Statin treatment rescues FGFR3 skeletal dysplasia phenotypes

Nature. 2014 Sep 25;513(7519):507-11. doi: 10.1038/nature13775. Epub 2014 Sep 17.

Abstract

Gain-of-function mutations in the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 gene (FGFR3) result in skeletal dysplasias, such as thanatophoric dysplasia and achondroplasia (ACH). The lack of disease models using human cells has hampered the identification of a clinically effective treatment for these diseases. Here we show that statin treatment can rescue patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models and a mouse model of FGFR3 skeletal dysplasia. We converted fibroblasts from thanatophoric dysplasia type I (TD1) and ACH patients into iPSCs. The chondrogenic differentiation of TD1 iPSCs and ACH iPSCs resulted in the formation of degraded cartilage. We found that statins could correct the degraded cartilage in both chondrogenically differentiated TD1 and ACH iPSCs. Treatment of ACH model mice with statin led to a significant recovery of bone growth. These results suggest that statins could represent a medical treatment for infants and children with TD1 and ACH.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Achondroplasia / drug therapy*
  • Achondroplasia / genetics
  • Achondroplasia / pathology*
  • Animals
  • Bone Development / drug effects
  • Cartilage / cytology
  • Cartilage / drug effects
  • Cartilage / pathology
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Chondrocytes / cytology
  • Chondrocytes / pathology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Fluorobenzenes / administration & dosage
  • Fluorobenzenes / pharmacology
  • Fluorobenzenes / therapeutic use
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / administration & dosage
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / cytology
  • Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / pathology
  • Lovastatin / pharmacology
  • Lovastatin / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Phenotype
  • Pyrimidines / administration & dosage
  • Pyrimidines / pharmacology
  • Pyrimidines / therapeutic use
  • Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 3 / deficiency*
  • Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 3 / genetics*
  • Rosuvastatin Calcium
  • Sulfonamides / administration & dosage
  • Sulfonamides / pharmacology
  • Sulfonamides / therapeutic use
  • Thanatophoric Dysplasia / drug therapy*
  • Thanatophoric Dysplasia / genetics
  • Thanatophoric Dysplasia / pathology*

Substances

  • Fluorobenzenes
  • Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
  • Pyrimidines
  • Sulfonamides
  • Rosuvastatin Calcium
  • Lovastatin
  • Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 3

Supplementary concepts

  • Thanatophoric Dysplasia, Type I