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Łoboda A, Dulak J. Cardioprotective Effects of Hydrogen Sulfide and Its Potential Therapeutic Implications in the Amelioration of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Cardiomyopathy. Cells 2024; 13:158. [PMID: 38247849 PMCID: PMC10814317 DOI: 10.3390/cells13020158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) belongs to the family of gasotransmitters and can modulate a myriad of biological signaling pathways. Among others, its cardioprotective effects, through antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, and proangiogenic activities, are well-documented in experimental studies. Cardiorespiratory failure, predominantly cardiomyopathy, is a life-threatening complication that is the number one cause of death in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Although recent data suggest the role of H2S in ameliorating muscle wasting in murine and Caenorhabditis elegans models of DMD, possible cardioprotective effects have not yet been addressed. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the role of H2S in animal models of cardiac dysfunctions and cardiac cells. We highlight that DMD may be amenable to H2S supplementation, and we suggest H2S as a possible factor regulating DMD-associated cardiomyopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Łoboda
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Gronostajowa 7 Street, 30-387 Kraków, Poland;
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Dias RM, Hoshi RA, Vanderlei LCM, Monteiro CBDM, Alvarez MPB, Crocetta TB, Grossklauss LF, Fernani DCGL, Dantas MTAP, Martins FPA, Garner DM, Abreu LC, Ferreira C, da Silva TD. Influence of Different Types of Corticosteroids on Heart Rate Variability of Individuals with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy-A Pilot Cross Sectional Study. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11080752. [PMID: 34440496 PMCID: PMC8398672 DOI: 10.3390/life11080752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) have an impairment of cardiac autonomic function categorized by parasympathetic reduction and sympathetic predominance. The objective of this study was to assess the cardiac autonomic modulation of individuals with DMD undergoing therapy with Prednisone/Prednisolone and Deflazacort and compare with individuals with DMD without the use of these medications and a typically developed control group. Methods: A cross-sectional study was completed, wherein 40 boys were evaluated. The four treatment groups were: Deflazacort; Prednisone/Prednisolone; no corticoid use; and typical development. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) was investigated via linear indices (Time Domain and Frequency Domain) and non-linear indices Results: The results of this study revealed that individuals with DMD undertaking pharmacotherapies with Prednisolone demonstrated HRV comparable to the Control Typically Developed (CTD) group. In contrast, individuals with DMD undergoing pharmacotherapies with Deflazacort achieved lower HRV, akin to individuals with DMD without any medications, as demonstrated in the metrics: RMSSD; LF (n.u.), HF (n.u.), LF/HF; SD1, α1, and α1/α2, and a significant effect for SD1/SD2; %DET and Ratio; Shannon Entropy, 0 V%, 2 LV% and 2 ULV%. Conclusions: Corticosteroids have the potential to affect the cardiac autonomic modulation in adolescents with DMD. The use of Prednisone/Prednisolone appears to promote improved responses in terms of sympathovagal activity as opposed to Deflazacort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Martins Dias
- Postgraduate Program in Medicine (Cardiology) at Paulista School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo (EPM/UNIFESP), São Paulo 04024-002, Brazil; (C.F.); (T.D.d.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-1-8996-230-405
| | | | | | - Carlos Bandeira de Mello Monteiro
- Postgraduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo (FMUSP), São Paulo 05360-160, Brazil; (C.B.d.M.M.); (M.P.B.A.)
| | - Mayra Priscila Boscolo Alvarez
- Postgraduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo (FMUSP), São Paulo 05360-160, Brazil; (C.B.d.M.M.); (M.P.B.A.)
- Department of Health Sciences, Anhanguera College- Campus of Jundiaí, Jundiaí 13209-355, Brazil
| | - Tânia Brusque Crocetta
- Laboratório de Psicologia do Esporte e do Exercício, Centro de Ciências da Saúde e do Esporte, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88035-001, Brazil;
| | - Luis Fernando Grossklauss
- Department of Neurology/Neurosurgery, Neuropediatrist at the Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo 04039-002, Brazil;
| | | | - Maria Tereza Artero Prado Dantas
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Western Paulista (UNOESTE), Presidente Prudente 19050-920, Brazil; (D.C.G.L.F.); (M.T.A.P.D.)
| | | | - David M. Garner
- Cardiorespiratory Research Group, Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Headington Campus, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK;
| | - Luiz Carlos Abreu
- Department of Integrated Health Education, Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), Vitória 29040-090, Brazil;
| | - Celso Ferreira
- Postgraduate Program in Medicine (Cardiology) at Paulista School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo (EPM/UNIFESP), São Paulo 04024-002, Brazil; (C.F.); (T.D.d.S.)
| | - Talita Dias da Silva
- Postgraduate Program in Medicine (Cardiology) at Paulista School of Medicine, Federal University of São Paulo (EPM/UNIFESP), São Paulo 04024-002, Brazil; (C.F.); (T.D.d.S.)
- Postgraduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo (FMUSP), São Paulo 05360-160, Brazil; (C.B.d.M.M.); (M.P.B.A.)
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo City (UNICID), São Paulo 03071-000, Brazil
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Age-Dependent Dysregulation of Muscle Vasculature and Blood Flow Recovery after Hindlimb Ischemia in the mdx Model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9050481. [PMID: 33925757 PMCID: PMC8145677 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9050481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), caused by a lack of functional dystrophin, is characterized by progressive muscle degeneration. Interestingly, dystrophin is also expressed in endothelial cells (ECs), and insufficient angiogenesis has already been hypothesized to contribute to DMD pathology, however, its status in mdx mice, a model of DMD, is still not fully clear. Our study aimed to reveal angiogenesis-related alterations in skeletal muscles of mdx mice compared to wild-type (WT) counterparts. By investigating 6- and 12-week-old mice, we sought to verify if those changes are age-dependent. We utilized a broad spectrum of methods ranging from gene expression analysis, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence imaging to determine the level of angiogenic markers and to assess muscle blood vessel abundance. Finally, we implemented the hindlimb ischemia (HLI) model, more biologically relevant in the context of functional studies evaluating angiogenesis/arteriogenesis processes. We demonstrated that both 6- and 12-week-old dystrophic mice exhibited dysregulation of several angiogenic factors, including decreased vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF) in different muscle types. Nonetheless, in younger, 6-week-old mdx animals, neither the abundance of CD31+α-SMA+ double-positive blood vessels nor basal blood flow and its restoration after HLI was affected. In 12-week-old mdx mice, although a higher number of CD31+α-SMA+ double-positive blood vessels and an increased percentage of skeletal muscle ECs were found, the abundance of pericytes was diminished, and blood flow was reduced. Moreover, impeded perfusion recovery after HLI associated with a blunted inflammatory and regenerative response was evident in 12-week-old dystrophic mice. Hence, our results reinforce the hypothesis of age-dependent angiogenic dysfunction in dystrophic mice. In conclusion, we suggest that older mdx mice constitute an appropriate model for preclinical studies evaluating the effectiveness of vascular-based therapies aimed at the restoration of functional angiogenesis to mitigate DMD severity.
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Łoboda A, Dulak J. Muscle and cardiac therapeutic strategies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy: past, present, and future. Pharmacol Rep 2020; 72:1227-1263. [PMID: 32691346 PMCID: PMC7550322 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-020-00134-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe X-linked neuromuscular childhood disorder that causes progressive muscle weakness and degeneration and results in functional decline, loss of ambulation and early death of young men due to cardiac or respiratory failure. Although the major cause of the disease has been known for many years-namely mutation in the DMD gene encoding dystrophin, one of the largest human genes-DMD is still incurable, and its treatment is challenging. METHODS A comprehensive and systematic review of literature on the gene, cell, and pharmacological experimental therapies aimed at restoring functional dystrophin or to counteract the associated processes contributing to disease progression like inflammation, fibrosis, calcium signaling or angiogenesis was carried out. RESULTS Although some therapies lead to satisfying effects in skeletal muscle, they are highly ineffective in the heart; therefore, targeting defective cardiac and respiratory systems is vital in DMD patients. Unfortunately, most of the pharmacological compounds treat only the symptoms of the disease. Some drugs addressing the underlying cause, like eteplirsen, golodirsen, and ataluren, have recently been conditionally approved; however, they can correct only specific mutations in the DMD gene and are therefore suitable for small sub-populations of affected individuals. CONCLUSION In this review, we summarize the possible therapeutic options and describe the current status of various, still imperfect, strategies used for attenuating the disease progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Łoboda
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Józef Dulak
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
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Tyers L, Davids LM, Wilmshurst JM, Esterhuizen AI. Skin cells for use in an alternate diagnostic method for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Neuromuscul Disord 2018; 28:553-563. [PMID: 29958823 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmd.2018.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2017] [Revised: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The importance of molecular diagnosis and identification of disease-associated variants for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is evident in the age of gene-based therapies and personalised medicine. Detection of the causative DMD variant and determination of its effects on dystrophin expression is best achieved by analysis of RNA extracted from muscle biopsy material. However, this is not done routinely, as the procedure can be traumatic, especially to young children, and carries risk of complications related to the use of anaesthetic. As skin biopsies are safer and straightforward to perform than muscle biopsies, we investigated the utility of cultured human epidermal melanocytes and dermal fibroblasts as alternative tools for RNA-based diagnosis of DMD. Shallow skin biopsies from 5 boys with genetically confirmed diagnoses of DMD were used to culture fibroblasts and melanocytes. Biopsies were sampled, and tolerated without complications, using local anaesthetic cream. Dystrophin expression in the cultured cells was assessed using immunocytochemical staining, quantitative real-time PCR and cDNA sequencing methodologies. We observed differential expression of the full-length dystrophin muscle transcript, with significantly more robust expression in melanocytes, compared to that in fibroblasts. Our results suggest that cultured skin melanocytes may present an alternative tool for RNA-based genetic diagnosis of DMD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynn Tyers
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7935, South Africa.
