Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Muscle loss and gene changes in dogs after steroid use
By Yoshida, Kei et al.·Published in The Journal of veterinary medical science·2022·Joint Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Japan·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Quantitative assessment of muscle mass and gene expression analysis in dogs with glucocorticoid-induced muscle atrophy.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of five healthy beagles developed muscle loss after being given a steroid medication called prednisolone for four weeks. The dogs showed a significant decrease in muscle size, particularly in their back and thigh muscles. Muscle fibers were found to be atrophied, meaning they had shrunk, and a specific protein linked to muscle growth was found to be increased, which may have contributed to the muscle loss. This study highlights the potential negative effects of long-term steroid use in dogs, particularly regarding muscle health.
People also search for: dog muscle loss from steroids · prednisolone side effects in dogs · beagle muscle atrophy treatment
Abstract
The present study aimed to quantitatively evaluate muscle mass and gene expression in dogs with glucocorticoid-induced muscle atrophy. Five healthy beagles received oral prednisolone for 4 weeks (1 mg/kg/day), and muscle mass was then evaluated via computed tomography. Histological and gene expression analyses were performed using biopsy samples from the biceps femoris before and after prednisolone administration. The cross-sectional area of the third lumbar paraspinal and mid-femoral muscles significantly decreased after glucocorticoid administration (from 27.5 ± 1.9 to 22.6 ± 2.0 cmand from 55.1 ± 4.7 to 50.7 ± 4.1 cm, respectively; P<0.01). The fast- and slow-twitch muscle fibers were both atrophied (from 2,779 ± 369 to 1,581 ± 207 μmand from 2,871 ± 211 to 1,971 ± 169 μm, respectively; P<0.05). The expression of the growth factor receptor-bound protein 10 (GRB10) significantly increased after prednisolone administration (P<0.05). Because GRB10 suppresses insulin signaling and the subsequent mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 activity, increased expression of GRB10 may have resulted in a decrease in protein anabolism. Taken together, 1 mg/kg/day oral prednisolone for 4 weeks induced significant muscle atrophy in dogs, and GRB10 might participate in the pathology of glucocorticoid-induced muscle atrophy in canines.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34980764/