Figure 1. Interaction of SMN with FGF-2²³ negatively regulates neurite outgrowth.

PC12 cells were transfected with pSMN-EGFP or pEGFP control vector, respectively. Cells were additionally transfected with pFGF-2¹⁸-DsRed2 (SMN non-interacting control), pFGF-2²³-DsRed2 (SMN-interacting) or pDsRed2 control (grey, transfections with control plasmids; blue, FGF-2¹⁸ and, red, FGF-2²³ transfections). After incubation with nerve growth factor (NGF) in differentiation medium for three days, neurite lengths were measured and the relative changes of lengths analyzed. For statistical evaluations, average relative neurite lengths of n>100 cells were compared. Levels of significance on top of each bar represent comparison to pEGFP/pDsRed2 controls; means ± SEM; n.s., non-significant; *, p<0.05; **, p<0.01; Dunn’s test for comparison of multiple groups.