Urolithin A improves muscle function by inducing mitophagy in muscular dystrophy

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (588) ◽  
pp. eabb0319
Author(s):  
Peiling Luan ◽  
Davide D’Amico ◽  
Pénélope A. Andreux ◽  
Pirkka-Pekka Laurila ◽  
Martin Wohlwend ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Muscular Dystrophy ◽  
Mitochondrial Dysfunction ◽  
Muscle Function ◽  
Experimental Models ◽  
Muscle Stem Cells ◽  
Expression Of Genes ◽  
Primary Myoblasts ◽  
Urolithin A ◽  
Regenerative Ability

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common muscular dystrophy, and despite advances in genetic and pharmacological disease-modifying treatments, its management remains a major challenge. Mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to DMD, yet the mechanisms by which this occurs remain elusive. Our data in experimental models and patients with DMD show that reduced expression of genes involved in mitochondrial autophagy, or mitophagy, contributes to mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitophagy markers were reduced in skeletal muscle and in muscle stem cells (MuSCs) of a mouse model of DMD. Administration of the mitophagy activator urolithin A (UA) rescued mitophagy in DMD worms and mice and in primary myoblasts from patients with DMD, increased skeletal muscle respiratory capacity, and improved MuSCs’ regenerative ability, resulting in the recovery of muscle function and increased survival in DMD mouse models. These data indicate that restoration of mitophagy alleviates symptoms of DMD and suggest that UA may have potential therapeutic applications for muscular dystrophies.

scholarly journals Co-Transplantation of Bone Marrow-MSCs and Myogenic Stem/Progenitor Cells from Adult Donors Improves Muscle Function of Patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1119
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Klimczak ◽  
Agnieszka Zimna ◽  
Agnieszka Malcher ◽  
Urszula Kozlowska ◽  
Katarzyna Futoma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy ◽  
Muscular Dystrophy ◽  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Muscle Function ◽  
Progenitor Cell ◽  
Genetic Disorder ◽  
Cell Populations ◽  
Muscle Fibres

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disorder associated with a progressive deficiency of dystrophin that leads to skeletal muscle degeneration. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that a co-transplantation of two stem/progenitor cell populations, namely bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) and skeletal muscle-derived stem/progenitor cells (SM-SPCs), directly into the dystrophic muscle can improve the skeletal muscle function of DMD patients. Three patients diagnosed with DMD, confirmed by the dystrophin gene mutation, were enrolled into a study approved by the local Bioethics Committee (no. 79/2015). Stem/progenitor cells collected from bone marrow and skeletal muscles of related healthy donors, based on HLA matched antigens, were expanded in a closed MC3 cell culture system. A simultaneous co-transplantation of BM-MSCs and SM-SPCs was performed directly into the biceps brachii (two patients) and gastrocnemius (one patient). During a six-month follow-up, the patients were examined with electromyography (EMG) and monitored for blood kinase creatine level. Muscle biopsies were examined with histology and assessed for dystrophin at the mRNA and protein level. A panel of 27 cytokines was analysed with multiplex ELISA. We did not observe any adverse effects after the intramuscular administration of cells. The efficacy of BM-MSC and SM-SPC application was confirmed through an EMG assessment by an increase in motor unit parameters, especially in terms of duration, amplitude range, area, and size index. The beneficial effect of cellular therapy was confirmed by a decrease in creatine kinase levels and a normalised profile of pro-inflammatory cytokines. BM-MSCs may support the pro-regenerative potential of SM-SPCs thanks to their trophic, paracrine, and immunomodulatory activity. Both applied cell populations may fuse with degenerating skeletal muscle fibres in situ, facilitating skeletal muscle recovery. However, further studies are required to optimise the dose and timing of stem/progenitor cell delivery.

Reparative dysfunction during muscle regeneration in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: therapeutic approaches to modulating the muscle environment and muscle stem cells

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Michael Everette Nance
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Stem Cells ◽  
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy ◽  
Muscular Dystrophy ◽  
Muscle Regeneration ◽  
Genetic Mutation ◽  
Critical Determinant ◽  
Muscle Stem Cells ◽  
Dystrophin Protein

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a lethal muscular dystrophy resulting from functional loss of the dystrophin protein, a critical sub-sarcolemmal protein involved in membrane stability. While reparative dysfunction is thought to be a critical determinant of disease progression in humans, regeneration is not significantly impaired in the murine muscular dystrophy (mdx) model. Furthermore, it is not well understood if reparative dysfunction is related to inherent defects in stem cells or chronic alterations in the muscle environment due to disease related remodeling. To address these observed discrepancies, we adapted a whole muscle transplant model to study the in vivo regeneration of intact pieces of skeletal muscle from normal and dystrophic dogs (cDMD), a physiological and clinically relevant model to humans. Regeneration in cDMD muscle grafts was significantly attenuated compared to normal and predisposed to the development of skeletal muscle tumors. We used an adeno-associated virus (AAV) expressing a micro-dystrophin protein to specifically rescue the muscle environment by preventing fiber damage while retaining dystrophin-null SCs. AAV.micro-dystrophin rescued the environment by improving fibrosis, stiffness, and fiber orientation, which significantly improved early muscle regeneration but not late regeneration (2 greater than and less than 4 months post-transplant) via enhancing muscle stem cells differentiation. We next developed Cre- and CRISPR-cas9 gene editing strategies to test the ability of AAV serotype 9 to transduce and treat the genetic mutation in muscle stem cells. We observed efficient SC transduction when used as a single vector expressing Cre. Dual-vector CRISPR-cas9 SC transduction was inefficient and likely related to the requirement for two vectors, promoter usage, and mechanistic differences between Cre-recombination and CRISPR genome editing.

