Female gender-related factors mitigate dystrophic muscle features in young but not old mdx mice, and estradiol treatment does not restore this protection in older mice.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Transient female protection in young mdx mice may not extend to older models; hypothesis-generating for DMD and precludes clinical translation.
INTRODUCTION: The dystrophic features in hindlimb skeletal muscles of female mdx mice are unclear. METHODS: We analyzed force-generating capacity and force decline after lengthening contraction-induced damage (fragility). RESULTS: Young (6-month-old) female mdx mice displayed reduced force-generating capacity (-18%) and higher fragility (23% force decline) compared with female age-matched wild-type mice. These 2 dystrophic features were less accentuated in young female than in young male mdx mice (-32% and 42% force drop). With advancing age, force-generating capacity decreased and fragility increased in old (20 month) female mdx mice (-21% and 57% force decline), but they were unchanged in old male mdx mice. Moreover, estradiol treatment had no effect in old female mdx mice. CONCLUSIONS: Female gender-related factors mitigate dystrophic features in young but not old mdx mice. Further studies are warranted to identify the beneficial gender-related factor in dystrophic muscle.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Hourdé et al. (2012) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 10 related papers. Consider them for comparative context: