MUSCLE REGENERATION AND MITOCHONDRIAL CALMITINE INCREASE IN THE DYSTROPHIC DY DY MOUSE AFTER INTRAMUSCULAR CHLORPROMAZINE INJECTION/

We studied the effect of chlorpromazine injection on the gastrocnemius muscles of C57BL/6J dy/dy dystrophic mice. Changes in mitochondrial c almitine concentrations and differences in microscopy studies, fibre t yping and morphometry were compared in gastrocnemius muscles of dystro phic and control mice before and 2 and 21 days after injection. In bot h cases, calmitine reduction associated with muscle degeneration was o bserved 2 days after drug injection. Calmitine then increased, reachin g a level at day 21 nearly identical to that of controls before inject ion. This increase was associated with muscle regeneration. These resu lts clearly indicate that dystrophic mouse muscle can regenerate calmi tine after drug-induced damage.