Expression of mTOR in lumbar DRGs following intrathecal vector injection.

A) Schematic drawing of the AAV vector that encodes sh-RNA. The sequences of the two active and one control siRNA (si-Luc) are shown. B) Representative Western blots showing levels of mTOR and beta-tubulin in naïve rats or at two week following vector administration in the lumbar DRGs (L4 and L5 DRGs from both sides were pooled). C) Histogram represents the mean mTOR levels in respect to the naive group. The data are presented as mean ± SEM of 4–6 rats per group. D) Representative Western blots showing levels of mTOR and beta-tubulin at five week following vector administration in the lumbar DRGs (L4 and L5 DRGs from both sides were pooled). E) Histogram represents the mean mTOR levels in respect to the control group (si-Luc). The data are presented as mean ± SEM of 4 rats per group. F, G and H) Confocal images of mTOR (red), GFP (green) and NeuN (blue) in L5 DRG at two week following F) si-Luc, G) si-TOR and H) si-TOR' vector administration. Scale bar, 100 µm. PGK, phosphoglycerate kinase promoter; ITR, inverted terminal repeat; U6, U6 promoter.