Increased concentration of spectrin is observed in avian dystrophic muscle

A significant increase in the concentration of spectrin has been observed in dystrophic chicken pectoralis major muscle when compared to normal fast-twitch muscle. In normal muscle, alpha-spectrin-specific immunofluorescence delineates each myofiber with a network pattern of staining at the sarcolemma with little staining within the cytoplasm. In dystrophic fibers, numerous intensely stained areas occur within the cytoplasm and staining at the sarcolemma is increased, thereby obscuring or eliminating the highly regular network arrangement of spectrin usually seen in this region. When immunofluorescence experiments are performed on microsomal vesicles isolated from normal and dystrophic tissues, only a small fraction of normal vesicles are stained, whereas most of the dystrophic vesicles are associated with spectrin. An increase in spectrin concentration is observed using immunoautoradiography of whole muscle and isolated microsomes, thus supporting the immunofluorescent observations described above. The early-age post-hatching when increases in spectrin concentration can be detected and the simplicity of the immunofluorescent technique make this observation useful as a new diagnostic parameter. This observation also shows that the distribution of spectrin and its concentration within nonerythroid cells can be modified by abnormal physiological states; this modification may contribute to subsequent symptoms, such as increased rigidity and abnormal calcium metabolism, that are observed in dystrophy.