Intrinsic laryngeal muscles are spared from degeneration in the dy3K/dy3K mouse model of congenital muscular dystrophy type 1A

A Family of Laminin α2 Chain-Deficient Mouse Mutants: Advancing the Research on LAMA2-CMD

The research on laminin α2 chain-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy (LAMA2-CMD) advanced rapidly in the last few decades, largely due to availability of good mouse models for the disease and a strong interest in preclinical studies from scientists all over the world. These mouse models continue to provide a solid platform for understanding the LAMA2-CMD pathology. In addition, they enable researchers to test laborious, necessary routines, but also the most creative scientific approaches in order to design therapy for this devastating disorder. In this review we present animals belonging to the laminin α2 chain-deficient “dy/dy” mouse family (dy/dy, dy^2J/dy^2J, dy^3K/dy^3K, dy^W/dy^W, et al.) and a summary of the scientific progress they facilitated. We also raise a few questions that need to be addressed in order to maximize the usefulness of laminin α2 murine mutants and to further advance the LAMA2-CMD studies. We believe that research opportunities offered by the mouse models for LAMA2-CMD will continuously support our efforts to find a treatment for the disease.

The posterior cricoarytenoid muscle is spared from MuRF1-mediated muscle atrophy in mice with acute lung injury

Background

Skeletal muscle wasting in acute lung injury (ALI) patients increases the morbidity and mortality associated with this critical illness. The contribution of laryngeal muscle wasting to these outcomes is unknown, though voice impairments and aspiration are common in intensive care unit (ICU) survivors. We evaluated the intrinsic laryngeal abductor (PCA, posterior cricoarytenoid), adductor (CT, cricothyroid) and limb (EDL, extensor digitorum longus) muscles in a mouse model of ALI.

Methods

Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharides were instilled into the lungs of adult male C57Bl6J mice (ALI mice). Limb and intrinsic laryngeal muscles were analyzed for fiber size, type, protein expression and myosin heavy chain (MyHC) composition by SDS-PAGE and mass spectroscopy.

Results

Marked muscle atrophy occurred in the CT and EDL muscles, while the PCA was spared. The E3 ubiquitin ligase muscle ring finger-1 protein (MuRF1), a known mediator of limb muscle atrophy in this model, was upregulated in the CT and EDL, but not in the PCA. Genetic inhibition of MuRF1 protected the CT and EDL from ALI-induced muscle atrophy. MyHC-Extraocular (MyHC-EO) comprised 27% of the total MyHC in the PCA, distributed as hybrid fibers throughout 72% of PCA muscle fibers.

Conclusion

The vocal cord abductor (PCA) contains a large proportion of fibers expressing MyHC-EO and is spared from muscle atrophy in ALI mice. The lack of MuRF1 expression in the PCA suggests a previously unrecognized mechanism whereby this muscle is spared from atrophy. Atrophy of the vocal cord adductor (CT) may contribute to the impaired voice and increased aspiration observed in ICU survivors. Further evaluation of the sparing of muscles involved in systemic wasting diseases may lead to potential therapeutic targets for these illnesses.