Prolongation of survival by parabiosis in strain 129 dystrophic mice

Abstract

Dystrophic mice were joined in parabiosis with normal partners of the same sex and strain. Their survival and the progress of the characteristic signs was compared with single controls, both normal and dystrophic. Comparisons between the size of certain organs were made. The usual brief survival of dystrophic mice was much prolonged by parabiosis, and the characteristic signs were often much reduced in severity. Adrenals were proportionately larger and kidneys smaller in single dystrophic mice as compared with normal controls. In contrast with normals the kidneys were also smaller in male dystrophic mice than in females. However parabiotic dystrophic mice had kidneys which were proportionately larger than in normal animals. The survival was often limited by the induction of cardiovascular disease, apparently as a consequence of parabiosis.