Multimodal three-dimensional characterization of murine skeletal muscle micro-scale elasticity, structure, and composition: Impact of dysferlinopathy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and age on three hind-limb muscles

Skeletal muscle tissue function is governed by the mechanical properties and organization of its components, including myofibers, extracellular matrix, and adipose tissue, which can be modified by the onset and progression of many disorders. This study used a novel combination of quantitative micro-elastography and clearing-enhanced three-dimensional (3D) microscopy to assess 3D micro-scale elasticity and micro-architecture of muscles from two muscular dystrophies: dysferlinopathy and Duchenne muscular dystrophy, using male BLA/J and mdx mice, respectively, and their wild-type (WT) controls. We examined three muscles with varying proportions of slow- and fast-twitch myofibers: the soleus (predominantly slow), extensor digitorum longus (EDL; fast), and quadriceps (mixed), from BLA/J and WT BLA/J mice aged 3, 10, and 24 months, and mdx and WT mdx mice aged 10 months. Both dysferlin deficiency and age reduced the elasticity and variability of elasticity of the soleus and quadriceps, but not EDL. Overall, the BLA/J soleus was 20% softer than WT and less mechanically heterogeneous (-14% in standard deviation of elasticity). The BLA/J quadriceps at 24 months was 72% softer than WT and less mechanically heterogeneous (-59% in standard deviation), with substantial adipose tissue accumulation. While mdx muscles did not differ quantitatively from WT, regional heterogeneity was evident in micro-scale elasticity and micro-architecture of quadriceps (e.g., 11.2 kPa in a region with marked pathology vs 3.8 kPa in a less affected area). These results demonstrate differing biomechanical changes in hind-limb muscles of two distinct muscular dystrophies, emphasizing the potential for this novel multimodal technique to identify important differences between various myopathies.