Male violence disrupts estrogen receptor ß signaling in the female hippocampus.

Women are the main target of intimate partner violence (IPV), which is escalating worldwide. Mechanisms subtending IPV-related disorders, such as anxiety, depression and PTSD, remain unclear. We employed a mouse model molded on an IPV scenario (male vs. female prolonged violent interaction) to unearth the neuroendocrine alterations triggered by an aggressive male mouse on the female murine brain. Experimental IPV (EIPV) prompted marked anxiety-like behavior in young female mice, coincident with high circulating/cerebral corticosterone levels. The hippocampus of EIPV-inflicted female animals displayed neuronal loss, reduced BrdU-DCX-positive nuclei, decreased mature DCX-positive cells, and diminished dendritic arborization level in the dentate gyrus (DG), features denoting impaired neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation. These hallmarks were associated with marked down-regulation of estrogen receptor ß (ERß) density in the hippocampus, especially in the DG and dependent prosurvival ERK signaling. Conversely, ERα expression was unchanged. After EIPV, the DG harbored lowered local BDNF pools, diminished TrkB phosphorylation, and elevated glucocorticoid receptor phosphorylation. In unison, ERß KO mice had heightened anxiety-like behavior and curtailed BDNF levels at baseline, despite enhanced circulating estradiol levels, while dying prematurely during EIPV. Thus, reiterated male-to-female violence jeopardizes hippocampal homeostasis in the female brain, perturbing ERß/BDNF signaling, thus instigating anxiety and chronic stress.

Defective excitation-contraction coupling and mitochondrial respiration precede mitochondrial Ca2+ accumulation in spinobulbar muscular atrophy skeletal muscle.

Polyglutamine expansion in the androgen receptor (AR) causes spinobulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). Skeletal muscle is a primary site of toxicity; however, the current understanding of the early pathological processes that occur and how they unfold during disease progression remains limited. Using transgenic and knock-in mice and patient-derived muscle biopsies, we show that SBMA mice in the presymptomatic stage develop a respiratory defect matching defective expression of genes involved in excitation-contraction coupling (ECC), altered contraction dynamics, and increased fatigue. These processes are followed by stimulus-dependent accumulation of calcium into mitochondria and structural disorganization of the muscle triads. Deregulation of expression of ECC genes is concomitant with sexual maturity and androgen raise in the serum. Consistent with the androgen-dependent nature of these alterations, surgical castration and AR silencing alleviate the early and late pathological processes. These observations show that ECC deregulation and defective mitochondrial respiration are early but reversible events followed by altered muscle force, calcium dyshomeostasis, and dismantling of triad structure.

Inducible deletion of raptor and mTOR from adult skeletal muscle impairs muscle contractility and relaxation.

Skeletal muscle weakness has been associated with different pathological conditions, including sarcopenia and muscular dystrophy, and is accompanied by altered mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling. We wanted to elucidate the functional role of mTOR in muscle contractility. Most loss-of-function studies for mTOR signalling have used the drug rapamycin to inhibit some of the signalling downstream of mTOR. However, given that rapamycin does not inhibit all mTOR signalling completely, we generated a double knockout for mTOR and for the scaffold protein of mTORC1, raptor, in skeletal muscle. We found that double knockout in mice results in a more severe phenotype compared with deletion of raptor or mTOR alone. Indeed, these animals display muscle weakness, increased fibre denervation and a slower muscle relaxation following tetanic stimulation. This is accompanied by a shift towards slow-twitch fibres and changes in the expression levels of calcium-related genes, such as Serca1 and Casq1. Double knockout mice show a decrease in calcium decay kinetics after tetanus in vivo, suggestive of a reduced calcium reuptake. In addition, RNA sequencing analysis revealed that many downregulated genes, such as Tcap and Fhod3, are linked to sarcomere organization. These results suggest a key role for mTOR signalling in maintaining proper fibre relaxation in skeletal muscle. KEY POINTS: Skeletal muscle wasting and weakness have been associated with different pathological conditions, including sarcopenia and muscular dystrophy, and are accompanied by altered mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling. Mammalian target of rapamycin plays a crucial role in the maintenance of muscle mass and functionality. We found that the loss of both mTOR and raptor results in contractile abnormalities, with severe muscle weakness and delayed relaxation following tetanic stimulation. These results are associated with alterations in the expression of genes involved in sarcomere organization and calcium handling and with an impairment in calcium reuptake after contraction. Taken together, these results provide a mechanistic insight into the role of mTOR in muscle contractility.

