Bauke Kogelman1, Margriet Hulsker2, Christa Tanganyika-de Winter2, Ralf Werring2, Annemieke Aartsma-Rus2, Maaike van Putten2, and Louise van der Weerd1,2
1Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands, 2Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
Duchenne
muscular dystrophy is affecting skeletal and cardiac muscle tissue, due to
non-functional dystrophin protein. Potential therapies restore dystrophin
expression in skeletal muscle, while cardiac muscle is more difficult to
target. To elucidate whether exercise is beneficial or disadvantageous for
(cardio)myopathy, we subjected several mouse models, mdx (0% dystrophin), mdx-Xist∆hs
(varying dystrophin levels), Bl10-WT and Xist-WT wild type mice (100%
dystrophin) to low intensity or no exercise. Results showed that low dystrophin
levels improve skeletal muscle and cardiac function and suggest that low
intensity exercise is beneficial for skeletal and cardiac muscle function in both
dystrophic and wild type mice.
