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Farini A, Sitzia C, Villa C, Cassani B, Tripodi L, Legato M, Belicchi M, Bella P, Lonati C, Gatti S, Cerletti M, Torrente Y. Defective dystrophic thymus determines degenerative changes in skeletal muscle. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2099. [PMID: 33833239 PMCID: PMC8032677 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22305-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
In Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), sarcolemma fragility and myofiber necrosis produce cellular debris that attract inflammatory cells. Macrophages and T-lymphocytes infiltrate muscles in response to damage-associated molecular pattern signalling and the release of TNF-α, TGF-β and interleukins prevent skeletal muscle improvement from the inflammation. This immunological scenario was extended by the discovery of a specific response to muscle antigens and a role for regulatory T cells (Tregs) in muscle regeneration. Normally, autoimmunity is avoided by autoreactive T-lymphocyte deletion within thymus, while in the periphery Tregs monitor effector T-cells escaping from central regulatory control. Here, we report impairment of thymus architecture of mdx mice together with decreased expression of ghrelin, autophagy dysfunction and AIRE down-regulation. Transplantation of dystrophic thymus in recipient nude mice determine the up-regulation of inflammatory/fibrotic markers, marked metabolic breakdown that leads to muscle atrophy and loss of force. These results indicate that involution of dystrophic thymus exacerbates muscular dystrophy by altering central immune tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Farini
- Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Unit of Neurology, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Centro Dino Ferrari, Milan, Italy
| | - Clementina Sitzia
- Residency Program in Clinical Pathology and Clinical Biochemistry, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Villa
- Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Unit of Neurology, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Centro Dino Ferrari, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Cassani
- Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche-Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica (CNR-IRGB), Milan Unit, Milan, Italy
- IRCCS Humanitas clinical and research center, Rozzano, 20089, Milan, Italy
| | - Luana Tripodi
- Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Unit of Neurology, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Centro Dino Ferrari, Milan, Italy
| | - Mariella Legato
- Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Unit of Neurology, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Centro Dino Ferrari, Milan, Italy
| | - Marzia Belicchi
- Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Unit of Neurology, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Centro Dino Ferrari, Milan, Italy
| | - Pamela Bella
- Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Unit of Neurology, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Centro Dino Ferrari, Milan, Italy
| | - Caterina Lonati
- Center for Surgical Research, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Gatti
- Center for Surgical Research, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Massimiliano Cerletti
- UCL Research Department for Surgical Biotechnology, University College London, London, UK
- UCL Institute for Immunity and Transplantation, University College London, London, UK
| | - Yvan Torrente
- Stem Cell Laboratory, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Unit of Neurology, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Centro Dino Ferrari, Milan, Italy.
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