Absence of microRNA-21 does not reduce muscular dystrophy in mouse models of LAMA2-CMD

PLoS One. 2017 Aug 3;12(8):e0181950. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0181950. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs that modulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. Current evidence suggests that miR-21 plays a significant role in the progression of fibrosis in muscle diseases. Laminin-deficient congenital muscular dystrophy (LAMA2-CMD) is a severe form of congenital muscular dystrophy caused by mutations in the gene encoding laminin α2 chain. Mouse models dy3K/dy3K and dy2J/dy2J, respectively, adequately mirror severe and milder forms of LAMA2-CMD. Both human and mouse LAMA2-CMD muscles are characterized by extensive fibrosis and considering that fibrosis is the final step that destroys muscle during the disease course, anti-fibrotic therapies may be effective strategies for prevention of LAMA2-CMD. We have previously demonstrated a significant up-regulation of the pro-fibrotic miR-21 in dy3K/dy3K and dy2J/dy2J skeletal muscle. Hence, the objective of this study was to explore if absence of miR-21 reduces fibrogenesis and improves the phenotype of LAMA2-CMD mice. Thus, we generated dy3K/dy3K and dy2J/dy2J mice devoid of miR-21 (dy3K/miR-21 and dy2J/miR-21 mice, respectively). However, the muscular dystrophy phenotype of dy3K/miR-21 and dy2J/miR-21 double knock-out mice was not improved compared to dy3K/dy3K or dy2J/dy2J mice, respectively. Mice displayed the same body weight, dystrophic muscles (with fibrosis) and impaired muscle function. These data indicate that miR-21 may not be involved in the development of fibrosis in LAMA2-CMD.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Female
  • Laminin / deficiency*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / metabolism
  • Muscle, Skeletal / pathology*
  • Muscular Dystrophy, Animal / genetics
  • Muscular Dystrophy, Animal / pathology*
  • Phenotype

Substances

  • Laminin
  • MIRN21 microRNA, mouse
  • MicroRNAs

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (cnpq.br) to BO; Association Française contre les Myopathies to JH; Crafoord Foundation to JH; Greta and Johan Kock Foundation to MD; Lars Hierta Foundation to JH; Olle Engkvist Byggmästare Foundation to JH; Royal Physiographic Society in Lund to JH; Swedish Research Council to MD; Thelma Zoéga Foundation to JH and Österlund Foundation to MD. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.