Urolithin A protects dopaminergic neurons in experimental models of Parkinson’s disease by promoting mitochondrial biogenesis through SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jia Liu ◽  
Jingjing Jiang ◽  
Jingru Qiu ◽  
Liyan Wang ◽  
Jing Zhuo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Neurodegenerative Diseases ◽  
Mitochondrial Dysfunction ◽  
Signaling Pathway ◽  
Mitochondrial Biogenesis ◽  
Dopaminergic Neurons ◽  
Therapeutic Strategies ◽  
Experimental Models ◽  
Urolithin A

Mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease (PD). Therapeutic strategies targeting mitochondrial dysfunction hold considerable promise for the treatment of PD. Recent reports have...

scholarly journals DOCK3 is a dosage-sensitive regulator of skeletal muscle and Duchenne muscular dystrophy-associated pathologies

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (17) ◽  
pp. 2855-2871
Author(s):  
Andrea L Reid ◽  
Yimin Wang ◽  
Adrienne Samani ◽  
Rylie M Hightower ◽  
Michael A Lopez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy ◽  
Muscular Dystrophy ◽  
Muscle Function ◽  
Myogenic Differentiation ◽  
Nucleotide Exchange ◽  
Dystrophic Muscle ◽  
Guanine Nucleotide Exchange ◽  
Myogenic Factors

Abstract DOCK3 is a member of the DOCK family of guanine nucleotide exchange factors that regulate cell migration, fusion and viability. Previously, we identified a dysregulated miR-486/DOCK3 signaling cascade in dystrophin-deficient muscle, which resulted in the overexpression of DOCK3; however, little is known about the role of DOCK3 in muscle. Here, we characterize the functional role of DOCK3 in normal and dystrophic skeletal muscle. Utilizing Dock3 global knockout (Dock3 KO) mice, we found that the haploinsufficiency of Dock3 in Duchenne muscular dystrophy mice improved dystrophic muscle pathologies; however, complete loss of Dock3 worsened muscle function. Adult Dock3 KO mice have impaired muscle function and Dock3 KO myoblasts are defective for myogenic differentiation. Transcriptomic analyses of Dock3 KO muscles reveal a decrease in myogenic factors and pathways involved in muscle differentiation. These studies identify DOCK3 as a novel modulator of muscle health and may yield therapeutic targets for treating dystrophic muscle symptoms.

scholarly journals Translating golden retriever muscular dystrophy microarray findings to novel biomarkers for cardiac/skeletal muscle function in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

2015 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 629-636 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristi L. Galindo ◽  
Jonathan H. Soslow ◽  
Candice L. Brinkmeyer-Langford ◽  
Manisha Gupte ◽  
Holly M. Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy ◽  
Muscular Dystrophy ◽  
Muscle Function ◽  
Golden Retriever ◽  
Skeletal Muscle Function ◽  
Golden Retriever Muscular Dystrophy ◽  
Novel Biomarkers

scholarly journals Assessing the Use of the sGC Stimulator BAY-747, as a Potential Treatment for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (15) ◽  
pp. 8016
Author(s):  
Shalini Murali Krishnan ◽  
Johannes Nordlohne ◽  
Lisa Dietz ◽  
Alexandros Vakalopoulos ◽  
Petra Haning ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy ◽  
Muscular Dystrophy ◽  
Grip Strength ◽  
Muscle Function ◽  
Phase Iii ◽  
Potential Treatment ◽  
Skeletal Muscle Function ◽  
Therapeutic Benefits ◽  
Sgc Stimulators

