Fig. 2
WT1 represses long-term memory consolidation. a Left: Change in WT1 expression after double injection (2 nmoles/each, 2 h apart) of WT1-AS into CA1 (paired t test: *p = 0.0362; t = 2.687, df = 6). Right: Scheme of behavioral experiments in WT1 knockdown rats. WT1-AS-injected rats increased freezing time 24 h after training in CFC (unpaired t test **p = 0.0086). WT1 acute knockdown did not affect memory retention in NOL 1 h after training (unpaired t test p = 0.1685, n = 8–12 rats). In contrast, 24 h after training, WT1-AS-injected rats showed better memory than SC-ODN injected ones (unpaired t test: **p = 0.0011. Dashed line indicates 50% preference). b Left: Wt1∆ mice showed enhanced freezing 24 h and 30 days after training in CFC (unpaired t test: for 24 h, **p = 0.0088; for 30 days, *p = 0.0104). Right: Both Control and Wt1∆ groups showed preference for the new location when tested 1 h after training in NOL while only Wt1∆ mice showed significant preference for the new location 24 h after training (unpaired t test: **p = 0.0033; n = 8–10 rats. Dashed line indicates 50% preference). c Top: Immunostaining and immunoblot showing WT1 overexpression in rats. Bottom: Scheme of the behavioral experiments: green highlight line indicates time window for AAV-induced full expression of WT1. WT1 Overexpression reduced levels of freezing both during acquisition (unpaired t test **p = 0.0061) and 7 days after training (unpaired t test ***p = 0.0004) compared with CTR-AAV controls. d Top: Immunostaining and immunoblot showing WT1 overexpression via HSV virus in rats. Bottom: Scheme of pre- and post-training behavioral experiments. Green highlight line indicates time window for HSV-induced full expression of WT1. Pre-training: WT1-HSV group showed a significant difference in freezing compared with CTR-HSV group both during acquisition (unpaired t test **p = 0.0042) and 7 days after training (unpaired t test: **p = 0.0049). Post-training: rats were tested 4 days after HSV injection. WT1-HSV group showed significantly reduced levels of freezing compared with CTR-HSV group (unpaired t test: *p = 0.0444). Data are expressed as mean ± s.e.m
