Reduction of circulating sphingosine 1-phosphate worsens mdx soleus muscle dystrophic phenotype

What is the central question of the study? What are the consequences of reducing circulating Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) on muscle physiology in the murine model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD)? What is the main result and its importance? Reducing circulating S1P level in mdx mice aggravates the dystrophic phenotype, as seen by an increase in fiber atrophy, fibrosis, and loss of specific force, suggesting that S1P signaling is a potential therapeutic target in DMD. While further studies are needed, plasma S1P levels have the intriguing possibility of being used as a biomarker for disease severity, an important issue in DMD