SS-31 efficacy in a mouse model of Friedreich ataxia by upregulation of frataxin expression

Previous studies have shown that SS-31, a mitochondrion-targeted peptide, is capable to upregulate the expression of FXN and improve the mitochondrial function in cells derived from FRDA patients. To further explore the potential of SS-31, the authors used the GAA expansion-based models including Y47 and YG8R mice, primary neurons and macrophages from the mice and cells derived from FRDA patients. After once-daily intraperitoneal injection of 1 mg/kg SS-31 for one month, the study showed significant improvement of motor function. The vacuolation in dorsal root ganglia, lesions in dentate nuclei and the lost thickness of myelin sheath of spinal cord were all repaired after SS-31 treatment. In addition, the hypertrophic cardiomyocytes and disarrayed abnormal Purkinje cells were dramatically reduced. Interestingly, the authors found that SS-31 treatment upregulated FXN expression not only at translational levels as observed in cell culture, but also at mRNA levels in vivo. Consequently, mitochondrial morphology and function were greatly improved in all tested tissues. Importantly, these data provided additional evidence that the maintenance of the therapeutic benefits needed continuous drug administration. Taken together, the findings have demonstrated the effectiveness of SS-31 treatment through the upregulation of FXN in vivo and offer guidance of the potential usage in clinical application for FRDA.

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