Avian muscular dystrophy: thyroidal influence on pectoralis muscle growth and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity

Muscular dystrophy: centronucleation may reflect a compensatory activation of defective myonuclei

Muscular dystrophy has long been believed to be characterized by degeneration and abortive regeneration of muscle fibers (the muscle degeneration theory), but unfortunately its pathogenesis is still unclear and an effective treatment has yet to be developed. As a challenge to the theory, we have proposed an alternative muscle-defective-growth theory and a further bone muscle growth imbalance hypothesis supposing possible defects in bone-growth-dependent muscle growth based on our findings in hereditary dystrophic dy mice (C57BL/6J dy/dy). This review presents some new insights into the pathogenesis of the disease along with our hypothesis, focusing on the physiological meaning of centronucleation, one of the major pathological changes commonly observed in dystrophic muscles of man and experimental animals.

Differential effects of methimazole and dexamethasone in avian muscular dystrophy

We showed previously that thyroid antagonists and glucocorticoids partially alleviated the impaired righting ability and abnormally high levels of plasma creatine kinase activity in genetically dystrophic chicks. The goals of the present study were: (1) to ascertain whether the beneficial effects of methimazole (MMI; thyroid antagonist) on muscle function and plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity in dystrophic chickens are correlated with significant reduction in plasma triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4); (2) to assess whether the MMI-induced thyroid changes are accompanied by increased plasma corticosterone level and/or changes in muscle glucocorticoid receptors which might account partially for the beneficial effects of MMI; and (3) to determine if plasma T3 and T4 are reduced in dexamethasone (DEX) treated dystrophic chickens which might account at least partially for the beneficial effects of DEX (a potent glucocorticoid) on avian dystrophy. The data show that beneficial effects of MMI are associated with reduced plasma levels of thyroid hormones and increased circulating levels of corticosterone. In addition, DEX actually increases plasma T3 levels. These differential effects indicate that reduced plasma thyroid hormone levels do not represent a common mechanism of beneficial drug effects in avian muscular dystrophy. On the other hand, elevated plasma glucocorticoid levels accompany the beneficial effects of both severe hypothyroidism and DEX treatment. The data also show that MMI induces down-regulation of muscle cytosolic glucocorticoid receptors which are higher than normal in dystrophic muscles.

Thyroidal involvement in the expression of avian muscular dystrophy

We showed previously that propylthiouracil (PTU), a thyroid inhibitor, could alleviate several major signs of hereditary muscular dystrophy in chickens. The goals of the present investigation were to: (1) determine whether a nearly athyroid condition (achieved within two days after hatching by surgical thyroidectomy plus PTU) during an 11-day period beneficially affects the dystrophic condition when followed by triiodothyronine (T3) replacement to 33 days of age; (2) determine the beneficial effects on the expression of avian dystrophy when the thyroidectomized-PTU-treated chickens received a wide range of moderate to low T3 replacement doses beginning by two days after thyroidectomy; and (3) examine the thyroid hormone receptor system in dystrophic muscle for a possible abnormality. Thyroid deprivation increased muscle function (righting ability) and reduced plasma creatine kinase activity in dystrophic chickens. The major thyroid-related abnormality in dystrophic pectoralis muscles was an increased maximum binding capacity of solubilized nuclear T3 receptors.

