Single nucleus RNA-seq analysis of the TA muscles from WT and Dmd Exon 51 Knockout mice

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a fatal muscle disorder characterized by cycles of degeneration and regeneration of multinucleated myofibers and pathological activation of a variety of other associated cell types. Here, we describe the creation of a new mouse model of DMD caused by deletion of exon 51 of the dystrophin gene, which represents a prevalent mutation in humans. To understand the transcriptional abnormalities and heterogeneity associated with the nuclei of myofibers, as well as other mononucleated cell types that contribute to DMD disease pathogenesis, we performed single nucleus transcriptomics of skeletal muscle of mice with exon 51 deletion. Our results reveal distinctive and previously unrecognized myonuclear subtypes within dystrophic myofibers and uncover degenerative and regenerative transcriptional pathways underlying DMD pathogenesis. Our findings provide new insights into the molecular underpinnings of DMD, controlled by the transcriptional activity of different types of muscle and nonmuscle nuclei.