Figure 9
From: Enhanced neuronal Met signalling levels in ALS mice delay disease onset
Effects of enhanced Met signalling in MN maintenance and astrogliosis at ALS symptomatic phase (120 days). (a–c) VAChT-stained sections through the ventral horn of the lumbar spinal cord showed an increase in MN maintenance in Nes-R26Met-SOD compared with SOD transgenics. (d–f) GFAP-stained sections through the ventral horn of the lumbar spinal cords showing astrogliosis in Nes-R26Met-SOD and SOD mice. (g–i) Iba-1-stained sections through the ventral horn of the lumbar spinal cords showing an increase in the number of microglial cells in Nes-R26Met-SOD and SOD mice. (j–l) Immunofluorescence staining of gastrocnemius muscle with α-bungarotoxin-tetramethylrhodamine (red), anti-neurofilament (green). Scale bar 50 μm. (m) Quantification of MN numbers (VAChT-positive) among the three groups of mice, showing a 32% increase in Nes-R26Met-SOD compared with SOD mice (Nes-R26Met-SOD versus SOD: P=0.0002; SOD versus control: P<0.0001; Nes-R26Met-SOD versus control: P=0.006; n=3). (n) Quantification of fluorescence intensity of GFAP-immunopositive cells. Significant differences were observed between the three groups (Nes-R26Met-SOD versus SOD: P=0.0164; SOD versus control: P=0.0002; Nes-R26Met-SOD versus control: P=0.0084; n=3). (o) Quantification of Iba-1-positive cells. Significant differences in microglia numbers were observed between the three groups (Nes-R26Met-SOD versus SOD: P=0.0016; SOD versus control and Nes-R26Met-SOD versus control: P<0.0001; n=3). (p) The percentage of α-Bungarotoxin-stained end-plates showing complete or partial colocalization with neurofilament staining was evaluated in the three groups (Nes-R26Met-SOD versus SOD: P=0.0416; controls versus SOD: P=0.0143; controls versus Nes-R26Met-SOD: P=0.0256). Values are expressed as means±S.E.M. ***P<0.001, **P<0.01, *P<0.05
