Gene therapy breakthroughs in ALS: a beacon of hope for 20% of ALS patients

Abstract Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal motor neuron disease that remains incurable. Although the etiologies of ALS are diverse and the precise pathogenic mechanisms are not fully understood, approximately 20% of ALS cases are caused by genetic factors. Therefore, advancing targeted...

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Main Authors: Qingjian Xie, Kezheng Li, Yinuo Chen, Yaojia Li, Wenhua Jiang, Wen Cao, Huan Yu, Dongsheng Fan, Binbin Deng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-04-01
Series:Translational Neurodegeneration
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40035-025-00477-6
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Summary:Abstract Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal motor neuron disease that remains incurable. Although the etiologies of ALS are diverse and the precise pathogenic mechanisms are not fully understood, approximately 20% of ALS cases are caused by genetic factors. Therefore, advancing targeted gene therapies holds significant promise, at least for the 20% of ALS patients with genetic etiologies. In this review, we summarize the main strategies and techniques of current ALS gene therapies based on ALS risk genes, and review recent findings from animal studies and clinical trials. Additionally, we highlight ALS-related genes with well-understood pathogenic mechanisms and the potential of numerous emerging gene-targeted therapeutic approaches for ALS.
ISSN:2047-9158