Figure 7
(A) Representative brain active caspase-3 level in control and HIV-1 Tg rats. The active caspase-3 level was measured in brain cytosolic fractions as described in Methods. Bar graphs are relative to control and were compared using an unpaired t-test, mean ± SEM. Representative immunoblots of BDNF (B), neurofilament-L (D) and drebrin (F) protein levels in control and HIV-1 Tg rats. Bar graphs display mean ± SEM optical densities of individual protein bands relative to β-actin, expressed as percent of control. mRNA levels of neurofilament-L (C) and drebrin (E) in control and HIV-1 Tg rat brain, measured using real time TaqMan RT-PCR. Data represent mean ± SEM mRNA levels in the HIV-1 Tg rat brain normalized to β-globulin, relative to control level (calibrator) using the ΔΔCT method. statistical significance: **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 as determined by an unpaired t-test.