| | | | - Jo M Wilmshurst
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7935, South Africa; Department of Paediatric Neurology and Neurophysiology, Neuroscience Institute, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7700, South Africa
| | - Alina I Esterhuizen
- Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Observatory, Cape Town 7935, South Africa; National Health Laboratory Service, Groote Schuur Hospital, Observatory, Cape Town 7935, South Africa
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Gochicoa-Rangel L, Vargas MH, Alonso-Gómez JL, Rodríguez-Moreno L, Martínez-Briseño D, Baños-Mejía O, Torre-Bouscoulet L. Respiratory impedance in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Pediatr Pulmonol 2016; 51:1072-1079. [PMID: 27129130 DOI: 10.1002/ppul.23434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2014] [Revised: 01/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Impulse oscillometry (IOS) evaluates non-effort-dependent respiratory mechanics, and thus it may be useful to evaluate patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). OBJECTIVES We aimed (1) to describe the behavior of IOS parameters in patients with DMD, and compare it to those from a control group; (2) to determine whether resistances and reactances differ in relation to the severity of DMD; and (3) to compare IOS parameters with spirometry and maximal inspiratory (MIP) and expiratory (MEP) pressures. METHODS Children and adolescents (<20 years old) with biopsy-confirmed DMD and age-paired subjects were cross-sectionally evaluated. All results were transformed to z scores with respect to the healthy subjects (reference population). RESULTS Anthropometric characteristics did not differ between the 31 patients and 69 controls included in the study. Compared with controls, patients with DMD had higher IOS resistances and lower reactances. As expected, FEV1 and FVC were lower in patients and always declined as age increased. By contrast, MIP and MEP were lower-than-normal in youngest patients, tended to improve around puberty initiation, and declined thereafter. In general, there was a poor correlation between IOS parameters and spirometric variables or respiratory pressures, excepting for X20 Hz, which had an inverse correlation with FEV1 . Interestingly, IOS resistances were higher in patients with less disability (lower Vignos score; better FVC), but tended to be normalized in advanced stages of the disease. CONCLUSION This study showed that IOS is feasible in children and adolescents with DMD and yields information about respiratory function not achievable with the usual forced techniques. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2016;51:1072-1079. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Gochicoa-Rangel
- Departamento de Fisiología Respiratoria, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas", Calzada de Tlalpan 4502, Colonia Sección XVI, CP 14080, México DF, México.,Centro de Evaluación del Paciente Asmático Infantil, Centro Médico Santa Teresa, Texcoco, Estado de México, México
| | - Mario H Vargas
- Departamento de Investigación en Hiperreactividad Bronquial, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas", México DF, México
| | - José Luis Alonso-Gómez
- Departamento de Fisiología Respiratoria, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas", Calzada de Tlalpan 4502, Colonia Sección XVI, CP 14080, México DF, México
| | - Luis Rodríguez-Moreno
- Centro de Evaluación del Paciente Asmático Infantil, Centro Médico Santa Teresa, Texcoco, Estado de México, México
| | - David Martínez-Briseño
- Departamento de Epidemiología y Ciencias Sociales en Salud, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas", México DF, México
| | - Omar Baños-Mejía
- Departamento de Rehabilitación Pulmonar, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas", México DF, México
| | - Luis Torre-Bouscoulet
- Departamento de Fisiología Respiratoria, Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias "Ismael Cosío Villegas", Calzada de Tlalpan 4502, Colonia Sección XVI, CP 14080, México DF, México.