Parvalbumin affects skeletal muscle trophism through modulation of mitochondrial calcium uptake.

Parvalbumin (PV) is a cytosolic Ca2+-binding protein highly expressed in fast skeletal muscle, contributing to an increased relaxation rate. Moreover, PV is an "atrogene" downregulated in most muscle atrophy conditions. Here, we exploit mice lacking PV to explore the link between the two PV functions. Surprisingly, PV ablation partially counteracts muscle loss after denervation. Furthermore, acute PV downregulation is accompanied by hypertrophy and upregulation by atrophy. PV ablation has a minor impact on sarcoplasmic reticulum but is associated with increased mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake, mitochondrial size and number, and contacts with Ca2+ release sites. Mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) silencing abolishes the hypertrophic effect of PV ablation, suggesting that mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake is required for hypertrophy. In turn, an increase of mitochondrial Ca2+ is required to enhance expression of the pro-hypertrophy gene PGC-1α4, whose silencing blocks hypertrophy due to PV ablation. These results reveal how PV links cytosolic Ca2+ control to mitochondrial adaptations, leading to muscle mass regulation.

Excessive Accumulation of Ca2 + in Mitochondria of Y522S-RYR1 Knock-in Mice: A Link Between Leak From the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum and Altered Redox State.

Mice (Y522S or YS), carrying a mutation of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ release channel of skeletal muscle fibers (ryanodine receptor type-1, RyR1) which causes Ca2+ leak, are a widely accepted and intensively studied model for human malignant hyperthermia (MH) susceptibility. Since the involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and of mitochondria in MH crisis has been previously debated, here we sought to determine Ca2+ uptake in mitochondria and its possible link with ROS production in single fibers isolated from flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) of YS mice. We found that Ca2+ concentration in the mitochondrial matrix, as detected with the ratiometric FRET-based 4mtD3cpv probe, was higher in YS than in wild-type (WT) fibers at rest and after Ca2+ release from SR during repetitive electrical stimulation or caffeine administration. Also mitochondrial ROS production associated with contractile activity (detected with Mitosox probe) was much higher in YS fibers than in WT. Importantly, the inhibition of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake achieved by silencing MCU reduced ROS accumulation in the matrix and Ca2+ release from SR. Finally, inhibition of mitochondrial ROS accumulation using Mitotempo reduced SR Ca2+ release in YS fibers exposed to caffeine. The present results support the view that mitochondria take up larger amounts of Ca2+ in YS than in WT fibers and that mitochondrial ROS production substantially contributes to the increased caffeine-sensitivity and to the enhanced Ca2+ release from SR in YS fibers.

DRP1-mediated mitochondrial shape controls calcium homeostasis and muscle mass.

Mitochondrial quality control is essential in highly structured cells such as neurons and muscles. In skeletal muscle the mitochondrial fission proteins are reduced in different physiopathological conditions including ageing sarcopenia, cancer cachexia and chemotherapy-induced muscle wasting. However, whether mitochondrial fission is essential for muscle homeostasis is still unclear. Here we show that muscle-specific loss of the pro-fission dynamin related protein (DRP) 1 induces muscle wasting and weakness. Constitutive Drp1 ablation in muscles reduces growth and causes animal death while inducible deletion results in atrophy and degeneration. Drp1 deficient mitochondria are morphologically bigger and functionally abnormal. The dysfunctional mitochondria signals to the nucleus to induce the ubiquitin-proteasome system and an Unfolded Protein Response while the change of mitochondrial volume results in an increase of mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake and myofiber death. Our findings reveal that morphology of mitochondrial network is critical for several biological processes that control nuclear programs and Ca2+ handling.

A maladaptive ER stress response triggers dysfunction in highly active muscles of mice with SELENON loss.

