Altered Bone-Regulating Myokine Expression In Skeletal Muscle Of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Mouse Models

IntroductionDuchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) has been well characterized as a disease that affects both skeletal muscle and bone. The pathophysiology responsible for the deficits in bone tissue is still unclear.MethodsQuantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses of known myokines from skeletal muscle were performed on dystrophic mouse models and wild-type (WT) controls to identify differentially expressed bone-regulating myokines.ResultsTwenty-four of 43 myokine genes demonstrated significantly different mRNA expression in the skeletal muscles of dystrophic mice when compared with muscles of WT mice. Several differently expressed bone-regulating myokine genes were identified, and their protein levels were also verified by Western blot.ConclusionsDystrophic skeletal muscle demonstrated a significantly altered myokine gene expression profile. mRNA and protein levels of several bone-regulating myokines were significantly altered in dystrophic skeletal muscle, which suggests pathological role of bone-regulating myokines on bone homeostasis in DMD. Muscle Nerve58: 573-582, 2018