Non-invasive MRI and spectroscopy of mdx mice reveal temporal changes in dystrophic muscle imaging and in energy deficits.

ABSTRACT: In Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a genetic disruption of dystrophin protein expression results in repeated muscle injury and chronic inflammation. Magnetic resonance imaging shows promise as a surrogate outcome measure in both DMD and rehabilitation medicine that is capable of predicting clinical benefit years in advance of functional outcome measures. The mdx mouse reproduces the dystrophin deficiency that causes DMD and is routinely used for preclinical drug testing. There is a need to develop sensitive, non-invasive outcome measures in the mdx model that can be readily translatable to human clinical trials. Here we report the use of magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy techniques for the non-invasive monitoring of muscle damage in mdx mice. Using these techniques, we studied

SUBMITTER: Heier CR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4229202 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature