Fig. 5.

qPCR reveals denervation-like changes in relative gene expression in muscles of diseased mice. (A–C) Skeletal muscle from T-treated tg L141 females show a significant upregulation of acetylcholine receptor alpha (AChR, p<.0025) and myogenin (p<.003) compared to either wt or blank-treated tg females, consistent with changes seen when muscles are denervated. Myogenic differentiation factor 1 (MyoD) mRNA levels also increased, but not significantly (p=.09). Importantly, neither T treatment nor expression of the AR transgene alone increase gene expression of these three genes. (D) Skeletal muscles from T-treated L141 tg female mice also showed lower expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), but it did not reach statistical significance (p=.07). (E–H) T-treated L78 tg females do not show a similar upregulation of these genes in muscle, indicating a selective dysregulation in animals showing a loss of motor function. Values are expressed relative to control (blank) treated wt females in A–H. We also found that mRNA levels for AChR (I), and myogenin (J) return to baseline levels, comparable to that of blank-treated tg females, by 6 days after T treatment ends, correlating with the recovery of motor function. However, VEGF (L) mRNA was significantly downregulated after testosterone was removed (p=.0096). Values are expressed relative to blank-treated tg females in I–L.