Qualitative and real-time quantitative RT-PCR
Total RNA was reverse transcribed to cDNA, using a QuantiTect Reverse
Transcription kit (Qiagen, Mississauga, ON, Canada), according to the manufacturer's
protocol. Briefly, 1 μg of template total RNA were submitted to genomic DNA removal
and reverse transcribed using an optimized mix of oligo-dT and random primers,
Quantiscript RT buffer, and reverse transcriptase.