Cerebral enzyme antioxidant system. Influence of aging and phosphatidylcholine

To obtain a comprehensive profile of the age-related changes of the antioxidant enzyme system in discrete brain regions (cortex, caudate-putamen, substantia nigra, thalamus), the present study involved practically the total life span of male Wistar rats (from 5 to 35 months of age). The activities of both glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase increase from 5 to 25 months of life and remain relatively constant or decrease scantily thereafter. In thalamus, the activity of total superoxide dismutase (SOD) increases from 5 to 20 months of rat life and decreases thereafter. Conversely, in both substantia nigra and caudate-putamen, enzyme activity declines steadily with age, while in parietotemporal cortex enzyme activity deteriorates from the 25th month onward. In both caudate-putamen and parietotemporal cortex, the activity of glutathione peroxidase increases from 5 to 20 months of life and remains relatively constant thereafter, while in substantia nigra the enzyme activity is practically unmodified during the life span. Furthermore, the activity of glutathione reductase in parietotemporal cortex declines from the 20th month onward, while in caudate-putamen and thalamus, enzyme activity deteriorates after an increase from 5 to 20 months of life. The interference of phosphatidylcholine and/or its metabolite(s) with the cerebral enzyme antioxidant system shows a characteristic specificity as regards both the time of onset and the enzyme activities involved, namely, SOD and glutathione reductase. The interference with SOD is related to the cytosolic form of the enzyme and affects the cortex only of 5-month-old animals and also extends to the thalamus of 15-month-old rats and all regions in 25-month-old ones.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Relationship between aging, drug treatment and the cerebral enzymatic antioxidant system

Four different brain regions (parieto-temporal cortex, caudate-putamen, substantia nigra, and thalamus) were examined in rats aged 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 months. The following enzyme activities related to the antioxidant system were measured: glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and superoxide dismutase (as total). Specific enzyme activities vary markedly with age, according to the various regions studied, indicating nonhomogenous vulnerability of different brain regions to aging. In general, both superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase tended to decline during the last half of life, while glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase tended to increase slightly with age. In rats of 10, 20, or 30 months, chronic treatment for two months with a vasodilator (papaverine) or a calcium-blocker (nicardipine) indicated that the antioxidant enzyme activities are partially influenced according to the exogenous agent used, the brain region tested, and the age of the animals.

Oxidative stress and muscular dystrophy

Oxidative stress may be the fundamental basis of many of the structural, functional and biochemical changes characteristic of the inherited muscular dystrophies in animals and humans. The presence of by-products of oxidative damage, and the compensatory increases in cellular antioxidants, both indicate oxidative stress may be occurring in dystrophic muscle. Changes in the proportions and metabolism of cellular lipids, abnormal functions of cellular membranes, altered activity of membrane-bound enzymes such as the SR Ca2+-ATPase, disturbances in cellular protein turnover and energy production and a variety of other changes all indicate that these inherited muscular dystrophies appear more like the results of oxidative stress to muscle than any other type of underlying muscle disturbance. Particular details of these altered characteristics of dystrophic muscle, in combination with current knowledge on the processes of oxidative damage to cells, may provide some insight into the underlying biochemical defect responsible for the disease, as well as direct research towards the ultimate goal of an effective treatment.

Changes induced by aging and drug treatment on cerebral enzymatic antioxidant system

The age-related modifications of the participants to the cerebral enzymatic antioxidant system (superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase) were evaluated in four brain regions from male Wistar rats aged 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 months. Both the specific enzyme activity and the profile of any enzyme tested markedly differ with age according to the region examined: parieto-temporal cortex, caudate-putamen, substantia nigra and thalamus. This inhomogeneous age-related profile of enzyme activities could explain both the controversial data of literature and the different regional vulnerability of the brain tissue to damage with aging. In rats aged 10, 20, or 30 months, the chronic i.p. treatment for two months with papaverine or ergot alkaloids (dihydroergocristine, dihydroergocornine, dehydroergocriptine) suggests that the antioxidant enzyme activities may be influenced according to the agent utilized, the brain region tested, and the age of the animal. In any case, small differences in the drug structure support marked differences in the type and extent of the intervention on the antioxidant enzymatic system.

Pathogenesis of progressive muscular dystrophy: studies on free radical metabolism in an animal model

Evidence to suggest the presence of abnormal metabolism of oxygen free radicals in progressive muscular dystrophy is presented using an animal model. In the superficial pectoral muscles of dystrophic chickens, enzyme activities regulating the metabolism of oxygen free radicals, i.e., catalase, superoxide dismutases and glutathione peroxidase, were significantly elevated within 1 week of hatching. Activities of related enzymes, i.e., glutathione reductase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase were also elevated. In contrast, the specific activity of phosphofructokinase, the rate-limiting enzyme of the glycolytic pathway, was normal during the first 4-week period. These results suggest that there is an increased turnover of oxygen free radicals in the dystrophic muscle. This concept appears important in a further investigation of the pathogenesis and treatment of progressive muscular dystrophies.