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Flow cytometry for the analysis of α-dystroglycan glycosylation in fibroblasts from patients with dystroglycanopathies. PLoS One 2013; 8:e68958. [PMID: 23894383 PMCID: PMC3718821 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0068958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2013] [Accepted: 06/10/2013] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
α-dystroglycan (α-DG) is a peripheral membrane protein that is an integral component of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex. In an inherited subset of muscular dystrophies known as dystroglycanopathies, α-DG has reduced glycosylation which results in lower affinity binding to several extracellular matrix proteins including laminins. The glycosylation status of α-DG is normally assessed by the binding of the α-DG antibody IIH6 to a specific glycan epitope on α-DG involved in laminin binding. Immunocytochemistry and immunoblotting are two of the most widely used methods to detect the amount of α-DG glycosylation in muscle. While the interpretation of the presence or absence of the epitope on muscle using these techniques is straightforward, the assessment of a mild defect can be challenging. In this study, flow cytometry was used to compare the amount of IIH6-reactive glycans in fibroblasts from dystroglycanopathy patients with defects in genes known to cause α-DG hypoglycosylation to the amount in fibroblasts from healthy and pathological control subjects. A total of twenty one dystroglycanopathy patient fibroblasts were assessed, as well as fibroblasts from three healthy controls and seven pathological controls. Control fibroblasts have clearly detectable amounts of IIH6-reactive glycans, and there is a significant difference in the amount of this glycosylation, as measured by the mean fluorescence intensity of an antibody recognising the epitope and the percentage of cells positive for the epitope, between these controls and dystroglycanopathy patient fibroblasts (p<0.0001 for both). Our results indicate that the amount of α-DG glycosylation in patient fibroblasts is comparable to that in patient skeletal muscle. This method could complement existing immunohistochemical assays in skeletal muscle as it is quantitative and simple to perform, and could be used when a muscle biopsy is not available. This test could also be used to assess the pathogenicity of variants of unknown significance in genes involved in dystroglycanopathies.
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Chen F, Cao J, Liu Q, Qin J, Kong J, Wang Y, Li Y, Geng J, Li Q, Yang L, Xiang AP, Zhang C. Comparative study of myocytes from normal and mdx mice iPS cells. J Cell Biochem 2012; 113:678-84. [DOI: 10.1002/jcb.23397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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Ghahramani Seno MM, Graham IR, Athanasopoulos T, Trollet C, Pohlschmidt M, Crompton MR, Dickson G. RNAi-mediated knockdown of dystrophin expression in adult mice does not lead to overt muscular dystrophy pathology. Hum Mol Genet 2008; 17:2622-32. [DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddn162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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De la Porte S, Morin S, Koenig J. Characteristics of skeletal muscle in mdx mutant mice. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF CYTOLOGY 1999; 191:99-148. [PMID: 10343393 DOI: 10.1016/s0074-7696(08)60158-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
We review the extensive research conducted on the mdx mouse since 1987, when demonstration of the absence of dystrophin in mdx muscle led to X-chromosome-linked muscular dystrophy (mdx) being considered as a homolog of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Certain results are contradictory. We consider most aspects of mdx skeletal muscle: (i) the distribution and roles of dystrophin, utrophin, and associated proteins; (ii) morphological characteristics of the skeletal muscle and hypotheses put forward to explain the regeneration characteristic of the mdx mouse; (iii) special features of the diaphragm; (iv) changes in basic fibroblast growth factor, ion flux, innervation, cytoskeleton, adhesive proteins, mastocytes, and metabolism; and (v) different lines of therapeutic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- S De la Porte
- Laboratoire de Neurobiologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 9040, Gif sur Yvette, France
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Degl'Innocenti D, Pieri A, Berti A, Liguri G, Cecchi C, Ramponi G. Alteration of free calcium levels and acylphosphatase muscular isoenzyme in cultured dystrophic skin fibroblasts. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1997; 230:327-30. [PMID: 9016776 DOI: 10.1006/bbrc.1996.5954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Levels of free intracellular calcium have been measured on two cell lines of cultured human fibroblasts carrying the genetic lesions occurring in Duchenne and Becker dystrophies. Both cell lines elicited a markedly higher content of the cation (98 nM and 57 nM, respectively) than control fibroblasts (35 nM). Differences toward controls were statistically significant (p < 0.01). Dystrophic fibroblasts were also found to possess a significantly reduced amount by about 50% of muscular acylphosphatase isoenzyme as compared to normal cells. As acylphosphatase was demonstrated to be involved in the regulation of Ca2+-ATPase activity from different sources, a hypothesis was formulated that could explain the disruption of calcium homeostasis as an effect of the altered acylphosphatase activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Degl'Innocenti
