Dr. Elizabeth Gibbs, a post-doctoral fellow in Rachelle Crosbie-Watson’s lab, recently published a paper in Human Molecular Genetics showing that overexpression of sarcospan in dystrophic mice reduces muscle damage and improves post-exercise fatigue. Sarcospan also improved pulmonary function in these mice, and was able to be expressed at a high level without toxic effects. This study highlights a potential therapeutic strategy that could help stabilize the muscle cell membrane in Duchenne, and prevent ongoing dystrophic damage.
