Molecular Developmental Biology Of Fibrodysplasia Ossificans

Leo Migdal
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molecular developmental biology of fibrodysplasia ossificans

Author for correspondence (pingham@ntu.edu.sg) This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium provided that the original work is properly... Heterotopic ossification (HO) is a disorder characterised by the formation of ectopic bone in soft tissue. Acquired HO typically occurs in response to trauma and is relatively common, yet its aetiology remains poorly understood. Genetic forms, by contrast, are very rare, but provide insights into the mechanisms of HO pathobiology. Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is the most debilitating form of HO.

All patients reported to date carry heterozygous gain-of-function mutations in the gene encoding activin A receptor type I (ACVR1). These mutations cause dysregulated bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signalling, leading to HO at extraskeletal sites including, but not limited to, muscles, ligaments, tendons and fascia. Ever since the identification of the causative gene, developing a cure for FOP has been a focus of investigation, and studies have decoded the pathophysiology at the molecular and cellular levels, and explored novel... Based on the established role of BMP signalling throughout HO in FOP, therapeutic modalities that target multiple levels of the signalling cascade have been designed, and some drugs have entered clinical trials, holding out... A potential role of other signalling pathways that could influence the dysregulated BMP signalling and present alternative therapeutic targets remains a matter of debate. Here, we review the recent FOP literature, including pathophysiology, clinical aspects, animal models and current management strategies.

We also consider how this research can inform our understanding of other types of HO and highlight some of the remaining knowledge gaps. KEY WORDS: Bone morphogenetic protein, ACVR1, Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, Heterotopic ossification, Inflammation Summary: Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva is a rare disease characterised by progressive heterotopic bone formation. Here, we present a comprehensive summary of the recent literature on this debilitating condition and discuss approaches to solving this clinical puzzle. Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a debilitating genetic disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of heterotopic ossification (HO) formation in muscles, tendons, and ligaments. FOP is caused by a missense mutation in the ACVR1 gene (activin A receptor type I), an important signaling receptor involved in endochondral ossification.

The ACVR1R206H mutation induces increased downstream canonical SMAD-signaling and drives tissue-resident progenitor cells with osteogenic potential to participate in endochondral HO formation. In this article, we review aberrant ACVR1R206H signaling and the cells that give rise to HO in FOP. FOP mouse models and lineage tracing analyses have been used to provide strong evidence for tissue-resident mesenchymal cells as cellular contributors to HO. We assess how the underlying mutation in FOP disrupts muscle-specific dynamics during homeostasis and repair, with a focus on muscle-resident mesenchymal cells known as fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs). Accumulating research points to FAPs as a prominent HO progenitor population, with ACVR1R206H FAPs not only aberrantly differentiating into chondro-osteogenic lineages but creating a permissive environment for bone formation at the expense of muscle... We will further discuss the emerging role of ACVR1R206H FAPs in muscle regeneration and therapeutic targeting of these cells to reduce HO formation in FOP.

Keywords: ACVR1 mutation; FOP; HO progenitor cells; fibro-adipogenic progenitors; heterotopic ossification; muscle regeneration; musculoskeletal disease. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. ACVR1 mutations and dysregulated downstream… ACVR1 mutations and dysregulated downstream signaling in FOP. ( A ) Heterotetrameric receptor… Correspondence: shore@pennmedicine.upenn.edu (E.M.S.); fmour@pennmedicine.upenn.edu (F.M.); Fax: +1-215-573-2133 (E.M.S.

& F.M.) Received 2024 Mar 12; Revised 2024 Mar 22; Accepted 2024 Mar 26; Collection date 2024 Apr. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) is a debilitating genetic disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of heterotopic ossification (HO) formation in muscles, tendons, and ligaments. FOP is caused by a missense mutation in the ACVR1 gene (activin A receptor type I), an important signaling receptor involved in endochondral ossification.

The ACVR1R206H mutation induces increased downstream canonical SMAD-signaling and drives tissue-resident progenitor cells with osteogenic potential to participate in endochondral HO formation. In this article, we review aberrant ACVR1R206H signaling and the cells that give rise to HO in FOP. FOP mouse models and lineage tracing analyses have been used to provide strong evidence for tissue-resident mesenchymal cells as cellular contributors to HO. We assess how the underlying mutation in FOP disrupts muscle-specific dynamics during homeostasis and repair, with a focus on muscle-resident mesenchymal cells known as fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs). Accumulating research points to FAPs as a prominent HO progenitor population, with ACVR1R206H FAPs not only aberrantly differentiating into chondro-osteogenic lineages but creating a permissive environment for bone formation at the expense of muscle... We will further discuss the emerging role of ACVR1R206H FAPs in muscle regeneration and therapeutic targeting of these cells to reduce HO formation in FOP.

Keywords: FOP, heterotopic ossification, ACVR1 mutation, fibro-adipogenic progenitors, HO progenitor cells, muscle regeneration, musculoskeletal disease

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