Additional file 3: of Inhibition of NF-κB in astrocytes is sufficient to delay neurodegeneration induced by proteotoxicity in neurons

RNAi screen to determine the contribution of genes in astrocytes to SCA3polyQ78-induced eye degeneration. Flies expressing SCA3polyQ78 in the eyes together with alrm-Gal4 were crossed to fly lines containing UAS-RNAi constructs to specifically knock down genes in astrocytes. Progeny expressing SCA3polyQ78 in the eyes with individual genes in astrocytes knocked down were analyzed for SCA3polyQ78-induced eye degeneration. The extent of degeneration was quantified and plotted in a table. The percentage of degeneration in SCA3polyQ78 eyes was set at 100% and the effect of RNAi-mediated gene knockdown in astrocytes was determined by the percentage of deviation from the control. The suppressors of degeneration (in which RNAi-induced downregulation of gene expression in astrocytes enhanced the SCA3polyQ78 phenotype, 60% or more deviation from the control) are shown in orange, the enhancers (40% or more deviation from the control) in purple. Genotype of the crosses SCA3polyQ78, GMR-QF2/+; QUAS-SCA3polyQ78:: alrm-Gal4/+. RNAi: GMR-QF2/+; QUAS-SCA3polyQ78:: alrm-Gal4/+ together with UAS-RNAi. (PDF 149 kb)