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Neurodegenerative diseases and methods of modeling

a technology applied in the field of neurodegenerative diseases and methods of modeling, can solve the problems of not identifying which cells are involved, and experiments cannot address the direct effect of cellular interactions with motor neurons in the disease, so as to promote the survival of motor neurons and prevent cell signaling

Inactive Publication Date: 2017-07-13
PRESIDENT & FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention relates to methods for protecting motor neurons and treating motor neuron diseases by blocking the action of a specific receptor called prostaglandin D2. The methods involve administering an inhibitor of the receptor to a patient, such as a small molecule, a nucleic acid molecule, a protein, or a combination of these. The inhibitor can be administered alone or in combination with other therapies used for treating motor neuron diseases, such as riluzole. The methods can be used for treating motor neuron diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).

Problems solved by technology

However, these animal studies did not identify which cells were involved in the pathological interactions with motor neurons due to the complex cellular milieu of both the spinal chord and the muscle.
However, these experiments could not address the direct effect of cellular interactions with motor neurons in the disease because of the use of death as an endpoint.

Method used

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  • Neurodegenerative diseases and methods of modeling
  • Neurodegenerative diseases and methods of modeling
  • Neurodegenerative diseases and methods of modeling

Examples

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Effect test

example 1

n of ES Cell Lines from the SOD1G93A ALS Mouse Model

[0236]Embryonic stem cell lines were derived by crossing hemizygous mice carrying either the pathogenic (mutant) SOD1G93A transgene or the non-pathogenic (wild-type) SOD1 transgene (Gurney et al., 1994) with hemizygous mice carrying a transgenic reporter gene in which green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression is controlled by promoter elements from the Hb9 gene (Hb9::GFP) (Wichterle et al., 2002). The Hb9 gene encodes a homeodomain transcription factor that is expressed in postmitotic motor neurons (Arber, S. et al. Requirement for the homeobox gene Hb9 in the consolidation of motor neuron identity. Neuron 23, 659-74, 1999; Thaler, J. et al. Active suppression of interneuron programs within developing motor neurons revealed by analysis of homeodomain factor HB9. Neuron 23, 675-87, 1999). This Hb9::GFP transgene provides a marker for the differentiation of ES cells into motor neurons (Wichterle et al., 2002). Blastocyst stage embry...

example 2

n and Characterization of Motor Neurons by In Vitro Differentiation of SOD1G93A ES Cells

[0238]To determine whether pathogenic properties associated with ALS can be recapitulated in vitro, we generated motor neurons by differentiating the transgenic ES cell lines as previously described (Wichterle et al., 2002). Briefly, ES cells were dissociated into a single cell suspension, allowed to spontaneously aggregate into embryoid bodies (EBs) over 48 hours and then treated with retinoic acid (RA) and soluble Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) protein1 (Wichterle et al., 2002) for 5 days.

[0239]We found that the SOD1G93A genotype does not interfere with the initial specification or differentiation of motor neurons, as no significant qualitative or quantitative differences were observed in the differentiation of the three cell lines. GFP expression in EBs derived from the different cell lines, including SOD1G93A, first appeared 5 days after treatment with Shh and RA (data not shown). Two days later, when ...

example 3

G93A Genotype Affects the Survival of Motor Neurons in Culture

[0241]ALS is a late onset, progressive neurodegenerative disease, and mice carrying the human SOD1G93A transgene develop symptoms as a consequence of motor neuron loss after several weeks. Therefore, it seemed possible that motor neurons derived from ES cells might display neurodegenerative properties only after they have been maintained in culture for a prolonged length of time. To determine the period of time that ES cell derived motor neurons can survive in culture, we dissociated day 7 Hb9GFP and SOD1G93A EBs and plated the resulting mixture of GFP positive and negative cells at two different densities in the presence of neurotrophic factors (Wichterle et al., 2002) (FIG. 2). We observed that the number of GFP positive cells decreased precipitously during the first two weeks, and then continued to decrease over the following weeks. However, GFP positive cells could still be detected in both HB9GFP and SOD1G93A derived...

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Abstract

The invention relates to methods for neuroprotection, promoting survival of motor neurons and the treatment of motor neuron diseases by preventing cell signaling through the classic prostaglandin D2 receptor DP1.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit under 35 U. S. C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 200,293, filed Nov. 26, 2008. The entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference.GOVERNMENT SUPPORT[0002]This invention was made with Government support under RO1 HD046732-01A1 awarded by the National Institutes of Health. The Government has certain rights in the invention.BACKGROUND[0003]Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (“ALS”), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by the loss of upper and lower motor neurons, culminating in muscle wasting and death from respiratory failure (Boillee, S., Vande Velde, C. & Cleveland, D. W. ALS: a disease of motor neurons and their nonneuronal neighbors. Neuron 52, 39-59, 2006). The majority of ALS cases are apparently sporadic, with 90% of patients presenting disease symptoms without a family history of ALS. The remaining 10% of ALS patients are diagnosed wit...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): A61K31/4166
CPCA61K31/4166A61K31/40A61K31/403A61K31/4164A61K31/7052A61P25/00Y02A50/30
Inventor EGGAN, KEVIN C.DI GIORGIO, FRANCESCO PAOLO
Owner PRESIDENT & FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE
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