Fig. 3: Morphological characterization of Aβ1–42incubated hippocampal microglia with or without PLX3397 treatment. | Translational Psychiatry

Fig. 3: Morphological characterization of Aβ1–42incubated hippocampal microglia with or without PLX3397 treatment.

From: Switch to phagocytic microglia by CSFR1 inhibition drives amyloid-beta clearance from glutamatergic terminals rescuing LTP in acute hippocampal slices

Fig. 3

A Representative immunofluorescence image of Iba1 positive (red) staining for microglia in the hippocampal CA1 region of vehicle, Aβ1–42, Aβ1–42 + PLX and Aβscrambled groups (n = 7/group). B Numbers of Iba1+ microglia per field of view (FOV) were counted and no change was found in the different experimental conditions (p = 0.8079). C The Iba1-positive area per cell was evaluated as a measure of the average microglial size, and found to be significantly increased upon PLX treatment (Aβ1–42 + PLX) compared to Aβ1–42 (**p < 0.01) and Aβscrambled (*p < 0.05) groups (n = 10/group). D Perimeter of Iba1-positive microglial cell was found significantly augmented in Aβ1–42 + PLX compared with vehicle (*p < 0.05), Aβ1–42 (**p < 0.01), and Aβscrambled (**p < 0.01) groups. E The representative binary mask of microglial cells showing the morphological profile of microglia in the different experimental conditions. F The circularity index (CI) was calculated to verify the state of microglial activation based on its morphology. Treatment with PLX significantly increased the CI compared with vehicle (**p < 0.01), Aβ1–42 (*p < 0.05) and Aβscrambled (**p < 0.01) groups. Also, Aβ1–42 induced a statistically significant upward trend of CI compared with vehicle (*p < 0.05) group G Representative immunofluorescent images showing immunofluorescent labeling for CD68 positive phagosomes (green) in the hippocampal CA1 region. High magnification of CD68 positive phagosome Is shown in the insets. H The numbers of phagosomes are significantly increased upon PLX treatment (Aβ1–42 + PLX) compared to vehicle (**p < 0.01), Aβ1–42 (*p < 0.05) and Aβscrambled (**p < 0.01) groups (n = 4/group). I n = 4/group; J, K The perimeter of CD68+ phagosomes was also measured and it was found to increase in Aβ1–42 + PLX compared with vehicle (**p < 0.01) group. DAPI (blue) was used to counterstain nuclei. CA1 Cornu Ammonis 1, SO stratum oriens, SP stratum pyramidale, SR stratum radiatum. White arrows: rod-like microglia. Scale bars: A, 50 μm; G, 50 μm; islet in G, 15 μm. Graph bars indicate mean ± SEM.

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