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe and progressive muscle wasting disorder, affecting one in 3500 to 5000 boys worldwide. The NO-sGC-cGMP pathway plays an important role in skeletal muscle function, primarily by improving blood flow and oxygen supply to the muscles during exercise. In fact, PDE5 inhibitors have previously been investigated as a potential therapy for DMD, however, a large-scale Phase III clinical trial did not meet its primary endpoint. Since the efficacy of PDE5i is dependent on sufficient endogenous NO production, which might be impaired in DMD, we investigated if NO-independent sGC stimulators, could have therapeutic benefits in a mouse model of DMD. Male mdx/mTRG2 mice aged six weeks were given food supplemented with the sGC stimulator, BAY-747 (150 mg/kg of food) or food alone (untreated) ad libitum for 16 weeks. Untreated C57BL6/J mice were used as wild type (WT) controls. Assessments of the four-limb hang, grip strength, running wheel and serum creatine kinase (CK) levels showed that mdx/mTRG2 mice had significantly reduced skeletal muscle function and severe muscle damage compared to WT mice. Treatment with BAY-747 improved grip strength and running speed, and these mice also had reduced CK levels compared to untreated mdx/mTRG2 mice. We also observed increased inflammation and fibrosis in the skeletal muscle of mdx/mTRG2 mice compared to WT. While gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and some pro-fibrotic markers in the skeletal muscle was reduced following BAY-747 treatment, there was no reduction in infiltration of myeloid immune cells nor collagen deposition. In conclusion, treatment with BAY-747 significantly improves several functional and pathological parameters of the skeletal muscle in mdx/mTRG2 mice. However, the effect size was moderate and therefore, more studies are needed to fully understand the potential treatment benefit of sGC stimulators in DMD.

scholarly journals GREM1 is epigenetically reprogrammed in muscle cells after exercise training and controls myogenesis and metabolism

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Odile Fabre ◽  
Lorenzo Giordani ◽  
Alice Parisi ◽  
Pattarawan Pattamaprapanont ◽  
Danial Ahwazi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Stem Cells ◽  
Exercise Training ◽  
Muscle Function ◽  
Negative Control ◽  
Epigenetic Mechanism ◽  
Differentially Methylated Region ◽  
Skeletal Muscle Function ◽  
Muscle Stem Cells ◽  
Before And After

AbstractExercise training improves skeletal muscle function, notably through tissue regeneration by muscle stem cells. Here, we hypothesized that exercise training reprograms the epigenome of muscle cell, which could account for better muscle function. Genome-wide DNA methylation of myotube cultures established from middle-aged obese men before and after endurance exercise training identified a differentially methylated region (DMR) located downstream of Gremlin 1 (GREM1), which was associated with increased GREM1 expression. GREM1 expression was lower in muscle satellite cells from obese, compared to lean mice, and exercise training restored GREM1 levels to those of control animals. We show that GREM1 regulates muscle differentiation through the negative control of satellite cell self-renewal, and that GREM1 controls muscle lineage commitment and lipid oxidation through the AMPK pathway. Our study identifies novel functions of GREM1 and reveals an epigenetic mechanism by which exercise training reprograms muscle stem cells to improve skeletal muscle function.

Abstract 44: Telomere and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

2015 ◽  
Vol 117 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex C Chang ◽  
Sang-Ging Ong ◽  
Joseph Wu ◽  
Helen M Blau
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy ◽  
Muscular Dystrophy ◽  
Mouse Model ◽  
Dilated Cardiomyopathy ◽  
Mitochondrial Dysfunction ◽  
Telomere Length ◽  
Dystrophin Gene ◽  
Glycoprotein Complex ◽  
The Difference

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a lethal X-linked recessive disease that is result of mutations in the dystrophin gene and is the most common myopathic disease in humans with a prevalence of one in every 3500 males. Dystrophin is crucial for the formation of a dystrophin-glycoprotein complex (DGC), which connects the cytoskeleton of a muscle fiber to the surrounding extracellular matrix in both skeletal and cardiac muscles. In the heart, loss of dystrophin leads to increased fibrosis and death in the third decade of life due to dilated cardiomyopathy. A conundrum in studying and developing therapies for DMD has been the lack of a mouse model that fully recapitulates the clinical phenotype, as mice that lack dystrophin (mdx model), unlike patients, exhibit only mild skeletal muscle defects, essentially no cardiac defects and have a relatively normal lifespan. Our lab reasoned that the difference in the manifestation of the disease in mice and humans could be telomere length, as mice have substantially longer telomeres than humans. We created a novel mouse model with shortened telomere lengths (similar to humans) that fully recapitulates the skeletal muscle (Cell. 2010;143:1059-1071; the mdx/mTRKO model) and cardiac muscle phenotype of DMD (Nat Cell Biol. 2013; 15:895-904; dilated cardiomyopathy). Interestingly, we observed a relative 45% reduction in cardiomyocyte telomere length in our mdx/mTRKO animals (3 animals per group, N = 300-400) as well as patient samples (4 DMD patient samples, N = 40-95). Here we present new evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction and telomere dysfunction.

scholarly journals Increasing taurine intake and taurine synthesis improves skeletal muscle function in the mdx mouse model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

2016 ◽  
Vol 594 (11) ◽  
pp. 3095-3110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica R. Terrill ◽  
Gavin J. Pinniger ◽  
Jamie A. Graves ◽  
Miranda D. Grounds ◽  
Peter G. Arthur
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy ◽  
Muscular Dystrophy ◽  
Mouse Model ◽  
Muscle Function ◽  
Mdx Mouse ◽  
Skeletal Muscle Function
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