Fibroblasts from HD patients have reduced the expression of LC3 and GS1 proteins. (A) Western blot showing the pattern of expression of human Htt protein in fibroblasts from control healthy donors (C1–C3), with an average of 15–33 CAGs, or from HD patients (HD1–HD4) with an average of 78–90 CAGs. The anti-hHtt antibodies evidence the presence of a band of about 70 kDa (mHTT) that is visible only in lysates from cells deriving from HD patients, while in the lysates form controls, a band below 55 KDa is evident and preferentially expressed in healthy donors (wt-Htt). Experiments were repeated at least twice, data were analyzed from al least three different patients or controls, and a representative situation is shown. (B) Western blot showing the cleavage of LC3 protein in the lysates of fibroblasts from control healthy donors and from HD patients. The fast-migrating form of LC3-II (upper panel) is significantly reduced in the extracts from fibroblasts of HD patient as compared to lysates from control donors. Actin is shown as a control for loading (lower panel). (C) Quantification of the ratio LC3-II/I from (B). (D) Western blot showing that expression of GS1 in fibroblasts from HD patients is reduced compared to its expression in control donors, tubulin was used as a control for loading. (E) relative quantification analysis of GS1 in fibroblasts from (D). The p values were calculated from Student’s t-test from the relative number of samples.