Figure 4

Determination of calpain content and activity in spinal cord and precentral gyrus in ALS subjects. (A–C) Western blot analysis of calpain content and (D–F) calpain activity, by means of spectrin degradation, in homogenates prepared from postmortem samples of lumbar (A and D) and cervical (B and E) spinal cords, and prefrontal cortex (C and F) samples obtained from ALS and age-matched control subjects. Graphs show calpain levels and calpain activity, as the ratio 150/240 kDa spectrin bands, in control and ALS subjects. Numbers represent the mean ± SEM of control and ALS samples as described in Figures 1 and 2 legends. Values are expressed as percentage of controls, considering the values obtained in control subjects as 100%. Class III β tubulin (TUJ1) was used as loading control. *Differs from control subjects; P < 0.05.