Fig. 4.

YAP and YAP downstream targets are elevated in the absence of dystrophin. Fold-change for gene expression of transcripts for Yap and Ankrd1, Vim, and Ctgf, downstream targets of YAP. Values are normalized to housekeeping gene GAPDH. Values are means ± SD for TA muscles from 4 animals/genotype. The high expression of Ankrd1, Vim, and Ctgf in mdx muscles, compared with WT muscles, is consistent with the elevated levels of active, nonphosphorylated YAP present in mdx muscles. A Mann-Whitney rank-sum test (Vim, Ctgf, Ankrd1) and t-test (Yap) were performed to determine statistical differences between WT and mdx muscles. *P < 0.05 from control, WT muscles.