Journal: The American Journal of Pathology

Article Title: Anti–Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-κB Ligand Improves Muscle Dysfunction and Strengthens Bone in Laminin-α2–Deficient dy 2J / dy 2J Dystrophic Mice

doi: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2026.04.011

Figure Lengend Snippet: Anti-RANKL treatment enhances specific force in fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles but has limited functional impact in dy 2J / dy 2J mice. A: Ex vivo assessment of contractile properties was performed on the fast-twitch (EDL) and slow-twitch soleus (Sol) muscles from 1-month–old male dy 2J / dy 2J mice treated for 28 days with either control IgG or anti-RANKL (4 mg/kg per 3 days). B , C , and E: Anti-RANKL treatment did not significantly improve the absolute isometric force (P0) in either EDL or Sol muscles ( B and E , respectively); however, it significantly increased the specific force (sP0) of EDL muscle ( C ). D: Anti-RANKL reduced EDL muscle mass/body weight ratio. F and G: No significant changes were observed in Sol muscle contractile properties between treatment groups. H: Voluntary locomotor activity, measured using the ANY-maze video tracking system, did not show significant differences in cumulative distance traveled between the anti–RANKL- and IgG-treated mice. I: Similarly, no difference was observed in grip strength normalized to body weight between the anti-RANKL and the IgG groups. Data are expressed as means ± SEM ( B – I ). n = 4 to 13 ( B – I ). ∗ P < 0.05, ∗∗ P < 0.01, ∗∗∗ P < 0.001, and ∗∗∗∗ P < 0.0001 (significantly different from IgG-treated dy 2J / dy 2J mice using one- or two-way analysis of variance with Bonferroni multiple-comparison test). WT, wild type.

Article Snippet: Voluntary locomotor activities of WT and anti-RANKL or IgG-treated dy 2J / dy 2J mice were measured using the ANY-maze video tracking system (Stoelting Co, Wood Dale, IL) in a 50 × 50-cm open field for 12 hours starting at 6 pm .

Techniques: Muscles, Functional Assay, Ex Vivo, Control, Activity Assay, Comparison