Review Article

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, a Multisystem Pathology: Insights into the Role of TNFα

Figure 2

Expression of TNFR1 and TNFR2 in the spinal cord of ALS patients. Laser scanning confocal micrographs of immunofluorescence for TNFR1 (red) and ferritin (microglia, green) or GFAP (astrocytes, green) showed higher expression of TNFR1 in the glial cells of ALS patients (c, d, arrows) than those of controls (a, b). Magnification: 40x and 60x (inset, d). Immunofluorescence for TNFR2 (red) and ferritin (microglia, green) or GFAP (astrocytes, green) showed higher levels of TNFR2 in the glial cells of ALS patients (h, i, arrows) than those of controls (f, g). Magnification: 40x. (e, j) Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of TNFR1 and TNFR2 mRNA levels in the lumbar spinal cord of ALS patients () and controls (). Data were analyzed by t-test ( ALS versus controls).