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Locomotor and skeletal muscle abnormalities in trembler J neuropathic mice
Darin J Falk1,2, Tori Galatas1, Adrian G Todd2
1Department of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 1149 Newell Drive, Box 100244 Gainesville, Florida, 32610-0244, USA.
Introduction:
Patients with hereditary peripheral neuropathies exhibit characteristic deformities of the hands and feet and have difficulty ambulating. To examine to what extent neuropathic animals recapitulate these deficits, we studied trembler J (TrJ) mice, which model early-onset demyelinating neuropathy.
Methods:
A cohort of 4-month-old female wild type and neuropathic mice were evaluated for locomotor measurements, neuromuscular function, and skeletal muscle proteolysis and morphometry.
Results:
Utilizing the DigiGait imaging system, we identified pronounced alterations in forepaw and hindpaw angles and a decrease in hindpaw area on the treadmill in neuropathic rodents. Torque production by the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle was significantly weakened and was paralleled by a decrease in myofiber cross-sectional area and an increase in muscle tissue proteolysis.
Discussion:
Our findings in TrJ mice reflect the phenotypic presentation of the human neuropathy in which patients exhibit weakness of the TA muscle resulting in foot drop and locomotor abnormalities. Muscle Nerve 57: 664-671, 2018.