Selenoprotein N (SELENON) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) protein whose loss of function leads to human SELENON-related myopathies. SelenoN knockout (KO) mouse limb muscles, however, are protected from the disease, and display no major alterations in muscle histology or contractile properties. Interestingly, we find that the highly active diaphragm muscle shows impaired force production, in line with the human phenotype. In addition, after repeated stimulation with a protocol which induces muscle fatigue, also hind limb muscles show altered relaxation times. Mechanistically, muscle SELENON loss alters activity-dependent calcium handling selectively impinging on the Ca2+ uptake of the sarcoplasmic reticulum and elicits an ER stress response, including the expression of the maladaptive CHOP-induced ERO1. In SELENON-devoid models, ERO1 shifts ER redox to a more oxidised poise, and further affects Ca2+ uptake. Importantly, CHOP ablation in SelenoN KO mice completely prevents diaphragm dysfunction, the prolonged limb muscle relaxation after fatigue, and restores Ca2+ uptake by attenuating the induction of ERO1. These findings suggest that SELENON is part of an ER stress-dependent antioxidant response and that the CHOP/ERO1 branch of the ER stress response is a novel pathogenic mechanism underlying SELENON-related myopathies.

Resveratrol treatment reduces the appearance of tubular aggregates and improves the resistance to fatigue in aging mice skeletal muscles.

Resveratrol (RES) is a polyphenolic compound found in grapes, peanuts, and in some berries. RES has been reported to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative properties, and to target mitochondrial-related pathways in mammalian cells and animal models. Therefore, RES is currently advised as supplement in the diet of elderly individuals. Although it is hypothesized that some of RES beneficial actions likely arise from its action on the skeletal muscle, the investigation of RES effects on this tissue remains still elusive. This study reports the effects of a 0,04% RES-supplemented diet for six months, on the skeletal muscle properties of C57/BL6 aging mice. The analysis of the morphology, protein expression, and functional-mechanical properties of selected skeletal muscles in treated compared to control mice, revealed that treated animals presented less tubular aggregates and a better resistance to fatigue in an ex-vivo contraction test, suggesting RES as a good candidate to reduce age-related alterations in muscle.

A 3D diffusional-compartmental model of the calcium dynamics in cytosol, sarcoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria of murine skeletal muscle fibers.

Variations of free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]) are powerful intracellular signals, controlling contraction as well as metabolism in muscle cells. To fully understand the role of calcium redistribution upon excitation and contraction in skeletal muscle cells, the local [Ca2+] in different compartments needs to be taken into consideration. Fluorescent probes allow the determination of [Ca2+] in the cytosol where myofibrils are embedded, the lumen of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and the mitochondrial matrix. Previously, models have been developed describing intracellular calcium handling in skeletal and cardiac muscle cells. However, a comprehensive model describing the kinetics of the changes in free calcium concentration in these three compartments is lacking. We designed a new 3D compartmental model of the half sarcomere with radial symmetry, which accounts for diffusion of Ca2+ into the three compartments and simulates its dynamics at rest and at various rates of stimulation in mice skeletal muscle fibers. This model satisfactorily reproduces both the amplitude and time course of the variations of [Ca2+] in the three compartments in mouse fast fibers. As an illustration of the applicability of the model, we investigated the effects of Calsequestrin (CSQ) ablation. CSQ is the main Ca2+ buffer in the SR, localized in close proximity of its calcium release sites and near to the mitochondria. CSQ knock-out mice muscles still preserve a near-normal contractile behavior, but it is unclear whether this is caused by additional SR calcium buffering or a significant contribution of calcium entry from extracellular space, via stored-operated calcium entry (SOCE). The model enabled quantitative assessment of these two scenarios by comparison to measurements of local calcium in the cytosol, the SR and the mitochondria. In conclusion, the model represents a useful tool to investigate the impact of protein ablation and of pharmacological interventions on intracellular calcium dynamics in mice skeletal muscle.

Estrogens Protect Calsequestrin-1 Knockout Mice from Lethal Hyperthermic Episodes by Reducing Oxidative Stress in Muscle.

