Enhancement of SMN protein levels in a mouse model of spinal muscular atrophy using novel drug‐like compounds

Abstract Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neurodegenerative disease that causes progressive muscle weakness, which primarily targets proximal muscles. About 95% of SMA cases are caused by the loss of both copies of the SMN1 gene. SMN2 is a nearly identical copy of SMN1, which expresses much less f...

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Main Authors: Jonathan J. Cherry, Erkan Y. Osman, Matthew C. Evans, Sungwoon Choi, Xuechao Xing, Gregory D. Cuny, Marcie A. Glicksman, Christian L. Lorson, Elliot J. Androphy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer Nature 2013-06-01
Series:EMBO Molecular Medicine
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/emmm.201202305
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author Jonathan J. Cherry
Erkan Y. Osman
Matthew C. Evans
Sungwoon Choi
Xuechao Xing
Gregory D. Cuny
Marcie A. Glicksman
Christian L. Lorson
Elliot J. Androphy
author_facet Jonathan J. Cherry
Erkan Y. Osman
Matthew C. Evans
Sungwoon Choi
Xuechao Xing
Gregory D. Cuny
Marcie A. Glicksman
Christian L. Lorson
Elliot J. Androphy
author_sort Jonathan J. Cherry
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neurodegenerative disease that causes progressive muscle weakness, which primarily targets proximal muscles. About 95% of SMA cases are caused by the loss of both copies of the SMN1 gene. SMN2 is a nearly identical copy of SMN1, which expresses much less functional SMN protein. SMN2 is unable to fully compensate for the loss of SMN1 in motor neurons but does provide an excellent target for therapeutic intervention. Increased expression of functional full‐length SMN protein from the endogenous SMN2 gene should lessen disease severity. We have developed and implemented a new high‐throughput screening assay to identify small molecules that increase the expression of full‐length SMN from a SMN2 reporter gene. Here, we characterize two novel compounds that increased SMN protein levels in both reporter cells and SMA fibroblasts and show that one increases lifespan, motor function, and SMN protein levels in a severe mouse model of SMA.
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series EMBO Molecular Medicine
spelling doaj-art-d87b1837bfc644f1a80827699a5c93bc2025-08-20T02:18:33ZengSpringer NatureEMBO Molecular Medicine1757-46761757-46842013-06-01571103111810.1002/emmm.201202305Enhancement of SMN protein levels in a mouse model of spinal muscular atrophy using novel drug‐like compoundsJonathan J. Cherry0Erkan Y. Osman1Matthew C. Evans2Sungwoon Choi3Xuechao Xing4Gregory D. Cuny5Marcie A. Glicksman6Christian L. Lorson7Elliot J. Androphy8Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical SchoolDepartment of Veterinary Pathobiology, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of MissouriDerpartment of Dermatology, Indiana University School of MedicineLaboratory for Drug Discovery in Neurodegeneration, Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolLaboratory for Drug Discovery in Neurodegeneration, Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolLaboratory for Drug Discovery in Neurodegeneration, Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolLaboratory for Drug Discovery in Neurodegeneration, Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical SchoolDepartment of Veterinary Pathobiology, Bond Life Sciences Center, University of MissouriDepartment of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical SchoolAbstract Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neurodegenerative disease that causes progressive muscle weakness, which primarily targets proximal muscles. About 95% of SMA cases are caused by the loss of both copies of the SMN1 gene. SMN2 is a nearly identical copy of SMN1, which expresses much less functional SMN protein. SMN2 is unable to fully compensate for the loss of SMN1 in motor neurons but does provide an excellent target for therapeutic intervention. Increased expression of functional full‐length SMN protein from the endogenous SMN2 gene should lessen disease severity. We have developed and implemented a new high‐throughput screening assay to identify small molecules that increase the expression of full‐length SMN from a SMN2 reporter gene. Here, we characterize two novel compounds that increased SMN protein levels in both reporter cells and SMA fibroblasts and show that one increases lifespan, motor function, and SMN protein levels in a severe mouse model of SMA.https://doi.org/10.1002/emmm.201202305drug discoverySMASMNSMN2spinal muscular atrophy
spellingShingle Jonathan J. Cherry
Erkan Y. Osman
Matthew C. Evans
Sungwoon Choi
Xuechao Xing
Gregory D. Cuny
Marcie A. Glicksman
Christian L. Lorson
Elliot J. Androphy
Enhancement of SMN protein levels in a mouse model of spinal muscular atrophy using novel drug‐like compounds
EMBO Molecular Medicine
drug discovery
SMA
SMN
SMN2
spinal muscular atrophy
title Enhancement of SMN protein levels in a mouse model of spinal muscular atrophy using novel drug‐like compounds
title_full Enhancement of SMN protein levels in a mouse model of spinal muscular atrophy using novel drug‐like compounds
title_fullStr Enhancement of SMN protein levels in a mouse model of spinal muscular atrophy using novel drug‐like compounds
title_full_unstemmed Enhancement of SMN protein levels in a mouse model of spinal muscular atrophy using novel drug‐like compounds
title_short Enhancement of SMN protein levels in a mouse model of spinal muscular atrophy using novel drug‐like compounds
title_sort enhancement of smn protein levels in a mouse model of spinal muscular atrophy using novel drug like compounds
topic drug discovery
SMA
SMN
SMN2
spinal muscular atrophy
url https://doi.org/10.1002/emmm.201202305
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