Hormonal regulation of dipeptidyl-aminopeptidase I activity in cultured human fibroblasts

Human male fibroblasts, cell line GM2987, were grown in 10% Nu-Serum or fetal bovine serum. Dipeptidyl-aminopeptidase I (DAP-I) activity was higher in cells grown with Nu-Serum and cells grown in 10% fetal bovine serum purchased from Grand Island Biological Company (GIBCO) and lower in cells grown in 10% fetal bovine serum obtained from Sterile Systems, Inc. (Hyclone). The addition of 0.3 microM cortisol to all three types of sera resulted in cells that had similar levels of DAP-I activity (maximum of 800-900 nmol of beta-naphthylamine released from glycyl-L-phenylanine-beta-naphthylamine per hour per milligram of cellular protein). The addition of cortisol to Hyclone fetal bovine serum increased the DAP-I levels by up to threefold with a half-maximal response occurring at 30 nM cortisol. Triiodothyronine also could increase DAP-I levels, but only between 1.5- and 2.0-fold. Testosterone propionate increased DAP-I levels by 1.4-fold. These changes in growth media and hormones had little effect on other lysosomal enzymes or the growth characteristics of the cells.

Regional distributions of thiobarbituric acid-reactive products, activities of enzymes regulating the metabolism of oxygen free radicals, and some of the related enzymes in adult and aged rat brains

Regional distributions of thiobarbituric acid-reactive products, activities of enzymes regulating metabolism of oxygen free radicals, and some of the related enzymes were studied in 10 areas of adult and aged rat brains. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive products were lower in cerebral cortex, septal area, hippocampus, caudate-putamen, and substantia nigra compared with other areas studied in adult rats; however, they increased significantly in the former areas with aging. A slight but significant reduction in superoxide dismutase activity was noted in frontal cortex, septal area, caudate-putamen, and substantia nigra with aging. Glutathione peroxidase and reductase activities were highest in caudate-putamen and in substantia nigra. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase activities were lowest in cortical areas. Phosphofructokinase activity was lowest in septal area and hippocampus in aged rats. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity showed only small regional and evolutional changes. Lactate dehydrogenase activity declined with age in most of the areas studied. sn-Glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity showed small changes with aging except in hippocampus, where 40% reduction was noted. Generally, cerebral cortical areas, hippocampus, and septal areas were not particularly enriched in enzymes regulating the metabolism of oxygen free radicals. The results were discussed in relation to the role of free radicals in aging.

Avian hepatic T3 generation by 5'-monodeiodination: characterization of two enzymatic pathways and the effects of goitrogens

The enzymatic nature of 5'-monodeiodination (5'-D) in avian liver homogenates was demonstrated by abolishment of activity by iopanoic acid (IOP). T3 production from T4 was dependent on enzyme and substrate concentrations, incubation time, incubation temperature, and pH. Two pathways of 5'-D activity were present in avian liver and exhibited characteristics similar to those described in mammalian tissues. Type II activity was identified as propylthiouracil (PTU)-insensitive activity. Type I (PTU-sensitive) was determined by difference between Total and Type II. Km values were 1.58 microM T4 for Total activity and 0.90 nM T4 for Type II, corresponding to the characteristics of the mammalian pathways. The effects of goitrogens on avian hepatic 5'-D were equivalent to those reported for the mammalian enzyme.

