miR-146a deficiency does not aggravate muscular dystrophy in mdx mice.
Iwona Bronisz-BudzyńskaKatarzyna ChwaleniaOlga MuchaPaulina Podkalickanull Karolina-Bukowska-StrakovaAlicja JózkowiczAgnieszka ŁobodaMagdalena KozakowskaJozef DulakPublished in: Skeletal muscle (2019)
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disease evoked by a mutation in the dystrophin gene. It is associated with progressive muscle degeneration and increased inflammation. Up to this date, mainly anti-inflammatory treatment is available for patients suffering from DMD. miR-146a is known to diminish inflammation and fibrosis in different tissues by downregulating the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. However, its role in DMD has not been studied so far.In our work, we have generated mice globally lacking both dystrophin and miR-146a (miR-146a-/-mdx) and examined them together with wild-type, single miR-146a knockout and dystrophic (mdx-lacking dystrophin) mice in a variety of aspects associated with DMD pathophysiology (muscle degeneration, inflammatory reaction, muscle satellite cells, muscle regeneration, and fibrosis).We have shown that miR-146a level is increased in dystrophic muscles in comparison to wild-type mice. Its deficiency augments the expression of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, CCL2, TNFα). However, muscle degeneration was not significantly worsened in mdx mice lacking miR-146a up to 24 weeks of age, although some aggravation of muscle damage and inflammation was evident in 12-week-old animals, though no effect of miR-146a deficiency was visible on quantity, proliferation, and in vitro differentiation of muscle satellite cells isolated from miR-146a-/-mdx mice vs. mdx. Similarly, muscle regeneration and collagen deposition were not changed by miR-146a deficiency. Nevertheless, the lack of miR-146a is associated with decreased Vegfa and increased Tgfb1.Overall, the lack of miR-146a did not aggravate significantly the dystrophic conditions in mdx mice, but its effect on DMD in more severe conditions warrants further investigation.
Keyphrases
- duchenne muscular dystrophy
- cell proliferation
- long non coding rna
- muscular dystrophy
- wild type
- long noncoding rna
- skeletal muscle
- poor prognosis
- high fat diet induced
- oxidative stress
- chronic kidney disease
- end stage renal disease
- gene expression
- clinical trial
- induced apoptosis
- rheumatoid arthritis
- multiple sclerosis
- randomized controlled trial
- dna methylation
- replacement therapy
- type diabetes
- cell cycle arrest
- peritoneal dialysis
- insulin resistance
- liver fibrosis
- prognostic factors
- drug induced