Fig. 6

Dopaminergic markers DAT and VMAT2 in tissue and striatal slices from VKI mice. a Representative western blots of dopaminergic terminal markers VMAT2 and DAT in VKI mice. Blots are cropped; for full blots see Supp. Fig. 2. Samples on each blot derive from the same experiment and were processed in parallel. b Densitometry analysis was conducted by normalizing VMAT2 and DAT intensity to TH loading control. In VKI mice, VMAT2 levels were significantly increased (b.i, 1-way ANOVA F_2,25 = 5.30, p < 0.01, Bonferroni post-test WT vs Het t₍₂₅₎ = 2.45, p = 0.042, WT vs Homo t₍₂₅₎ = 3.09, p < 0.01), with a significant decrease in total DAT protein levels (b.ii, 1-way ANOVA F_2,32 = 17.75, p < 0.0001, Bonferroni post-test WT vs Het t₍₃₂₎ = 3.32, p < 0.01, WT vs Homo t₍₃₂₎ = 5.95, p < 0.0001). c Representative confocal images of VMAT2 (left) and DAT (right) in the dorsolateral striatum of 3-month-old VKI mice. d IHC analysis of VMAT2 shows no changes in VMAT2 puncta density (d.i, 1-way ANOVA F_2,15 = 0.2793, p = 0.76), integrated intensity (d.ii, 1-way ANOVA, F_2,15 = 0.726, p = 0.50), and area (d.iii, 1-way ANOVA, F_2,15 = 0.745, p = 0.49) in VKI compared to WT littermates. e DAT puncta density was unchanged (e.i, 1-way ANOVA F_2,15 = 0.518, p = 0.61), while integrated intensity (e.ii, 1-way ANOVA, F_2,15 = 8.81 p < 0.01, Bonferroni post-test WT vs Het p < 0.05 t₍₁₅₎ = 2.90, WT vs Homo t₍₁₅₎ = 4.07, p < 0.01) and area were significantly decreased (e.iii, 1-way ANOVA, F _2,15 = 6.36, p < 0.001, Bonferroni post-test WT vs Homo t₍₁₅₎ = 3.45, p < 0.01). For VMAT2 and DAT immunohistochemistry “n” is the average value of all slices per animal