alpha-Methylprednisolone promotes skeletal myogenesis in dystrophin-deficient and control mouse cultures

We have examined the influence of the glucocorticoid alpha-methylprednisolone (PDN) on the morphological differentiation of skeletal muscle cells derived from dystrophin-deficient C57BL/10 mdx, congenic C57BL/10 and allogenic Balb/c newborn mice. We show that PDN enhances myogenic cell numbers in dystrophin-deficient cultures as well as in matched controls. A parallel increase in the fusion rate of myoblasts into myotubes occurs while the size of myotubes, as determined by nuclei per myotube, is slightly increased. This promoting effect of PDN on myogenesis could be related to the enhanced muscular function observed in PDN-treated Duchenne's muscular dystrophy-affected boys.