{
  "abstract": "Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked disorder mainly affecting young boys characterized by repeated cycles of myofiber injury/regeneration and chronic muscle inflammation. Although glucocorticoids can slow disease progression, their potential long-term adverse effects highlight the need for new steroid-sparing therapies for DMD. Annexin A1 (ANXA1) is a glucocorticoid-induced pro-resolving protein that signals primarily through formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2). We investigated whether the ANXA1 mimetic peptide Ac2-26 could reduce inflammation, stimulate tissue regeneration, and improve skeletal muscle function in muscular dystrophy. 3-week-old dystrophin-deficient male mdx mice were randomized to receive daily intraperitoneal injections of vehicle control, deflazacort (1 mg/kg/day), or Ac2-26 (1 mg/kg/day) for a duration of 5-weeks. Body composition, skeletal muscle mass, contractile function, and tissue histopathology/immune-cell infiltration were assessed at 8-weeks of age. Direct effects on myogenesis were also examined in vitro using primary D2-mdx myoblasts. ANXA1 was expressed predominantly by myeloid cells rather than resident dystrophic muscle cells. Both deflazacort and Ac2-26 markedly reduced intramuscular inflammation and increased myofiber size. However, Ac2-26 produced broader anabolic and functional benefits, increasing body-weight gain, lean body mass, hindlimb muscle weights, and absolute contractile force. Ac2-26 treatment also directly promoted myogenesis of dystrophic myoblasts in vitro, while pharmacological FPR2 blockade impaired myotube development. Overall, Ac2-26 mimicked the anti-inflammatory effects of deflazacort while providing superior benefits for body weight and composition, skeletal muscle growth, myofiber regeneration, and absolute muscle strength. These findings support therapeutic targeting of the ANXA1-FPR2 axis as a potential safe and effective steroid-sparing immunomodulatory strategy for DMD.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA."
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 8,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "H. Rehman"
    },
    {
      "name": "X. Lu"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. M. Nasrallah"
    },
    {
      "name": "B. Sharma"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Lies"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Adhikari"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. S. Welc"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "J. F. Markworth"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/537nbjqkn0dwf.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.10.05.756885",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.05.756885v1.full",
  "id": "537nbjqkn0dwf",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.05.756885v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "cell biology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1312|Muscle Physiology and Disorders"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7220664314",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.05.756885v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-05",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/537nbjqkn0dwf.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:26:12Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.10.05.756885",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.05.756885v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:cell biology",
      "subfield": "cell-biology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "The annexin A1 mimetic peptide Ac2-26 promotes inflammation-resolution and stimulates skeletal muscle regeneration in the mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy",
  "title_text": "The annexin A1 mimetic peptide Ac2-26 promotes inflammation-resolution and stimulates skeletal muscle regeneration in the mdx mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:26:12Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/537nbjqkn0dwf",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}