Emotional behavior and brain anatomy of the mdx52 mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Saoudi A
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8476816 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a fatal neuromuscular disease caused by deleterious mutations in the DMD gene which encodes the dystrophin protein. Skeletal muscle weakness and eventual muscle degradation due to loss of dystrophin are well-documented pathological hallmarks of DMD. In contrast, the neuropathology of this disease remains understudied despite the emerging evidence of neurological abnormalities induced by dystrophin loss. Using quantitative morphological analysis of nerve sections, we characterize axonopathies in the phrenic and hypoglossal (XII) nerves of mdx mice. We observe dysfunction in these nerves - which innervate the diaphragm and genioglossus respectively - that we propose contributes to respiratory failure, the most common cause of death in DMD. These observations highlight the importance in the further characterization of the neuropathology of DMD. Additionally, these observations underscore the necessity in correcting both the nervous system pathology in addition to skeletal muscle deficits to ameliorate this disease.
| S-EPMC7265344 | biostudies-literature
Project description:We developed a novel somite-based step-wise strategy for the efficient derivation of functional human myocytes, suggesting that past failures were due to incomplete specification. Treatment with two small molecules inhibiting glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) and the Notch signaling pathway in undifferentiated hPSCs results in the formation of somite-like cells by Day 4 and, subsequently contractile myotubes in vitro around Day 25 with the ability to engraft and actively participate in muscle repair in vivo. Antibody-based purification can enrich homogenous myocyte populations exhibiting genuine myogenic molecular and cellular characteristics, including extraocular muscle-like features. Furthermore, hPSCs derived from patients with multiple neuromuscular diseases successfully give rise to patient-specific skeletal muscle cells bearing signature phenotypes. Human embryonic stem cell were differentiated to skeletal muscle and compared to non-differentiated cells in triplicate biological replicates. For the confirmation of differentiated cell's characteristics and the global mRNA profiles, We used microarrays to detail the global programme of gene expression underlying cellularisation and identified distinct classes of up-regulated genes during this process. Further more, we used microarrys for the comparing control and disease gene expression profiles, again in triplicate.
2016-06-16 | E-GEOD-70955 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:BACKGROUND:In Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), the loss of the dystrophin component of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex (DGC) compromises plasma membrane integrity in skeletal muscle, resulting in extensive muscle degeneration. In addition, many DMD patients exhibit brain deficits in which the cellular etiology remains poorly understood. We recently found that dystroglycan, a receptor component of the DGC that binds intracellularly to dystrophin, regulates the development of oligodendrocytes, the myelinating glial cells of the brain. RESULTS:We investigated whether dystrophin contributes to oligodendroglial function and brain myelination. We found that oligodendrocytes express up to three dystrophin isoforms, in conjunction with classic DGC components, which are developmentally regulated during differentiation and in response to extracellular matrix engagement. We found that mdx mice, a model of DMD lacking expression of the largest dystrophin isoform, have delayed myelination and inappropriate oligodendrocyte progenitor proliferation in the cerebral cortex. When we prevented the expression of all oligodendroglial dystrophin isoforms in cultured oligodendrocytes using RNA interference, we found that later stages of oligodendrocyte maturation were significantly delayed, similar to mdx phenotypes in the developing brain. CONCLUSIONS:We find that dystrophin is expressed in oligodendrocytes and influences developmental myelination, which provides new insight into potential cellular contributors to brain dysfunction associated with DMD.
| S-EPMC5556620 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive genetic disease in which the dystrophin coding for a membrane stabilizing protein is mutated. Recently, the vasculature has also shown to be perturbed in DMD and DMD model mdx mice. Recent DMD transcriptomics revealed the defects were correlated to a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling pathway. To reveal the relationship between DMD and VEGF signaling, mdx mice were crossed with constitutive (CAGCreERTM:Flt1LoxP/LoxP) and endothelial cell-specific conditional gene knockout mice (Cdh5CreERT2:Flt1LoxP/LoxP) for Flt1 (VEGFR1) which is a decoy receptor for VEGF. Here, we showed that while constitutive deletion of Flt1 is detrimental to the skeletal muscle function, endothelial cell-specific Flt1 deletion resulted in increased vascular density, increased satellite cell number and improvement in the DMD-associated phenotype in the mdx mice. These decreases in pathology, including improved muscle histology and function, were recapitulated in mdx mice given anti-FLT1 peptides or monoclonal antibodies, which blocked VEGF-FLT1 binding. The histological and functional improvement of dystrophic muscle by FLT1 blockade provides a novel pharmacological strategy for the potential treatment of DMD.
