Duchenne muscular dystrophy: genome editing gives new hope for treatment

Postgrad Med J. 2018 May;94(1111):296-304. doi: 10.1136/postgradmedj-2017-135377. Epub 2018 Jan 31.

Abstract

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive wasting disease of skeletal and cardiac muscles, representing one of the most common recessive fatal inherited genetic diseases with 1:3500-1:5000 in yearly incidence. It is caused by mutations in the DMD gene that encodes the membrane-associated dystrophin protein. Over the years, many have been the approaches to management of DMD, but despite all efforts, no effective treatment has yet been discovered. Hope for the development of potential therapeutics has followed the recent advances in genome editing and gene therapy. This review gives an overview to DMD and summarises current lines of evidence with regard to treatment and disease management alongside the appropriate considerations.

Keywords: Duchenne Muscular dystrophy; gene therapy; genome editing; skeletal muscle.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Disease Management
  • Gene Editing / methods*
  • Genetic Therapy / trends*
  • Humans
  • Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / genetics*
  • Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / therapy*