Fig. 10

Increase in markers of DNA repair complexes correlate with decreased vulnerability. a Confocal images show motor neurons from WTr, WTv, SMAr and SMAv motor neuron labeled with RhDextran (red), DAPI (blue) and antibodies against phosphorylated version of H2A histone family member X (pH2AX, green), which is a marker of DNA repair complexes. Note that the highest levels of pH2AX staining were observed in WTr motor neurons. Scale bar = 50 μm. b Scatter plot quantification of the number of pH2AX positive foci per motor neuron in WTr, WTv, SMAr and SMAv motor neurons. There was a decrease in staining in WTv motor neurons, which suggests decreased DNA repair complexes correlate with increased vulnerability. There was also a decrease in DNA repair complexes in both SMAv and SMAr motor neurons. N = 4 spinal cord and 25/21/48/27 motor neurons per group, *** P <0.001 WTr compared to WTv, SMAr and SMAv