The pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic strategies of hutchinson-gilford progeria syndrome

Abstract

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is an early onset severe premature aging disorder due to a point mutation in LMNA gene which encodes nuclear lamin A/C. The mutation activates a cryptic splice site within exon 11 of LMNA, resulting in a 50-amino acid in-frame deletion in prelamin A. However, it is not clear how the mutation in a structural protein under the nuclear envelope could give rise to premature aging phenotypes. Recent studies showed that various abnormalities have been found in nuclear structures and functions of HGPS cells, mainly including progerin accumulation and nuclear morphology abnormalities, altered nuclear mechanical properties, changes of histone methylation patterns and epigenetic control, gene misregulation, p53 signalling activation, and increased genomic instability. Two hypotheses recently emerged in the explanation of the pathogenic mechanisms contributing to HGPS. No effective clinical intervention has been developed so far for HGPS. Several fascinating therapeutic strategies have recently been provided, such as farnesyltransferase inhibitors, antisense oligonucleotides and RNA interference. HGPS has been considered to be a model for studying the mechanisms responsible for normal aging. This study will help to elucidate the physiological functions of lamin A and nuclear envelope, together with their roles in normal aging process and diseases.