Figure 2: Enhanced autophagy in Atg5 Tg mice.
From: Overexpression of Atg5 in mice activates autophagy and extends lifespan
(a) Western blot analysis showing enhanced levels of Atg5, Atg12-Atg5 conjugate and LC3 conversion, and reduced p62 levels in the indicated tissues of 18-month-old Atg5 Tg mice no. 25 (T) and WT mice (W). (b) Densitometric analysis of the signals on the blots shown in (a). (c) Electron microscopy images of autophagosomes (arrows) and late-autophagic compartments (arrowheads) in the liver tissues of 18-month-old Atg5 Tg mice no. 25 and WT mice. Scale bars are indicated. (d) The numbers of autophagosomes and autolysosomes per cell (n=50) in the electron microscopic images shown in (c) were counted. The bars represent the mean±s.d. ***P<0.0001 versus control; Student’s t-test. (e) Fluorogenic comparison of basal autophagy activity between GFP-LC3 Tg mice and Atg5/GFP-LC3 double Tg mice. Whole bodies of 8-week-old male (left) and female (right) GFP-LC3 Tg (LC3), and Atg5/GFP-LC3 Tg mice (Atg5/LC3) were visualized using a Kodak Image Station 4000MM equipped with a filter set for FITC (Kodak Molecular Imaging Software, Version 4.0). (f) Western blot analysis showing autophagy markers in the liver of GFP-LC3 mice. GFP-LC3 mice were injected for 5 days with siRNA-Atg5 or Atg5-HA cDNA through the tail vein. Whole-liver tissue lysates were prepared and subjected to immunoblotting using the indicated antibodies. β-Actin served as a control.
