Description of Osmolyte Pathways in Maturing <i>Mdx</i> Mice Reveals Altered Levels of Taurine and Sodium/Myo-Inositol Co-Transporters

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscle degeneration. Osmotic stress participates to DMD pathology and altered levels of osmolyte pathway members have been reported. The goal of this study was to gain insight in osmoregulatory changes in the <i&...

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Main Authors: Caroline Merckx, Gwenny Cosemans, Jana Zschüntzsch, Robrecht Raedt, Jens Schmidt, Boel De Paepe, Jan L. De Bleecker
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-03-01
Series:International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/6/3251
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author Caroline Merckx
Gwenny Cosemans
Jana Zschüntzsch
Robrecht Raedt
Jens Schmidt
Boel De Paepe
Jan L. De Bleecker
author_facet Caroline Merckx
Gwenny Cosemans
Jana Zschüntzsch
Robrecht Raedt
Jens Schmidt
Boel De Paepe
Jan L. De Bleecker
author_sort Caroline Merckx
collection DOAJ
description Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscle degeneration. Osmotic stress participates to DMD pathology and altered levels of osmolyte pathway members have been reported. The goal of this study was to gain insight in osmoregulatory changes in the <i>mdx</i> mouse model by examining the expression of osmolyte pathway members, including taurine transporter (TauT), sodium myo-inositol co-transporter (SMIT), betaine GABA transporter (BGT), and aldose reductase (AR) in the skeletal muscles and diaphragm of <i>mdx</i> mice aged 4, 8, 12, and 26 weeks. Necrosis was most prominent in 12 week-old <i>mdx</i> mice, whereas the amount of regenerated fibers increased until week 26 in the tibialis anterior. TauT protein levels were downregulated in the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius of 4 to 12 week-old <i>mdx</i> mice, but not in 26 week-old mice, whereas TauT levels in the diaphragm remained significantly lower in 26 week-old <i>mdx</i> mice. In contrast, SMIT protein levels were significantly higher in the muscles of <i>mdx</i> mice when compared to controls. Our study revealed differential regulation of osmolyte pathway members in <i>mdx</i> muscle, which points to their complex involvement in DMD pathogenesis going beyond general osmotic stress responses. These results highlight the potential of osmolyte pathway members as a research interest and future therapeutic target in dystrophinopathy.
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spelling doaj.art-dd54adc8cb014515a9b68539aaf6c1e02023-11-24T01:35:42ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672022-03-01236325110.3390/ijms23063251Description of Osmolyte Pathways in Maturing <i>Mdx</i> Mice Reveals Altered Levels of Taurine and Sodium/Myo-Inositol Co-TransportersCaroline Merckx0Gwenny Cosemans1Jana Zschüntzsch2Robrecht Raedt3Jens Schmidt4Boel De Paepe5Jan L. De Bleecker6Department of Neurology, Ghent University and Ghent University Hospital, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Neurology, Ghent University and Ghent University Hospital, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany4BRAIN, Institute for Neuroscience, Department Head and Skin, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Neurology, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, GermanyDepartment of Neurology, Ghent University and Ghent University Hospital, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumDepartment of Neurology, Ghent University and Ghent University Hospital, 9000 Ghent, BelgiumDuchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disorder characterized by progressive muscle degeneration. Osmotic stress participates to DMD pathology and altered levels of osmolyte pathway members have been reported. The goal of this study was to gain insight in osmoregulatory changes in the <i>mdx</i> mouse model by examining the expression of osmolyte pathway members, including taurine transporter (TauT), sodium myo-inositol co-transporter (SMIT), betaine GABA transporter (BGT), and aldose reductase (AR) in the skeletal muscles and diaphragm of <i>mdx</i> mice aged 4, 8, 12, and 26 weeks. Necrosis was most prominent in 12 week-old <i>mdx</i> mice, whereas the amount of regenerated fibers increased until week 26 in the tibialis anterior. TauT protein levels were downregulated in the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius of 4 to 12 week-old <i>mdx</i> mice, but not in 26 week-old mice, whereas TauT levels in the diaphragm remained significantly lower in 26 week-old <i>mdx</i> mice. In contrast, SMIT protein levels were significantly higher in the muscles of <i>mdx</i> mice when compared to controls. Our study revealed differential regulation of osmolyte pathway members in <i>mdx</i> muscle, which points to their complex involvement in DMD pathogenesis going beyond general osmotic stress responses. These results highlight the potential of osmolyte pathway members as a research interest and future therapeutic target in dystrophinopathy.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/6/3251Duchenne muscular dystrophy<i>mdx</i>osmoregulationtaurine transportersodium myo-inositol transporteraldose reductase
spellingShingle Caroline Merckx
Gwenny Cosemans
Jana Zschüntzsch
Robrecht Raedt
Jens Schmidt
Boel De Paepe
Jan L. De Bleecker
Description of Osmolyte Pathways in Maturing <i>Mdx</i> Mice Reveals Altered Levels of Taurine and Sodium/Myo-Inositol Co-Transporters
International Journal of Molecular Sciences
Duchenne muscular dystrophy
<i>mdx</i>
osmoregulation
taurine transporter
sodium myo-inositol transporter
aldose reductase
title Description of Osmolyte Pathways in Maturing <i>Mdx</i> Mice Reveals Altered Levels of Taurine and Sodium/Myo-Inositol Co-Transporters
title_full Description of Osmolyte Pathways in Maturing <i>Mdx</i> Mice Reveals Altered Levels of Taurine and Sodium/Myo-Inositol Co-Transporters
title_fullStr Description of Osmolyte Pathways in Maturing <i>Mdx</i> Mice Reveals Altered Levels of Taurine and Sodium/Myo-Inositol Co-Transporters
title_full_unstemmed Description of Osmolyte Pathways in Maturing <i>Mdx</i> Mice Reveals Altered Levels of Taurine and Sodium/Myo-Inositol Co-Transporters
title_short Description of Osmolyte Pathways in Maturing <i>Mdx</i> Mice Reveals Altered Levels of Taurine and Sodium/Myo-Inositol Co-Transporters
title_sort description of osmolyte pathways in maturing i mdx i mice reveals altered levels of taurine and sodium myo inositol co transporters
topic Duchenne muscular dystrophy
<i>mdx</i>
osmoregulation
taurine transporter
sodium myo-inositol transporter
aldose reductase
url https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/6/3251
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