Anti‐hsa‐miR‐59 alleviates premature senescence associated with Hutchinson‐Gilford progeria syndrome in mice

Abstract

Hutchinson‐Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a lethal premature aging disorder without an effective therapeutic regimen. Because of their targetability and influence on gene expression, microRNAs (miRNAs) are attractive therapeutic tools to treat diseases. Here we identified that hsa‐miR‐59 (miR‐59) was markedly upregulated in HGPS patient cells and in multiple tissues of an HGPS mouse model (LmnaG609G/G609G), which disturbed the interaction between RNAPII and TFIIH, resulting in abnormal expression of cell cycle genes by targeting high‐mobility group A family HMGA1 and HMGA2. Functional inhibition of miR‐59 alleviated the cellular senescence phenotype of HGPS cells. Treatment with AAV9‐mediated anti‐miR‐59 reduced fibrosis in the quadriceps muscle, heart, and aorta, suppressed epidermal thinning and dermal fat loss, and yielded a 25.5% increase in longevity of LmnaG609G/G609G mice. These results identify a new strategy for the treatment of HGPS and provide insight into the etiology of HGPS disease.