Hydroxyapatite nanoparticle mediated delivery of full length dystrophin gene as a potential therapeutic for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscle degeneration, primarily affecting young males. In this study, we investigated arginine-modified hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (R-HAp) as a novel non-viral vector for DMD gene therapy, particularly for delivering the large 18.8 kb dystrophin gene. Addressing the limitations of traditional adeno-associated viral vectors, R-HAp demonstrated efficient binding and delivery of the dystrophin plasmid to DMD patient-derived skeletal muscle cells. Using confocal imaging and RT-PCR analysis, our results showed effective gene delivery and expression in both mouse myotubes and patient-derived cells, with sustained expression evident up to 5 days post transfection. The patient-derived myotubes also showed dystrophin protein production 7 days post transfection. These findings suggest R-HAp nanoparticles as a promising and cost-effective alternative for DMD treatment, highlighting their potential for overcoming current gene therapy challenges.