Methods of using substituted tetracycline compounds to modulate RNA

1. A method for treating a subject for a disease treatable by modulation of RNA (DTMR) associated with splicing of nuclear RNA, comprising: administering to said subject an effective amount of a tetracycline compound of formula (I):

wherein

R 2 , R 2′ , R 4′ , and R 4″ are each independently hydrogen or alkyl;

R 3 , R 10 , R 11 and R 12 are each hydrogen;

R 4 is NeR 4′ R 4″ ;

R 5 is hydrogen;

R 6 and R 6′ are each hydrogen;

R 7 is substituted alkenyl, substituted alkynyl, substituted phenyl, substituted or unsubstituted furanyl, acyl, or aminoalkyl;

R 8 is hydrogen;

R 9 is hydrogen; and

X is CR 6′ R 6 ;

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, ester or enantiomer thereof;

such that said DTMR associated with splicing of nuclear RNA is treated, wherein said DTMR associated with splicing of nuclear RNA is spinal muscular atrophy, and further wherein said effective amount is effective to modulate splicing of said subject's nuclear RNA.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein R 2 and R 2′ are each hydrogen and R 4′ and R 4″ are each methyl.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein R 7 is substituted or unsubstituted furanyl.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein R 7 is substituted phenyl.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said substituted phenyl is substituted with one or more substituents and further wherein said substituents are each independently alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, halogen, hydroxyl, alkylcarbonyloxy, arylcarbonyloxy, alkoxycarbonyloxy, aryloxycarbonyloxy, carboxylate, alkylcarbonyl, arylcarbonyl, alkoxycarbonyl, aminocarbonyl, alkylaminocarbonyl, dialkylaminocarbonyl, alkylthiocarbonyl, alkoxyl, phosphate, phosphonato, phosphinato, cyano, amino, acylamino, amidino, imino, sulfhydryl, alkylthio, arylthio, thiocarboxylate, sulfates, alkylsulfinyl, sulfonato, sulfamoyl, sulfonamido, nitro, trifluoromethyl, cyano, azido, heterocyclyl, alkylaryl, aryl or heterocyclic moiety.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein R 7 is substituted alkenyl.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein R 7 is substituted alkynyl.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein R 7 is acyl.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein R 7 is aminoalkyl.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said tetracycline compound is:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said modulation of splicing increases splicing of RNA.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said modulation of splicing decreases splicing of RNA.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein said subject is a mammal.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said mammal is a human.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein said modulation of splicing is activation of cryptic splice sites, silencing of consensus splice sites, silencing of exonic or intronic splicing enhancers (ESEs or ISEs), silencing of exonic or inronic splicing silencers (ESSs or ISSs), alteration of the binding or a component of the splicing machinery to the RNA, or the affecting of intermolecular interactions between components of the splicing machinery.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein said tetracycline compound is:

or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

17. A method for treating a subject for a DTMR associated with splicing of nuclear RNA, comprising: administering to said subject an effective amount of a tetracycline compound; wherein said tetracycline compound is a tetracycline compound selected from the group consisting of:

and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, esters and enantiomers thereof; such that said DTMR associated with splicing of nuclear RNA is treated, wherein said DTMR associated with splicing of nuclear RNA is spinal muscular atrophy, and further wherein said effective amount is effective to modulate splicing of said subject's nuclear RNA.