Oxidative stress has been proposed to play a key role in malignant hyperthermia (MH), a syndrome caused by excessive Ca2+ release in skeletal muscle. Incidence of mortality in male calsequestrin-1 knockout (CASQ1-null) mice during exposure to halothane and heat (a syndrome closely resembling human MH) is far greater than that in females. To investigate the possible role of sex hormones in this still unexplained gender difference, we treated male and female CASQ1-null mice for 1 month, respectively, with Premarin (conjugated estrogens) and leuprolide (GnRH analog) and discovered that during exposure to halothane and heat Premarin reduced the mortality rate in males (79-27% and 86-20%), while leuprolide increased the incidence of mortality in females (18-73% and 24-82%). We then evaluated the (a) responsiveness of isolated muscles to temperature and caffeine, (b) sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ release in single fibers, and (c) oxidative stress and the expression levels of main enzymes involved in the regulation of the redox balance in muscle. Premarin treatment reduced the temperature and caffeine sensitivity of EDL muscles, normalized SR Ca2+ release, and reduced oxidative stress in males, suggesting that female sex hormones may protect mice from lethal hyperthermic episodes by reducing both the SR Ca2+ leak and oxidative stress.

Strenuous exercise triggers a life-threatening response in mice susceptible to malignant hyperthermia.

In humans, hyperthermic episodes can be triggered by halogenated anesthetics [malignant hyperthermia (MH) susceptibility] and by high temperature [environmental heat stroke (HS)]. Correlation between MH susceptibility and HS is supported by extensive work in mouse models that carry a mutation in ryanodine receptor type-1 (RYR1Y522S/WT) and calsequestrin-1 knockout (CASQ1-null), 2 proteins that control Ca2+ release in skeletal muscle. As overheating episodes in humans have also been described during exertion, here we subjected RYR1Y522S/WT and CASQ1-null mice to an exertional-stress protocol (incremental running on a treadmill at 34°C and 40% humidity). The mortality rate was 80 and 78.6% in RYR1Y522S/WT and CASQ1-null mice, respectively, vs. 0% in wild-type mice. Lethal crises were characterized by hyperthermia and rhabdomyolysis, classic features of MH episodes. Of importance, pretreatment with azumolene, an analog of the drug used in humans to treat MH crises, reduced mortality to 0 and 12.5% in RYR1Y522S/WT and CASQ1-null mice, respectively, thanks to a striking reduction of hyperthermia and rhabdomyolysis. At the molecular level, azumolene strongly prevented Ca2+-dependent activation of calpains and NF-κB by lowering myoplasmic Ca2+ concentration and nitro-oxidative stress, parameters that were elevated in RYR1Y522S/WT and CASQ1-null mice. These results suggest that common molecular mechanisms underlie MH crises and exertional HS in mice.-Michelucci, A., Paolini, C., Boncompagni, S., Canato, M., Reggiani, C., Protasi, F. Strenuous exercise triggers a life-threatening response in mice susceptible to malignant hyperthermia.

Protein Supplementation Does Not Further Increase Latissimus Dorsi Muscle Fiber Hypertrophy after Eight Weeks of Resistance Training in Novice Subjects, but Partially Counteracts the Fast-to-Slow Muscle Fiber Transition.

The response to resistance training and protein supplementation in the latissimus dorsi muscle (LDM) has never been investigated. We investigated the effects of resistance training (RT) and protein supplementation on muscle mass, strength, and fiber characteristics of the LDM. Eighteen healthy young subjects were randomly assigned to a progressive eight-week RT program with a normal protein diet (NP) or high protein diet (HP) (NP 0.85 vs. HP 1.8 g of protein·kg(-1)·day(-1)). One repetition maximum tests, magnetic resonance imaging for cross-sectional muscle area (CSA), body composition, and single muscle fibers mechanical and phenotype characteristics were measured. RT induced a significant gain in strength (+17%, p < 0.0001), whole muscle CSA (p = 0.024), and single muscle fibers CSA (p < 0.05) of LDM in all subjects. Fiber isometric force increased in proportion to CSA (+22%, p < 0.005) and thus no change in specific tension occurred. A significant transition from 2X to 2A myosin expression was induced by training. The protein supplementation showed no significant effects on all measured outcomes except for a smaller reduction of 2X myosin expression. Our results suggest that in LDM protein supplementation does not further enhance RT-induced muscle fiber hypertrophy nor influence mechanic muscle fiber characteristics but partially counteracts the fast-to-slow fiber shift.

