Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive, muscle-wasting disease where cell membrane instability continually damages muscle fibers due to an absence of the protein
dystrophin. DMD-associated cardiomyopathy is the leading cause of death in patients with DMD
and has limited treatment options. Cardiomyocyte death in the heart leads to increased fibrosis,
dilation of the cardiac cavities, and decreased contractile function. I am examining the use of a
porcine-derived myocardial matrix hydrogel in mdx mice, a murine model for DMD, in order to
promote extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and improve cardiac function. This hydrogel has
shown anti-fibrotic effects in the heart post myocardial infarction (MI) in pre-clinical models and
a phase I clinical trial. To assess the effects of the matrix hydrogel, I measured the abundance of
ECM proteins, quantified macrophage populations and optimized a surgical procedure for
echocardiography-guided direct cardiac injection of the matrix hydrogel. We optimized a less
invasive protocol for injections and observed a change in the endogenous ECM’s architecture.