Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is an autosomal recessive inherited disorder characterized by progressive gait and limb ataxia, dysarthria, areflexia, loss of vibratory and position sense, and a progressive motor weakness of central origin. Additional features include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and diabetes. Large GAA repeat expansions in the first intron of the FXN gene are the most common mutation underlying FRDA. Patients show severely reduced levels of a FXN-encoded mitochondrial protein called frataxin.
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In this section, you will find the most recent FA research publications, many of which are funded by FARA, as well as information on upcoming conferences and symposiums. You can search for articles by date using the archive box in the right hand column. To locate FARA Funded or Supported Research, click the hyperlink in the right hand column. You may also search for specific content using key words or phrases in the search button at the top right of your screen. Please be sure to visit other key research sections of our website for information on FARA's Grant Program and the Treatment Pipeline.
Infectious delivery and long-term persistence of transgene expression in the brain by a 135-kb iBAC-FXN genomic DNA expression vector
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Novel gene-based therapies for disease will depend in many cases on long-term persistent transgene expression. To develop gene therapy strategies for Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA), we have examined the persistence of transgene expression in the brain in vivo provided by the entire 135 kb FXN genomic DNA locus delivered as an infectious bacterial artificial chromosome (iBAC) herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1)-based vector injected in the adult mouse cerebellum.
NQO1-Dependent Redox Cycling of Idebenone: Effects on Cellular Redox Potential and Energy Levels
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Short-chain quinones are described as potent antioxidants and in the case of idebenone have already been under clinical investigation for the treatment of neuromuscular disorders. Due to their analogy to coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), a long-chain quinone, they are widely regarded as a substitute for CoQ10. However, apart from their antioxidant function, this provides no clear rationale for their use in disorders with normal CoQ10 levels. Using recombinant NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO) enzymes, we observed that contrary to CoQ10 short-chain quinones such as idebenone are good substrates for both NQO1 and NQO2.
NQO1-Dependent Redox Cycling of Idebenone: Effects on Cellular Redox Potential and Energy Levels
Detection of interruptions in the GAA trinucleotide repeat expansion in the FXN gene of Friedreich ataxia
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Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by neurodegeneration and cardiomyopathy, and is the most common inherited ataxia. About 98% of individuals with FRDA are homozygous for an expansion of a GA A trinucleotide repeat sequence within the first intron of the FXN gene. The remaining individuals are compound heterozygotes for a GAA expansion and a point mutation. Pathogenic GAA expansion alleles are in the size range of 60 to >1300 repeats. The presence of a GAA repeat expansion results in the inhibition of FXN gene expression, reduced levels of full-length FXN transcript, and an insufficiency of the mitochondrial protein frataxin (1–4). Overall, an inverse correlation has been found between the size of the smaller GAA expansion and transcript levels, the amount of residual frataxin produced, and the age of onset of disease symptoms (5–9).
A combined nucleic Acid and protein analysis in friedreich ataxia: implications for diagnosis, pathogenesis and clinical trial design
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Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is the most common hereditary ataxia among caucasians. The molecular defect in FRDA is the trinucleotide GAA expansion in the first intron of the FXN gene, which encodes frataxin. No studies have yet reported frataxin protein and mRNA levels in a large cohort of FRDA patients, carriers and controls.
- Brain diffusion-weighted imaging in Friedreich's ataxia
- Cardiomyopathy of Friedreich's Ataxia: Use of Mouse Models to Understand Human Disease and Guide Therapeutic Development
- Frataxin participates to the hypoxia-induced response in tumors
- Quantification of Circulating Plasma DNA in Friedreich's Ataxia and Spinocerebellar Ataxia Types 2 and 12
- Prolonged treatment with pimelic o-aminobenzamide HDAC inhibitors ameliorates the disease phenotype of a Friedreich ataxia mouse model