let al ▁mus cle . ▁In ▁support ▁of ▁this , ▁a ▁double ▁knock out ▁of ▁g amma - s arc og ly can ▁and ▁alpha - 7 ▁integr in ▁produced ▁a ▁phen ot ype ▁that ▁was ▁far ▁worse ▁than ▁either ▁knock out ▁alone . ▁M ice ▁died ▁within ▁ 1 ▁month ▁of ▁birth ▁and ▁had ▁severe ▁mus cle ▁deg ener ation , ▁suggesting ▁that ▁the ▁roles ▁of ▁these ▁prote ins ▁may ▁overlap ▁to ▁maintain ▁the ▁stability ▁of ▁the ▁sar co lemma . ▁Moreover , ▁the ▁double ▁knock out ▁of ▁d yst roph in ▁and ▁alpha - 7 ▁integr in ▁produced ▁a ▁Duch enne ▁mus cular ▁d yst ro phy - like ▁phen ot ype , ▁and ▁demonstrated ▁that ▁alter ations ▁in ▁alpha - 7 ▁integr in ▁affect ▁the ▁path ological ▁changes ▁observed ▁in ▁d yst roph in ▁def ic ien cies . ▁In ▁support ▁of ▁this ▁notion , ▁A AV ▁over expression ▁of ▁IT GA 7 ▁in ▁ske let al ▁mus cle ▁of ▁Duch enne ▁mus cular ▁d yst ro phy ▁( D MD ) ▁m ice ▁showed ▁a ▁significant ▁protect ive ▁effect ▁against ▁ad verse ▁functional ▁parameters ▁associated ▁with ▁D MD , ▁combined ▁with ▁a ▁revers al ▁of ▁these ▁negative ▁features , ▁suggesting ▁that ▁alpha - 7 ▁integr in ▁may ▁be ▁a ▁potential ▁th era pe ut ic ▁candidate ▁to ▁treat ▁Duch enne ▁mus cular ▁d yst ro phy . ▁ ▁Studies ▁employ ing ▁mut ant ▁alpha - 7 ▁integr in ▁construct s ▁have ▁shown ▁that ▁the ▁cy top las mic ▁tail