Stéphane Blot

Mesoangioblast stem cells ameliorate muscle function in dystrophic dogs.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy remains an untreatable genetic disease that severely limits motility and life expectancy in affected children. The only animal model specifically reproducing the alterations in the dystrophin gene and the full spectrum of human pathology is the golden retriever dog model. Affected animals present a single mutation in intron 6, resulting in complete absence of the dystrophin protein, and early and severe muscle degeneration with nearly complete loss of motility and walking ability. Death usually occurs at about 1 year of age as a result of failure of respiratory muscles. Here we report that intra-arterial delivery of wild-type canine mesoangioblasts (vessel-associated stem cells) results in an extensive recovery of dystrophin expression, normal muscle morphology and function (confirmed by measurement of contraction force on single fibres). The outcome is a remarkable clinical amelioration and preservation of active motility. These data qualify mesoangioblasts as candidates for future stem cell therapy for Duchenne patients.

Premature proliferative arrest of cricopharyngeal myoblasts in oculo-pharyngeal muscular dystrophy: Therapeutic perspectives of autologous myoblast transplantation

Cultures of myoblasts isolated from cricopharyngeal muscles from patients with oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD) have been performed to study the effect of the expanded (GCG)8-13 repeat, located on the poly(A) binding protein nuclear-1 (PABPN1), on satellite cell phenotype. Cell cultures exhibited a reduced myogenicity, as well as a rapid decrease in proliferative lifespan, as compared to controls. The incorporation of BrdU decreased during the proliferative lifespan, due to a progressive accumulation of non-dividing cells. A lower fusion index was also observed, but myoblasts were able to form large myotubes when OPMD cultures were purified, although a rapid loss of myogenicity during successive passages was also observed. Myoblasts isolated from unaffected muscles did not show the defects observed in cricopharyngeal muscle cultures. The PABPN1 was predominantly located in nuclei of myoblasts and in both the nuclei and cytoplasm of myotubes in OPMD cultures. In vivo analysis of OPMD muscles showed that the number of satellite cells was slightly higher than that observed in age matched controls. Mutation of the PABPN1 in OPMD provokes premature senescence in dividing myoblasts, that may be due to intranuclear toxic aggregates. These results suggest that myoblast autografts, isolated from unaffected muscles, and injected into the dystrophic pharyngeal muscles, may be a useful therapeutic strategy to restore muscular function. Its tolerance and feasibility has been preclinically demonstrated in the dog.

The mouse mutation muscle deficient (mdf) is characterized by a progressive motoneuron disease

Abstract. Muscle deficient (mdf) is an autosomal-recessive mutation mapped to mouse chromosome 19. The clinical phenotype and the muscle histopathology, briefly described in 1980, and the nervous system histopathology are detailed in the present study. Homozygotes develop a posterior waddle at 4 to 8 weeks of age. Soon thereafter, the hindlimbs become paralyzed and weakness appears in forelimbs, leading to a serious disability. The disease progresses slowly and the mean lifespan is reduced to 8 months. Skeletal muscles exhibit a neurogenic atrophy with signs of reinnervation. Peripheral nerves display axonal degeneration. Neurons within the spinal cord ventral horn, and some motor nuclei of the brain stem, are affected by a cytoplasmic vacuolar degeneration. Ascending and descending spinal cord tracts appear normal. An astrogliosis, restricted to the ventral horn of the spinal cord, occurs in mdftmdf mice of 10 weeks of age. These clinical and histological features are indicative of a progressive motor neuronopathy. Among the murine spinal muscular atrophies, the programmed cell death of the mdf motoneurons is morphologically similar to wobbler. Because of the long time course, the mdf mutation may represent a valuable tool for understanding juvenile motoneuron diseases with chronic evolution, even though the murine locus is not syntenic with the human ones.

Splitting of Pi and other 31P NMR anomalies of skeletal muscle metabolites in canine muscular dystrophy

Many anomalies exist in the resting 31P muscle spectra of boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) but few have been reported in Golden Retriever muscular dystrophy (GRMD), the closest existing animal model for DMD. Because GRMD is recommended for preclinical evaluation of therapies and quantitative outcome measures are needed, we investigated anomalies of 31P NMRS in tibial cranial and biceps femoris muscles from 14 GRMD compared to 9 control (CONT) dogs.

Sampaolesi et al. reply

Replying to: A. H. Bretag 450, 10.1038/nature06437 (2007)Bretag questions our finding that “dogs benefited from mesoangioblast treatment”. We believe that this scepticism is not supported by careful examination of our data.