FIGURE 2.

Fractalkine expression is decreased in human HD striatum and hiPSC-derived striatal neurons. (A) HD-induced changes of FKN expression quantified by qRT-PCR in human putamen relative to controls (HD cases n = 6; controls n = 11) (B) Quantification and representative immunoblots of FKN levels in human putamen. β-actin was used as loading control (*p = 0.035, Student t-test; n = 6 cases/group). (C) HD-induced changes of FKN expression quantified by qRT-PCR in HD60 iPSC-derived neuroblasts (DIV 16) and neurons (DIV 37) relative to Ctrl33 controls. ΔCT values are relative to housekeeping gene values (n = 3 cultures/group). *p < 0.05, two-tailed unpaired t-test; **p < 0.01, Bonferroni post-hoc test. (D) Confocal photomicrographs of FKN immunostaining (green) in cultured neurons (MAP2-positive; red) derived from Ctrl33 and HD60 iPSCs. Cellular nuclei are stained with Dapi (blue). Analysis of green channel picture (488 nm, black and white image, FKN) and quantification of FKN-staining intensity relative to the MAP2-stained area denotes widespread FKN staining in Ctrl33 cells, which is decreased in neurites of HD60 cells. *p < 0.05, two-tailed unpaired t-test (n = 3 cultures/condition). Scale bar: 14 μm.