Antioxidants protect calsequestrin-1 knockout mice from halothane- and heat-induced sudden death.

BACKGROUND: Mice lacking calsequestrin-1 (CASQ1-null), a Ca-binding protein that modulates the activity of Ca release in the skeletal muscle, exhibit lethal hypermetabolic episodes that resemble malignant hyperthermia in humans when exposed to halothane or heat stress. METHODS: Because oxidative species may play a critical role in malignant hyperthermia crises, we treated CASQ1-null mice with two antioxidants, N-acetylcysteine (NAC, Sigma-Aldrich, Italy; provided ad libitum in drinking water) and (±)-6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchromane-2-carboxylic acid (Trolox, Sigma-Aldrich; administered by intraperitoneal injection), before exposure to halothane (2%, 1 h) or heat (41°C, 1 h). RESULTS: NAC and Trolox significantly protected CASQ1-null mice from lethal episodes, with mortality being 79% (n = 14), 25% (n = 16), and 20% (n = 5) during halothane exposure and 86% (n = 21), 29% (n = 21), and 33% (n = 6) during heat stress in untreated, NAC-treated, and Trolox-treated mice, respectively. During heat challenge, an increase in core temperature in CASQ1-null mice (42.3° ± 0.1°C, n=10) was significantly reduced by both NAC and Trolox (40.6° ± 0.3°C, n = 6 and 40.5° ± 0.2°C, n = 6). NAC treatment of CASQ1-null muscles/mice normalized caffeine sensitivity during in vitro contracture tests, Ca transients in single fibers, and significantly reduced the percentage of fibers undergoing rhabdomyolysis (37.6 ± 2.5%, 38/101 fibers in 3 mice; 11.6 ± 1.1%, 21/186 fibers in 5 mice). The protective effect of antioxidant treatment likely resulted from mitigation of oxidative stress, because NAC reduced mitochondrial superoxide production, superoxide dismutase type-1 expression, and 3-nitrotyrosine expression, and increased both reduced glutathione and reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione ratio. CONCLUSION: These studies provide a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that underlie hyperthermic crises in CASQ1-deficient muscle and demonstrate that antioxidant pretreatment may prevent them.

The disorders of the calcium release unit of skeletal muscles: what have we learned from mouse models?

Calcium storage, release, and reuptake are essential for normal physiological function of muscle. Several human skeletal muscle disorders can arise from dysfunction in the control and coordination of these three critical processes. The release from the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum stores (SR) is handled by a multiprotein complex called Calcium Release Unit and composed of DiHydroPyridine Receptor or DHPR, Ryanodine Receptor or RYR, Calsequestrin or CASQ, junctin, Triadin, Junctophilin and Mitsugumin 29. Malignant hyperthermia (MH), Central Core Disease (CCD), Exertional/environmental Heat Stroke (EHS) and Multiminicore disease (MmD) are inherited disorders of calcium homeostasis in skeletal muscles directly related to mutations of genes coding for proteins of the CRU, primarily ryanodine receptor (RYR1). To understand the pathophysiology of MH and CCD, four murine lines carrying point mutations of human RYR1 have been developed: Y524S, R163C, I4898T and T4826I. Mice carrying those mutations show a phenotype with the traits of MH and/or CCD. Interestingly, also ablation of skeletal muscle calsequestrin (CASQ1) leads to a phenotype with MH-like lethal episodes in response to halothane and heat stress and development of central cores. In this review, we aim to describe the murine lines with RYR mutations or CASQ ablation, which show a phenotype similar to human MH or CCD, to underline their specific phenotypes and their differences and to discuss their contribution to the understanding of the pathophysiology of the disorders and the development of therapeutic strategies.

Protein supplementation increases postexercise plasma myostatin concentration after 8 weeks of resistance training in young physically active subjects.

