F344 njcl cg foxn1rnu rats

We used the Wistar–Imamichi strain DMD rat model (DMD rat model: X^DmdY) carrying mutations in exons 3 and 16 of the Dmd gene (Nakamura et al., 2014 (link)). Immunodeficient F344/NJcl.Cg-Foxn1^rnu rats (nude rat: Foxn1^rnu/rnu) were purchased (CLEA Japan, Inc., Tokyo, Japan). Immunodeficient DMD rats were established by crossing a Foxn1^rnu/rnu male rat with an X^DmdX female rat. X^Dmd was identified by genotyping the litter population (Nakamura et al., 2014 (link)). The following rat genotypes were used in this study: X^DmdY Foxn1^rnu/rnu (DMD nude rats), XX Foxn1^rnu/rnu or XY Foxn1^rnu/rnu rats (WT nude rats) and X^DmdY Foxn1^rnu/+(immunocompetent DMD rat model).

All animal protocols were conducted in accordance with regulations for experiments involving laboratory animals, established by the Animal Use and Care Committee of EN Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Hanamaki, Japan (approval no. ENDR-15-02, 29 May 2015). We housed 4-week-old male F344/NJcl.Cg-Foxn1rnu rats (CLEA Japan, Inc., Tokyo, Japan) in individual stainless steel metabolic cages under controlled temperature (23 ± 3 °C) and humidity (50 ± 20%) conditions and in a 12 h/12 h light/dark cycle (lights on at 07:00). The rats were fed AIN-93G (Oriental Yeast Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) and provided with drinking water ad libitum. Additionally, the rats were allowed to acclimatize to the laboratory conditions for approximately 1 week before the experiments. The rats were randomly assigned to control or SLC transplantation groups, pair-matched on the basis of body weight.