Rational targeting of RNA structure in SMN2 transcripts reverses Spinal Muscular Atrophy molecular phenotypes. Homo sapiens

Marine natural compound homocarbonyltopsentin PK4C9 is a small TSL2-binding molecule which was identified to increase exon 7 splicing to therapeutic levels and rescue downstream molecular alterations in SMA cells. To assess the functionality of the restored SMN protein, we studied whether PK4C9 could modify SMN-mediated splicing events using RNA sequencing data from PK4C9-treated (40 microM, 24 h) vs. DMSO-treated GM03813C fibroblasts. The data was also used to find shared motifs amongst PK4C9-sensitive splicing events, in order to contribute to the description of the mechanism of action of PK4C9 and to help identify off-targets. Overall design: Examination of 4 total-RNA replicates of DMSO-treated GM03813C fibroblasts (control) and 4 replicates of PK4C9-treated (40 microM, 24 h) GM03813C fibroblasts (GM03813C is a fibroblast cell line derived from a type I SMA patient).