Myostatin (MSTN) is a negative regulator of muscle growth even if some studies have shown a counterintuitive positive correlation between MSTN and muscle mass (MM). Our aim was to investigate the influence of 2 months of resistance training (RT) and diets with different protein contents on plasma MSTN, interleukin 1 beta (IL-1ß), interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Eighteen healthy volunteers were randomly divided in two groups: high protein (HP) and normal protein (NP) groups. Different protein diet contents were 1.8 and 0.85 g of protein·kg bw(-1)·day(-1) for HP and NP, respectively. Subjects underwent 8 weeks of standardized progressive RT. MSTN, IGF-1, IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α were analyzed before and after the first and the last training sessions. Lean body mass, MM, upper-limb muscle area, and strength were measured. Plasma MSTN showed a significant increase (P<.001) after the last training in the HP group compared with NP group and with starting value. IGF-1 plasma concentration showed a positive correlation with MSTN in HP after the last training (r(2)=0.6456; P=.0295). No significant differences were found between NP and HP for IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, and strength and MM or area. These findings suggest a "paradoxical" postexercise increase of plasma MSTN after 8 weeks of RT and HP diets. This MSTN elevation correlates positively with IGF-1 plasma level. This double increase of opposite (catabolic/anabolic) mediators could explain the substantial overlapping of MM increases in the two groups.

Mitochondrial Ca2+-handling in fast skeletal muscle fibers from wild type and calsequestrin-null mice.

Mitochondrial calcium handling and its relation with calcium released from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) in muscle tissue are subject of lively debate. In this study we aimed to clarify how the SR determines mitochondrial calcium handling using dCASQ-null mice which lack both isoforms of the major Ca(2+)-binding protein inside SR, calsequestrin. Mitochondrial free Ca(2+)-concentration ([Ca(2+)]mito) was determined by means of a genetically targeted ratiometric FRET-based probe. Electron microscopy revealed a highly significant increase in intermyofibrillar mitochondria (+55%) and augmented coupling (+12%) between Ca(2+) release units of the SR and mitochondria in dCASQ-null vs. WT fibers. Significant differences in the baseline [Ca(2+)]mito were observed between quiescent WT and dCASQ-null fibers, but not in the resting cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration. The rise in [Ca(2+)]mito during electrical stimulation occurred in 20-30 ms, while the decline during and after stimulation was governed by 4 rate constants of approximately 40, 1.6, 0.2 and 0.03 s(-1). Accordingly, frequency-dependent increase in [Ca(2+)]mito occurred during sustained contractions. In dCASQ-null fibers the increases in [Ca(2+)]mito were less pronounced than in WT fibers and even lower when extracellular calcium was removed. The amplitude and duration of [Ca(2+)]mito transients were increased by inhibition of mitochondrial Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger (mNCX). These results provide direct evidence for fast Ca(2+) accumulation inside the mitochondria, involvement of the mNCX in mitochondrial Ca(2+)-handling and a dependence of mitochondrial Ca(2+)-handling on intracellular (SR) and external Ca(2+) stores in fast skeletal muscle fibers. dCASQ-null mice represent a model for malignant hyperthermia. The differences in structure and in mitochondrial function observed relative to WT may represent compensatory mechanisms for the disease-related reduction of calcium storage capacity of the SR and/or SR Ca(2+)-leakage.

Myosin isoforms and contractile properties of single fibers of human Latissimus Dorsi muscle.

The aim of our study was to investigate fiber type distribution and contractile characteristics of Latissimus Dorsi muscle (LDM). Samples were collected from 18 young healthy subjects (9 males and 9 females) through percutaneous fine needle muscle biopsy. The results showed a predominance of fast myosin heavy chain isoforms (MyHC) with 42% of MyHC 2A and 25% of MyHC 2X, while MyHC 1 represented only 33%. The unbalance toward fast isoforms was even greater in males (71%) than in females (64%). Fiber type distribution partially reflected MyHC isoform distribution with 28% type 1/slow fibers and 5% hybrid 1/2A fibers, while fast fibers were divided into 30% type 2A, 31% type A/X, 4% type X, and 2% type 1/2X. Type 1/slow fibers were not only less abundant but also smaller in cross-sectional area than fast fibers. During maximal isometric contraction, type 1/slow fibers developed force and tension significantly lower than the two major groups of fast fibers. In conclusion, the predominance of fast fibers and their greater size and strength compared to slow fibers reveal that LDM is a muscle specialized mainly in phasic and powerful activity. Importantly, such specialization is more pronounced in males than in females.