| S-EPMC6932757 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Dystrophin deficiency results in lethal Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Substituting missing dystrophin with abbreviated microdystrophin has dramatically alleviated disease in mouse DMD models. Unfortunately, translation of microdystrophin therapy has been unsuccessful in dystrophic dogs, the only large mammalian model. Approximately 70% of the dystrophin-coding sequence is removed in microdystrophin. Intriguingly, loss of ?50% dystrophin frequently results in severe disease in patients. To test whether the small gene size constitutes a fundamental design error for large mammalian muscle, we performed a comprehensive study using 22 dogs (8 normal and 14 dystrophic). We delivered the ?R2-15/?R18-19/?R20-23/?C microdystrophin gene to eight extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) muscles in six dystrophic dogs using Y713F tyrosine mutant adeno-associated virus (AAV)-9 (2.6 × 10(13) viral genome (vg) particles/muscle). Robust expression was observed 2 months later despite T-cell infiltration. Major components of the dystrophin-associated glycoprotein complex (DGC) were restored by microdystrophin. Treated muscle showed less inflammation, fibrosis, and calcification. Importantly, therapy significantly preserved muscle force under the stress of repeated cycles of eccentric contraction. Our results have established the proof-of-concept for microdystrophin therapy in dystrophic muscles of large mammals and set the stage for clinical trial in human patients.
| S-EPMC3616540 | biostudies-other
Project description:We developed a novel somite-based step-wise strategy for the efficient derivation of functional human myocytes, suggesting that past failures were due to incomplete specification. Treatment with two small molecules inhibiting glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) and the Notch signaling pathway in undifferentiated hPSCs results in the formation of somite-like cells by Day 4 and, subsequently contractile myotubes in vitro around Day 25 with the ability to engraft and actively participate in muscle repair in vivo. Antibody-based purification can enrich homogenous myocyte populations exhibiting genuine myogenic molecular and cellular characteristics, including extraocular muscle-like features. Furthermore, hPSCs derived from patients with multiple neuromuscular diseases successfully give rise to patient-specific skeletal muscle cells bearing signature phenotypes.
2016-06-16 | GSE70955 | GEO
Project description:The C57BL/10ScSn-Dmdmdx/J (BL10-mdx) mouse has been the most commonly used model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) for decades. Their muscle dysfunction and pathology is, however, less severe than in patients with DMD, which complicates preclinical studies. Recent discoveries indicate that disease severity is exacerbated when muscular dystrophy mouse models are generated on a DBA2/J genetic background. Knowledge on the natural history of animal models is pivotal for high-quality preclinical testing. However, for BL10-mdx mice on a DBA2/J background (D2-mdx), limited data are available. We addressed this gap in the natural history knowledge. First, we compared histopathological aspects in skeletal muscles of young D2-mdx, BL10-mdx, and wild-type mice. Pathology was more pronounced in D2-mdx mice and differed in severity between muscles within individuals. Secondly, we subjected D2-mdx mice to a functional test regime for 34 weeks and identified that female D2-mdx mice outperform severely impaired males, making females less useful for functional preclinical studies. Direct comparisons between 10- and 34-wk-old D2-mdx mice revealed that disease pathology ameliorates with age. Heart pathology was progressive, with some features already evident at a young age. This natural history study of the D2-mdx mouse will be instrumental for experimental design of future preclinical studies.-Van Putten, M., Putker, K., Overzier, M., Adamzek, W. A., Pasteuning-Vuhman, S., Plomp, J. J., Aartsma-Rus, A. Natural disease history of the D2-mdx mouse model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
