Mesoangioblast delivery of miniagrin ameliorates murine model of merosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy type 1A.
BACKGROUND
Merosin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy type-1A (MDC1A) is characterized by progressive muscular dystrophy and dysmyelinating neuropathy caused by mutations of the α2 chain of laminin-211, the predominant laminin isoform of muscles and nerves. MDC1A has no available treatment so far, although preclinical studies showed amelioration of the disease by the overexpression of miniagrin (MAG). MAG reconnects orphan laminin-211 receptors to other laminin isoforms available in the extracellular matrix of MDC1A mice.


METHODS
Mesoangioblasts (MABs) are vessel-associated progenitors that can form the skeletal muscle and have been shown to restore defective protein levels and motor skills in animal models of muscular dystrophies. As gene therapy in humans still presents challenging technical issues and limitations, we engineered MABs to overexpress MAG to treat MDC1A mouse models, thus combining cell to gene therapy.


RESULTS
MABs synthesize and secrete only negligible amount of laminin-211 either in vitro or in vivo. MABs engineered to deliver MAG and injected in muscles of MDC1A mice showed amelioration of muscle histology, increased expression of laminin receptors in muscle, and attenuated deterioration of motor performances. MABs did not enter the peripheral nerves, thus did not affect the associated peripheral neuropathy.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study demonstrates the potential efficacy of combining cell with gene therapy to treat MDC1A.
Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE) and Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milano, Italy.
Teuta
T
Domi
Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE) and Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milano, Italy.
Emanuela
E
Porrello
Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE) and Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milano, Italy.
Daniele
D
Velardo
Tiget and Division of Regenerative Medicine, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy.
Alessia
A
Capotondo
Tiget and Division of Regenerative Medicine, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy.
Alessandra
A
Biffi
Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE) and Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milano, Italy.
Rossana
R
Tonlorenzi
Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE) and Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milano, Italy.
Stefano
S
Amadio
University San Raffaele Vita e Salute, Milano, Italy.
Alessandro
A
Ambrosi
Department of Molecular Therapy, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Ogawa-higashi, Kodaira, Tokyo Japan.
Yuko
Y
Miyagoe-Suzuki
Department of Molecular Therapy, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Ogawa-higashi, Kodaira, Tokyo Japan.
Shin'ichi
S
Takeda
Biozentrum, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Markus A
MA
Ruegg
Institute of Experimental Neurology (INSPE) and Division of Neuroscience, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milano, Italy.
Stefano Carlo
SC
Previtali
Congenital muscular dystrophy; Laminin; Mesoangioblast; Miniagrin; Therapy