<i>P2RX7</i> ablation improves <i>mdx</i> mouse muscles.

<p>(A) Autophagy induction (LC3I to LC3II shift in representative Western blots) found in <i>mdx</i> muscles is blocked in Pf-<i>mdx</i>/P2X7^−/− muscles, with average values shown in (B) (ANOVA, <i>F</i> = 11.57, df = 2, <i>n</i> = 4, <i>p</i> = 0.003; Tukey’s test, Pf-<i>mdx</i>/P2X7^−/− versus <i>mdx</i>, <i>p</i> = 0.008). Note: use of separate Western blots is indicated by solid black lines. (C) Greater average diaphragm isometric tetanic forces at 4 mo in both Pf-<i>mdx</i>/P2X7^−/− and G-<i>mdx</i>/P2X7^−/− compared to <i>mdx</i> mice (ANOVA, <i>F</i> = 37.97, df = 2, <i>n</i> = 4, 4, 5, <i>p <</i> 0.001; Tukey’s test, G-<i>mdx</i>/P2X7^−/− versus <i>mdx</i>, <i>p</i> = 0.010; Pf-<i>mdx</i>/P2X7^−/− versus <i>mdx</i>, <i>p <</i> 0.001). *<i>p <</i> 0.05, ***<i>p <</i> 0.001.