| S-EPMC6593893 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Duchenne muscular dystrophy is an X-linked muscle disease characterized by mutations in the dystrophin gene. Many of these can be corrected at the posttranscriptional level by skipping the mutated exon. We have obtained persistent exon skipping in mdx mice by tail vein injection with an adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector expressing antisense sequences as part of the stable cellular U1 small nuclear RNA. Systemic delivery of the AAV construct resulted in effective body-wide colonization, significant recovery of the functional properties in vivo, and lower creatine kinase serum levels, suggesting an overall decrease in muscle wasting. The transduced muscles rescued dystrophin expression and displayed a significant recovery of function toward the normal values at single muscle fiber level. This approach provides solid bases for a systemic use of AAV-mediated antisense-U1 small nuclear RNA expression for the therapeutic treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
| S-EPMC1450150 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive and fatal genetic disorder of muscle degeneration. Patients with DMD lack expression of the protein dystrophin as a result of mutations in the X-linked dystrophin gene. The loss of dystrophin leads to severe skeletal muscle pathologies as well as cardiomyopathy, which manifests as congestive heart failure and arrhythmias. Like humans, dystrophin-deficient mice (mdx mice) show cardiac dysfunction as evidenced by a decrease in diastolic function followed by systolic dysfunction later in life. We have investigated whether sildenafil citrate (Viagra), a phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitor, can be used to ameliorate the age-related cardiac dysfunction present in the mdx mice. By using echocardiography, we show that chronic sildenafil treatment reduces functional deficits in the cardiac performance of aged mdx mice, with no effect on normal cardiac function in WT controls. More importantly, when sildenafil treatment was started after cardiomyopathy had developed, the established symptoms were rapidly reversed within a few days. It is recognized that PDE5 inhibitors can have cardioprotective effects in other models of cardiac damage, but the present study reports a prevention and reversal of pathological cardiac dysfunction as measured by functional analysis in a mouse model of DMD. Overall, the data suggest that PDE5 inhibitors may be a useful treatment for the cardiomyopathy affecting patients with DMD at early and late stages of the disease.
| S-EPMC2973894 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked disease caused by mutations in the DMD gene and loss of the protein dystrophin. The absence of dystrophin leads to myofiber membrane fragility and necrosis, with eventual muscle atrophy and contractures. Affected boys typically die in their second or third decade due to either respiratory failure or cardiomyopathy. Despite extensive attempts to develop definitive therapies for DMD, the standard of care remains prednisone, which has only palliative benefits. Animal models, mainly the mdx mouse and golden retriever muscular dystrophy (GRMD) dog, have played a key role in studies of DMD pathogenesis and treatment development. Because the GRMD clinical syndrome is more severe than in mice, better aligning with the progressive course of DMD, canine studies may translate better to humans. The original founder dog for all GRMD colonies worldwide was identified in the early 1980s before the discovery of the DMD gene and dystrophin. Accordingly, analogies to DMD were initially drawn based on similar clinical features, ranging from the X-linked pattern of inheritance to overlapping histopathologic lesions. Confirmation of genetic homology between DMD and GRMD came with identification of the underlying GRMD mutation, a single nucleotide change that leads to exon skipping and an out-of-frame DMD transcript. GRMD colonies have subsequently been established to conduct pathogenetic and preclinical treatment studies. Simultaneous with the onset of GRMD treatment trials, phenotypic biomarkers were developed, allowing definitive characterization of treatment effect. Importantly, GRMD studies have not always substantiated findings from mdx mice and have sometimes identified serious treatment side effects. While the GRMD model may be more clinically relevant than the mdx mouse, usage has been limited by practical considerations related to expense and the number of dogs available. This further complicates ongoing broader concerns about the poor rate of translation of animal model preclinical studies to humans with analogous diseases. Accordingly, in performing GRMD trials, special attention must be paid to experimental design to align with the approach used in DMD clinical trials. This review provides context for the GRMD model, beginning with its original description and extending to its use in preclinical trials.
| S-EPMC5438519 | biostudies-literature