The role of free radicals in the pathophysiology of muscular dystrophy

Investigation of Debio 025, a cyclophilin inhibitor, in the dystrophic mdx mouse, a model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe muscle wasting disorder caused by the absence of the cytoskeletal protein dystrophin. This leads to muscle cell death accompanied by chronic inflammation. Cyclosporin A (CsA) is a powerful immunosuppressive drug, which has been proposed for DMD treatment. CsA also directly regulates the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP), which participates in cell death pathways through the inhibition of cyclophilin D. Here, we evaluated whether Debio 025, a cyclophilin inhibitor with no immunosuppressive activity, improves the dystrophic condition in a mouse model of DMD, through regulation of mPTP.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

The potency of Debio 025 to protect mouse dystrophic cells against mitochondria-mediated death was assessed by caspase-3 activity and calcium retention capacity assays. Mdx(5Cv) mice (3-week-old) were treated daily by gavage for 2 weeks with Debio 025 (10, 30 or 100 mg kg(-1)), CsA (10 mg kg(-1)) or placebo. The effects on muscle necrosis and function were measured.

KEY RESULTS

In vitro investigations showed protective effect of low concentrations of Debio 025 against cell death. Histology demonstrated that Debio 025 partially protected the diaphragm and soleus muscles against necrosis (10 and 100 mg kg(-1), respectively). Hindlimb muscles from mice receiving Debio 025 at 10 mg kg(-1) relaxed faster, showed alteration in the stimulation frequency-dependent recruitment of muscle fibres and displayed a higher resistance to mechanical stress.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Debio 025 partially improved the structure and the function of the dystrophic mouse muscle, suggesting that therapies targeting the mPTP may be helpful to DMD patients.

Oxidative stress as a therapeutic target during muscle wasting: considering the complex interactions

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The aim of this overview is to highlight the multiple ways in which oxidative stress could be exacerbating muscle wasting. Understanding these interactions in vivo will assist in identifying opportunities for more targeted therapies to reduce skeletal muscle wasting.

RECENT FINDINGS

There are many excellent reviews describing how oxidative stress can damage cellular macromolecules, as well as cause deleterious effects through the modulation of signalling pathways. In this overview, we highlight the potential for complex and possibly paradoxical interactions in vivo. Signalling pathways are discussed, using examples involving nuclear factor-kappa B, apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 and Akt. Oxidative stress may also be involved in complex interactions with other factors capable of stimulating the loss of muscle mass, possibly through amplifying feedback cycles. This is discussed using examples related to calcium and tumour necrosis factor.

SUMMARY

There is convincing evidence that oxidative stress can increase protein catabolism. The challenge is to demonstrate that oxidative stress is a significant player in the complex interplay that leads to the in-vivo muscle wasting that is caused by a range of conditions and diseases.

Isoprostanes in dystrophinopathy: Evidence of increased oxidative stress

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) are degenerative disorders of muscle. Although the mechanisms underlying muscle degeneration are still uncertain, oxidative-damage has been proposed to play a key role. Isoprostanes are markers of free radical-catalyzed lipid peroxidation; the aim of our study was to evaluate plasma isoprostane levels in group of patients affected by Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies. PF(2)-isoprostane levels were measured by colorimetric enzyme immunoassay in the plasma of 17 patients with DMD and 24 with BMD. When compared to a group of healthy controls, affected patients showed significantly higher plasma levels of isoprostanes (p=0.001). When patients were stratified according to the clinical diagnosis, isoprostane levels were not statistically different between DMD and BMD patients. In conclusion whether the condition of oxidative stress found in plasma depends on the degenerative process occurring in muscles or on different mechanisms, such as the release of myoglobin in the blood, should be ascertained. However, our study confirms that oxidative stress findings in DMD/BMD patients are effectively present at the plasma levels. The condition of oxidative stress might act as an adjunctive cause of extra-muscular cell damage to which these patients are exposed for their entire life.

L-arginine decreases inflammation and modulates the nuclear factor-kappaB/matrix metalloproteinase cascade in mdx muscle fibers

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a lethal, X-linked disorder associated with dystrophin deficiency that results in chronic inflammation, sarcolemma damage, and severe skeletal muscle degeneration. Recently, the use of L-arginine, the substrate of nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), has been proposed as a pharmacological treatment to attenuate the dystrophic pattern of DMD. However, little is known about signaling events that occur in dystrophic muscle with l-arginine treatment. Considering the implication of inflammation in dystrophic processes, we asked whether L-arginine inhibits inflammatory signaling cascades. We demonstrate that L-arginine decreases inflammation and enhances muscle regeneration in the mdx mouse model. Classic stimulatory signals, such as proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, are significantly decreased in mdx mouse muscle, resulting in lower nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB levels and activity. NF-kappaB serves as a pivotal transcription factor with multiple levels of regulation; previous studies have shown perturbation of NF-kappaB signaling in both mdx and DMD muscle. Moreover, L-arginine decreases the activity of metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9, which are transcriptionally activated by NF-kappaB. We show that the inhibitory effect of L-arginine on the NF-kappaB/MMP cascade reduces beta-dystroglycan cleavage and translocates utrophin and nNOS throughout the sarcolemma. Collectively, our results clarify the molecular events by which L-arginine promotes muscle membrane integrity in dystrophic muscle and suggest that NF-kappaB-related signaling cascades could be potential therapeutic targets for DMD management.

