Figure 5
miR-22 inhibition increases astrogliosis and impairs cognitive performance in epileptic mice.
(A,B) Epileptic Ant22 mice at the end of epilepsy monitoring display (A) increased neuropeptide Y (NPY) scores, a marker of synaptic rearrangement (n = 5–6/group) and (B) increased silver staining (SS) of reversibly damaged cells (n = 9–10/group). (C,D) Epileptic Ant22 mice display reduced staining for microglia in the contralateral hippocampus (n = 10–11/group). (E–H) Epileptic Ant22 mice display increased numbers of GFAP positive astrocytes and increased ADK (adenosine kinase) protein and immunostaining (n = 13–14/group). Scale bar in C, 150 μm; E, left; 1 mm; right, 200 μm. G, 20 μm. (I) Cartoon showing behavioral testing paradigm. Mice were presented with two objects and then, after a one day delay, re-presented but with one object moved (original drawing by author DC Henshall). (J,K) Behavioral tests on control and epileptic Ant22 and Scr mice at the end of recordings. Graphs show (J) percentage of time spent in the central area during habituation period of object location memory task. Epileptic Ant22 mice spent less time in the center area suggesting increased anxiety (n = 11–14/group). (K) Graph showing the percentage preference for the displaced object. Epileptic Ant22 mice showed reduced preference for novel object location (n = 8–12/group). *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001 compared to control or indicated group.
