A–F) Total RNA was extracted from spinal cord tissue
of non-ALS controls (controls) and ALS patients. mRNA levels for
NAMPT, NMNAT1, NMNAT2,
NMNAT3, NAPRT and NMRK1
were determined by real-time PCR and corrected by TBP mRNA
levels. For all panels, data are expressed as percentage of controls (mean
± SD, n=15 in each group). G) NMNAT2 immunostaining in the
ventral horn of the spinal cord from three different non-ALS controls (control)
and three different ALS patients. Each set corresponds to a different control
and ALS tissue sections mounted on the same slide. All sections were stained and
developed concurrently. Scale bar: 100μm. H) NMNAT2 protein levels in the
spinal cord tissue of non-ALS controls (control) and ALS patients. ACTIN levels
were used as loading control for normalization. I) Quantification of NMNAT2
levels shown in (H) (mean ± SD, n=6 in each group).