Allele-specific silencing therapy for Dynamin 2-related dominant centronuclear myopathy

Abstract

Rapid advances in allele-specific silencing by RNA interference established a strategy of choice to cure dominant inherited diseases by targeting mutant alleles. We used this strategy for autosomal-dominant centronuclear myopathy (CNM), a rare neuromuscular disorder without available treatment due to heterozygous mutations in the DNM2 gene encoding Dynamin 2. Allele-specific siRNA sequences were developed in order to specifically knock down the human and murine DNM2-mRNA harbouring the p.R465W mutation without affecting the wild-type allele. Functional restoration was achieved in muscle from a knock-in mouse model and in patient-derived fibroblasts, both expressing the most frequently encountered mutation in patients. Restoring either muscle force in a CNM mouse model or DNM2 function in patient-derived cells is an essential breakthrough towards future gene-based therapy for dominant centronuclear myopathy.

Keywords: Dynamin 2; RNA interference; allele‐specific silencing therapy; centronuclear myopathy.