Published online October 1, 2007
PEDIATRICS Vol. 120 No. 4 October 2007, pp. 834-841 (doi:10.1542/peds.2007-1356)
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STATE-OF-THE-ART REVIEW ARTICLE

New Approaches to Progeria

Mark W. Kieran, MD, PhDa,b, Leslie Gordon, MD, PhDc and Monica Kleinman, MDd

a Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts; Departments of
b Pediatric Oncology
d Critical Care, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts
c Department of Pediatrics, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island

ABSTRACT

Progeria (Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome) is a rare genetic disorder that offers considerable insight into the biology of premature aging. This review summarizes the clinical characteristics of this disease and the underlying mutation in the lamin A (LMNA) gene that results in this phenotype. Modifications in the processing of prelamin A through alterations in farnesylation are detailed, because this pathway offers a possible drug target. Finally, discussion of an ongoing clinical trial for these children, including possible parameters for evaluation, are discussed. In the span of less than a decade, this disease has progressed from an interesting phenotype to one in which the gene defect has been identified, animal models have been created and tested with drugs that target the primary disease pathway, and significant clinical baseline data for the support of a clinical trial have been obtained.

Key Words: progeria • premature aging • review article • farnesyltransferase inhibitor • FTI • lamin A

Abbreviations: FTI—farnesyltransferase inhibitor

Accepted May 9, 2007.




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M. A. Merideth, L. B. Gordon, S. Clauss, V. Sachdev, A. C.M. Smith, M. B. Perry, C. C. Brewer, C. Zalewski, H. J. Kim, B. Solomon, et al.
Phenotype and Course of Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome
N. Engl. J. Med., February 7, 2008; 358(6): 592 - 604.
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