1 Protein; D055540:Survival of Motor Neuron 2 Protein; C405487:U7 small nuclear RNA