Figure 3

shRNA induced toxicity in the red nucleus. Transduction of the red nucleus with AAV1 particles expressing GFP and a control shRNA (A, B) or GFP alone (C). Injection of AAV1 particles expressing GFP and a control shRNA results in a loss of rubrospinal motor neurons and an infiltration of small diameter cells as shown in cresyl violet staining (A). Insets show enlargements of the injected (A') and contralateral side (A"). High magnification confocal microscopy images of GFP fluorescence show degenerating motor neurons (arrow heads) that were transduced with an AAV1 vector encoding shRNA (B). These degenerating neurons are not present in AAV1-GFP transduced neurons (C). Scalebar A' and B: 50 μm