Exon Skipping by Ultrasound-Enhanced Delivery of Morpholino with Bubble Liposomes for Myotonic Dystrophy Model Mice

Abnormal splicing of the chloride channel 1 (CLCN1) gene causes myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). Therefore, controlling the alternative splicing process of this gene by antisense oligonucleotides can be a promising treatment for DM1. In this study, we describe an efficient phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer (PMO) delivery method by ultrasound-mediated bubble liposomes, which is a known gene delivery tool with ultrasound exposure, to treat skeletal muscles in a DM1 mouse model, HSALR. Effective delivery of PMO using this technique can help control the alternative splicing of the Clcn1 gene via exon skipping and enhance the expression of Clcn1 protein in skeletal muscles and the amelioration of myotonia. Thus, exon skipping by PMO delivery with ultrasound-mediated BLs may be feasible in myotonic dystrophy model mice.