miR-31 modulates dystrophin expression: new implications for Duchenne muscular dystrophy therapy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)-which is caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene-is one of the most severe myopathies. Among therapeutic strategies, exon skipping allows the rescue of dystrophin synthesis through the production of a shorter but functional messenger RNA. Here, we report the identification of a microRNA-miR-31-that represses dystrophin expression by targeting its 30 untranslated region. In human DMD myoblasts treated with exon skipping, we demonstrate that miR-31 inhibition increases dystrophin rescue. These results indicate that interfering with miR-31 activity can provide an ameliorating strategy for those DMD therapies that are aimed at efficiently recovering dystrophin synthesis.