Figure 7: AEP gene deficiency ameliorates synaptic dysfunction, Aβ deposition and cognitive deficits in the 5XFAD mouse model. | Nature Communications

Figure 7: AEP gene deficiency ameliorates synaptic dysfunction, Aβ deposition and cognitive deficits in the 5XFAD mouse model.

From: Delta-secretase cleaves amyloid precursor protein and regulates the pathogenesis in Alzheimer’s disease

Figure 7

(a) The density of synapse determined by electron microscopy (mean±s.e.m.; n=6; *P<0.01). (b) Spine density in the hippocampus determined by Golgi staining (mean±s.e.m.; n=4; *P<0.01). (c) AEP deletion alleviates electrophysiological dysfunction in 5XFAD mice (mean±s.e.m.; n=6 in each group; *P<0.05). (d,e) ELISA quantification of Aβ in total brain lysates (d) or SDS fraction (e) from 6-month-old mice (mean±s.e.m.; n=9 in 5XFAD, n=10 in 5XFAD/AEP−/− mice; *P<0.01). (f) Thioflavin-S staining showing the Aβ plaques in the hippocampus (HC) and frontal cortex (FC). Scale bar, 50 μm. (g,h) Quantification of number and surface area of Aβ plaques (mean±s.e.m.; n=6; *P<0.01). (i) Morris water maze analysis as distance travelled (millimetres) and integrated distance (area under the curve, AUC) for WT (n=8), AEP−/− (n=8), 5XFAD (n=9) and 5XFAD/AEP−/− (n=10) mice (mean±s.e.m.; *P<0.01). (j) Probe trial result. Shown is the mean±s.e.m. percentage of time spent in the target quadrant (*P<0.05). Data were analysed using t-test (d,e,g,h) or one-way analysis of variance followed by post hoc comparison (a,b,c,i,j). TBS, theta-burst stimulation.

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