How missing dystrophin affects the body's daily clock in muscles and the brain
Dystrophin as a novel regulator of the circadian clock in skeletal muscle and the brain
['FUNDING_R21'] · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · NIH-11251245
This project looks at whether lack of dystrophin disrupts the body's daily (circadian) clock in muscles and the brain in people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R21'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (BIRMINGHAM, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11251245 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, researchers will use a special mouse model that lacks dystrophin to study how the body's circadian clock is altered in muscle and brain. They will track daily rhythms linked to sleep-wake cycles, nighttime blood pressure changes, and markers of muscle and heart function. Lab tests will examine molecular clock genes such as BMAL1/ARNTL and how their activity changes without dystrophin. The work is laboratory-based at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and could inform future patient-focused studies or treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, especially those who have sleep disruption, abnormal nighttime blood pressure, or heart rhythm problems, would be the most relevant group.
Not a fit: Patients with non-dystrophin forms of muscular dystrophy or those without clock-related symptoms may not see direct benefits from this specific line of research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If confirmed, these findings could point to new ways to treat sleep, heart rhythm, or breathing problems in Duchenne muscular dystrophy by targeting the body's circadian clock.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work shows the circadian clock influences muscle health, but using dystrophin-deficient models to directly link DMD symptoms to clock disruption is a new and relatively untested approach.
Where this research is happening
BIRMINGHAM, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM — BIRMINGHAM, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: ALEXANDER, MATTHEW SCOTT — UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- Study coordinator: ALEXANDER, MATTHEW SCOTT
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.