Fibre-type specificity and effect of thyroid hormone on glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in normal and denervated skeletal muscles of the rat

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity increases following denervation of rat skeletal muscle. The specificity of this effect to muscle fibre type was studied. Basal activity of the dehydrogenase was higher in soleus, a muscle composed predominantly of type I fibres, than in extensor digitorum longus, a muscle composed predominantly of type IIa and b fibres. The enzymatic activity of the soleus was also greater than that of the red (RQ) and white (WQ) portions of quadriceps muscle (predominantly type IIa and type IIb fibres, respectively). Following denervation, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase increased in extensor digitorum longus and RQ, but not in WQ or the soleus. Following chronic treatment of rats with 3,3',5-triiodothyronine, which converts type I muscle fibres to type II, the dehydrogenase activity increased in both denervated soleus and extensor digitorum longus. It is concluded that the effect of denervation on glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity is selective for type IIa (fast oxidative-glycolytic) muscle fibres.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activities in early stages of development in dystrophic chickens

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) activities were assayed in superficial pectoral muscles of hereditary dystrophic chickens, 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 4 months after hatching. In control chickens, activities of G6PDH and 6PGDH were very low at 4 months of age; however, at 1 week of age, they were much higher than those at 4 months of age. Activities of G6PDH and 6PGDH were significantly higher in dystrophic chickens compared with those in the controls at all the stages of development studied. These findings suggest that considerable activities of G6PDH and 6PGDH are present within the pectoral muscle cells at early stages of development, at least in dystrophic chickens. GAPDH activity was significantly lower in dystrophic chickens at 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 4 months of age compared with those in control chicken. These findings together with our previous studies (Mizuno 1984a,b) in which increased activities of superoxide dismutases, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase were reported in dystrophic chickens, indicate the presence of an increased capacity for the turnover of oxygen-free radicals within muscle cells in dystrophic chickens, and that oxygen-free radicals and the related activated oxygen species may be playing a role in inducing cellular damage.

Avian muscular dystrophy: serum thyroid defect and limited improvement with methimazole and propylthiouracil

Serum concentrations of triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) were determined by radioimmunoassay in normal and genetically related muscular dystrophic chicks at 2 through 42 days ex ovo. There were no significant differences in T4 concentrations, but T3 concentrations were reduced about 35% below normal values in dystrophic birds at 14 to 42 days. The situation was reversed, however, on day 2, with T3 concentrations about 50% greater in dystrophic than in normal serum. Administration of T3 beginning on day 2 ex ovo did not alter phenotypic expression of dystrophic signs. Administration of the thyroid "antagonists," methimazole and propylthiouracil, however, significantly increased righting ability and reduced serum creatine kinase activity in dystrophic chicks. None of the administered substances improved the histopathology of dystrophic pectoralis major muscles. The data indicate that serum T3 concentrations may provide an early "marker" for avian dystrophy, and suggest that lowered serum T3 concentrations in older chicks may represent a compensatory response to the elevated serum T3 in newly hatched dystrophic chicks.

Thyroidal influence on body growth

This review of thyroid influence on body growth in poultry is organized around the following parameters of growth: increase in body weight and skeletal size, muscle growth, and growth of cartilage and bone. The greatest effect of goitrogens on growth of embryos occurs during late embryogenesis at a time when normal thyroid hormone levels are increasing. Posthatching growth is reduced in severely hypothyroid animals, and body weight gain is affected more than bone growth. Thyroid hormone replacement restores body growth of thyroidectomized chickens, but supplemental hormone in normal animals has no beneficial effect on growth. Excessive T3 (fed at 1 ppm) is detrimental to growth and feed efficiency. No clear correlation between thyroid hormone concentration and growth rate of normal chickens has been identified. Growth depression in sex-linked dwarf birds is at least partially reversed by supplemental T3. Muscle growth is reduced in goitrogen-treated chickens and the growth reduction is reversed by supplemental thyroxine. Total DNA accumulation is reduced in hypothyroid chickens, but muscle mass relative to DNA content is normal following long-term treatment; this suggests some regulation of muscle mass relative to DNA content. T3 increases the number of muscle fiber nuclei in hypothyroid chickens and the uptake of 3H-thymidine into nuclei within the basal lamina. T3 directly stimulates growth and maturation of embryonic chick cartilage and enhances the in vitro action of somatomedins on cartilage growth. There is little information concerning the role of the thyroid in posthatching cartilage and bone growth in poultry.