Dystrophin-compromised sarcoglycan-δ-knockout diaphragm requires full wild-type embryonic stem cell reconstitution for correction

J Cell Sci. 2012 Apr 1;125(Pt 7):1807-13. doi: 10.1242/jcs.100537. Epub 2012 Feb 10.

Abstract

Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy-2F (LGMD-2F) is an incurable degenerative muscle disorder caused by a mutation in the sarcoglycan-δ (SGδ)-encoding gene (SGCD in humans). The lack of SGδ results in the complete disruption of the sarcoglycan complex (SGC) in the skeletal and cardiac muscle within the larger dystrophin-glycoprotein complex (DGC). The long-term consequences of SG ablation on other members of the DGC are currently unknown. We produced mosaic mice through the injection of wild-type (WT) embryonic stem cells (ESCs) into SGδ-knockout (KO) blastocysts. ESC-derived SGδ was supplied to the sarcolemma of 18-month-old chimeric muscle, which resulted in the restoration of the SGC. Despite SGC rescue, and contrary to previous observations obtained with WT/mdx chimeras (a mouse rescue paradigm for Duchenne muscular dystrophy), low levels of ESC incorporation were insufficient to produce histological corrections in SGδ-KO skeletal muscle or heart. The inefficient process of ESC rescue was more evident in the SGδ-KO diaphragm, which had reduced levels of dystrophin and no compensatory utrophin, and needed almost full WT ESC reconstitution for histological improvement. The results suggest that the SGδ-KO mouse model of LGMD is not amenable to ESC treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Diaphragm / metabolism
  • Dystrophin / metabolism*
  • Embryonic Stem Cells / cytology
  • Embryonic Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Sarcoglycans / deficiency
  • Sarcoglycans / metabolism*

Substances

  • Dystrophin
  • Sarcoglycans