journal article·2026-03-20Open access

A Borophosphate Glass Doped with Cobalt Oxide Improves Skeletal Muscle Structure and Function in Myopathic Mice

Jacob A. Kendra, Alexandra G. Naman, Rebekah L. Blatt, Carla D. Zingariello, Richard K. Brow, Steven S. Segal, Aaron B. Morton

Abstract

Skeletal muscle myopathy remains a significant cause of disability with limited treatment strategies. Advancements in tissue engineering have led to the development of borophosphate bioactive glasses (BPBGs) capable of enhancing skeletal muscle structure and function. Using a mouse model of severe myopathy (D2.mdx), we investigated muscle force, regeneration, angiogenesis and inflammation at 14, 70 and 140 days post-treatment (dpt). Tibialis anterior (TA) muscles of D2.mdx mice that received a single injection of cobalt oxide-doped BPBG (CoO-TRIM) particles exhibit greater active force, myofiber size, and regeneration through 70 dpt compared to control D2.mdx mice injected with Saline. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was elevated up to 70 dpt in D2.mdx CoO-TRIM mice followed by increased muscle vascularity. As a marker of inflammation, interleukin (IL)-6 increased in D2.mdx CoO-TRIM mice compared to D2.mdx Saline controls at 14 dpt, with no differences at 70 or 140 dpt. No differences were observed in outcome measures between wild-type (WT) CoO-TRIM mice and WT Saline controls. We report that CoO-TRIM can stimulate VEGF production and promote restoration of muscle structure and function when inflammation is present. Local injection of an inorganic biomaterial alone can benefit myopathic skeletal muscle.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Muscle Physiology and Disorders · Bone Tissue Engineering Materials · Heterotopic Ossification and Related Conditions

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Department of Kinesiology and Sport Management, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77845, USA

Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Missouri University of Science & Technology, Rolla, MO 65409, USA

Department of Pediatric Neurology, The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Bronx, NY 10467, USA

Department of Medical Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65212, USA

Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, Columbia, MO 65211, USA

Department of Pathobiology and Integrative Biomedical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA

Department of Biomedical, Biological and Chemical Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65201, USA

Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA

Funding

University of Missouri School of Medicine Coulter Biomedical Accelerator Grant · Missouri S&T Ignition Grant Initiative · TAMU Advancing Discovery to Marketplace Innovation Award · College of Education and Human Development at Texas A&M University · NIH LRP · NIH

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