Beta-nicotinamide mononucleotide attenuates creatine kinase release in Duchenne muscular dystrophy model rats

Beta-nicotinamide mononucleotide (beta-NMN) is a direct precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺), a coenzyme essential for maintaining homeostasis in living organisms. NMN administration has attracted attention as a potential treatment for aging and age-related conditions, including diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and chronic kidney disease. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive, degenerative muscle disease caused by X-linked frameshift mutations in the Dmd gene. NAD⁺ levels in skeletal muscle decline in DMD pathology. In this study, we explored the therapeutic potential of NMN as an NAD⁺ booster for muscular dystrophy by administering NMN to DMD rats, which exhibit severe phenotypes comparable to those of human DMD patients, for 2 months. Although NMN administration did not improve muscle function in DMD rats, it did reduce the release of creatine kinase in their blood. RNA-seq analysis revealed that NMN administration could reverse DMD-related gene expression changes associated with skeletal muscle homeostasis. These results suggest that NMN can protect skeletal muscle against degeneration in DMD and may hold therapeutic potential for DMD patients.