reverse-transcripted using a High-capacity cDNA Reverse
Transcription kit (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA). The
RT was performed by using a StepOne thermocycler
(Applied Biosystems, StepOne software v. 2.1) and, according
to the manufacturer’s instructions, under the following
thermal conditions: 10 min at 25 8C; 120 min at 37 8C
followed by 5 min at 85 8C. All cDNA samples were stored at
20 8C until PCR was performed.