Correlation of survival motor neuron expression in leukocytes and spinal cord in spinal muscular atrophy.

Survival motor neuron (SMN) messenger RNA and protein levels in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) model mice and in patients with SMA were measured. There was a high correlation between leukocyte and spinal cord SMN expression in SMA model mice and a moderate correlation between leukocyte SMN expression and age of disease onset in patients with SMA.