Introduction: Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a multisystemic disease caused by expansion of a CTG repeat in the 3' UTR of the Dystrophia Myotonica-Protein Kinase (DMPK) gene. While multiple organs are affected, more than half of mortality is due to muscle wasting.
Methods: It is unclear whether endurance exercise provides beneficial effects in DM1. Here, we show that a 10-week treadmill endurance exercise program leads to beneficial effects in the HSALR mouse model of DM1.
Results: Animals that performed treadmill training displayed reduced CUGexp RNA levels, improved splicing abnormalities, an increase in skeletal muscle weight and improved endurance capacity.
Discussion: These results indicate that endurance exercise does not have adverse effects in HSALR animals and contributes to beneficial molecular and physiological outcomes.
Keywords: endurance exercise; mouse model; myotonic dystrophy type I; skeletal muscle; splicing; treadmill.
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