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Assessing Functional Performance in the Mdx Mouse Model
Published on: March 27, 2014
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Intertubular morphometric and ultrastructural testes analyses in mdx mice
Janine Karla França da Silva Braz1, Vilessa Araújo Gomes2, Verônica Andrade Siman3
1Escola Multicampi de Ciências Médicas do RN, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Caicó, RN, Brasil.
Animal Reproduction
|October 31, 2022
Summary
Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) causes testicular changes, but ascorbic acid (AA) supplementation may help. AA treatment reverted Leydig cell hypertrophy and increased intertubular volume in affected mice.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology
- Cell biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disorder causing progressive muscle degeneration.
- Reproductive alterations are observed in DMD patients and animal models.
- Antioxidant treatments, like ascorbic acid (AA), are being investigated for their potential therapeutic effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the morphometric changes in the intertubular compartment (ITC) of testes in mdx mice, an animal model for DMD.
- To evaluate the impact of ascorbic acid (AA) supplementation on these testicular alterations.
Main Methods:
- Sixteen mice (C57BL/10 and C57BL/10Mdx) were divided into control, dystrophic, control supplemented with AA, and dystrophic supplemented with AA groups.
- Ascorbic acid (200 mg/kg) was administered for 30 days.
- Testes were collected for morphometric analysis and transmission electron microscopy.
Main Results:
- Leydig cells in dystrophic mice (D60) were hypertrophic, a condition reverted by AA supplementation (DS60).
- The dystrophic group supplemented with AA (DS60) showed increased intertubular volume compared to controls (CS60).
- Ultrastructural analysis revealed multilamellar bodies (lipid storage) in dystrophic animals and telocyte cells (substance transport) in both groups.
Conclusions:
- Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy induces significant morphometric alterations in the testicular intertubular compartment.
- Ascorbic acid supplementation demonstrates a potential therapeutic effect by altering Leydig cell morphology and increasing intertubular volume in dystrophic mice.