- Department of Biochemical Sciences, Università di Firenze, Italy
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Menke A, Jockusch H. Extent of shock-induced membrane leakage in human and mouse myotubes depends on dystrophin. J Cell Sci 1995; 108 ( Pt 2):727-33. [PMID: 7769014 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.108.2.727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A lack of the cytoskeletal protein dystrophin causes muscle fiber necrosis in Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophies (DMD/BMD) and in murine X-linked muscular dystrophy (MDX). However, no overt disease symptoms are observed in dystrophin-less cultured myotubes, and the biological function of dystrophin in normal muscle cells is still unknown. In this work, we have extended our studies on a model system, using hypoosmotic shock to determine stress resistance of muscle cells. In frozen sections of control human and mouse myotubes, dystrophin was shown to be localized at the cell periphery as in mature muscle fibers. Dystrophin-less DMD and MDX myotubes were more susceptible to hypoosmotic shock than controls, as monitored by the uptake of external horseradish peroxidase and release of the soluble enzymes creatinine kinase or pyruvate kinase and of radiolabelled proteins. Control experiments indicated that this difference is not due to differences in metabolism or ion fluxes. Treatment with cytochalasin D drastically increased the shock sensitivity of myotubes and abolished the difference between dystrophin-less and control cells. These results lend further support to the suggested stabilizing role of dystrophin in the context of the membrane-cytoskeletal complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Menke
- Developmental Biology Unit, University of Bielefeld, Germany
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Gibson AJ, Karasinski J, Relvas J, Moss J, Sherratt TG, Strong PN, Watt DJ. Dermal fibroblasts convert to a myogenic lineage in mdx mouse muscle. J Cell Sci 1995; 108 ( Pt 1):207-14. [PMID: 7738097 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.108.1.207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a primary muscle disease that manifests itself in young boys as a result of a defect in a gene located on the X-chromosome. This gene codes for dystrophin, a normal muscle protein that is located beneath the sarcolemma of muscle fibres. Therapies to alleviate this disease have centred on implanting normal muscle precursor cells into dystrophic fibres to compensate for the lack of this gene and its product. To date, donor cells for implantation in such therapy have been of myogenic origin, derived from paternal biopsies. Success in human muscle, however, has been limited and may reflect immune rejection problems. To overcome this problem the patient's own myogenic cells, with the dystrophin gene inserted, could be used, but this could lead to other problems, since these cells are those that are functionally compromised by the disease. Here, we report the presence of high numbers of dystrophin-positive fibres after implanting dermal fibroblasts from normal mice into the muscle of the mdx mouse-the genetic homologue of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Dystrophin-positive fibres were also abundant in mdx muscle following the implantation of cloned dermal fibroblasts from the normal mouse. Our results suggest the in vivo conversion of these non-myogenic cells to the myogenic pathway resulting in the formation of dystrophin-positive muscle fibres in the deficient host. The use of dermal fibroblasts may provide an alternative approach to the previously attempted myoblast transfer therapy, which in human trials has yielded disappointing results.
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Affiliation(s)
- A J Gibson
- Department of Anatomy, Charing Cross & Westminster Medical School, UK
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Lambert M, Chafey P, Hugnot JP, Koulakoff A, Berwald-Netter Y, Billard C, Morris GE, Kahn A, Kaplan JC, Gilgenkrantz H. Expression of the transcripts initiated in the 62nd intron of the dystrophin gene. Neuromuscul Disord 1993; 3:519-24. [PMID: 8186704 DOI: 10.1016/0960-8966(93)90108-v] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The pattern of expression of two distal transcripts initiated in the 62nd intron of the dystrophin gene was investigated under different circumstances; (i) during the development of different rat tissues these transcripts and Dp71, a protein encoded by one of them, increased with brain development and decreased with muscle development; (ii) in cultured glial and neuronal cells, the distal promoter was coactivated with tissue-specific upstream promoters, the muscle-type promoter in glial cells and the brain-type promoter in neuronal cells, which suggests that activity of the upstream promoter does not interfere with activity of the distal promoter; (iii) in lymphoblasts of DMD patients with various deletions of the dystrophin gene, the most distal of which included the 56th intron, the production of the distal transcript was not perturbed.
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