title: Histological comparison of the smooth uterine muscle of healthy golden retriever bitches, carriers of the progressive muscular dystrophy (GRMD) gene, and GRMD-affected bitches.
abstract: There is evidence to suggest that weakness of the pelvic and/or uterine musculature may negatively affect the obstetric performance of women who carry the gene for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The golden retriever dog is the ideal animal model for preclinical studies of progressive muscular dystrophy, and this model is referred to as "golden retriever muscular dystrophy (GRMD)". This study evaluated and compared the histopathological aspects of the uterine muscle of eleven dogs: health, n=4; carriers of GRMD gene, n=5; and affected females, n=2. The obtained results showed that the uterine muscle of healthy dogs was exclusively composed of type III collagen, while a predominance of type I collagen and small amounts of type III were observed in the uterine muscle of the carriers. The myometrium of the affected bitches showed small quantities of both collagen types. The differences noted in the three evaluated groups suggest that female carrier and those individuals affected by muscular dystrophy had collagen alteration and muscle fiber commitment in the uterine muscle, a deficiency which could directly influence the composition and function of this tissue. In addition, this information is highly relevant to the reproductive management of these animals. This data open important venues for translate reproductive protocols for women, who carry the dystrophin gene.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science of the University of São Paulo - FMVZ-USP, Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87 street, Sao Paulo, SP 05508-270, Brazil. Electronic address: mpbrolio@usp.br.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Brolio
authors.affiliation: Paulista University - UNIP, Tenente Júlio Prado Neves, 965 street, São Paulo, SP 02370-000, Brazil. Electronic address: dsantilli3@gmail.com.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Cima
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science of the University of São Paulo - FMVZ-USP, Orlando Marques de Paiva, 87 street, Sao Paulo, SP 05508-270, Brazil. Electronic address: miglino@usp.br.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Miglino
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Engineering of the University of São Paulo - FZEA-USP, Duque de Caxias Norte, 225, Pirassunuga, SP 13635-900, Brazil. Electronic address: ceambrosio@usp.br.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Ambrósio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006579:Heterozygote; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000473:pathology*; D009137:Muscular Dystrophy, Animal / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D014599:Uterus / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Animal model; Dog; Histology; Muscular dystrophy; Uterus