Inflammation in muscular dystrophy and the beneficial effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

INTRODUCTION: Glucocorticoids are the only drugs available for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), but it is unclear whether their efficacy is dependent on their anti-inflammatory activity. METHODS: To address this issue, mdx mice were treated daily with methylprednisolone and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs: aspirin, ibuprofen, parecoxib). RESULTS: NSAID treatment was effective in ameliorating muscle morphology and reducing macrophage infiltration and necrosis. The percentage of regenerating myofibers was not modified by the treatments. The drugs were effective in reducing COX-2 expression and inflammatory cytokines, but they did not affect utrophin levels. The effects of the treatments on contractile performance were analyzed. Isometric tension did not differ in treated and untreated muscle, but the resistance to fatigue was decreased by treatment with methylprednisolone and aspirin. CONCLUSIONS: NSAIDs have a beneficial effect on mdx muscle morphology, pointing to a crucial role of inflammation in the progression of DMD.

Calsequestrin (CASQ1) rescues function and structure of calcium release units in skeletal muscles of CASQ1-null mice.

Amplitude of Ca(2+) transients, ultrastructure of Ca(2+) release units, and molecular composition of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) are altered in fast-twitch skeletal muscles of calsequestrin-1 (CASQ1)-null mice. To determine whether such changes are directly caused by CASQ1 ablation or are instead the result of adaptive mechanisms, here we assessed ability of CASQ1 in rescuing the null phenotype. In vivo reintroduction of CASQ1 was carried out by cDNA electro transfer in flexor digitorum brevis muscle of the mouse. Exogenous CASQ1 was found to be correctly targeted to the junctional SR (jSR), as judged by immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy; terminal cisternae (TC) lumen was filled with electron dense material and its width was significantly increased, as judged by electron microscopy; peak amplitude of Ca(2+) transients was significantly increased compared with null muscle fibers transfected only with green fluorescent protein (control); and finally, transfected fibers were able to sustain cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration during prolonged tetanic stimulation. Only the expression of TC proteins, such as calsequestrin 2, sarcalumenin, and triadin, was not rescued as judged by Western blot. Thus our results support the view that CASQ1 plays a key role in both Ca(2+) homeostasis and TC structure.

Lessons from calsequestrin-1 ablation in vivo: much more than a Ca(2+) buffer after all.

Calsequestrin type-1 (CASQ1), the main sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+) binding protein, plays a dual role in skeletal fibers: a) it provides a large pool of rapidly-releasable Ca(2+) during excitation-contraction (EC) coupling; and b) it modulates the activity of ryanodine receptors (RYRs), the SR Ca(2+) release channels. We have generated a mouse lacking CASQ1 in order to further characterize the role of CASQ1 in skeletal muscle. Contrary to initial expectations, CASQ1 ablation is compatible with normal motor activity, in spite of moderate muscle atrophy. However, CASQ1 deficiency results in profound remodeling of the EC coupling apparatus: shrinkage of junctional SR lumen; proliferation of SR/transverse-tubule contacts; and increased density of RYRs. While force development during a twitch is preserved, it is nevertheless characterized by a prolonged time course, likely reflecting impaired Ca(2+) re-uptake by the SR. Finally, lack of CASQ1 also results in increased rate of SR Ca(2+) depletion and inability of muscle to sustain tension during a prolonged tetani. All modifications are more pronounced (or only found) in fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus muscle compared to slow-twitch soleus muscle, likely because the latter expresses higher amounts of calsequestrin type-2 (CASQ2). Surprisingly, male CASQ1-null mice also exhibit a marked increased rate of spontaneous mortality suggestive of a stress-induced phenotype. Consistent with this idea, CASQ1-null mice exhibit an increased susceptibility to undergo a hypermetabolic syndrome characterized by whole body contractures, rhabdomyolysis, hyperthermia and sudden death in response to halothane- and heat-exposure, a phenotype remarkably similar to human malignant hyperthermia and environmental heat-stroke. The latter findings validate the CASQ1 gene as a candidate for linkage analysis in human muscle disorders.