title: Expression of Dp260 in muscle tethers the actin cytoskeleton to the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex and partially prevents dystrophy.
abstract: Dystrophin forms a mechanical link between the actin cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix in muscle that helps maintain sarcolemmal integrity. Two regions of dystrophin have been shown to bind actin: the N-terminal domain and rod domain repeats 11-17. To better understand the roles of these two domains and whether the rod domain actin-binding domain alone can support a mechanically functional link with actin, we constructed transgenic mice expressing Dp260 in skeletal muscle. Dp260, the retinal isoform of dystrophin, lacks the N-terminal domain and a significant portion of the rod domain, but retains the rod domain actin-binding domain. Our results indicate that Dp260 expression restores a stable association between costameric actin and the sarcolemma, assembles the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex, and significantly slows the progression of the dystrophy in the dystrophin-deficient mdx mouse. We assessed the functional integrity of the mechanical link in Dp260 transgenic mdx mice and found that Dp260 muscles showed normal resistance to contraction-induced injury, but dramatic reductions in force generation similar to those found with mdx muscles. Morphologically, Dp260 muscles displayed reduced amounts of inflammation and fibrosis, but still showed a significant, albeit reduced, amount of degeneration/regeneration. These data demonstrate that protection from contraction-induced injury can dramatically ameliorate, but not completely halt, the dystrophic process. We suggest that a non-mechanical defect, attributed to the loss of the N terminus of dystrophin, is likely responsible for the residual dystrophy observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Laura E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Warner
authors.forename: Christiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: DelloRusso
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: Inna N
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Rybakova
authors.forename: Jitandrakumar R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ervasti
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chamberlain
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D016189:Dystrophin / Q000378:metabolism*; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018101:Mice, Inbred mdx; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D018485:Muscle Fibers, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D020388:Muscular Dystrophy, Duchenne / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011485:Protein Binding
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; C484607:Dp260 protein, mouse; D016189:Dystrophin