Reduction of lower motor neuron degeneration in wobbler mice by N-acetylcysteine

Jeffrey T. Henderson, Mohammed Javaheri, Susan Kopko and John C. Roder

Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital,
Program in Molecular Biology and Cancer, 600 University Ave., Toronto, Ontario M5G-1X5

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Figure 6.Levels of glutathione peroxidase activity in cervical spinal cord segments of NW, wr/wr and wr/wr(N) animals.

NAC treatment augments glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels in the cervical spinal cord of wobbler mice. Spinal cord (C3-C7) segments were dissected and assayed for GPx activity in 9-week-old wobbler mice. GPx values are plotted as a percentage of the NW group. The NW(N+) group represents a positive control, consisting of NW animals (glucose supplimented) given daily i.p. injections of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (1 mg/gram/day) for three days prior to sacrifice. For NW and NW(N) groups, n=4; for wr/wr and wr/wr(N) groups, n=6. Values represent the mean + SEM; asterisks indicate p<0.05 for a given group, versus the wr/wr group. For wr/wr vs. wr/wr(N), p<0.03; for wr/wr vs. NW or NW(N), p<0.01.