Oxidative stress and covalent modification of protein with bioactive aldehydes

The term "oxidative stress" links the production of reactive oxygen species to a variety of metabolic outcomes, including insulin resistance, immune dysfunction, and inflammation. Antioxidant defense systems down-regulated due to disease and/or aging result in oxidatively modified DNA, carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids. Increased production of hydroxyl radical leads to the formation of lipid hydroperoxides that produce a family of alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehydes. Such reactive aldehydes are subject to Michael addition reactions with the side chains of lysine, histidine, and cysteine residues, referred to as "protein carbonylation." Although not widely appreciated, reactive lipids can accumulate to high levels in cells, resulting in extensive protein modification leading to either loss or gain of function. The use of mass spectrometric methods to identify the site and extent of protein carbonylation on a proteome-wide scale has expanded our view of how oxidative stress can regulate cellular processes.

Subcutaneous injection, from birth, of epigallocatechin-3-gallate, a component of green tea, limits the onset of muscular dystrophy in mdx mice: a quantitative histological, immunohistochemical and electrophysiological study

Dystrophic muscles suffer from enhanced oxidative stress. We have investigated whether administration of an antioxidant, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a component of green tea, reduces their oxidative stress and pathophysiology in mdx mice, a mild phenotype model of human Duchenne-type muscular dystrophy. EGCG (5 mg/kg body weight in saline) was injected subcutaneously 4x a week into the backs of C57 normal and dystrophin-deficient mdx mice for 8 weeks after birth. Saline was injected into normal and mdx controls. EGCG had almost no observable effects on normal mice or on the body weights of mdx mice. In contrast, it produced the following improvements in the blood chemistry, muscle histology, and electrophysiology of the treated mdx mice. First, the activities of serum creatine kinase were reduced to normal levels. Second, the numbers of fluorescent lipofuscin granules per unit volume of soleus and diaphragm muscles were significantly decreased by about 50% compared to the numbers in the corresponding saline-treated controls. Third, in sections of diaphragm and soleus muscles, the relative area occupied by histologically normal muscle fibres increased significantly 1.5- to 2-fold whereas the relative areas of connective tissue and necrotic muscle fibres were substantially reduced. Fourth, the times for the maximum tetanic force of soleus muscles to fall by a half increased to almost normal values. Fifth, the amount of utrophin in diaphragm muscles increased significantly by 17%, partially compensating for the lack of dystrophin expression.

Catalase overexpression does not impair extensor digitorum longus muscle function in normal mice

Catalase is a major antioxidant enzyme. Increasing catalase expression represents a promising avenue to improve muscle function in certain physiological conditions and in some muscle diseases. We hypothesized that catalase overexpression should not impair normal muscle contraction. We delivered a hemagglutinin (HA)-tagged human catalase gene to normal mouse muscle by an adeno-associated viral vector (AAV). Western blot and immunostaining revealed efficient expression of HA-tagged catalase. Enzymatic assay demonstrated an approximately threefold increase in catalase activity in AAV-infected muscles. Catalase overexpression impaired neither twitch nor tetanic tension in the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle. Furthermore, EDL fatigue response was not altered. Taken together, we have developed a novel AAV vector to enhance catalase expression. Lack of apparent toxicity in normal muscle strongly supports further exploration of this vector to reduce oxidative stress-induced muscle damage.

N-Acetylcysteine ameliorates skeletal muscle pathophysiology in mdx mice

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe degenerative muscle disease caused by a mutation in the gene encoding dystrophin, a protein linking the cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix. In this study we investigated whether the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) provided protection against dystrophic muscle damage in the mdx mouse, an animal model of DMD. In isolated mdx muscles, NAC prevented the increased membrane permeability and reduced the force deficit associated with stretch-induced muscle damage. Three-week-old mdx mice were treated with NAC in the drinking water for 6 weeks. Dihydroethidium staining showed that NAC treatment reduced the concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mdx muscles. This was accompanied by a significant decrease in centrally nucleated fibres in muscles from NAC-treated mdx mice. Immunoblotting showed that NAC treatment decreased the nuclear protein expression of NF-kappaB, a transcription factor involved in pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. Finally, we show that NAC treatment reduced caveolin-3 protein levels and increased the sarcolemmal expression of beta-dystroglycan and the dystrophin homologue, utrophin. Taken together, our findings suggest that ROS play an important role in the dystrophic pathogenesis, both in terms of activating damage pathways and in regulating the expression of some dystrophin-associated membrane proteins. These results offer the prospect that antioxidants such as NAC could have therapeutic potential for DMD patients.