Expression of TDP-43 fragments inhibits neurite growth in motor neuron-like NSC-34 cells.

<p>(<b>A</b>) The cells were transfected with EGFP and each of the TDP-43 constructs as shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0015878#pone-0015878-g001" target="_blank">Fig. 1</a>. The cells were also transfected with tdTomato to help visualizing neurites. Twenty-four hours after the transfection, the cells were differentiated to neurons by serum withdraw and cultured for another 72 hours before being fixed and photographed. (<b>B</b>) TDP-43-EGFP fragments were transfected with either tdTomato (white and black bars) or with the full-length TDP-43 tagged with tdTomato (green and red bars; also see <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0015878#pone-0015878-g009" target="_blank">Fig. 9</a>). Percent of cells bearing neurites were quantified and averaged from three experiments. Error bars represent standard error. Statistics using one-factor ANOVA showed significant difference among the cells transfected with different constructs (F = 24.6, p = 2×10⁻²⁷). Tukey's Post Hoc Test showed significant differences comparing the EGFP-transfected cells (E) with the white bars of constructs 2, 3, 4 and 5 and the black bars of constructs 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 8 with (p<0.01).